Is flying out of Erie a good deal? Comparing costs with Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh

School is almost over for students, which means travel season isn't far away for families in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Local residents have choices when booking vacation flights. They can depart from Erie International Airport, or drive to nearby airports in Buffalo, Cleveland or Pittsburgh.

But which is the most affordable choice? Flight prices can vary, but here is a look at the costs for various trips scheduled for early June based on information on Expedia's website May 8.

The first flight I compared was American Airlines (Erie's only carrier) to Charlotte, North Carolina, leaving Friday, June 7 and returning Monday, June 10.

Flying out of Erie? Have to stop in Charlotte

Why Charlotte? Because it is the Erie airport's only commercial destination. Here are the prices for American Airlines flights:

• Erie to Charlotte, $455 nonstop, round trip

• Cleveland to Charlotte, $392 nonstop, round trip

• Pittsburgh to Charlotte, $507 nonstop, round trip

• Buffalo to Charlotte, $220 nonstop, round trip

Factoring in the cost of driving to the other cities and airport parking (it's easier for family/friends to give you a ride to the Erie airport), Erie is comparable to Cleveland and a better deal than Pittsburgh. But Buffalo's deal simply can't be beat.

How about other destinations? Let's look at American Airlines flights to San Francisco, departing June 7 and returning June 14:

• Erie to San Francisco, $443, one stop, round trip; 9 hours, 28 minutes

• Cleveland to San Francisco, $401, one stop, round trip; 8 hours, 16 minutes

• Pittsburgh to San Francisco, $403, one stop, round trip; 7 hours, 22 minutes

• Buffalo to San Francisco, $421, one stop, round trip; 8 hours, 41 minutes

Here are American Airlines flights to Orlando for the same dates:

• Erie to Orlando, $283, one stop, round trip; 5 hours, 7 minutes

• Cleveland to Orlando, $304, one stop, round trip; 4 hours, 47 minutes

• Pittsburgh to Orlando, $327, one stop, round trip; 3 hours, 43 minutes

• Buffalo to Orlando, $325, one stop, round trip; 4 hours, 34 minutes

Flying American Airlines out of Erie is less expensive than flying the same airline out of any of the other cities, which also include a layover.

Other airlines offer non-stop flights, lower prices

However, you aren't limited to American Airlines when you fly out of Buffalo, Pittsburgh of Cleveland. You also get nonstop options.

Let's look at the best nonstop flights for San Francisco considering all airlines:

• Cleveland to San Francisco, $370, United Airlines

• Pittsburgh to San Francisco, $401, United Airlines

• Buffalo to San Francisco, $376, one stop (no nonstop flights), Delta

The nonstop, round trip flights to Orlando are much less expensive, due to the popularity of discount airlines to that particular city:

• Cleveland to Orlando, $168, Frontier Airlines

• Pittsburgh to Orlando, $102, Spirit Airlines

• Buffalo to Orlando, $217, Jet Blue

Convenience main reason why many travelers prefer Erie airport

Still, many Erie travelers still prefer to fly out of Erie International Airport, said Ann Denny, owner of Miller Travel Services.

"We've seen about the same numbers of people who prefer to fly out of Erie as we did five, 10 years ago," Denny said. "Some don't care what it costs, others want to fly out of Erie for the convenience. They don't want to deal with driving two hours to another airport."

The main issue is the Erie airport's single commercial destination. Those who want to fly to New York City or Las Vegas still have to take a flight to Charlotte and change planes.

Airport officials and business leaders have been meeting with airlines to lobby for new service and destinations. And the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership is growing a Fly Erie fund to provide a subsidy to airlines for Erie service.

"We could really use another location, like Chicago," Denny said.

HERE to HELP: Have a consumer question you'd like us to help you with? Leave a message with David Bruce at 870-1736, send an email to david.bruce@timesnews.com or send mail to 205 W. 12th St., Erie, PA 16534.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: How expensive are flights from Erie? The compared to other airports