Flying from Los Angeles to San Francisco and Vice Versa Often. How is it?
I am starting my first year as an analyst in SF in July 2024. I want to know do people really fly back to LA on the weekends? Is it possible to take a flight on Friday and come back on Monday morning since it's the same time zone on a 1-hour flight?
Work is stressful and so I want to be able to see my family and girlfriend back home often. Would it be realistic to say that I would fly back and see them 2-3 times a month if needed? Money isn't a problem since a lot of round-trip flights are under $100.
Any tips? Thank you!
it’s definitely possible. i’d say some of it depends on your bank’s WFH policy - maybe you could even go home thurs night. i would say that it’s much better to take a return flight in the night (sunday night) and get a good night’s sleep (it’s life changing compared to having to get up early and go to the airport). flying back at night would also reduce the risk of not being responsive asap when ur on the flight. would highly recommend booking well in advance and not using southwest often as the last flight of the day for southwest tends to delay almost every time by like 2 hours, especially for this route. also, pls get clear & tsa pre if you plan on traveling 2-3 times a month, just show up 45 minutes before departure and all should be good. also don’t check in a bag
Thank you very much for the input. It was very helpful! I need to make the best of it since my bank has in-office Friday. I can always end early that day and head out from there.
Hey there! It sounds like you've got a busy schedule ahead, but it's definitely doable. Flying between LA and SF is quite common, especially for those who have family or other commitments. The flight is indeed short, usually around an hour, so it's feasible to fly out on Friday and return on Monday morning.
However, keep in mind that work can be unpredictable, and you might have some late Fridays or early Mondays. It's important to be flexible and prepared for changes.
As for seeing your family and girlfriend 2-3 times a month, that's absolutely realistic, especially if money isn't a concern. Just make sure to balance your work and personal life effectively.
A few tips for you: - Try to book your flights well in advance to get the best deals and ensure availability. - Consider signing up for a frequent flyer program to earn points and enjoy perks. - If possible, avoid checking in luggage to save time at the airport. - Look into expedited security programs like TSA PreCheck or CLEAR to speed up your airport experience.
Remember, it's all about finding a routine that works for you. Safe travels!
Sources: Q&A: Strategy consulting Associate Partner offering career advice, Flying down to NY to network - but can only do it on the weekend, Help Convince me to go to San Francisco, Is it hard to try and move to Los Angeles after analyst years?
I would echo the advice of never checking in a bag, only having a carry-on, signing up for tsa pre-check, always using the same airline to build points and taking the red eye back.
But such a heavy travel schedule on top of your grueling job could have adverse side effects on you.
Can’t your gf share some of the burden and visit you? I’m sure her job isn’t as demanding as yours.
It’s an hour long flight, you’re good bro
Pretty easy. I used to fly down to the LA area monthly when I was working in SF. It’s a very quick flight, though I wasn’t flying into LAX.
Try one of the smaller local airports if possible, will be way easier than LAX
2-3x a month is not going to be easy or possible with IB hours - yes it's a 1h flight but it becomes much longer than that with traffic on both end, security, delays etc. Extremely tiring with IB hours. Also you will end up pushing your flight any time you have a late Friday, will sometimes fly to LA just to work all weekend, etc
I'd say this is totally doable once a month or every other month, but you are putting yourself in a bad situation trying to do this so frequently and your deal teams are going to tire of you constantly running to catch a flight
Your GF should come visit you
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