# Why are there direct flights from Philadelphia to Newark? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 13, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009 "2017-01-13T03:15:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/1 "2017-01-13T03:15:24Z")
If you need to get to the airport 2 hours in advance, taking a train will take just as long. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/2 "2017-01-13T03:23:33Z")
1. There aren’t many – looks like American offers four a day, and that might be it. 2. If there weren’t demand, the flights wouldn’t be offered. 3. The train might be faster, if you’re going from downtown Philadelphia to downtown NYC. But, if you’re catching a connecting flight out of Philadelphia or Newark, I suppose that flying might be a better option than the train? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/3 "2017-01-13T03:25:53Z")
Connecting flights? Is Phili international? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/4 "2017-01-13T03:28:07Z")
Connections for traversing passengers. That is why many short haul-flights exists. Airline passengers generally do not like to switch modes of transportation mid-process especially if they are arriving from somewhere else. Both Philadelphia and Newark are international airports but they do not offer the same flights to other, distant destinations. If you live closer to one or the other, it is much simpler and quicker just to arrive at your home airport and take a quick flight to your connection rather than vice versa. You might as well ask why there are flights between Milwaukee and Chicago or Denver and Colorado Springs (20 minutes by air tops but at least a two hour process by car). It is because there is some demand for it. It is just a smaller airport feeding passengers into a larger airport (or vice-versa) or two large airports like Philadelphia and Newark exchanging passengers so that they can get where they need to go. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/5 "2017-01-13T03:28:18Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Connecting flights? Is Phili international? Yes, and it’s also a hub for American Airlines, which was what I was primarily thinking of regarding connecting flights. Newark, meanwhile, is a hub for United (and is also an international airport). ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/6 "2017-01-13T03:29:09Z")
Both airports are international. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/7 "2017-01-13T03:46:05Z")
> [@copperwindow](#): > > If you need to get to the airport 2 hours in advance, taking a train will take just as long. I don’t want to point out the obvious but you are making a huge logical and math error here. Yes, you do need to get to the airport about two hours in advance especially for international flights but that has nothing to do with getting to the airport in the first place. You still have to check in, go through security and find your gate whether you get there by car or train. Once you go through security at any airport and land at another airport, you are already behind the firewall and don’t have to do it again. You are proposing a long extra leg with potential complications. One big advantage besides the highly likely time savings is that, once you get on your first flight, the airline is obligated to get you to your destination somehow. That may not be the case if you decide to take a train and it breaks down midway causing you to miss your original flight. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/8 "2017-01-13T03:56:30Z")
If you are coming in international flights, you will still need to clear immigration and customs. ---
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/9 "2017-01-13T04:25:45Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Connecting flights? Is Phili international? They’re both International. ---
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/10 "2017-01-13T04:42:47Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Connections for traversing passengers. That is why many short haul-flights exists. Airline passengers generally do not like to switch modes of transportation mid-process especially if they are arriving from somewhere else. Both Philadelphia and Newark are international airports but they do not offer the same flights to other, distant destinations. If you live closer to one or the other, it is much simpler and quicker just to arrive at your home airport and take a quick flight to your connection rather than vice versa. > > You might as well ask why there are flights between Milwaukee and Chicago or Denver and Colorado Springs (20 minutes by air tops but at least a two hour process by car). It is because there is some demand for it. It is just a smaller airport feeding passengers into a larger airport (or vice-versa) or two large airports like Philadelphia and Newark exchanging passengers so that they can get where they need to go. Okay, by this logic. Why aren’t there direct flights from JFK to LaGuardia? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/11 "2017-01-13T04:54:24Z")
> [@copperwindow](#): > > Okay, by this logic. Why aren’t there direct flights from JFK to LaGuardia? They’re only 10 miles apart by road. Any time you would save by not having to leave airport properties, and make the short trip, would likely be more than offset by the process of boarding, flying, and deplaning. OTOH, it’s over 70 miles from O’Hare to Milwaukee’s airport, and about 90 miles from Newark to the Philadelphia airport. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/12 "2017-01-13T05:23:53Z")
> [@copperwindow](#): > > Okay, by this logic. Why aren’t there direct flights from JFK to LaGuardia? They are the same city, including Newark - though technically just outside. So when you want to fly into NYC, you fly into JFK, LGA or Newark (forgot the 3 letter code) and either way you are there. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/13 "2017-01-13T06:13:43Z")
Who gets to the airport 2 hours early. I used to fly every week and I never got to the airport with more than 30 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/14 "2017-01-13T06:27:59Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Who gets to the airport 2 hours early. I used to fly every week and I never got to the airport with more than 30 minutes. How long ago was that and what airline and airport? Check-in closes 30 minutes prior to departure at many major airports these days. That doesn’t just mean inside the airport doors. It means making it to the front of the (often very long) check-in line especially if you have any checked bags then you have to go through TSA screening and then get to the gate. 30 minutes isn’t nearly enough time at major airports these days unless you have a pre-printed boarding pass, no checked bags and are TSA pre-screened but even that is seriously pushing it and requires luck. I have been stuck in every type of line for well over an hour each and even missed flights when 2 hours still proved to not be enough time to make it through the steps and to my gate. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/15 "2017-01-13T13:34:39Z")
I don’t understand the question. Did the OP expect to have a layover when flying from Philadelphia to Newark? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/16 "2017-01-13T13:47:11Z")
I suspect it depends on where your airline hubs are - certain airlines will land their international flights at certain airports and then passengers to other airports will connect via smaller planes, even if the destination is also an international airport. I’ve taken connecting flights between BWI and Washington National (now Ronald Reagan WNA). Total flight time: about 20 minutes. One time the plane was delayed so they put us in a couple of cabs, which didn’t take much longer to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/17 "2017-01-13T15:50:33Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > How long ago was that and what airline and airport? Check-in closes 30 minutes prior to departure at many major airports these days. That doesn’t just mean inside the airport doors. It means making it to the front of the (often very long) check-in line especially if you have any checked bags then you have to go through TSA screening and then get to the gate. > > 30 minutes isn’t nearly enough time at major airports these days unless you have a pre-printed boarding pass, no checked bags and are TSA pre-screened but even that is seriously pushing it and requires luck. I have been stuck in every type of line for well over an hour each and even missed flights when 2 hours still proved to not be enough time to make it through the steps and to my gate. Have to agree with this. One way to ensure long security delays is to not give oneself sufficient time. Conversely, one way to to ensure breezing through security (same airport, same airline) is to give oneself excess time. Airport security theater has made the Amtrak NE corridor a better option if going to Boston or DC from NYC. ---
**Author:** ![JHBoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/13edae/32.png) [@JHBoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JHBoom)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2017, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/18 "2017-01-14T20:55:19Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > …or Newark (forgot the 3 letter code)… Newark is EWR. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/19 "2017-01-19T22:17:23Z")
“Why are there direct flights from Philadelphia to Newark?” Because people will pay the airline enough money for such flights to make them profitable. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009/20 "2017-01-20T01:45:57Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > 1. The train might be faster, if you’re going from downtown Philadelphia to downtown NYC. But, if you’re catching a connecting flight out of Philadelphia or Newark, I suppose that flying might be a better option than the train? For a time, Continental had a “flight” between Philly & EWR that was actually Amtrak! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-direct-flights-from-philadelphia-to-newark/777009.md?page=2)