Little Help - Getting to airport after the game

[berndog]

My son just graduated from college in South Carolina and for a gift he asked to attend a Bills home game.  Living in NC he's been to every game the Bills play in Carolina but he wants the real experience.  Hell, it's been almost 10 years since I've been to a home game and I want it to.  We picked the Miami game but are concerned about getting him to the airport for his 7:30 flight.  Flying out Monday morning isn't an option as he is in grad school and can't miss any classes.

 

I know this isn't a unique situation so I'm asking is it realistic and what's the best way give him the game experience and make his flight?

[947]

I'm also an out-of-towner & had the same situation for a 1:00 game last year. He'll be fine with a 7:30 flight.

 

I waited until 10 minutes after the game to exit to the stadium then walked to my rental car. By the time I got to it, much of the traffic had died down, got to the airport in 25 minutes. We even had time to stop for food & still had an hour to wait until the flight boarded. I think I had a 6:30 flight. Buffalo airport is not crowded on a Sunday evening.

[teef]

it's good to hear that lil' berndog is doing so well.

[berndog]

13 minutes ago, teef said:

it's good to hear that lil' berndog is doing so well.

 

I'm thankful lil' berndog takes after his Mom.  Attending college classes was not high on my priority list. 

[TBBills Fan]

@teefwill give you a ride.  

[Captain Caveman]

Yeah, most years I'd say it should be ok, but I'd keep an ear out for how the construction impacts traffic this year.  Worst case scenario, he may need to leave a little early.

[Max Fischer]

I have flown out after a 1:00PM game several times. He should have no problem. I think the biggest problem folks have is the first few miles. The key is using a parking lot to get out fairly quickly, even if it means parking a little further and even taking a more circuitous route. I've had a lot of luck along California Road. Also, quickly leaving the stadium can save a ton of time, especially after a win when folks tend to linger. 

[Gugny]

3 hours ago, teef said:

it's good to hear that lil' berndog is doing so well.

Wouldn’t he be “Bernpup?”

[Nextmanup]

Helicopter.

 

 

[Robert Paulson]

2 hours ago, Max Fischer said:

I have flown out after a 1:00PM game several times. He should have no problem. I think the biggest problem folks have is the first few miles. The key is using a parking lot to get out fairly quickly, even if it means parking a little further and even taking a more circuitous route. I've had a lot of luck along California Road. Also, quickly leaving the stadium can save a ton of time, especially after a win when folks tend to linger. 

California rd than backroads to lancaster is the trick

[plenzmd1]

3 hours ago, 947 said:

I'm also an out-of-towner & had the same situation for a 1:00 game last year. He'll be fine with a 7:30 flight.

 

I waited until 10 minutes after the game to exit to the stadium then walked to my rental car. By the time I got to it, much of the traffic had died down, got to the airport in 25 minutes. We even had time to stop for food & still had an hour to wait until the flight boarded. I think I had a 6:30 flight. Buffalo airport is not crowded on a Sunday evening.

man, this does not sound like a normal experience at all. Traffis usually still at a crawl 60-90 minutes after the game.

 

 @mrags can prolly tell ya the best lot to park. Prolly on the south side of Southwestern, as that turns into Transit which will bring you right to the airport.

 

But 7:30 will be fine, no worries at all. Now, if we get a October surprise snow????

[Mike in Horseheads]

There was a guy a few years ago that said to park at ECC. He then went on a crazy trip through shopping center parking lots (it was hilarious) to get clear and on the road to the airport

 

[teef]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

Wouldn’t he be “Bernpup?”

Don’t spoil my flavor. 

[1onemangang7]

5 hours ago, TBBills Fan said:

@teefwill give you a ride.  

whaddya say @teef you in?

[mrags]

6 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

man, this does not sound like a normal experience at all. Traffis usually still at a crawl 60-90 minutes after the game.

 

 @mrags can prolly tell ya the best lot to park. Prolly on the south side of Southwestern, as that turns into Transit which will bring you right to the airport.

 

But 7:30 will be fine, no worries at all. Now, if we get an October surprise snow????

Yeah pretty much impossible to get to the airport in 25 minutes from the stadium. In fact it’s 20 minutes door to door from the stadium to the airport with zero traffic. That’s going the 219 to the 90, to the 33. On game day this would absolutely not be the fastest way. The fastest way would be to head north on southwestern until transit rd. Follow that all the way to genesee. GPS says 26 minutes with no traffic but it’s likely faster than the other way because of traffic. Of course it also depends on where you park really. If you are on the north/east side of the stadium you can get out quickly and head north on southwestern. If you’re in the north/west side of the stadium it may be quicker to go the route of the 90/33, but it definitely going to depend on traffic until you get to the 90. If you are south of the stadium the only possible way this works is if your far enough east of the stadium on big tree and. A get right out of whatever lot you’re in. Get onto the 219 asap and then go the 90 to 33 route. 
 

like I said, it really depends on where you park. If your on Abbott rd south of the stadium you won’t be going anywhere for at least 60-90 minutes after the game ends. 
 

good luck @berndog

Edited June 23, 2023 by mrags

[Albany,n.y.]

37 minutes ago, mrags said:

Yeah pretty much impossible to get to the airport in 25 minutes from the stadium. In fact it’s 20 minutes door to door from the stadium to the airport with zero traffic. That’s going the 219 to the 90, to the 33. On game day this would absolutely not be the fastest way. The fastest way would be to head north on southwestern until transit rd. Follow that all the way to genesee. GPS says 26 minutes with no traffic but it’s likely faster than the other way because of traffic. Of course it also depends on where you park really. If you are on the north/east side of the stadium you can get out quickly and head north on southwestern. If you’re in the north/west side of the stadium it may be quicker to go the route of the 90/33, but it definitely going to depend on traffic until you get to the 90. If you are south of the stadium the only possible way this works is if your far enough east of the stadium on big tree and. A get right out of whatever lot you’re in. Get onto the 219 asap and then go the 90 to 33 route. 
 

like I said, it really depends on where you park. If your on Abbott rd south of the stadium you won’t be going anywhere for at least 60-90 minutes after the game ends. 
 

good luck @berndog

This sounds like the best advice in this thread.  Nowadays, when I go to games I stay at a friend's house in Depew, not far from the airport and go back after the game.  I get there early enough to park in the lot on California closest to Southwestern (going from Transit, after it turns into Southwestern I make a left at the corner light on to California).  I go all the way on Southwestern/Transit since they live off Transit.  The lot can fill up fast, so if you're a late arrival, you're toast.  Another possibility is in a current stadium side lot on Southwestern between the stadium & California, but you have a lot of pedestrians making it hard to turn right on Southwestern.  Another possibility is the stadium lot on Southwestern if you get there early enough to park in the 1st or 2nd row closest to the exit.  Park on the northeast side of the lot (left after the parking attendants scan the parking pass) so it's an easy right hand turn out. I used to do that when I was younger & I could run out of the stadium to the car-I also used to drive back to Albany after the game, so I had to get out quickly.  Also, it depends on how the game is going.  If a lot of people leave in the middle of the 4th quarter, all the roads will be jammed if you wait until the end.  The fastest I've gotten out of the stadium was games that ended on a final kick or overtime because I could outrun the other fans & when that happened the roads were clear enough to go Southwestern north, left to the 219 & the 219 to I-90.  

 

Under no circumstances should you wait 10 minutes after the game.  All that does is lets the other people get to their cars and get ahead of you on the road.  I'd recommend the OP puts on WGR's postgame show after a home game before they go to the game & listen to the traffic reports.  They'll get a pretty good idea of how the roads jam up after the game.  There were plenty of games it took 45 minutes to an hour for me to get to the Depew toll booths on the Thruway whether I took Southwestern/Transit all the way to the Thruway via Transit, or went 219 to 90.  

 

The good news is, even if it takes an hour, if the game ends at 4:15, they'll get to the airport in plenty of time.  

[mrags]

41 minutes ago, Albany,n.y. said:

This sounds like the best advice in this thread.  Nowadays, when I go to games I stay at a friend's house in Depew, not far from the airport and go back after the game.  I get there early enough to park in the lot on California closest to Southwestern (going from Transit, after it turns into Southwestern I make a left at the corner light on to California).  I go all the way on Southwestern/Transit since they live off Transit.  The lot can fill up fast, so if you're a late arrival, you're toast.  Another possibility is in a current stadium side lot on Southwestern between the stadium & California, but you have a lot of pedestrians making it hard to turn right on Southwestern.  Another possibility is the stadium lot on Southwestern if you get there early enough to park in the 1st or 2nd row closest to the exit.  Park on the northeast side of the lot (left after the parking attendants scan the parking pass) so it's an easy right hand turn out. I used to do that when I was younger & I could run out of the stadium to the car-I also used to drive back to Albany after the game, so I had to get out quickly.  Also, it depends on how the game is going.  If a lot of people leave in the middle of the 4th quarter, all the roads will be jammed if you wait until the end.  The fastest I've gotten out of the stadium was games that ended on a final kick or overtime because I could outrun the other fans & when that happened the roads were clear enough to go Southwestern north, left to the 219 & the 219 to I-90.  

 

Under no circumstances should you wait 10 minutes after the game.  All that does is lets the other people get to their cars and get ahead of you on the road.  I'd recommend the OP puts on WGR's postgame show after a home game before they go to the game & listen to the traffic reports.  They'll get a pretty good idea of how the roads jam up after the game.  There were plenty of games it took 45 minutes to an hour for me to get to the Depew toll booths on the Thruway whether I took Southwestern/Transit all the way to the Thruway via Transit, or went 219 to 90.  

 

The good news is, even if it takes an hour, if the game ends at 4:15, they'll get to the airport in plenty of time.  

It’s been a long time since I’ve parked in the stadium lots. But to my knowledge it’s all Disney style parking now. Where you don’t get the opportunity to pick where you park. You will go where they direct you. Pretty sure this all changed in this way back around 2012ish. Back when the nfl restricted tailgating to 5hrs before the game. I made the mistake of doing it once and never made that mistake again. 
 

your 100% right about California. If you’re going the southwestern until it turns to transit route, the park just east of California on southwestern. There’s only a few lots over there but because of the policed intersection at southwestern and California you can pretty much pull right out without the worry of any vehicle traffic when they stop traffic for pedestrians. You just have to make your way through the pedestrians and you’re out on the road. I’ve made it from my seat in the stadium to my driveway in less than 30 minutes. That’s with a 10+ minute walk back to my car and a 20 minute or so drive back to Lancaster area. 

[Aussie Joe]

9 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

Helicopter.

 

 

Submarine 

[Mr Info]

I will provide some feedback because I have often taken a 7:30 pm flight after 1 pm games and have been doing this for years…even decades. I typically park in a private lot on Sheldon Rd and leave between 6-6:15 pm. Some traffic but it usually keeps moving. Routes suggested by others here may be best but I use Waze. I get there by 6:45-7 and drop the rental car. Get him TSA pre check so he can get through the security line quickly. This has always worked for me for 1 pm games but this strategy has to change if the game goes into OT.

Now I fly out Monday for Sun games as I work remotely and do not have to be somewhere Mon morning. 

Edited June 23, 2023 by Mr Info

[Since1981]

Park on Webster before 11am, leave via California. Y’all seem strong enough to walk the half mile to escape jams. Private lot means you are on road asap. I would avoid the large lots—, if the goal is escape.  California is light. 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/diKKB1CXFyt23HtV6?g_st=ic