Flying in
From Burnwiki, a Burning Man Wiki & Brain Dump
Many participants have little choice but to fly in to get (most of the way) to Burning Man. Reno is the closest major airport, and rental cars are readily available. However, airfares and car rentals are often cheaper in Sacramento, which is about 2 hours drive further than Reno.
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Flying Into Reno
Right now, 9 airlines fly into Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO). Out of these, you have American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Southwest, United and U.S. Airways as national carriers. In addition, regional carriers Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, Aloha Airlines, and Frontier. The airport also serves as a point for regional portions of United (Ted), Alaska Airlines (Horizon Air) and Delta (Delta Connection).
Purchasing your tickets should begin as early as possible to find the cheapest rate. Historically, Southwest is the winner in this regard, but you have to time things right. Southwest traditionally does not sell tickets for the later part of the year until sometime between April and June. In 2007, they opened tickets up to August 24th in April and waited to expand the ticketing past Labor day in May. Calling Southwest will do no good as they politely tell you there's no way to book travel past the black-out date and they have no idea when it's going to open up. When those seats do open up for late Summer travel, Southwest has traditionally also offered it's lowest fares coming from the Eastern side of the country. Jump on them quickly, as you'll soon find rates and flights booked for the sale fares.
The upside to the quick sell-out of Southwest fares, and the fact Burning Man involves so many people flying in, allows other carriers to offer match rates. Usually, at least one other carrier (in 2007 it was American Airlines) will offer service for a similar price. While it's usually a few bucks more expensive per ticket, you get the added benefits that come with carriers other then Southwest, namely no cattle-car style seating. Using one of the multitude of airline travel websites will allow you to search the major airlines, just remember to repeat from any regional airlines that service your area as they aren't usually covered by the larger search engines. Southwest flights always must be searched at their website since they do not partner with any of the search engines.
Luggage Tips
So, you've got your tickets and now you need to pack. Make sure to check the airline's website for information regarding size, width AND quantity of your checked bags. Right now, every airline checked is only allowing bags 62 inches or smaller to be checked (add the width, length and height of bags. Round duffel bags with only width and length must have the width doubled for proper size.) and the weight varies, but is around 50lbs per checked bag. Duffel bags offer the best space vs. weight, as most luggage adds in handles and wheels. Campmor is the cheapest online retail establishment for such things, though Ebay can find deals if you don't mind used things. Keep in mind, you don't want anything too skimpy. Large gym bags are cheaper, but it won't survive being tossed around a plane. Splurge a bit for the heavy fabric and you'll be reusing these bags for a few years, at least. Southwest Airlines is still allowing people to check three pieces of luggage per person, while the other major carriers only allow 2. Some Burners flying in like to use one of there checked bags to transport a cooler. Pack a smaller duffel that fits inside with clothes and use a suitcase strap to close the lid. Do not tape, as added security will just mean it's not sealed. Make sure you go to the manufacturer's website and get the size of your cooler. At the moment, this is the largest capacity 5-Day cooler that still falls under the 62 inch requirement. It's a good idea to print pages from whatever checked baggage you have with size information if you're trying for the largest bags possible without going over the limit. This way, you have proof you aren't larger when you get to the airport and they try to charge you an extra 50-100 dollars PER BAG for oversize. To weigh your bags, stand on a bathroom scale, then pick up the bag. Simple math gives you the weight of the bag, but give yourself some room for error. Digital scales at the airport are a bit more accurate.
Rental Cars
All the major players have desks in the terminal at Reno-Tahoe International. In addition, Advantage Rent-A-Car is here, which is a company just in the west and southwest United States. Plan ahead, and reserve your rental car as soon as you know your dates. You can always cancel, and most companies will allow you to call back and get a cheaper price if they offer one AND YOU CATCH IT. If you want a specific model (Say, a Dodge Caliber with fold flat rear seats) get the number of the local office you'll be renting from. Call them 1-2 months prior and talk to a manager, saying you need a specific model. Get the manager's name, tell them you'll be calling back a couple more times to check on this as you NEED this model. BE POLITE. Another thing to remember, some rental car companies don't like to send cars to the Burn, since they wind up trashed. Find a detailing place, spend 50 bucks, get the car cleaned. It's better then receiving a 400 dollar charge after the fact. The Mission Car Wash, in Reno, does a great job, and there's a Marie Callender's across the parking lot for you to grab lunch while the car is being serviced. Give yourself about an hour or so, The Mission is a busy place. Even detailing, have some multi-surface cleaner (Ammonia based ones help break the alkali of the dust) handy and do the door jams and locks. Those are a dead giveaway. Fill up the tank when you can, since there aren't any gas stations right outside of the terminal.
Flying in To Black Rock City
Black Rock City has an airport, which is mainly used by private pilots. However, Advantage Flight offers flights into Black Rock City from Reno, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
