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Just wanted to get some feedback on Alicante airport. We always fly out from East midlands with Ryanair to San Javier. They are the only option to San Javier for us and because we live on the airports doorstep I don't have to pay for taxis or car parking so would be silly to fly from somewhere else. However i am getting a bit cheesed off with their constant changes and hiking up of prices (£50 to pre book golf clubs!). I am wondering whether I might be better off flying to Alicante and putting up with the longer drive on the other end but giving myself more options as regards price as both BMI baby and Easyjet both fly from EMA. 

How long does it take to drive from Alicante to San Javier and how easy is the airport to get out of etc? Any other suggestions welcome. I eventually plan to have one set of clubs in the Uk and one in Spain but can't afford it right now LOL

 

Hi PhilDeb

I fly out of Manchester and I have the option of flying to both airports also.

In the past I have opted for Alicante Airport but I have just booked to fly to San Javier in September.

Its about another 30 mins to drive from Alicante and from what I am told by friends that regally fly into both, it is easier getting out of San Javier being a smaller airport.

I will know better when I have personal experienced San Javier, but I think with the new roads open now I suspect for me in the future it will be the airport I can get the best deal to that I will be flying to regardless of the small additional drive time at the other end, but this is probably only relevant if getting a car from the airport, if taxi probably significantly different cost?

Also when 3^rd airport opens this will further reduce travel time and hopefully will increase choice, availability and price.

Regards

Phil

I live near Glasgow and am renting at El Valle just now.  This trip is a combined holiday / completion - we completed at Jardines on Tuesday this week).  I can fly to either San Javier or Alicante and have used both.  This time we actually drove to Manchester and flew Monarch to San Javier as the flights were much cheaper than flying from Scotland where the schools (including our kids!) are now on holiday.  On Monarch, golf clubs were 15 GBP each way if you pre book.

Alicante is a bigger airport than San Javier, so there are more shops etc when departing on the way back to the UK.  On arrival, it is only a slightly longer walk through baggage collection to the car rental desk and through to the car park to pick up your car.  It also depends on where you are staying once you get to Spain.  For instance PW Mar Menor is very close to San Javier (10 mins) but to Alicante is about 1 hour, although an easy drive up the motorway (toll road part of the way).  However Condado I think will be a different matter - being further inland than the other PW resorts, it will be less of a difference time wise between San Javier and Alicante.  

I will fly to whichever airport is cheapest - the drive at the other end in Spain is not a significant factor if you are hiring a car anyway.

Re the 3rd airport, I asked my Spanish solicitor about the status of Corvera Airport when I saw her on Tuesday.  She said they had started construction in the last month.  Timescale for completion was estimated at 2010.

Hope this helps.

Alicante is 45 mins from Torrevieja, and is located right next to the A7.

Both airports are dead simple to depart from and arrive.

The drive from Alicante to Condado de Alhama is around 1 hr 30mins.  I did it a fortnight ago.  It's an easy drive though and fairly straight forward. 

I was having this discussion (in a bar,after several beers) with my two friends John Campbell and Sam Beck,who have bought in Jardine 5 and they assured me that Alicante is 30 or 40 mins 'maximum' from Condado de Alhama. I had driven from Puerto de Mazarron to Los Alcazares (which is beside San Havier) and it took 50 mins., so I suggested that Alicante is a further 50 mins North again and they tittered and laughed and said I didn't know what I was talking about. I can't even begin to imagine that Condado de Alhama is even close to being 1 hour from Alicante, (never mind 35 mins.) as I had timed our journey from San Havier to Puerto de Mazarron twice and both times I it was 50 mins. Unless John and Sam are driving Formula 1 racing cars, I don't understand how they can get to Alhama in 35 mins. I must stress that they have never made this journey and I'd like somebody to clear up this discussion for us please. Basically did I take the wrong road or is there another 'road for mentals' that John and Sam have imagined in their peanut sized brains? All comments are welcome from people who have actually made this trip, as I can assure they really think it's possible to get from Alicante to Alhama in around 35 mins.. Thanks for your time and help. Take Care. Geoff.

I haven't made the trip but I believe them, as it is all motorway from the airport (which is south of Alicante) to Condado. I would think it would be 35 minutes - don't know if any of it is toll road.

Barry

using the A7 from Alicante (fastest route) is about 70 miles, it took us just over an hour

Dan

hi Folks

                      I drove from Condado - Alicante Airport on Tuesdays Morning and it took me exactly 52minutes.

We drove from Alicante to to Condado via Mazzaron, a number of petrol stations, a garden centre and Camposol and it took us four hours!!!!  Can you believe we had only a rough idea of where Condado was located and thought if we got near Mazarron it would be a case of finding lots of cranes !!! We had no map as were relying on sat nav which doesn't have any of the new roads  on it  -  this was back in March before anyone had posted co-ordinates or directions.  We were killing each other by the time we found Condado but were so impressed with the show homes that we soon chilled out.

Deb, Phil,  we see you are from Derby and in Jardine 2 - we're in Jardine 2 (J200)  and although we live in Nottingham ,I work in Derby - hope to meet you at some point. 

Michelle Hill






This message was last edited by paulhill308 on 8/23/2008.

Michelle,
                Ooh my god - 4 hours, I can just imagine the scenario - snarling & hissing springs to mind. Always have a plan B in place when you go to drive somewhere new for the first time. I have a sat nav' and intend to use it next month but have also printed as many maps of the new and local roads that I can find to take along. If my wife is going to be the navigator, she is not just getting away with making sure the angle of the sat-nav screen is right !!! Nothing worse that getting stressed on foreign roads, you end up just diving and hoping for the next sign to help you out and invariably make the wrong choice when you have to guess.
I know who to come to for guidance when I need a round tour of the area though !!

Regards,

Hi all,
         We've just got back from our hols and used Alicante for the first time and its a doddle to get to the resort, its three autovias and it takes about 50mins to an hour depending on the weight of your right foot. San Javier is a lot easier to get your car and get out of but we wuld definately use Alicante again.
         Deb/Phil/Paul/Michelle we're in jardin 2 aswell and are from Leicestershire so we've got the east mids covered out there.

         We've just furnished our apartment and had the aircon fitted so if anybody needs to rent on the resort while completing or furnishing please pm us.

regards all, Harvey & Jo

We are going to condado at the end of October to put the lights up.
I searched for flights to Murcia from Gatwick but found they were expensive and late flights so we decided to book to Alicante and they were half the price.   So we now have bought a satnav and have been given the coordinates from this forum so cross fingers we may get there.   Bought a spanish sim from ebay to phone carol to say if I am late or lost.  Hope hiring a car is okay from there.

Ruth & Peter & Krystal

Hi Jo and Harvey,

Did you take any more piccies - is the grass looking better and has that half dead looking tree by the pool recovered yet??

The people who are in J206 next door to you are also on the forum - their names are Nige and Ann and I hope we'll meet them on Monday 8th Sep as they are snagging their apartment that afternoon and we'll be on hol there then (I say holiday - probably be getting lost finding way to Ikea).

Anyone else from Jardine 2 be out there Sept. 7 - 16th - it would be nice to say 'hello'
Michelle & Paul

 

Hi

I will be out between 4th and 8th Sept Jardin 2,  J129 will hopefully bump into each other at some point

Now I know where Concorde went.  BA sold it to Kev and Sandra!!!!  xx

hi Jackie, look forward to meeting you - we get to Condado around midday on 7th so if you hear shrieks of joy that will be me - hopefully the fridge will have been delivered and we can have a celebratory cool drink that evening so would love to see you - my hubbie, Paul is 6 ft 5 so easy to spot.   (our lighting is not been done until the 9th so we'll we the ones on the terrace in candlelight!)
Michelle

Nice to see so many folks in Jardin 2. Look forward to meeting you all soon. Not sure when we will be out next. We snagged in June and finally completed in July. Our A/C should be going in the next week or so and the furniture pack shortly after. Hopefully we will see some of you in October perhaps. If any is interested in golf and fancies a game at le Torre or El Valle let me know.

 

Michelle - You'll be able to spot me easily too! 6'5 here as well!  Apartment 138 for us.

cheers
Phil 

Hi Michelle

We too will be sat by candlelight as we also don't have any lights...... oh well makes for a better atmosphere and also a challenge!!!!

See you next month

Hi Jackie,
We have arrange for George - the handy man from Mazzaron to fit our lights  on Tuesday 9th Sep so only 2 rosemantic evenings by candlelight.  Look forward to meeting you on the 7th.

Talk soon
Michelle