Help me achieve what seems impossible

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Ryan the Temp
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11:00a, 1/2/26
AG
I need help from someone who knows the airline industry well and might be able to find a creative solution.

I have to be in Boston for a show on January 30th from 7:00PM to roughly 9:00 PM. The funeral for a very good friend is the next morning at 11:00 AM in Corona, California. The nearest airports to Corona are ONT and SNA. I'm willing to take a redeye or extremely early flights, even rent a car and drive a couple hours, if necessary if it can get me to the church on time. The only almost-reasonable option I've found so far is a 9:40 PM from BOS to DCA, then an early DCA to LAX, but it gets me on the ground at 11:10 AM with an hour drive to Corona.

Honestly, I don't care if I have to fly some ****box airline or take a jump seat on a cargo aircraft if I can make it work.

Any travel agents who know how to work that airline mojo?
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bthotugigem05
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11:50a, 1/2/26
AG
Only option would be driving to Newark from Boston that night.

There's United 543 EWR-SNA on Saturday Jan 31, departs 6:30am arrives 9:47am.

(there aren't very many flights out of Boston after 9pm on a Friday night is the issue)
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Ryan the Temp
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In reply to bthotugigem05 • 12:06p, 1/2/26
AG
bthotugigem05 said:
Only option would be driving to Newark from Boston that night.

There's United 543 EWR-SNA on Saturday Jan 31, departs 6:30am arrives 9:47am.

(there aren't very many flights out of Boston after 9pm on a Friday night is the issue)

It's a 5- to 6-hour drive, but it could work.
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bthotugigem05
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In reply to Ryan the Temp • 12:24p, 1/2/26
AG
Only option with a flight out of Boston is what you already found, unfortunately. There's a Delta flight out of Boston that gets you to ORD that night but it leaves at 8:30pm, too early.
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Ryan the Temp
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In reply to bthotugigem05 • 12:26p, 1/2/26
AG
I appreciate the help. I never would have thought to drive to Newark.
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twk
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1:32p, 1/2/26
AG
There is a Flix bus that leaves Boston for Penn Station at 9:50, and from there, you can take a NJ Transit bus to EWR that will get you there at 3:19. Doesn't sound like fun, but might be doable.
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JMac03
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3:42p, 1/2/26
AG
I only came up with what the above folks did as well.

Depending where you are in Boston, if leaving now, it shows estimated 4 hr 15 min. Not that it helps any, but I wouldn't think you have traffic. I put a "10pm" departure and it showed it could be as short as 3 hr 30 min.




Newark has a "Minutes Suites" in Terminal C that you could possibly grab a 1-2 of sleep at.
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Matsui
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4:28p, 1/2/26
AG
Hope all this helps let us know how it worked out.
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Ryan the Temp
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In reply to Matsui • 6:59p, 1/2/26
AG
There happened to be a non-stop JetBlue flight from BOS to LAX at 6:00 AM, arriving at 9:34 AM. That's 1:25 to get off the plane, pick up a rental car, and get to Corona. I might be a little late, but not as late as my other options. It's going to be a rough couple of travel days for sure.
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JMac03
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In reply to Ryan the Temp • 8:03p, 1/2/26
AG
Ryan the Temp said:
There happened to be a non-stop JetBlue flight from BOS to LAX at 6:00 AM, arriving at 9:34 AM. That's 1:25 to get off the plane, pick up a rental car, and get to Corona. I might be a little late, but not as late as my other options. It's going to be a rough couple of travel days for sure.


I saw this one, but it looked like it was gonna be about an hour and 40 minutes to Corona, which is why I didn't recommend it.

Good luck!!
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HollywoodBQ
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In reply to Ryan the Temp • 8:25p, 1/2/26
AG
Ryan the Temp said:
There happened to be a non-stop JetBlue flight from BOS to LAX at 6:00 AM, arriving at 9:34 AM. That's 1:25 to get off the plane, pick up a rental car, and get to Corona. I might be a little late, but not as late as my other options. It's going to be a rough couple of travel days for sure.
No chance.

I'm an LAX, rental car, IE Expert.

I'm watching TV with my wife right now but later I'll cook up a scenario for you that will get you onto ONT in time to make it to Corona.
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Ryan the Temp
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In reply to HollywoodBQ • 10:07p, 1/2/26
AG
It's definitely unlikely, but arriving during the funeral is better than after it's over.
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HollywoodBQ
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In reply to Ryan the Temp • 10:31p, 1/2/26
AG
Ryan, I think this is your best option to arrive in Corona by 11am

January 30th
Drive BOS - EWR (Newark, NJ)
~227 miles ~ 4 hours

Option 1 from Newark on January 31st
EWR - LAX on United Airlines, Flight UA 2434 (Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner)
Depart EWR @ 6:00 am, Arrive LAX @ 9:08 am
Drive from LAX to "Corona" according to Google Maps is 54 miles @ 63 minutes
I highly recommend pre-booking an Uber for this

The main problems are the latest domestic departure out of Boston Logan and the earliest arrival into Ontario

Option 2 from Newark on January 31st
EWR - SNA on United Airlines, Flight UA 543 (Boeing 737 MAX 8)
Depart EWR @ 6:35 am, Arrive SNA @ 9:47 am
Drive from SNA to "Corona" according to Google Maps is 29 miles @ 32 minutes
Same comments about pre-booking Uber

Personally, I like the bigger plane 787 vs 737 so that's why I'd recommend the EWR-LAX vs EWR-SNA flight

The slack time I see is:
EWR - LAX ~ 49 minutes to deplane and get to your Uber
EWR - SNA ~ 41 minutes to deplane and get to your Uber

Granted, Orange County John Wayne is a lot smaller than LAX.

I still feel like the percentage play to meet your 9pm ending event in Boston and your 11am starting event in Corona is Option 1 - Drive to Newark, NJ and catch the 6am flight to LAX.

But, as stated, if you're OK with arrival during, then the recommended jetBlue plan should work.
Depart BOS @ 6:00 am, Arrive LAX @ 9:34 am on jetBlue Flight 287
Assuming the 54 miles @ 63 minutes to get to Corona, gives you about 23 minutes slack time to deplane and get your Uber. So, you could arrive there maybe 15 minutes into the funeral using that option.

I'm sorry for your loss.

This was the absolute best strategy I could come up with. It was a tough ask and a fun challenge. Cheers!

Also, I have flown into JFK and driven to Boston before, in order to circumvent corporate travel policy nonsense.
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Ryan the Temp
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In reply to HollywoodBQ • 10:41p, 1/2/26
AG
I definitely appreciate the thorough breakdown you did. Part of my decision making was that I'm on a 6 AM flight from HOU to BOS Friday morning and there's a point where I think fatigue could be an issue. The JetBlue option allows for the most rest.

This whole thing sucks because the show is a "last hurrah" tribute to a friend who is 89 and doesn't have much time left, and the funeral is for the first of our childhood crew to lose. His death was self-inflicted.

I really do appreciate everyone's help here. Sometimes you just have to be there for people.

If you're in LA and would be open to a beer or something as a thanks, I'm not leaving until Sunday afternoon.
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HollywoodBQ
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In reply to Ryan the Temp • 11:04p, 1/2/26
AG
I live in Galveston now but, for about 8 years, LAX was my home airport and I've flown out of LAX, BUR, LGB, SNA, ONT, SAN and even PSP over the years.

Also, I worked for a Boston based company for about 12 years and... I always want to defeat the airlines and their pricing and rules. And most importantly, my corporate travel rules and travel constraints.

My most epic win was when I was living in Denver and worked for a company that had a travel policy where if your flight was under $400 you could book without getting approval from your manager. That's when I discovered jetBlue and their redeye between Denver and JFK. I drove from JFK to Boston for a customer meeting in order to keep the airfare component under $400 and avoid talking to my manager.

You're absolutely right that fatigue would become an issue. I just wanted to offer my best effort to meet your time constraints. Doing the jetBlue option, I think you'll probably miss the first 15 minutes of the funeral in Corona.
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Matsui
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10:06p, 1/3/26
AG
Nice work here all around.
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Counterpoint
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8:01a, 1/4/26
AG
This is a very cool helpful thread. Sorry for your loss Ryan.
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07ag
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9:35a, 1/4/26
AG
If you have the scratch, private charter may be worth looking into
https://ts.la/eric59704
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Ryan the Temp
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In reply to 07ag • 1:32p, 1/4/26
AG
07ag said:
If you have the scratch, private charter may be worth looking into

I'm going to poke around at helicopter charters from LAX.
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average_joker
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7:52p, 1/8/26
AG
I just priced out Boston to Riverside on a charter jet. Looking like $40k.
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Ryan the Temp
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8:36p, 1/8/26
AG
Good news - one of my friends who will be at the funeral is coming to LAX to get me.
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Matsui
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In reply to Ryan the Temp • 9:42p, 1/8/26
AG
Even better!
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