Air tickets to Florida from Western Canada

[ChisJo]

hello everyone in the West,
I just wanted to ask what airlines you use, or travel agents, or secrets you have when booking airline tickets, because it just seems that all the flight specials to Orlando advertised are always from Toronto, and if you live in the West, you know it would cost more to travel to Toronto to take advantage of the advertised specials than it is to take a more direct flight. Anyways, I just wanted to know what everyone does to get plane tickets. I recently saw on Expedia.ca an Air Canada ticket from Edmonton with a transfer in Calgary for $625, $125 cheaper than what I paid in 1999, but at the same time, it's with Air Canada (not that I don't have faith that everything will be resolved with the airline, it's just that I still have my doubts). I was hoping to get a ticket for around $550 (high hopes, I know), so if you have any secrets, let me know!
Thanks,
J

 

[bev r.]

We've used aeroplan points twice to go to florida. Unfortunately with 5 of us, we've never been able to get flights to Orlando. There's never been enough seats available for us to redeem. The first time we flew into Miami and the second time into Tampa. Our flights were from Edmonton to Toronto, and then directly into Florida. Flying to Tampa was not to bad, it was only about an hours drive to Disneyworld.

 

[Muziqal]

I've been in 94, 97, back an forth several times in 99 - 00 and now going in 3 weeks. Could have gotten tickets for about $595 this time, but for my dates I got it for $615 (Alaskan Airlines). I've flown AC, Delta, American and now Alaskan all from Calgary to Orlando or vice versa. Stop overs in Chicago, Toronto, Seattle, Atlanta and Salt Lake. Never paid more than $700 CDN and never cheaper than $575. That's just the way it goes from over here. I guess if you want to go to Vergas or Cali, you can rub it in Torontonians faces (but who would rather go there than WDW?).

My buddy flew for $275 one way yto Orlando from Vancouver, but it was through a student travel agency at the time.

Good luck...I just check wholesalers prices through travel agencies like Air Line Ticket Centre.

 

[travel4ever]

Hi ChrisJo, LUCKY YOU going to WDW. We've been 2x but the cheapest was last summer when AC was in a similar situation that they are now. In order to "BUY" their passenger loyalty and override fears of the bankruptcy; they had an awesome sale
and our trip to orlando was advertised cheaper than LA!! We only paid $1390 (tax incl) for 4 of us. So MAYBE if you are going this summer wait to see how this AC plays out, and if a buyer is found I'm sure there will be another awesome sale! Good Luck

 

[WCMouse]

We always travel via the USA, since there are so many more options. We drive to Seattle, park there and fly via whoever has the best deal from SEA to MCO. Last time we did US Airways... one stop over, but not to bad. Now, I know not everyone can go via the USA, but if you can that is another option...

 

[Timon]

We went in 1999, 2000, 2002 & 2003 and we have never paid more than $550 including taxes. The trick is to start checking websites about 10 months out and check them every day.

For our most recent trip, I was checking the prices and couldn't find it less than $770...then the very NEXT day, it was $550.50! So I booked it right then! The day after that, it was $840!

That's the way it goes with airlines and hotels too sometimes. Just keep checking. In 1999, we flew on aeroplan miles but our 2 friends came with us and I checked for them and got YYC to MCO via MSP on Northwest for $440 including all taxes.

We flew United via Denver (our fave), American via Dallas, United via Chicago O'Hare and Continental via Houston.

We enjoyed United via Denver the best because it got us into MCO very early (3:30pm) and Denver (flying United) is great! They have their own terminal and was easy to find our way and there were tons of shops/restaurants to grab something quick! Also, I work at the Calgary Airport and I really like the United staff. I would never fly Air Canada again unless I was desperate (talk about grouchy! )

Have a great trip!

 

[bcnancy]

I am in the same boat, we want to fly out of Vancouver but prices are way too high. We have never paid more than 369.00. We will most likely leave from Seattle. $220.00 US, even with the exchange thats under 300.00!! If anyone knows of a better deal please let us know. I'm booking today for June 23 for 3 weeks.

 

[madge62]

We chose to fly out of YVR on our last trip and paid about $1650 CDN for three of us. This time I booked our tickets way out, cause we're leaving on the 27th of December, prime travel time, out of Seattle (with AmericaWest) for about $1325 CDN for the 3 of us with very short stopovers in Phoenix on the way to MCO and Las Vegas on the way back, just enough time to hit a few slot machines!!!

 

[pumpkinboy]

It is important to note that at present, a number of the Air Canada flights coming out of Calgary direct to a US city (NOT via TO or Mtl) are "operated by United Airlines". It may be a bit more expensive to book the United flight, but you would have the added "insurance" that it would be operating at the time you planned to go. The nice thing about flying into and out of Calgary is that the Oil industry needs good connections there, so we've got lots of direct flight to major US cities without having to connect in Toronto. I like the American Airlines flights connecting in either Chicago (better for Boston connections) or Dallas. Of course, America West is probly a better deal, and they have nice seats.

I hope you can get in on a fare war, and get your flights cheap.

 

[SKFamily]

A couple of months ago I had a quote of $600 from Calgary to Orlando, on AC I think.

I've seen a few things about seat sales but you had to book by Apr. 15 and fly by June 15 if it was AC. Keep watching, there might be more. Depends how the other airlines handle things if AC goes under before summer. Some may hold seat sales, some may figure why not make as much $$ as possible and get the last minute bookings from people who were booked through AC.

We're booked on AC to Anaheim in July, so I'm one of those passengers with my fingers crossed since the flight is actually AC, not operated by another airline.

 

[Rachael Q]

We went Jan 2004. When I went to book the airfare it was $745.00 CDN out of YVR with Air Canada, or $342.00 CDN with American out of Seattle. We would have saved $400.00 each! We were going to use the QUICK shuttle that goes from downtown Vancouver (and YVR) to Seatac. (So we wouldn't have to pay for parking).

I ended up going to Florida with work, and they made all the bookings, and covered the airfare.

That said, we often fly out of the US - more choice of airlines and even allowing for the exchange it's cheaper.

 

[momo64]

I was checking out the boards on go2orlando and someone had written that Westjet was going to start flying to Orlando this year. Has anyone else heard anything about this?