Almost C$5000 for a family of 4 to fly from Toronto to Orlando in Xmas

[MoreTravels]

I cannot believe it would cost as much to fly to Asia as to fly to Orlando?! $1250 per person after taxes to fly YYZ to MCO in December holiday? I think Canadian should remember this and refuse any bailout to these monopolies if there is a recession. They really know how to bite the hand that feeds them, don't them?

 

[bcwife76]

What dates are you looking for? Are you looking for non stop or will you do layovers? Can you fly from Buffalo?

Obviously I don't know your situation or dates so I just did a search on flight hub for dates from Dec 23-Jan 2 and the cheapest I found was $426 pp Canadian including taxes.

 

[hardis5]

Flying out the last day of school and back the Sunday before kids go back is $1149 for Air Canada with the ideal flight times which is an arm and a leg but that is the ideal flight that virtually anyone going away at Christmas would want. One can fly a WestJet non-direct flight with not as nice times for 40% less.

Supply, demand and competition will keep prices in check to a degree but one cannot travel one of the busiest travel seasons with direct flights at ideal times and expect to pay the same price as a non-busy period. Is it opportunistic pricing - yes, but is it unreasonable - no. I cannot cry that the all-inclusive I'd like to go to for the Christmas holidays is 4 times the off-season price - I will just choose to go another time of year when prices are more reasonable. Yes a lot of people fly home for the holidays to be with family and flying is the ideal mode to get around but if $5000 is too much to fly one could choose to drive. We've chosen to drive when the price was $2500 for 5 of us and have flown other times when paying more and time did not allow us to drive.

 

[Disneylover99]

If you can fly SW out of Buffalo you should do it. Last year we could easily find direct return flights down for between $300-$350 American per person. Much better prices then what you're looking at. Plus no baggage fees and no penalty for changing your flights. Worth it!

 

[quandrea]

You have to pick other dates to see that price come down. I find you get some price relief by flying out after New Years. Come home a day or two after the break. We are dealing with it by flying down Jan 2, dd will return January 9 on her own for high school, we will follow her on January 19 since our schedules are flexible.

Dd still gets a week away. And we save about three thousand dollars.

 

[quandrea]

I cannot believe it would cost as much to fly to Asia as to fly to Orlando?! $1250 per person after taxes to fly YYZ to MCO in December holiday? I think Canadian should remember this and refuse any bailout to these monopolies if there is a recession. They really know how to bite the hand that feeds them, don't them?

It's definitely price gouging.

 

[MoreTravels]

Thank you for your replies. I see your points. With a kid getting close to high school years, I do not want to pull her off school work for 2 weeks for vacation. It will teach her the wrong work ethics and make her struggle to catch up after missing school. We also have a toddler that will not sit still more than a couple of hours... so anything other than direct flight will be a torturing experience. You are right, I am stuck with direct flights in school vacation time, but still $5000 for a family of 4? I still remember in 2009 during the financial crisis, Air Canada came begging for government bailout. Now economy is better, they simply gouge those taxpayers who supported them a few years ago.

Should I wait until the summer to book my Christmas flight? Do you think the price will be cheaper? Anyone has a crystal ball that still works? Please let me now what you think.

 

[quandrea]

Thank you for your replies. I see your points. With a kid getting close to high school years, I do not want to pull her off school work for 2 weeks for vacation. It will teach her the wrong work ethics and make her struggle to catch up after missing school. We also have a toddler that will not sit still more than a couple of hours... so anything other than direct flight will be a torturing experience. You are right, I am stuck with direct flights in school vacation time, but still $5000 for a family of 4? I still remember in 2009 during the financial crisis, Air Canada came begging for government bailout. Now economy is better, they simply gouge those taxpayers who supported them a few years ago.

Should I wait until the summer to book my Christmas flight? Do you think the price will be cheaper? Anyone has a crystal ball that still works? Please let me now what you think.

I booked my January 2 flight about two weeks ago. The flights have gone up $200 each since then and I'm not flying on busy days. My friend flies out with us Jan 2 and home on Jan 7 to get back for school. Her flights have gone up more than $200 each and there are no tango flights left. I'd get on your booking. Have you checked air transat? Westjet seems to be pricing higher than air Canada. I get you on nonstop flights. It's all we will book. Florida is close. Shouldn't take a day to get there.

 

[quandrea]

Air transat is $731 flying out on Friday before Christmas, flying home on Saturday before school goes back.

Seems to be the best price. They are fine. Used them in January. Make sure to join the free kids club. Your two year old will get free seat selection, free snacks, a gift and you will all get priority boarding.

 

[DVC_Dad_Canada]

I would never ever book Buffalo flights in the winter. You could have 7 feet of snow.

 

[pigletto]

I would never ever book Buffalo flights in the winter. You could have 7 feet of snow.

I live pretty much at the border, and have exclusively flown out of Buffalo with the exception of one trip in the last decade or so. I feel it's safe to say you run the risk of a winter weather event at YYZ or BUF. That's winter travel.

 

[Disneylover99]

I would never ever book Buffalo flights in the winter. You could have 7 feet of snow.

The first few times flying out of Buffalo in the winter, I felt that way too. We've driven through storms to get to the airport and I thought for sure our flights would be cancelled. But nope, not even a delay. Buffalo is so used to the snow, it's usually not even a blip on their radar. But another good reason to book SW if you're worried about that.

 

[DVC_Dad_Canada]

I grew up a ten minute drive from Fort Erie, across the river from Buffalo. There's usually three or four days a winter where the Buffalo airport is closed when the Toronto airport isn't. Personally, the worry isn't worth the savings.

In the summer, sure, but not in winter.

 

[ottjdub]

Flying out the last day of school and back the Sunday before kids go back is $1149 for Air Canada with the ideal flight times which is an arm and a leg but that is the ideal flight that virtually anyone going away at Christmas would want. One can fly a WestJet non-direct flight with not as nice times for 40% less.

Supply, demand and competition will keep prices in check to a degree but one cannot travel one of the busiest travel seasons with direct flights at ideal times and expect to pay the same price as a non-busy period. Is it opportunistic pricing - yes, but is it unreasonable - no. I cannot cry that the all-inclusive I'd like to go to for the Christmas holidays is 4 times the off-season price - I will just choose to go another time of year when prices are more reasonable. Yes a lot of people fly home for the holidays to be with family and flying is the ideal mode to get around but if $5000 is too much to fly one could choose to drive. We've chosen to drive when the price was $2500 for 5 of us and have flown other times when paying more and time did not allow us to drive.

This is one of the major reasons why we have decided to drive this Thursday. $2600 out of Ottawa for 4 ppl. Flying into Tampa or Miami is even more expensive. Finding the ideal flights with right number of days can be expensive to fly. If we wanted to compromise on flight times, lay overs and days in Orlando we could find $300 PP out off Ottawa but we want to maximize our days in Disney. $2500 to fly or $400 to drive. The savings just paid for Disney tickets

 

[pigletto]

I grew up a ten minute drive from Fort Erie, across the river from Buffalo. There's usually three or four days a winter where the Buffalo airport is closed when the Toronto airport isn't. Personally, the worry isn't worth the savings.

In the summer, sure, but not in winter.

Yep you are pretty much describing where I live now (and have lived for 40 years). I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I see just as many cancelled flights/snow events out of YYZ as BUF. Pearson isn't immune, and while Buffalo is cheaper I'll take that small well organized airport over YYZ any day. I guess it comes down to personal preference.

 

[pigletto]

This is one of the major reasons why we have decided to drive this Thursday. $2600 out of Ottawa for 4 ppl. Flying into Tampa or Miami is even more expensive. Finding the ideal flights with right number of days can be expensive to fly. If we wanted to compromise on flight times, lay overs and days in Orlando we could find $300 PP out off Ottawa but we want to maximize our days in Disney. $2500 to fly or $400 to drive. The savings just paid for Disney tickets

If our dollar stays like this and flights stay high, we'll drive in 2018 as well. We've always wanted to try it, and we aren't adverse to long car trips. I just would want it to be a trip where I had more than a week . Ideally I'd have 12 days or so for the drive and the trip.

 

[darwinsrule]

Doesn't matter if it is X-mas or March Break. For peak times book quickly once things are open. The longer you wait the more it will cost. And the prices won't drop. We have a cruise booked for March Break 2018, the day things go on sale out of Buffalo we will book our air. Two years ago we booked day of release for March Break and managed to get $1400 USD for 4. Out of YYZ it was closer to $4k CAD. Non peak times we have paid as little as $800 RT for the 4 of us (and that includes last August)

 

[mkmommy]

Doesn't matter if it is X-mas or March Break. For peak times book quickly once things are open. The longer you wait the more it will cost. And the prices won't drop. We have a cruise booked for March Break 2018, the day things go on sale out of Buffalo we will book our air. Two years ago we booked day of release for March Break and managed to get $1400 USD for 4. Out of YYZ it was closer to $4k CAD. Non peak times we have paid as little as $800 RT for the 4 of us (and that includes last August)

Air Canada is open for March Break 2018 and for weekend dates out of Toronto it is about $1000 per person. So many of my kids friends went early this year to avoid the high rates but looking at the Air Canada rates you have to leave on Tuesday as right now from Wednesday on is high.

 

[Disneylover99]

Yep you are pretty much describing where I live now (and have lived for 40 years). I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I see just as many cancelled flights/snow events out of YYZ as BUF. Pearson isn't immune, and while Buffalo is cheaper I'll take that small well organized airport over YYZ any day. I guess it comes down to personal preference.

So true. It feels like there are many weather related flight delays flying out of Toronto and sometimes it surprises me cause the weather isn't always bad.

 

[badiggio]

I've flown from Ottawa at Christmas a couple of times now.The most we've ever paid was a direct flight,return,and it was under 500pp.Don't be fooled by the high prices;they do come down,and go up, and down again;it's a game they play. Check prices everyday but be patient.I find usually,booking more than 6 months ahead is a mistake,and the 3 month area usually the best.
As far as cancellations go,it's not always because of the weather in Toronto;it's the weather where they're connecting.The Canadian airports are ahead of the americans in dealing with winter imo,lol.I have to laugh when they get 20cm of snow and have to shut down the city.