Flight Deal!

[misslissa]

So, I was sitting here today minding my own business, and had such great luck!!!!

We hadn't booked our flights yet for the trip, partly because we just booked the cruise last week, partly because DH didn't get his passport yet and I wanted to make sure he did, and partly 'cause there just weren't any good rates.

We have the option of flying either out of Toronto or Buffalo, and usually wait to see what is going to work out best. Buffalo is a longer drive for us, 2 hours, but usually half the price than Toronto.

I checked the rates this morning for the two of us out of Toronto... $800 total. Went to lunch, got a West Jet Seat Sale email, so I checked it out. They had gone down to $500. I couldn't get ahold of hubby, so after a few phone calls, I just booked it...

When I checked back about a half hour later, the prices had gone back up to $650!!!!! I feel like I just won the lottery!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dancin Disney style]

$500 for 2 tickets is incredible.

Right now for my dates in June..out of BUF....it's $1200 for the 4 of us.

 

[damo]

We got Westjet tickets out of Toronto to Orlando for $119 each way from the 19th to the 26th of Feb. Cost me $349 including taxes.

 

[Valjean13]

West Jet has a seat sale, book by the end of the day on Feb 7 and seats from Toronto to Orlando are $79 each way, plus tax. Travel until May 18. Great deal for a Canadian airline! Although taxes on the way down to Orlando are a lot - $69 in tax on a $79 ticket? Seems ridiculous that airlines here charge that much in fees.

 

[disneydreamgirl]

We are flying Southwest out of Buffalo at the end of this month and got $69 flights. Three of us are flying and together it cost us only $477 all in for the round trip! Still very excited about this!

 

[misslissa]

I'm still thrilled, those prices above were actually for two of us, so it was $79 per person, each way before taxes. And, taxes out of Toronto are the craziest. It is actually the Canadian government... and not the airlines. Vancouver recently had their taxes lowered... but ours is still extremely high.

 

[laura001]

DH and I are flying out of Buffalo at the end of March on Southwest and it was 418.00 return for the 2 of us.

 

[damo]

West Jet has a seat sale, book by the end of the day on Feb 7 and seats from Toronto to Orlando are $79 each way, plus tax. Travel until May 18. Great deal for a Canadian airline! Although taxes on the way down to Orlando are a lot - $69 in tax on a $79 ticket? Seems ridiculous that airlines here charge that much in fees.

A lot of the taxes and fees are US imposed and have nothing to do with Canada. It's unfortunate that Canadians think that the extra charges are imposed by the Canadian airlines.

 

[wee-haggis]

A lot of the taxes and fees are US imposed and have nothing to do with Canada. It's unfortunate that Canadians think that the extra charges are imposed by the Canadian airlines.

This is true. In fact I did a calculation using:

Air Canada
yyz to MCO
Mid August

Base Fare (return) = $589

Canadian Taxes and Fees
Navcan = $15
Canadian Improvement Fee = $20
Canadian Security = $7.94
GST = $31.60
Total = $74.54

USA Taxes and Fees
US Transportation = $30.62
US Agriculture = $4.97
Sept 11th = $2.49
US Passenger Facility = $4.47
US Immigration = $6.76

Total = $49.51

 

[dancin Disney style]

So how come we don't pay all the same US fees/taxes when flying on a US carrier within the US? Are the extra fees/taxes only for international flights?

The taxes, round-trip from BUF to MCO, are approx. $30.

 

[damo]

So how come we don't pay all the same US fees/taxes when flying on a US carrier within the US? Are the extra fees/taxes only for international flights?

The taxes, round-trip from BUF to MCO, are approx. $30.

Yes, they are for crossing into their airspace.

 

[misslissa]

Actually, most of the fees aren't imposed by the US. If you look at the breakdowns above... you will see that most of it is GST... the "Improvement" fee has to do with Pearson airport specifically. So, while I did previously say "Canadian government"... it is Pearson Airport Authority. However, they are run by the government... I think...

That's why it is so much cheaper to fly out of Buffalo or just within the US.

If you are flying only within Canada, you are facing high fees!!!!!!!

I remember hearing on the news a while ago that this is one of the things that the government was "working" on "fixing" but the only one that had taken action was the Vancouver airport and not yet had they taken action at Pearson. So... that translates into higher taxes flying out of Toronto.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Yes, they are for crossing into their airspace.

How is it that we continually get ripped off?

 

[wee-haggis]

For a flight from:
Buf to MCO
Same dates as above

$189.18 Base rate return

$20.82 Tax
$9.00 Pass Facility Charge
$5.00 Security

Total = $34.82 taxes and fees
(grand total $224.00)

In the AC example we pay $124.09 in taxes and fees.
(grand total $713.05)

OH...AC...and you wonder why nobody likes you ..

 

[two*little*birds]

Wow you guys are finding great deals! I only hope to do so well when we try to find flights for our November trip.