Flights AB to Orlando my personal tale (a little long)

[chimo2u]

I am very excited for our flights in February....I am not usually an easygoing flier, but two special things are making this trip look pretty sweet for us

Edmonton has added a direct flight departing Saturday, and it is available for our February departure!!! So, we are booked on West Jet Direct for our departure flight.....albeit the hours are a little wonkey, but at least it is only 1 up and 1 down for me!! We depart just after midnight and arrive around 7:30 am.....so if we are able to get our "second wind" we will have an extra full day enjoying the parks.

NOW for my exciting news....the return trip was driving me crazy!! I was having a hard time finding any good schedule home, even tried flying into Calgary instead of Edmonton, but the schedules where horrid. To make matters worse, the Sunday flight I originally had been keeping my eye on for ages (Orlando to Calgary direct WJ) changed the departure times! SO instead of departing at 8:15 AM with a noon-ish arrival....it was NOW departing at 8 PM and arriving around midnight!!!! no good.....my son has school early the next morning, and I didn't want hubby to have to drive to Calgary, pick us up and drive back to Edmonton at Midnight!!!!!!

Back to the drawing board... AirCanada had a sale on executive class tickets....50% off. I have always wanted to try executive class, so I played with the schedules and managed to find a flight that works perfectly for us. NOW YES, this is a slight splurge.... my ticket was $700, but hey, I figured it is most likely my one and only chance to experience Executive class!! It is quite a haul home too.....about 8.5 hours total, so what better time to have Executive Class comfort??

I am a total weenie when flying, so hopefully this added comfort will help me relax on my flight home! I managed to get my son's ticket on Aeroplan miles.....ONLY cost us 27,000 miles when the same ticket class usually costs around 88,000 points! To me, that made it all worth it....our schedule is much better....flying into Edmonton instead of Calgary! (whew!) We depart Orlando at 10 am and arrive in Toronto at 1pm. We connect and depart for Edmonton at 2:20 arriving around 5:00pm Edmonton time! Much better for all of us! My only concern is that we have enough time to make that conncection with customs clearing....I hope 1 hour is enough time!

Although this was long, I really wanted to share....I am so excited!
For the first time, I am actually a wee bit excited about the flight portion of my trip
Too bad Executive Class wasn't affordable all the time, I might just learn to LOVE flying if it where!
Everything is all booked .....now we just wait....Hurry UP FEB!!!
Thanks for listening and allowing me to share!

 

[dis_guy]

Wow, that is quite the tale! It's great you've got flights that you're happy with.

I've been on record saying that I like to fly Edmonton to Orlando on the 6:45 AM (United) early flight getting into Orlando at 4:14 or so. Returning on the 3:30 PM flight out and getting to Edmonton at 9:40 PM or so, connecting in Denver both ways.

Now, with the new non-stop, I'd be very tempted, even with the wonky times and all. It isn't available for our Nov trip (I booked it long ago anyway) but in the future, well, yeah, I'd try it. It would be an early "up" to get that 8:30 AM departure from MCO, adding 3 hours for ME... though not as bad as that 6:00 AM one we once had. Two words, "never again".

 

[aristocat65]

Congratulations! It's so exciting when everything falls into place. Executive Class is great way to fly home. Something to look forward to when you're leaving WDW.

A warning though, it is tough to go back to coach
I've had the pleasure to fly home from Houston a couple of times on Continental First Class (thanks to a generous brother in law with miles to burn) and it is wonderful-sort of how flying used to be in the old days-food, service, legroom, service, comfy seat, service!. Find out if your executive class ticket will allow you into the United Airlines (partner of AC) lounge in Orlando. As there isn't an Air Canada Lounge there I think you should be able to use it. You should also be able to use the special security line (sorry I can't remember what they call it) at Orlando for First Class travelers

I am now obsessed with accumulating enough miles so that we can at least fly one direction in Business/first rather than wasting them on coach tickets. Sometimes, depending on the day the difference in miles is not much.

Have a great trip

 

[chimo2u]

Wow, that is quite the tale! It's great you've got flights that you're happy with.

I've been on record saying that I like to fly Edmonton to Orlando on the 6:45 AM (United) early flight getting into Orlando at 4:14 or so. Returning on the 3:30 PM flight out and getting to Edmonton at 9:40 PM or so, connecting in Denver both ways.

Now, with the new non-stop, I'd be very tempted, even with the wonky times and all. It isn't available for our Nov trip (I booked it long ago anyway) but in the future, well, yeah, I'd try it. It would be an early "up" to get that 8:30 AM departure from MCO, adding 3 hours for ME... though not as bad as that 6:00 AM one we once had. Two words, "never again".

WOW!! 6am departure, that's crazy! Does the DME even run early enough to get someone there for 6AM?? That would mean a 3AM pick up for us "international/Canadian travelers" wouldn't it??? absolutely horrible!!!

I am glad my departure time is a respectable 10:30 AM.....I am also going to be in Universal at Portofino Bay Hotel for my MCO departure day....I ordered a private car to pick us up, so thankfully we don't have to leave quite so early! He says that a 8 am pickup should be fine for us!

I am excited to try first class.....it will be completely new for us, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity/good deal to try it!

 

[chimo2u]

Wow, that is quite the tale! It's great you've got flights that you're happy with.

Too true dis_guy!, Too true!!!! , it was quite the tale!
Hey, it's a Sunday afternoon, I'm sitting in the basement catching up on piles of laundry, there was nothing better to do than go to my favourite place and ramble!!!!

 

[drag n' fly]

First class is da bomb. I have been fortunate enough to go a couple times first class and I tell you on long haul flights they are wonderful.

Enjoy!!!