Flying into Vancouver from US

[TJA]

I'm about to book airfare for our Disney cruise to Alaska this July and hoping some of you experts can walk me through the process. Here are the facts:

(1) We live in NY. I'm about to book Air Canada from Toronto to Vancouver. We'll drive from NY to Toronto and then fly direct to Vancouver. It's our first International flight and our first time flying with Air Canada. We are a family of 4, 2 adults 2 kids both 15 years old at time of flight.

(2) So all 4 of us will need passports and we'll clear customs on land. We'll arrive at Toronto airport about 2-3 hours before our flight. Parking is easy enough at Toronto airport?

(3) Once we arrive in Vancouver, we have a lot of options to get to our hotel near the port. We'll all have a rolling piece of luggage plus a carry-on. It will be around 8pm. Considering all this, what are your thoughts on ideal transport to our hotel?

A big question: When I book on Air Canada, do I book with the Canadian funds showing? I'm obviously using my US credit card. I'm using a card with no foreign transaction fees.

Anything else glaring that I'm missing or any advice/comments for me?

Thank you!

 

[Geomom]

We flew Air Canada from Boston to Vancouver with a layover in Toronto for our August 2016 Disney Alaskan cruise. You're already removing the worst part at Toronto--which was going through customs and more security--it is a very long convoluted walk from the US side (with no bathrooms in sight) before you finish with customs and get to the Canadian side. Air Canada--you should be able to book in USD if you go through the US site--just say you live in the US. Extra charges: Air Canada charges for advance seat selection, and for checked bags.

Vancouver transport--easiest is a taxi. They have a nice taxi line that moved quickly and was very organized--with someone motioning over the right size taxis for each group. There are standard 'zone fares' for airport pickups--so it's not a timed route, and every taxi has to charge that rate. I would expect your rate to be $35CAD for the port area. While the taxis are supposed to take credit cards, our driver preferred cash. Oh, and a warning that the drivers do drive rather fast from the airport as they can only make $35 on that route and try to maximize the number of fares they get. We were a family of 4 with a total of 10 bags--4 backpacks, 3 roller carry on size suitcases, and 3 larger checked bags. We fit into a normal size Toyota Prius Taxi with no problem (the kids and I had the backpacks with us in the backseat, and DH sat next to the driver.) It is a 1/2 hr drive from the airport to the port area.

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

(2) So all 4 of us will need passports and we'll clear customs on land. We'll arrive at Toronto airport about 2-3 hours before our flight. Parking is easy enough at Toronto airport?

(3) Once we arrive in Vancouver, we have a lot of options to get to our hotel near the port. We'll all have a rolling piece of luggage plus a carry-on. It will be around 8pm. Considering all this, what are your thoughts on ideal transport to our hotel?

A big question: When I book on Air Canada, do I book with the Canadian funds showing? I'm obviously using my US credit card. I'm using a card with no foreign transaction fees.

Anything else glaring that I'm missing or any advice/comments for me?

Thank you!

(2) Yes all of you will need passports. Do this process several months before your trip as it can take 1-2 months for them to be processed and delivered to you.


(3) The easiest is Disney transportation if you are staying at a Disney hotel booked through Disney. Having a driver meet you just on the other side of customs, watch your bags as you use the restroom and walk you to your waiting car, can be a great way to start your trip. But it is expensive and you have to book your hotel through Disney. I am sure you could book an independent car service as well. Otherwise as Geomom said, a taxi would be the next easiest. The cheapest is using the public trains, which are inexpensive and easy to use (so I've heard anyway) but by that time at night (which will feel like 11pm to you) you may not be in the mood to haul all your bags onto a train, and then once you get downtown, haul them a few blocks (or more depending on your hotel) to your hotel.

 

[TJA]

Thank you for replies!

I should say we will drive from New York to Toronto. So we'll go through Customs on our drive across the border. Will we need to go through another form of Customs at Toronto airport as well?

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

Thank you for replies!

I should say we will drive from New York to Toronto. So we'll go through Customs on our drive across the border. Will we need to go through another form of Customs at Toronto airport as well?

Not that I am aware of. You will go through customs once you are in Alaska about to board the Disney Wonder. And you will go through Customs again once you debark the Wonder at the end of your cruise. And AGAIN once you drive back to the USA after Toronto. But its all pretty streamlined. Just follow all the directions.

 

[Shanti]

When I book on Air Canada, do I book with the Canadian funds showing? I'm obviously using my US credit card. I'm using a card with no foreign transaction fees.

When I booked our flights to Canada, I booked via WestJet after converting the fare to US dollars. Worked for me. I believe the exchange rate is favorable to U.S. dollars right now (someone correct me if I'm wrong), so I would just book that way.

 

[Quellman]

Thank you for replies!

I should say we will drive from New York to Toronto. So we'll go through Customs on our drive across the border. Will we need to go through another form of Customs at Toronto airport as well?

You shouldn't because Toronto to Vancouver is not an international flight. It's domestic.

 

[Kiin]

I am from Vancouver and use to work at the airport there. I would just take a cab since there are 4 of you. The sky-train does leave right from the station and will be about $8 CAD per person and take 25 min, but then you will have to walk to your hotel from one of the stations.

Taxi from the taxi stands have a flat rate zone fare and to downtown it is between $31-$36 (not including tip) depending on where your hotel is, and they will take you all the way. Here is the zones in a link

http://www.yvr.ca/-/media/yvr/docum...e_brochure_12x9_feb2016_website-(1).pdf?la=en

 

[CanuckOnaBoat]

(2) So all 4 of us will need passports and we'll clear customs on land. We'll arrive at Toronto airport about 2-3 hours before our flight. Parking is easy enough at Toronto airport?

parking at main airport in Toronto is expensive!! Research the park n fly options a little further away. I think some have shuttles and some connect to the sky train.

 

[TJA]

Thank you everyone! I absorbed each and every comment!

I did book my Air Canada fares last night and so relieved to have it done. There is a pretty good sale happening right now between Toronto and Vancouver. Economy is about $200 each way. I did opt for the Premium Economy one of the ways for a little splurge, but then leveled off our final cost with the Economy deal for the other way.

One last thing (I think...). When paying for a cab, should we be prepared with CAD money rather than USD? I'd rather pay cash for things like cabs, unless credit cards are the way to go with everything while in Vancouver.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Taxi drivers here in Vancouver seem to prefer to take cash, but they won't argue with you if you use a credit card. you might want to have cash for a tip anyway.

 

[daedelus]

I know OP has since purchased tickets, but we did Alaska several years ago and ended up flying into Seattle then renting a car and driving into Vancouver. It was a beautiful drive and only a couple of hours. We dropped the rental off at the airport and took the SkyTrain to a hotel, then to the port the next morning. Very easy and much cheaper (for us at least) than flying directly to Vancouver.

 

[TJA]

I know OP has since purchased tickets, but we did Alaska several years ago and ended up flying into Seattle then renting a car and driving into Vancouver. It was a beautiful drive and only a couple of hours. We dropped the rental off at the airport and took the SkyTrain to a hotel, then to the port the next morning. Very easy and much cheaper (for us at least) than flying directly to Vancouver.

I did look into that because it sounds very fun (not cheaper for us, though). If JFK was a little closer to us, I would've snagged the JetBlue Mint seats direct from JFK to Seattle. However, getting to JFK equaled too much of a hassle for us. Toronto airport is much closer to us and we love the idea of a direct flight to Vancouver. Hope I made the right call! If you guys only knew how many hours/days/weeks/months I agonized over which airline and which route to book..... In the end, we wanted as little travel time as possible, so a direct flight became top priority.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Coming from the northeast it is not easy to get to Vancouver. We opted for Seattle on the way in- points, then Amtrak up. Plus tour Seattle, flights/times not bad. And then extra day after cruise and direct flight back Air Canada, Vancouver to Boston-about $200 each way. Red eye was not appealing after a cruise. Plus the time difference. I would be a mess. Sounds like you have a good plan as well. I agonized too.

 

[Geomom]

Thank you everyone! I absorbed each and every comment!

I did book my Air Canada fares last night and so relieved to have it done. There is a pretty good sale happening right now between Toronto and Vancouver. Economy is about $200 each way. I did opt for the Premium Economy one of the ways for a little splurge, but then leveled off our final cost with the Economy deal for the other way.

One last thing (I think...). When paying for a cab, should we be prepared with CAD money rather than USD? I'd rather pay cash for things like cabs, unless credit cards are the way to go with everything while in Vancouver.

I'd have CAD money, partly due to the exchange rate. How many days are you in Vancouver before/after the cruise? Think about how much cash you might use between the Taxi, tips at the hotel and port, small charges, etc. The cruise ship is all USD.

We went the route of getting CAD from our bank ahead of time--but I wouldn't do that again--the bank's exchange rate wasn't that great and they charged a fee on top of it...and we have a lot leftover...but we are in driving distance to Canada, so we'll use it 'someday'. DD17 went to Germany last year, and she used a debit card w/ no foreign transaction fees to get Euros out of the ATM at the airport. That seems to be the best for the exchange rate--using the ATM at the airport with a debit card, so we'll be doing that for our future foreign travels when we need local cash.

 

[TJA]

I'd have CAD money, partly due to the exchange rate. How many days are you in Vancouver before/after the cruise? Think about how much cash you might use between the Taxi, tips at the hotel and port, small charges, etc. The cruise ship is all USD.

We went the route of getting CAD from our bank ahead of time--but I wouldn't do that again--the bank's exchange rate wasn't that great and they charged a fee on top of it...and we have a lot leftover...but we are in driving distance to Canada, so we'll use it 'someday'. DD17 went to Germany last year, and she used a debit card w/ no foreign transaction fees to get Euros out of the ATM at the airport. That seems to be the best for the exchange rate--using the ATM at the airport with a debit card, so we'll be doing that for our future foreign travels when we need local cash.

EXCELLENT info, thank you.

 

[bumbershoot]

parking at main airport in Toronto is expensive!! Research the park n fly options a little further away. I think some have shuttles and some connect to the sky train.

And if you’re going to park offsite, add some time into the travel plans.

One last thing (I think...). When paying for a cab, should we be prepared with CAD money rather than USD? I'd rather pay cash for things like cabs, unless credit cards are the way to go with everything while in Vancouver.

I haven’t encountered a taxi in Vancouver that needed cash. Make sure their machine is working before you get into the vehicle and you’re fine.

Although we get cash when we’re in Vancouver (we just use a Green Machine ATM...easiest for us...our fave machine is right near Sutton Place near the JapaDog stand), we never NEED it.

 

[starvenger]

And if you’re going to park offsite, add some time into the travel plans.

Agreed with this. Toronto is my home airport, and while Park n Fly valet is easy and convenient, the other locations (Value and Economy)... not so much.

GTAA (which operates the airport) operates a couple of offsite lots, connected to the airport by a tram. They do offer discounts if you prepay so it might be something to look into. It's still not that cheap though.

If you decide on valet parking, check up on the reviews because some of the parking sites seem a bit dodgy.

 

[TJA]

Thank you for parking advice. I do not think we'll do Park n Fly mainly because we just want to arrive at airport and be done with it. I did go to the Toronto airport website and noticed I could prepay for discount, so might do that....

Another thing I need to look into is health insurance - I'm not sure if ours covers us outside of the US. Any thoughts on this?

 

[Ravenne]

A big question: When I book on Air Canada, do I book with the Canadian funds showing? I'm obviously using my US credit card. I'm using a card with no foreign transaction fees.

I paid in USD with Air Canada. It should show you so you can verify upon checking out.