Maritimes + New England best fares to Orlando (Post em)

[Ted in Halifax]

Looks like I found the right place to ask questions. We are a family of five from Halifax and are considering flying Portland Maine to Orlando to save $$. Are there any issues at all with Canadians flying out of Portland?? The drive doesn't bother me at all as we do that at least one or two times a year.

Also, jetblue flights right now are approx 256 per person taxes Inc. So about 1300 for5 of us. Is that good or should I wait? This is May 4th cominghome May13 as it is much cheaper than Sunday. Curious if I should wait.

Thanks!!!!
Jeanette

$256 with taxes in, for JetBlue is good, since it does not have bag fees. This equates to $206 with United. Portland is a great airport ... and it is common for Canadian's to fly out of there. At the Border, they will not bat an eye over a Canadian flying out of PWM, because it is so common. Jetblue has free snacks and some drinks, so the kids will have some "blue chips" or something on the flight. I like JetBlue.

Also, let us know if you need some advice on a park and fly.

 

[hockeymom3]

$256 with taxes in, for JetBlue is good, since it does not have bag fees. This equates to $206 with United. Portland is a great airport ... and it is common for Canadian's to fly out of there. At the Border, they will not bat an eye over a Canadian flying out of PWM, because it is so common. Jetblue has free snacks and some drinks, so the kids will have some "blue chips" or something on the flight. I like JetBlue.

Also, let us know if you need some advice on a park and fly.

Thanks so much for the information!!! After reading through some posts I considered sunwing from hfx. I found it for 2250 for 5 of us. That being said, all the reviews I read were terrible!!!! I don't care about champagne or food but service and safety are important to me. LOL. Any thoughts???

 

[Ted in Halifax]

I guess it all depends on how important the difference in money is ... the drive to Portland in May is easy ... no snow. The question is ... how do your kids handle the drive? By the time you adjust for gas, food and hotel you save $500 or so. For me ... you don't find $500 on the sidewalk, so I'd be tempted.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

This might be nuts but ... providence is 3.5 hours further ...

Saturday, May 4 Providence (PVD) to Orlando (MCO)
4:59 pm 2h 7:06 pm US Airways 1865 Providence to Charlotte
Economy – Airbus A319 54m layover in Charlotte (CLT)
8:00 pm 2h 9:31 pm US Airways 1719 Charlotte to Orlando
Economy – Boeing 757

Other return flights Tuesday, May 14 Orlando (MCO) to Providence (PVD)
5:15 am 2h 6:54 am US Airways 1842 Orlando to Charlotte
Economy – Boeing 737 3h 01m layover in Charlotte (CLT)
9:55 am 2h 11:55 am US Airways 1588 Charlotte to Providence
Economy – Boeing 737

OK this is under $800 total for 5 tickets ... but it involves more driving.
I don't recommend it ... if your family, like mine, suffers from Kid Meltdown or parent Meltdown. Take a good look at the departure times of the Portland Flight and if they work out for the kids .... Id grab them.

 

[Sunseeker2012]

Thanks so much for the information!!! After reading through some posts I considered sunwing from hfx. I found it for 2250 for 5 of us. That being said, all the reviews I read were terrible!!!! I don't care about champagne or food but service and safety are important to me. LOL. Any thoughts???

We used Sunwing to Dominican Republic and I would fly with them again. We never had any issues.

 

[hockeymom3]

if your family, like mine, suffers from Kid Meltdown or parent Meltdown. Take a good look at the departure times of the Portland Flight and if they work out for the kids .... Id grab them. [/B]

It's as if you KNOW my family!!! He's touching me......she's breathing.....they're looking at me....

We're in the car together all the time from rink to rink. We drive a lot!! We go to Old Orchard Beach every summer and I gotta tell you, it doesn't get easier!!! They get on each others nerves in the car!!

I know we can do Portland - anything further (BOS) and it wouldn't be fun....

 

[wendyt_ca]

We are flying down Feb 10-21 out of Portland, Me (from Saint John, NB).

Our flights were $220 round trip each taxes included through Jet Blue
Total of $440 for both of us!

 

[dcessford]

$256 with taxes in, for JetBlue is good, since it does not have bag fees. This equates to $206 with United. Portland is a great airport ... and it is common for Canadian's to fly out of there. At the Border, they will not bat an eye over a Canadian flying out of PWM, because it is so common. Jetblue has free snacks and some drinks, so the kids will have some "blue chips" or something on the flight. I like JetBlue.

Also, let us know if you need some advice on a park and fly.

You guys got me all thinking of flying out of Portland now.lol I live in Halifax and plan on going down mid December.There is 5 of us.Any ideas on a cheap place to stay the night and park and ride?

 

[wendyt_ca]

I always stay at the Howard Johnson Plaza hotel on a park n fly. Sometimes the Hampton inn or doubletree have decent rates too.

 

[dcessford]

havent checked today but continental was 507 pp from hali to newark to orl. depends on who checks you in in regards to bag fees. supposed to be 15 for first and 25 for each additional.

Thanks for the info

 

[polyhm83]

Hi, My daughter now lives in Saint John, nb and I would like to book them flights for our April disney trip. Anyone have any opinions on Allegiant air out of Bangor. They have direct flights for a pretty good price. I know they fly into sanford but that is not a deal breaker. TTIA

 

[Sunseeker2012]

Hi, My daughter now lives in Saint John, nb and I would like to book them flights for our April disney trip. Anyone have any opinions on Allegiant air out of Bangor. They have direct flights for a pretty good price. I know they fly into sanford but that is not a deal breaker. TTIA

We have friends that have used allegiant air over Christmas from Bangor to Orlando and they were happy with the flight

 

[hockeymomNS]

GKTW Nova Scotia Take 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We officially announced this week that the Give Kids The World DIS Meet is a go for another year. Last year we surprised everyone by raising almost $5500, btw it costs $5000 to send a family for a week. We have a bigger venue and prizes are rolling in already, including a Kobo.
We are holding our event on Sunday August 11, but will have a full weekend of fun, and as heard on this weeks podcast, the Orlando team is doing a "field trip" to Nova Scotia. Last year we sold out and have tickets sold already for this year........don't miss out. Take advantage of one of the few opportunites for us Canadians to meet each other and the podcast team!!!

 

[Ted in Halifax]

I see some flights from Halifax to MCO at various times through the next few months for $434 taxes in. see usairways.com.

 

[coastgirl]

Just wanted to raise Manchester NH as an option again for folks willing to drive to save money. We've flown Southwest and I think Delta out of MHT. It's a great little airport, and I love Southwest. The fares aren't as good as they used to be, but still... It's closer than Boston and you don't need to deal with the big city traffic of BOS. We've done it in the summer as well as Nov/Dec/Feb, and only once had weather bad enough that it was a concern.

My kids are2.5 years apart, so it can get bad but maybe it's worse when they're even closer in age! They first did that drive at 3 and 5, last did it at 8 and 11. (This year we have enough airmiles so flying from YHZ, weird for us!) We bought a dvd player for the van for just that reason, and we only once did it in one day, we usually spend the night with family in NB. And we stop a lot. We need to have a flexible amount of time, because for us it adds 3 or 4 days to the trip. But my dh LOVES a road trip, loves to drive, so I get to spend that time "mediating". :-D

 

[hockeymom3]

Funny you should post this. Last week I finally booked my airfare and we ARE flying out of Manchester.

I was there last spring and its really not much further from Portland. We paid 1064 for 5 round trip tickets and the main reason we chose Manchester and Southwest is because it is a direct flight.

My only slight worry is ensuring our kids can sit with at least one parent. I don't like the idea of non-assigned seats but I will do check in at the. 24 hr Maryland hope for the best!!!

 

[RainbowsMist]

Just wanted to raise Manchester NH as an option again for folks willing to drive to save money. We've flown Southwest and I think Delta out of MHT. It's a great little airport, and I love Southwest. The fares aren't as good as they used to be, but still... It's closer than Boston and you don't need to deal with the big city traffic of BOS. We've done it in the summer as well as Nov/Dec/Feb, and only once had weather bad enough that it was a concern.

My kids are2.5 years apart, so it can get bad but maybe it's worse when they're even closer in age! They first did that drive at 3 and 5, last did it at 8 and 11. (This year we have enough airmiles so flying from YHZ, weird for us!) We bought a dvd player for the van for just that reason, and we only once did it in one day, we usually spend the night with family in NB. And we stop a lot. We need to have a flexible amount of time, because for us it adds 3 or 4 days to the trip. But my dh LOVES a road trip, loves to drive, so I get to spend that time "mediating". :-D

We will be flying with Southwest non stop from Manchester to FLL in 2 1/2 weeks for our cruise. We're flying back from MCO non stop as well. With the no baggage fees it was a great decision. We also booked Homewood Suites, Manchester and they accommodate 6 people in a room! We're looking very forward to our first time flying from Manchester and first time flying Southwest


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[coastgirl]

hockeymom I just saw your location--we are HP also, believe it or not! Kingswood...so I can give you really, really precise driving estimates! That's a real score of a total price for airfare for 5 people, well done!

 

[hockeymom3]

hockeymom I just saw your location--we are HP also, believe it or not! Kingswood...so I can give you really, really precise driving estimates! That's a real score of a total price for airfare for 5 people, well done!

Add 10 minutes.....we're in White Hills!!! I could be really cheesy and sing Its a small world!!!!!

I loved Manchester last spring and feel very comfortable leaving from there.

Woohoo I'm excited!! Their rates went up a couple days ago too when I booked it was $92 one way and 121 the other. Now it's 109/136

 

[Ted in Halifax]

I too agree with Manchester being a great fly out of location