Trip to Alberta - Getting there, and getting around?

[Wazzo]

Hello fellow DISers!

I am planning a trip to Alberta (from Ontario) this summer, and I was wondering if anyone knew of any deals I should start looking out for with regards to flights and rental cars? So far a week and a bit of renting a car is pricing out to be ~$600-800, and return flights for two are ~$1500.

I tried the Costco discount code for a Budget rental car, but it doesn't seem to take off any $$.

Any tips would be much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Pokemom]

Where are you flying from and to? It's a little early for seat sales for the summer on Westjet or Air Canada. Keep an eye on the Westjet site - they have had a few 50% off sales in the last couple of weeks (for travel until Spring). I think you should be able to go round trip from Toronto to Calgary for about $350 - $400 per person including taxes if you can get a seat sale. As for car rentals, you just have to keep checking different rental companies - if you get a good price, book it for now, and then keep checking to see if it goes down closer to your travel date. I have had some good luck with Avis in Calgary.

 

[grantclaire]

Hi we flew to Calgary last summer on Westjet direct for about 600 per person. I think there was some connecting flights threw Winnipeg that were cheaper. Sunwing also had a late night flight for around 400 return. We rented a car from enterprize at the Airport for less then 500. Have fun its a great place to visit!

 

[chasbos]

In the summer you are not going to get a very good deal flying from Ontario to Alberta. The best I have done is $300 one way per person and that was Calgary to London (it was still cheaper than flying into Toronto)

Have you tried Hotwire for the vehicle? Do you care what you drive? I have priced on Hotwire and it was very cheap - but I am a family of 6 and need to have a van so I did not want to chance getting to the rental agency and them saying sorry out of vans today!

When we went out we had a one rental from Vancouver to Calgary and it was $550.

Flying within Canada is expensive so I got creative. We took the Robert Q from London to Detroit and flew SWA into Seattle. Took the Amtrak train into Vancouver and drove to Calgary. That way we drove all though the mountains and saved alot of $$$.

Good luck with your planning.

 

[Wazzo]

Thanks for the tips everyone!

I will definitely keep an eye out for seat sales. We're probably flying out of Toronto, and into Edmonton. But, we'll be flying back from Calgary.

This makes the rental car trickier too... I couldn't find a way to do different drop off points on Hotwire.

Thanks for the info on prices though, at least I know that I'm sort of in the ballpark.

 

[petbren]

Flying within Canada is expensive so I got creative. We took the Robert Q from London to Detroit and flew SWA into Seattle. Took the Amtrak train into Vancouver and drove to Calgary. That way we drove all though the mountains and saved alot of $$$.

So how much do you think you saved by doing this?
How long did it actually take to arrive in Calgary with this method?
What is the Robert Q?
Enough questions for ya

We're planning this trip for summer/09--planning to book II for a week in Canmore, and a few days at Tyrell museum for the dino nut DS.

 

[drag n' fly]

Westjet will have plenty of seat sales for the summer if you do not fly out of the US. Sign up for westjet get set it is like sw ding and it will alert you to seat sales.

 

[chasbos]

The prices I am giving you were for 6 people.

Robert Q Airbus - $240 (this is a transportation service that takes you from London to Detroit Airpirt)
Flights from Detroit to Seattle - $900
Amtrak Train - $120

Vancouver to Calgary is 11 hours of driving - we did this over 3 days and stopped in Kamloops, Golden (where we went white water rafting) and then onto Calgary.

We wanted to experience the whole west coast so that is why we started in Vancouver and ended with 3 days at the Calgary Stampede.

For my family it would have cost over $2600 just to get to Vancouver from Toronto. So we saved $1350 by doing it the way we did. And we got to spend a night in Seattle and check out that city and take the Amtrak along Puget Sound into Vancouver.

I love to travel and see new places so this was perfect for our family - we do not vacation we travel and do things!

 

[PurpleEars]

Did you try to price your rental through Rent-A-Wreck? A friend of mine rented from them once and he saved quite a bit of money. They don't have the nice new shiny latest model cars that you get at most rental places, hence the name "wreck". They have used but functional cars.

I priced out an intermediate sized car, automatic transmission with air for 10 days (July 7-17) and it was $453.45 including estimated taxes and fees. 7 days would be $314.45.

They have locations in both Edmonton and Calgary, but I am not sure if they will charge extra for a one-way trip like yours. They don't have rental offices at the airports but they have free local pick up and drop off.

 

[christiane]

Wazzo...are you primarily going out to see the Rockies? If you are and don't have friends/family out there and need accomodation, too, here is a great trip.

It's called Driving the Rockies Tour, a joint effort by Fairmont Hotels & BMW.

From the Toronto Star:


The all-in cost of the six-day, five-night sojourn, based on double occupancy per room (airfare to Calgary not included) is $3,495 plus applicable taxes .

This includes accommodations at the three Fairmont properties in the Rockies, plus daily breakfast and dinner, a signature activity at each resort (i.e. a spa treatment, golf, or guided hikes) valet parking, gratuities and a Cruising the Canadian Rockies CD.

BMW arranges for one of its vehicles to be gassed, ready and waiting for you at the Calgary airport (Z4s roadsters are recommended for the views, but an X5 is also available for an extra fee).

Driving through the Banff and Jasper National Parks and staying at any of the historic Fairmont properties is like exploring the genetic DNA of our country.

The first night of the recommended itinerary is in the picturesque Fairmont Lake Louise.

From there, you drive north on the Icefields Parkway and stay for two nights on the shores of Lac Beauvert at Fairmont's Jasper Park Lodge.

The last two nights are at Fairmont's most historic property, the Banff Springs Hotel.

The Canadian Pacific Railway built the hotel – with only bears and moose for neighbours – between 1887 and 1888.

The original wooden hotel burnt down in 1926, and was rebuilt larger and in its current form in 1928.

All of these hotels are world-class in their amenities, yet causal enough that we felt comfortable in our best dinner fleece at night.

The program runs again in the spring, beginning in May, and runs until October. Hopefully you won't need mitts or toques like we did.



That is a very good price for those hotels & beautiful BMW roadster to have a little fun in!!

I have paid as much as $500 one way Toronto to Calgary in the summer, with a short notice booking, so start watching seat sales & get on both Westjet and Air Canada's email lists for sales notifications. A good sale would be $400 return with taxes & charges included. I travel to Calgary from Toronto very frequently & the best one way price I have ever paid is $149 before other charges are added.

If the BMW trip is not for you, then I agree with the previous poster who said Avis is good in Calgary. Their prices were far below everyone else's. Go to redflagdeal.ca & look for coupons & codes.

 

[busterblue]

We flew westjet out of Hamilton to Calgary in May and it was great. Saved a money versus flying out of Pearson, the airport was fantastic (no crowds at all, no line at security, parking was right at the terminal and cheap). the only proviso is there is a minimal service and a small news stand past security and thats it. If you are west of Pearson Hamilton is a must check for West Jet flights. Just be sure you don't end up on a milk run.

 

[Wazzo]

Did you try to price your rental through Rent-A-Wreck? A friend of mine rented from them once and he saved quite a bit of money. They don't have the nice new shiny latest model cars that you get at most rental places, hence the name "wreck". They have used but functional cars.

I priced out an intermediate sized car, automatic transmission with air for 10 days (July 7-17) and it was $453.45 including estimated taxes and fees. 7 days would be $314.45.

They have locations in both Edmonton and Calgary, but I am not sure if they will charge extra for a one-way trip like yours. They don't have rental offices at the airports but they have free local pick up and drop off.

Thanks for the tip, I will definitely check that out!

Wazzo...are you primarily going out to see the Rockies? If you are and don't have friends/family out there and need accomodation, too, here is a great trip.

It's called Driving the Rockies Tour, a joint effort by Fairmont Hotels & BMW.

Wow, that sounds amazing!! We are staying with family however, so we don't need the accomodations. Thanks though, I will keep that in mind for the future!