Flights 
When it comes to flights, we generally have three airport options to choose from: Toronto (which is the closest), Syracuse NY or Buffalo NY. We always price them all out before booking to ensure we’re getting the best price possible: flights are significant part of the travel budget no matter which way you slice it, and we consider our comfort and enjoyment of the journey there and back an important part of the trip.
While Toronto is the closest airport to our home, it’s still a 2 hour drive (assuming no traffic or construction delays: if that’s the case, add more time yet). That means we have a significant commute regardless of where we choose to fly from. Syracuse is our next closest option in distance, but oddly enough it always feels the longest drive of the three. That section of road between Watertown and Syracuse is the most boring, endless strip imaginable: I am sure poor Steve has to fight to stay awake as he whisks us along the I81. Buffalo, then, is the furthest away but not outside of what we consider acceptable. The drive there, despite being longer than the journey to Syracuse, always seems more enjoyable in a large part because of the never-ending stretch of cities to pass through along the way. It keeps the mind busy and provides us lots of opportunities to stop if necessary (to answer the call of tiny bladders
or for snack necessities like coffee and Timbits).
Out of 10 trips thus far, we’ve only flown from Toronto once: on our very first trip to Orlando in 2009. The high price of air travel originating from Canadian airports makes driving a little further very attractive and the savings often substantial. One would have thought that the crazy high exchange rate would have changed that this time around, but alas, even with the exchange we were better off booking from New York State. From Toronto, round-trip October fares hovered in the $400-425 (Canadian) range without factoring in baggage fees, seat selection, and onboard snacks.
Then Jetblue released their schedule extension on February 7th, and fares from Buffalo rang in at $255 round trip: that included one checked bag per person, seat selection fees, unlimited snacks while in the air, and onboard entertainment (a TV at each seat). Even with an additional 30% in exchange added to the price, that only put us at about $331 Canadian per person (LOL, I say “only” like its cheap….which it isn’t
…..but at least it’s cheap-
er 
). That savings of $200 for our twosome can happily be redirected to another aspect of the vacation.
Aside from price, there are other benefits of flying from a US airport. Both Syracuse and Buffalo are wonderfully small and much less of a headache to navigate. Buffalo airport hotels offer much more affordable park-and-fly packages (even with the exchange rate factored in), and it’s much nicer (in our humble opinion) clearing customs comfortably in the car as we drive over the border versus the more lengthy process at the airport. It also means we don’t need to be at the airport a full 3 hours before our flight (since we only need to clear security): this is particularly appreciated when we have an early morning departure.
So, our flights were booked way back in February for Friday, October 14th (departing Buffalo at 7:23 am) and Friday, October 28th (departing Orlando at 4:03 pm). We actually like those times: it gets us arriving in Orlando on that first day early enough to include a few fun highlights on the itinerary, and on the day we return home we’re neither rushing to the airport immediately after breakfast nor arriving in Buffalo in the dead of night. Our Jetblue options from Syracuse were not only double the price (sadly, they are the only airline that flies non-stop from Syracuse to Orlando….that means they can charge a high price for that convenience and, with no other option, have lots of people who will pay it
) but the flight times were less favourable as well.
As always, we have upgraded to the Even More Space seating for both of us on both flights. A comfy Steve is a happy Steve, so we consider it money well spent to start and end our vacation on a high note. There is no other way to say it: he’s a big guy. Wide shoulders, long legs, and definitely not the ideal size for the compact seating on an airplane
.
For the first time in several trips, we’re on an Airbus 320 (the larger planes with the 3 x 3 seat configuration) which unfortunately isn’t ideal when we are travelling as a couple. The Embraer 190’s which have been used for the last several vacations offer 2 x 2 seating, which works perfect with me in the window seat and Steve in the aisle. With the 3 x 3, it’s much more complicated to figure out who should sit where. Right now I have us seated with me at the window and Steve in the aisle, and the middle seat empty (in the hopes that it stays that way…..a possibility unless the flight is full). I have been rethinking that strategy, though, and am wondering if I’d be better off to book us both on the aisle, one across from the other
. Should another passenger book that middle seat, I think it would be super awkward to have a stranger sitting between us
. While I hate to give up my window view, I am seriously considering making that seating change while there is still the ability to do so.
I am happy to note that my tolerance for flying seems to be getting better….or maybe I’ve just perfected the timing of when to take my Gravol
. Either way, I haven’t been airsick since 2012, much to the relief of both Steve and the poor schmucks who end up with a seat in my general vicinity
. I still don’t “enjoy” flying, per se…..especially landing (that still scares the bejeezus out of me)….but I’m definitely developing more of a comfort and tolerance for it. Practice really does make perfect
.
Speaking of flying.......I have a question for you guys:
Have any of you ever taken a helicopter ride? In Orlando or elsewhere?
I'll be honest: despite my aversion to flying in an airplane, for some reason I'm dying to try a helicopter ride on one of our Orlando trips
. I can only imagine how cool it would be to see the city.....and especially the parks.....from that vantage point
. Of course, the experience would be sorely dampened by yours truly being hunched over a barf bag for the entire flight if the movement is really sickness-inducing
. I'd love to hear from someone who has been there and done that. Were you green by the time you disembarked?
Good grief. 
).
but I've resorted to just putting them on a private Instagram account as I go and then at the end of the year clicking a button and printing out a basic photo book on Blurb.
Love that guy. Will is about 6' though and can fit ok in the middle. Steve could not!! I would chose for yourself which seat makes you feel less queasy. If you need the window to feel better, than it is worth the gamble to possibly have the awkward middle stranger.
