What is up with West Jet prices to Orlando?

[Sailormoon2]

The bolded in your post 1000% accurate! I booked flights out of Kitchener on Westjet last May via Expedia for this past January. The system allowed me to book and pay for RT tickets on a Tuesday -- was an awesome price too BTW, just a tad more than $650.00 for both of us. Quickly secured non-refundable stay at OKW thru David's rental ..... fast forward to July when i found out that they would NOT be flying on Tuesdays this winter -- Thursdays only and not till a full week after we needed to leave. Wait until they have announced next year's winter schedule. All of the regional airports will have only one flight per week but Pearson will have several daily direct flights.

BTW, WestJet never alerted us to the cancellation of the flight.

This whole post is crazy-not you-the fact that this happens. How can they have flights available to be booked, if they haven't decided on their winter schedule yet? And how is the average (lay) person supposed to know that booking flights before June is not a "safe bet"? I have been stalking flights for next January since February of this year, and finally commited to a one-way on AC because it is direct and the time is ideal-is the above just a WJ issue, or have others heard of issues with AC changing their schedule too? (I know there's been much in the news lately about them bumping passengers). I'm still waiting to book WJ return.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Yes, AC changes their schedule, too. We had one flight booked in April for the following March and they just got rid of the flight. But they did move us to an earlier (more expensive, if I'd had to pay for it) flight and we were upgraded to the premium economy. But I think the upgrade was just luck, as we had those seat numbers on the old flight. You just have to be watching. They are supposed to alert you of any changes, but I've had to check flights on my own a couple of times to find out they'd changed. Just watch them once or twice a month and you should be fine. Also, if you've booked seats, make sure your seats are still booked for you and you haven't been moved. Or that your aircraft hasn't changed and now your 7 year old is sitting in an exit row (sure to be moved and split up, if you don't handle it).

 

[stfxkid]

We wanted to use our companion ticket, so WestJet was the one we were looking at. Even Air Canada is over $600 all of a sudden...do you all think I'm too late to score any good prices with any airline if we leave May 12?

ETA- checked United but they don't seem to fly anything nonstop from Toronto.

If you don't mind flying out of Niagara Falls you can 2 pp RT to MCO for $375 US on Spirit (be mindful of spirits "extra fees," worse than Rouge)
My Family is doing this route the week after and we snagged 3 RT for $76 (total for all three of us).

Good luck

 

[morrik5]

If you don't mind flying out of Niagara Falls you can 2 pp RT to MCO for $375 US on Spirit (be mindful of spirits "extra fees," worse than Rouge)
My Family is doing this route the week after and we snagged 3 RT for $76 (total for all three of us).

Good luck

Is that non-stop?

 

[Susie63]

I have been looking for tickets to DL for Dec 20. I can find flights for $193 on Flight Network and Flight Hub with WJ, but I cannot find that same price on the WJ website. I got return flights with Aeroplan for $22.50 in taxes for all three of us. What a deal!

 

[stfxkid]

Is that non-stop?

it is:
Niagara Falls IAG
Orlando MCO
Friday May 12, 2017
Departure: 6:20PM
Arrival: 8:59PM

Orlando IAG
Niagara Falls MCO
Friday May 19, 2017
Departure: 2:56PM
Arrival: 5:40PM

Drive is only about an hour and a half to DT Toronto (less if you are on the west side of TO.

 

[Yarbogash]

Yes! We do. I like Alaska Airline. They have a nice direct flight from Seattle to MCO. They have a YVR to SeaTac connecting flight, sometimes with horizon.
For August trip I paid $579 for a YVR to Ft Lauderdale to LAX to YVR! We are spending some time in Ft Lauderdale, then going to DL then flying home.

I've driven to Seattle a lot to get the cheaper fares, sometimes as low as $300. But fares have been creeping up, and the past few years I've not found as much advantage flying from Seattle. The price difference isn't as much anymore. Not for 2 of us anyway. When you calculate in over night hotel in SeaTac.
Now I'm doing good finding fares for $500ish.

I'm watching fares for Alaska for next Nov/Dec. wow they are high. Other airlines are lower, but I prefer Alaska. And it will be a cold day before I fly United. Yikes.

We are traveling Dec 7-17 to Orlando. Got our departing flights for $130 usd each on Delta yvr-yyz-mco, reasonable flight times too. Strange deal that showed on kayak, had to be booked thru flighthub. I booked this on March 17. Sorry would have posted but I had not seen this thread and that was a busy day.
Dumb me return was about $170 usd and I hesitated long enough for deal to disappear. Have since booked our return using Alaska Miles but in to Seattle. Probably take the bus or train home from there.
Alaska will likely have fall/early winter travel on sale at end of August or early September.

 

[jtdl]

The bolded in your post 1000% accurate! I booked flights out of Kitchener on Westjet last May via Expedia for this past January. The system allowed me to book and pay for RT tickets on a Tuesday -- was an awesome price too BTW, just a tad more than $650.00 for both of us. Quickly secured non-refundable stay at OKW thru David's rental ..... fast forward to July when i found out that they would NOT be flying on Tuesdays this winter -- Thursdays only and not till a full week after we needed to leave. Wait until they have announced next year's winter schedule. All of the regional airports will have only one flight per week but Pearson will have several daily direct flights.

BTW, WestJet never alerted us to the cancellation of the flight.

Wow, that is unreal! Thanks for the heads up. As I said, I have always booked the US airlines as soon as the flights were released and the most we have ever had was an hour departure time change which we gladly changed, free of charge, for a flight with a much better time than the original one (but at the time of booking had been more expensive).

 

[morrik5]

it is:
Niagara Falls IAG
Orlando MCO
Friday May 12, 2017
Departure: 6:20PM
Arrival: 8:59PM

Orlando IAG
Niagara Falls MCO
Friday May 19, 2017
Departure: 2:56PM
Arrival: 5:40PM

Drive is only about an hour and a half to DT Toronto (less if you are on the west side of TO.

Have you or anyone flown Spirit Airlines before? With something not as well known, I would hate to book far out and be stuck if the company has difficulties as has happened with other airlines in the past, leaving passengers stranded without funds to book alternate plans.

 

[jtdl]

Have you or anyone flown Spirit Airlines before? With something not as well known, I would hate to book far out and be stuck if the company has difficulties as has happened with other airlines in the past, leaving passengers stranded without funds to book alternate plans.

I flew Spirit one way in September DTW to MCO. No issues. The seats are quite a bit smaller than any other airline I have been on and they charge for everything including carry on bags, but their flights are usually so lowed priced that by the time you add up all the "extras" you are just paying what you would have on any other mainline airline. I have heard many complaints but I do have a friend that flies Spirit DTW to MCO every year for the past few and the only issue was a late departure once. I don't think you have to worry about them going out of business as they are actually quite a popular airline.

 

[morrik5]

Luckily I don't think t

I flew Spirit one way in September DTW to MCO. No issues. The seats are quite a bit smaller than any other airline I have been on and they charge for everything including carry on bags, but their flights are usually so lowed priced that by the time you add up all the "extras" you are just paying what you would have on any other mainline airline. I have heard many complaints but I do have a friend that flies Spirit DTW to MCO every year for the past few and the only issue was a late departure once. I don't think you have to worry about them going out of business as they are actually quite a popular airline.

There wouldn't be any carry-on except a purse and perhaps the kids carrying an I-Pad as we take their luggage in the RV with us and meet them down at the Fort. Thanks for your quick response.

 

[FigmentSpark]

They might charge for the purse. You should check, if you decide to use them. I think it's cheaper to 'buy' the carry-on when you book than when you show up at the airport. And I think it's very expensive if you make it to the gate and they decide you have to pay for it (like $100!).

 

[Cottager]

They might charge for the purse. You should check, if you decide to use them. I think it's cheaper to 'buy' the carry-on when you book than when you show up at the airport. And I think it's very expensive if you make it to the gate and they decide you have to pay for it (like $100!).

Spirit Airlines Personal Item Size

For Travel Through April 3, 2017: 16”x14”x12” (40x35x30cm) maximum personal item dimensions

For Travel April 4, 2017 & Beyond: 18”14”x8” (45x35x20cm) maximum personal item dimensions

A few examples of a personal item are listed below:

• Laptop Bag
• Purse
• Small Backpack

We always use a bag that can squish rather than a hard edged one for our personal item.

 

[stfxkid]

I've flown with them a bunch, they are cheap but you can become costly if you are not carefull. I actually have a small carry on rolly bag from Bently that counts as a personal item.

Spirit is cheep if you follow their rules. It is about $20 pp each way cheaper to buy tickets at the counter in advances.

Bag should be bought online in advanced, checked is cheaper than carry on.

Print your boarding pass at home, if you don't it will cost at airport, but if you must print it at the airport do so at the kiosk it is cheaper.

They will let you check two "infant" items for free (car seat, play pen, crib, stroller).

Don't pay to select your seats. Instead check-in as soon as possible (24h in advance) and your party will most likely be seated together (they won't separate minors)

Food on fights is expensive, bring your own snacks.

The seats are smaller, but I have found that the new seats (with a hollowed out back) actually give me more leg room than AC and WJ.

My advice is you can often get Spirit tickets cheaper than short Greyhound trips. Treat spirit as a flying Greyhound and you wont be disappointed.

Save your money for Mickey's Ice Cream Bars.

*edited as I can't type for beans on my phone*

 

[Lesverts]

My biggest frustration is this:

September 23 to September 27 on Westjet

YYZ to MCO - 635
YYZ to LAX - 440

There is no reasonable explanation why a 2 and a bit hour flight to Orlando should be 200 dollars more than a 5 hour flight to Los Angeles.

 

[Sue M]

We are traveling Dec 7-17 to Orlando. Got our departing flights for $130 usd each on Delta yvr-yyz-mco, reasonable flight times too. Strange deal that showed on kayak, had to be booked thru flighthub. I booked this on March 17. Sorry would have posted but I had not seen this thread and that was a busy day.
Dumb me return was about $170 usd and I hesitated long enough for deal to disappear. Have since booked our return using Alaska Miles but in to Seattle. Probably take the bus or train home from there.
Alaska will likely have fall/early winter travel on sale at end of August or early September.

What time does flight get into MCO? With Delta. Ugh I hate Delta. Seems every time I fly them something goes wrong.
I looked at using Alaska points, but the flights I like are 30,000 points each way That's just crazy!!
I'm afraid of driving down to SeaTac in winter, given the winter we had this year!! I like the direct Seattle-MCO flights Alaska has. Then just a short 30min flight to YVR.

 

[Yarbogash]

What time does flight get into MCO? With Delta. Ugh I hate Delta. Seems every time I fly them something goes wrong.
I looked at using Alaska points, but the flights I like are 30,000 points each way That's just crazy!!
I'm afraid of driving down to SeaTac in winter, given the winter we had this year!! I like the direct Seattle-MCO flights Alaska has. Then just a short 30min flight to YVR.

We get in at 11:40 pm est, so 8:40 our time.

Direct sea-mco is very nice. This winter did suck but I would still go for it. I don't think we will have another winter like that soon. *knock on wood*

 

[Sue M]

We get in at 11:40 pm est, so 8:40 our time.

Direct sea-mco is very nice. This winter did suck but I would still go for it. I don't think we will have another winter like that soon. *knock on wood*

Thanks for the info. I'm watching Alaska in hopes of sale. I like the flight down that gets into MCO around 4:30or 5:00ish, and the one that leaves MCO around 5:30, connection from SeaTac gets into YVR just past midnight. Fingers crossed fare drops. I've never flown to MCO at this time of year so not familiar with fare offerings. You sure got a great fare, even if it was with Delta, lol. Maybe American will come up with something too.

 

[YZFMoose]

You guys have great Deals! For the Northerner, we only have WJ and AC service our airport to connect to Southern Canada. Flights for us, either have to be broken up into two days (so add hotel on), or one long long flight/layovers. and can cost upwards of $1200/one way

Also, Flights.google.com is great!!!

Any good deals from YYC / YEG ?

 

[Susie63]

I booked our flights through Flight hub. YEG to LAX for 193 pp. 4 days before Christmas, so I was happy with that price. On the Westjet website that same flight was 557 pp. Today that flight doesn't even exist on their website. I will have to keep an eye on that....lol