Why Wouldn't We Fly Out Of Buffalo?

[zenkatt]

Hi zenkatt

We've done that at YYZ the last 2 times we went to WDW. We stayed at the Shearaton in YYZ. Super convenient especially with a 6 and 2 year old. If we do fly out of Buffalo I'd stay at the Holiday Inn Express or simular. I'm not sure what the best hotel is at or around the Buffalo Airport.

A.

Just make sure they offer a park and fly(not all of them do make sure they specify it in your room package) I know there are some better quality hotels that offer a similar package(in the $99 to $119 range) but were the kind of people that just want a bed to drop into and would rather use the extra $30 or $40 to see gatorland or wonderworks etc. But that being said if you have a family and want a cleaner place avoid the ramada!!!

 

[F4disneyfan]

I wish that our vehicle had as good gas milage as yours! And our vehicle is really good on gas! We drove to Disney & back in Feb and gas alone was $450, and then there was of course food and accomadations for the trip there and back And we are also a family of 5.

That 300 was with a stop for the night in Georgia and we had a snack at Timmies near Cinci on the way down we drive straight through on the way home

 

[AndyMcV]

Ok Gang...

For those of you who've flown out of Buffalo, how do you plan your trips? I guess that's one con of not using Air Canada/WestJet/YYZ is that I could book my flights way in advance. If I do Buffalo with say Southwest Air then I can only book 3 months in advance and that's asuming they are offering low fares to MCO.

Could someone please offer your advice for planning your trip assuming flying out of Buffalo?

Thanks
A.

 

[Claud26]

with Airtran you can book 7 months out... Or wait until a great deal comes along ... I know that some people monitor fare for a while and book up to 1 month before they fly out. I don't think I could do that, it would drive me mad

 

[AndyMcV]

Hi Claud26

Is this Air Transat? I haven't heard very many good things about this airline. Maybe I'm sheltered but I haven't.

Andy

with Airtran you can book 7 months out... Or wait until a great deal comes along ... I know that some people monitor fare for a while and book up to 1 month before they fly out. I don't think I could do that, it would drive me mad

 

[Claud26]

it's not Air Transat out of Toronto, but Airtran out of Buffalo... try Airtran.com
You are right Air Transat reputation is terrible.
But Airtran the only complain is that they are constantly changing the schedule, other than that there is no complain.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Ok Gang...

For those of you who've flown out of Buffalo, how do you plan your trips? I guess that's one con of not using Air Canada/WestJet/YYZ is that I could book my flights way in advance. If I do Buffalo with say Southwest Air then I can only book 3 months in advance and that's asuming they are offering low fares to MCO.

Could someone please offer your advice for planning your trip assuming flying out of Buffalo?

Thanks
A.

Last year I made all my own arrangements ie: air /hotel/ car. I spent many hours online doing my research. The biggest part being for air. I started in January for a July trip. I found all the airlines that fly out of BUF and I started watching the prices. Southwest and Airtran's prices are the best. I kept track of the prices for about a month. I booked with Airtran and got 4 tickets for $747 taxes in(travel july 9-19). Ultimately, I chicken'd out and couldn't wait for SW to open up my dates. I was really pleased with the price I got considering that the best I could do from Toronto or Hamilton was $1700. About 7 weeks after I booked, SW had a sale and I could have saved another $100 and had the direct non-stop flight but I was still ahead of the game. Overall, the fares from BUF are much lower than those from AC or WJ. Even if you don't get the sale fares.

For me the lesson learned was do your homework and when you see a good price book it. In fact, I learned so much about booking travel related products that my friends and co-workers now seek my advice on their trips. Some even ask me to do the leg work for them which I quite enjoy.

 

[Scratch42]

Ok Gang...

For those of you who've flown out of Buffalo, how do you plan your trips? I guess that's one con of not using Air Canada/WestJet/YYZ is that I could book my flights way in advance. If I do Buffalo with say Southwest Air then I can only book 3 months in advance and that's asuming they are offering low fares to MCO.

Could someone please offer your advice for planning your trip assuming flying out of Buffalo?

Thanks
A.

SW ~ Best bet is to book as soon as your dates become available. Keep watching as the rate may go down and you can receive a credit. Best to book one way for each leg that way if a DING becomes available you will only have to change that just in case the return isn't available for DING.

It's so easy to get to the Buffalo Airport and then you only have to go thru customs at the border.

Last year, I booked our flights two weeks prior for a spur of the moment MNSSHP trip! $230.00 CDN for two! Return!

None of the Airlines here in Toronto can even come close!

Make sure you sign up for DING!

j

 

[madonna31]

None of the Airlines here in Toronto can even come close!

How true is that?!?

When you consider the fact that on average a family of 4 saves $1000 or more to fly out of Buffalo, it's a no-brainer.

 

[Jeffan1ca]

We will never fly out of Pearson again for destinations we can get to via Southwest. Southwest out of Buffalo is the way to go. We usually drive to Buffalo the night before; stay at a airport hotel that has park n fly and free shuttle to the airport. The night accommodation and being able to park your car for a week at the Buffalo hotel is about the same price as to park n fly at Pearson.

The only small Cons with Southwest is having to go online to their website 24 hours prior to departure to print off the boarding passes and having to queue to board. Going down typically is not an issue and we have always got "A" boarding passes. Coming back we usually have a friend back home do our online check-in and secure our "A" boarding passes. Then we go to the front desk of our resort and they have been more than happy to print our boarding passes for us.

 

[NikP]

We will never fly out of Pearson again for destinations we can get to via Southwest. Southwest out of Buffalo is the way to go. We usually drive to Buffalo the night before; stay at a airport hotel that has park n fly and free shuttle to the airport. The night accommodation and being able to park your car for a week at the Buffalo hotel is about the same price as to park n fly at Pearson.

The only small Cons with Southwest is having to go online to their website 24 hours prior to departure to print off the boarding passes and having to queue to board. Going down typically is not an issue and we have always got "A" boarding passes. Coming back we usually have a friend back home do our online check-in and secure our "A" boarding passes. Then we go to the front desk of our resort and they have been more than happy to print our boarding passes for us.

Why do you have a friend at home do your online check-in? Can they not do this at the Disney hotels aswell? I was hoping they could.

 

[mousy_in_canada]

Why do you have a friend at home do your online check-in? Can they not do this at the Disney hotels aswell? I was hoping they could.

They do but if you want to get an A pass sometimes you have to check in right at the 24 hour mark and you may be in the parks at this point, so it is easier to have someone at home do it for you.

 

[dancin Disney style]

The only small Cons with Southwest is having to go online to their website 24 hours prior to departure to print off the boarding passes and having to queue to board.

Personally, I don't even think this is an issue.
A) you don't have to do online check in to be in the A group. If you arrive at the airport about 1.5 hours(or more) before your flight you will more than likely be in the A group. We are accustomed to being at the airport even earlier than this in Canada so I do the same in the US. Plus it's not worth possibly missing the flight because you didn't show up at the airport until an hour before your flight(as the US carriers say is acceptable).
B)Even in Canada you have to wait until they board your row and then line up anyway.

 

[AndyMcV]

...Going down typically is not an issue and we have always got "A" boarding passes. Coming back we usually have a friend back home do our online check-in and secure our "A" boarding passes....

I don't understand. Don't you get an assigned seat when you get your flight ticket. Are you guaranteed a set on the plane??? In Canada when you book I get an assigned seat.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I don't understand. Don't you get an assigned seat when you get your flight ticket. Are you guaranteed a set on the plane??? In Canada when you book I get an assigned seat.

On Southwest you DO NOT get an assigned seat. You board the plane based on what group you are in, A-B-C, and take whatever seat you want. The groups are assigned based on what time you have checked in. Also, part of each group if held for online check in and part is airport check in.

Some of the other carriers do pre-assigned seating but it is based on what type of ticket you have purchased, refundable-non refundable, etc.

 

[wee-haggis]

On Southwest you DO NOT get an assigned seat. You board the plane based on what group you are in, A-B-C, and take whatever seat you want. The groups are assigned based on what time you have checked in. Also, part of each group if held for online check in and part is airport check in.

Some of the other carriers do pre-assigned seating but it is based on what type of ticket you have purchased, refundable-non refundable, etc.

It seems that the A,B,C seating method is not very effective on Orlando flights since 50% of the travellers have young kids who pre board before everyone else (even if you kids are older then 5 !..........along with your granny,uncle and 2nd cousin)

 

[AndyMcV]

On Southwest you DO NOT get an assigned seat. You board the plane based on what group you are in, A-B-C, and take whatever seat you want....

Ok, so is there a chance that you wouldn't get a seat on the flight? I'm envisioning driving to Buffalo with my gang (4 of us) getting to the airport and at the boarding gate someone saying "Sorry sir all the seats are taken" or "Sorry Sir there are only 3 seats left." How can they even ensure we'd all sit together?

Sorry, I guess I don't get non assigned seating.

Andy

 

[MECH8T7]

Ok, so is there a chance that you wouldn't get a seat on the flight? I'm envisioning driving to Buffalo with my gang (4 of us) getting to the airport and at the boarding gate someone saying "Sorry sir all the seats are taken" or "Sorry Sir there are only 3 seats left." How can they even ensure we'd all sit together?

When you check-in for your flight, SW will issue you a boarding pass in either category "A", "B" or "C". They start by issuing "A"s and when a certain number have been issued, the begin issuing "B"s, etc. When the planes begin boarding, they start with preboarding handicapped people and families with small children, then "A"s, the "B"s and, finally, "C"s. (If you do a search on the Transportation Board, you can find threads that have information on how many SW issues in each category.) When you get on the plane, you just pick whatever seats are available when you get on. So, the later you get on the plane, the less chance you have of getting all your seats together. So, the earlier you get to the airport to check-in, the better chance you have of getting an "A" boarding pass. If you have small children, you don't even need an "A". Also, SW allows passengers to check-in online as early as 24 hours before the flight; that is the easiest way to secure an "A" boarding pass but I think they reserve some of the "A" and "B" allocation for people who check-in in person.

 

[wee-haggis]

Ok, so is there a chance that you wouldn't get a seat on the flight? I'm envisioning driving to Buffalo with my gang (4 of us) getting to the airport and at the boarding gate someone saying "Sorry sir all the seats are taken" or "Sorry Sir there are only 3 seats left." How can they even ensure we'd all sit together?

Sorry, I guess I don't get non assigned seating.

Andy

If you print off your boarding passes 24 hours before the flight and get A passes ,you'll be fine (remember ,even if you can't print them off,you can pick them up at the airport).
If ,on the other hand,you don't have your passes and there is the possibility of an overbooked flight ,they will perhaps ask for volunteers to give up their seat.

 

[Donald - my hero]

I did a quick glance at your note ... you said about 2000 from Pearson?

I JUST now in the last 5 minutes booked four of us (sitting down?) $822.8 More than worth driving cross the border, staying in a reasonable park-fly hotel you can often find 1 for anywhere from 59 (129 if you wanna be fancy ) They will shuttle you to airport in am and you can take 7 am flight and be in the Mouse's House by 10.