Flight time in Vancouver

[mprcruiser]

We are on an Alaskan cruise in late May, 2010. We are looking into booking our air for this cruise. With our FF miles, the only flight we can book out of Vancouver to Austin leaves Vancouver at 10:30 a.m. Is the departure time too early for us to make this flight? Thanks in advance.

jimanne1

[scottbee]

We are on an Alaskan cruise in late May, 2010. We are looking into booking our air for this cruise. With our FF miles, the only flight we can book out of Vancouver to Austin leaves Vancouver at 10:30 a.m. Is the departure time too early for us to make this flight? Thanks in advance.

jimanne1

 

Yes, it's too early. In Vancouver you'll need to clear Canadian Customs coming off the ship, and then clear US Customs at YVR airport (prior to boarding your flight - assuming you're flying to a US destination from YVR)

[Ashland]

Try for a later flight if possible. Out of Seward (that's where the ship docks) you should try to take the Train into Anchorage Airport ( arrange this through the cruiseship transfers) it is so much better than the bus, and only a few $ more, well worth it. However you cannot have a flight leaving Anc. before 2:00pm . Our guide and the sites we saw on the Train were one of the highlights of our entire cruise. Alaska is a once in a lifetime trip get all you can out of it. We just did this in May. Any questions would be glad to reply. ENJOY !!

[alcpa1]

OP

You would have almost no chance of making a 10:30 flight.

If you have cruised before you know that docking time has little relation to disembarkation.

The drive time between Canada Place and the airport is about 20-30 minutes on city streets. Ballantyne Pier is a little further. There is no limited access road available. There is a new rail system that you may want to check out though.

Under the best of circumstances you should plan on two hours to clear before you head to your gate.

If you are on a US carrier your gate will be a little hike too.

Having cruised, and visited Vancouver a number of times I would not book that flight. I think the only way I would be comfortable would be in a cab and away from the pier by 7 and I don't think I would want to fight the self disembarking passengers and clogged taxi ramp (especially at Canada Place). That's a lousy way to end a great cruise.

Good luck

[FlyerTalker]

the only flight we can book out of Vancouver to Austin leaves Vancouver at 10:30 a.m.

 

Try for a later flight if possible. Out of Seward (that's where the ship docks) you should try to take the Train into Anchorage

Not sure what the Seward-Anchorage train has to do with flights from YVR.

 

To the OP....Scottbee has it spot on. You won't make it 9 times out of 10 (or even 10 of 10).

 

You don't memtion the FF program you are trying to use. Try to be creative, even if it includes routings that seem counter-intuitive or out of the way. Also, look to piecing together your own routing and then presenting it to the airline rep as a "see if this works". There are several "tools" available to improve your searching. ExpertFlyer and KVS are two good ones (both paid services) that you may want to investigate.

[Ashland]

Not sure what the Seward-Anchorage train has to do with flights from YVR.

 

To the OP....Scottbee has it spot on. You won't make it 9 times out of 10 (or even 10 of 10).

 

You don't memtion the FF program you are trying to use. Try to be creative, even if it includes routings that seem counter-intuitive or out of the way. Also, look to piecing together your own routing and then presenting it to the airline rep as a "see if this works". There are several "tools" available to improve your searching. ExpertFlyer and KVS are two good ones (both paid services) that you may want to investigate.

 

Whoops ! sorry flyertalker got mixed up. Glad your spot on...

[Atomica]

Far too early - don't even attempt it. Even if someone here says they've done it, they got lucky - very, very lucky.

[Globaliser]

With our FF miles, the only flight we can book out of Vancouver to Austin leaves Vancouver at 10:30 a.m.

And just so you understand the likely reason why this is: Award seats are typically only available on flights on which demand is relatively low - otherwise the airline would sell the seats for cash instead of giving them away for "free" for FF miles.

 

Flights that are too early for cruise ships on a cruise ship day are typically going to have much lower demand. Hence, they tend to be cheaper, and may have FF award availability.

 

Any flight that is not too early for the cruise ship passengers is, in contrast, going to be in much higher demand. Therefore, fares for those flights are going to be higher, and FF award availability is much less likely.

 

Flying to/from a cruise is generally time-critical travel. That is never conducive to getting a low fare or FF tickets. You can get lucky, but as a generalisation, that's how it is for flights at times that suit cruise ships.

[6rugrats]

Far too early - don't even attempt it. Even if someone here says they've done it, they got lucky - very, very lucky.

 

It is never too early to look for FF tickets; supply constantly changes. I can't agree with you.

 

OP - agree with other posters, if you are looking at award tickets, you have to be flexible. Consider departing from SEA instead of YVR. Look at leaving YVR the next day. Look at other routing. Can't help much more, as you don't give dates or state what type of FF miles you are trying to use.

[FlyerTalker]

It is never too early to look for FF tickets; supply constantly changes. I can't agree with you.

I think Atomica was saying that the flight departed YVR too early, not that it was too early to be looking for tickets.

OP - agree with other posters, if you are looking at award tickets, you have to be flexible. Consider departing from SEA instead of YVR. Look at leaving YVR the next day. Look at other routing. Can't help much more, as you don't give dates or state what type of FF miles you are trying to use.

Ditto to all.

[mprcruiser]

We are using American FF miles and the departure date from Vancouver is May 29, 2010. We would be flying Alaska Airlines from Vancouver to Seattle, then American from Seattle to Austin, Tx. I have looked at transportation from Vancouver to Seattle and, from what I have found, the schedules for the shuttle buses and Amtrak are not good for the airline schedule. We have just about decided we will use FF miles for the flight to Anchorage and then purchase the flight from Vancouver to Austin. We will just save the miles for another trip. At least we will be able to use them for the flight to Anchorage.

I really appreciate the postings from all of you. I told DH that I would just post the question on CC and I knew I would get good advice.

Thanks

jimanne1

[StLouisCruisers]

I think spending the night in Vancouver and taking a 10:30 am flight the NEXT day is the best answer. While disembarking the Sapphire yesterday morning, I told my husband the stress of getting off the ship and getting to the airport in a hurry was too much. Wish we would have been able to spend the day decompressing and flying home today.

 

Then United failed to get our checked bag onto our connecting flight and stressed me even more! I'm still waiting for it to show up this afternoon. I hate flying anymore!

[Budget Queen]

We are using American FF miles and the departure date from Vancouver is May 29, 2010. We would be flying Alaska Airlines from Vancouver to Seattle, then American from Seattle to Austin, Tx. I have looked at transportation from Vancouver to Seattle and, from what I have found, the schedules for the shuttle buses and Amtrak are not good for the airline schedule. We have just about decided we will use FF miles for the flight to Anchorage and then purchase the flight from Vancouver to Austin. We will just save the miles for another trip. At least we will be able to use them for the flight to Anchorage.

I really appreciate the postings from all of you. I told DH that I would just post the question on CC and I knew I would get good advice.

Thanks

jimanne1

 

This post doesn't make a lot of sense to me??? Why aren't you looking at an open jaw using your FF miles round trip?? AA nows allows, one way half usage of FF miles?? Not sure what the savings will be as that one way Vancouver/Austin flight probably will be way more than half price?

 

I also definately agree, you have an excellent chance of not making any 10:30am flight out of Vancouver. Look at 1pm or later. There are several options for transfers to Seattle, but you are better off not considering any flights before 4pm, with the overnights the best bet. There is Quick Shuttle, cruiseline buses, and one way rental cars. Amtrak is supposed to have 2 runs now, verify this.

[scottbee]

We are using American FF miles and the departure date from Vancouver is May 29, 2010. We would be flying Alaska Airlines from Vancouver to Seattle, then American from Seattle to Austin, Tx. I have looked at transportation from Vancouver to Seattle and, from what I have found, the schedules for the shuttle buses and Amtrak are not good for the airline schedule. We have just about decided we will use FF miles for the flight to Anchorage and then purchase the flight from Vancouver to Austin. We will just save the miles for another trip. At least we will be able to use them for the flight to Anchorage.

I really appreciate the postings from all of you. I told DH that I would just post the question on CC and I knew I would get good advice.

Thanks

jimanne1

 

Try and get them to issue it as an AS (partner) reward rather than an AA reward. The following flight would work, rather than what they're trying, (an AA reward with a QX/Horizon code-share AA flight).

 

You'd be able to make the following (Alaska/Horizon) flights.

QX 2451 YVR 1150-1310 PDX

AS 688 PDX 1530-2310 AUS

 

As the new PDX-SJC-AUS flights don't have an AA code share number.

[mprcruiser]

scottbee

Thanks for the info. I called this a.m. and there are seats on the flight from Vancouver to Portland but nothing from Portland to Austin. I am still trying to figure something out.

Thanks again.

jimanne1