Which airline to choose?

[ninabina]

We are flying Washington DC to Vancouver in May for an Alaska cruise. Dozens of flight options but would like opinions of which air lines you have had good and bad experiences with. United has the most flights but I think It would have to be a free ticket to get me to fly with them again. Alaska Air, Air Canada,

American Airlines anyone??

[RickT]

You might want to post this over on the Cruise Air section.

 

Being Canadian I'd choose Air Canada. They have a good reputation and for the most part run on time. That being said, pay attention to ensure it's actually an Air Canada flight and not a code share using someone else's planes.

 

I would also factor in routing and total travel time (including the number of connections).

[cruiseryyc]

Being Canadian, I would choose WestJet. They are a code share with American Airlines and you would have a transfer in Chicago (which would be on a WestJet plane).

 

http://www.westjet.com

[SpokaneDan]

I have flown Alaska, United, Delta, and Southwest with some regularity. While minor differences exists, I really can't say I prefer one over the other. For me, it ultimately comes down to price. I know statiscally Delta has the oldest planes and did experience a minor delay on one of its geriatric McDonnell-Douglas. However, if Forbes magazine is to be believe, Delta has one of the best on-time rate, while United has one of the worst. Alaska also rank very high with on time, with Southwest (they don't fly to YVR anyway) and American in the middle.

 

I am sure you are considering the transfer Hubs - I never had good luck with Chicago O'Hare, while Denver, Minni and Seattle have been good to me.

[ninabina]

I am not a fan of O'Hare. The layover times are either too long or too close for comfort.

Air Canada would take us from Baltimore to Toronto then to Vancouver with 90 minute layovers on each leg. Air Canada Jazz. Is that a fancy way of saying we use another airlines planes??

[ninabina]

You might want to post this over on the Cruise Air section.

 

Being Canadian I'd choose Air Canada. They have a good reputation and for the most part run on time. That being said, pay attention to ensure it's actually an Air Canada flight and not a code share using someone else's planes.

 

I would also factor in routing and total travel time (including the number of connections).

 

On Air Canada Jazz??? The travel times are just under 8 hours each way with 90 minute layovers. This is new teritiory for me. I am used to grabing $180 RT

from Baltimore to Fort Laderdale non stop. The east coast to Vancouver is choking me at around $680 :O

[LHT28]

I am not a fan of O'Hare. The layover times are either too long or too close for comfort.

Air Canada would take us from Baltimore to Toronto then to Vancouver with 90 minute layovers on each leg. Air Canada Jazz. Is that a fancy way of saying we use another airlines planes??

AC JAZZ use the small commuter planes I think like the Dash 8's

 

Some flights they will use UA metal

 

I prefer Air Canada to other carriers but that is just me

I use http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ to see what flights routing are available then book with the airline that suits my needs

[Gunner22aa]

If its a Jazz flight it is likely a Canadair Regional jet. No business class, no entertainment and limited food and beverage service. I too am Canadian and my choice of the options would be Air Canada but not on Jazz. If your hard against United they are an AC partner in the Star Alliance so it could be a code share flight with them. West Jet is a great airline but I won't fly bankrupt American so that wouldn't work for me.

[cruiseryyc]

On Air Canada Jazz??? The travel times are just under 8 hours each way with 90 minute layovers. This is new teritiory for me. I am used to grabing $180 RT

from Baltimore to Fort Laderdale non stop. The east coast to Vancouver is choking me at around $680 :O

 

Now you know how western Canadians have felt for years flying to Fort Lauderdale to catch a cruise!

[kamloops]

If you are flying into Canada and within Canada , I would always use West Jet if available. Air Canada employs why too many snarly people.

[epixx]

On Air Canada Jazz??? The travel times are just under 8 hours each way with 90 minute layovers. This is new teritiory for me. I am used to grabing $180 RT

from Baltimore to Fort Laderdale non stop. The east coast to Vancouver is choking me at around $680 :O

 

 

Fly nonstop BWI to Seattle on WN, and take the Bolt Bus from Seattle to Vancouver. We did this and paid less than $50 total for four people each way, i.e., less than $100 round trip, from Seattle to Vancouver. Bus trip took 3 hours, 15 minutes each way, including the stop at the border.

[MATHA531]

The reality...you can have a great flight on any airline (well not so much anymore, better to say a satisfactory flight) and the next week on the same airline a terrible flight. They're all subject to the same problems like weather, air traffic delays, lost baggage the like. I never go to a travel bulletin board where there isn't a thread such and such airline ruined my holiday (fill in whatever airline you wish).

 

Also having said that, you have to deal unless you look very closely with code sharing flights. You might have your heart set on Air Canada and book a flight with an Air Canada designation and discover you are really flying United (it will be there in fine print sometimes). So...get the flights with the most convenient times and fares and don't worry about airline A being better than airline B. Price and convenience should dictate your choice.

[ninabina]

The reality...you can have a great flight on any airline (well not so much anymore, better to say a satisfactory flight) and the next week on the same airline a terrible flight. They're all subject to the same problems like weather, air traffic delays, lost baggage the like. I never go to a travel bulletin board where there isn't a thread such and such airline ruined my holiday (fill in whatever airline you wish).

 

Also having said that, you have to deal unless you look very closely with code sharing flights. You might have your heart set on Air Canada and book a flight with an Air Canada designation and discover you are really flying United (it will be there in fine print sometimes). So...get the flights with the most convenient times and fares and don't worry about airline A being better than airline B. Price and convenience should dictate your choice.

 

Decisions, decisions. Any willing millionaires out there just want to pick me up on your private jet and take me non stop to the cruise pier in Vancouver? Come to think of it...how about adding 7 nights on your private yacht to that request!

[scottbee]

My choice would be on AS/Alaska. Seattle is an easy change, and unlike changing in Toronto, you wont have to clear customs (recollecting your luggage etc) mid-flight.

[lamchops]

On Air Canada Jazz??? The travel times are just under 8 hours each way with 90 minute layovers. This is new teritiory for me. I am used to grabing $180 RT

from Baltimore to Fort Laderdale non stop. The east coast to Vancouver is choking me at around $680 :O

 

I know United is not your first choice but I see all sorts of return flights for $460-$560 next May depending on dates.

 

Virgin America has all kinds of flights to Seattle via LAX for $262 return. It might be worth the transfers if you are travelling in a group.

 

You might even consider flying into Vancouver but flying out of Seattle as you'll save the huge taxes of not taking a flight originating from a Canadian city.

[chrismakris]

Hello ninabina,

 

I would personally use Alaska to fly to Seattle and then fly home from YVR. If you use Alaska you would have to connect in Seattle on your way home, unless you use a TA or Expedia to find you the best price to connect from another city on another airline.

 

Something that has not been mentioned is the transport from Seattle to Vancouver. Depending on how much time away you're spending before your cruise I would look at 2 days in Seattle, then taking the Amtrak up to Vancouver for 2 days.

 

No worries about renting a car, border lineups, maps etc. It could be a 4hr drive to Vancouver or a 3 and a half hour train ride which will leave a short taxi ride to get to downtown, and it will cost about the same when you factor all your costs in.

[scottbee]

You might even consider flying into Vancouver but flying out of Seattle as you'll save the huge taxes of not taking a flight originating from a Canadian city.

 

Actually, the thing that makes it large is that the US place a lot of taxes on international flights (check your ticket, generally there's more US tax on a US-Canada flight than Canadian). By making the flight US-US tax, you avoid all of the US international taxes.

[chrismakris]

I had found sometimes(very rarely) that the flight will cost approximately the same if you fly from Seattle and return to Vancouver. It might work the other way too.

 

I forgot to mention that you should see how much it would cost to fly to and home from Bellingham airport. It is just 20 minutes from the border and Alaska Airlines flies to/from Seattle from there. They are a codeshare with AA and Delta so if you use those to airlines you can connect to/from Bellingham.

 

I would add that flying back home to/from Bellingham will cost about $80-100/pp more instead of driving from Seattle. But it will save you a 2-3 hours of driving.

[ninabina]

Thanks for your suggestions. It makes me appreciate all the more my 20 minute drive to the port of Baltimore, Maryland.

[RCmommy]

We live in Canada but almost always fly out of Detroit or Buffalo because flights from Canada are much more. I would love to support this country but I also want to see the world. I would fly, and have with most, anyone with the exception of Spirit. I know some love them but when travelling with kids I would rather avoid a potential headache. Delta is always good to us flying domestically. Never had an issue with Southwest Airlines either. Go with who has the right price for you and a good itinerary. On a long haul flight like that you may not mind a layover. I heard long ago buying tickets on a Tues or Weds yields the best prices and flying out or in on a Saturday as well. In my case, this has almost always been true!

[RCmommy]

Thanks for your suggestions. It makes me appreciate all the more my 20 minute drive to the port of Baltimore, Maryland.

 

We flew into Baltimore for a recent DC trip and saved hundreds by doing so! Short shuttle into the city for all of us and it was a great experience.