Which return flight would you pick?

[leennp]

I am looking for opinions for my options for return flights from Victoria, BC to New Orleans. This would be following and Alaskan t/r cruise pre cruise days in Vancouver, post in Victoria. The flight up will either be on Delta or on SW, but Delta has the better times, so not a lot of decision there. The best two options for flight home are first a West Jet flight that connects in Calgary with a Delta Fight, which changes plans in Salt Lake City, retuning to MSY at around 9pm. Layover in Calgary is 2 hours or so, St. Lake City is 1.5 hours. If we pick this return, do we go through US Customs in Calgary? Do we have to get luggage after flight and then recheck for the Delta flight? Option two is on Delta again, routes from Victoria to Seattle, 2 hour layover in Seattle, then flight connects through LA to return to MSY, 1 and 15 minute layover in LAX. Is this connection too tight? Would we clear customs in Victoria on this one? Price is really the same. Will have my 76 yr old mother and 74 yr old aunt with me. Not looking for a rushed, panicked experience between gates, need enough time to go to bathroom, find food if need be, etc.

[cruiseryyc]

If you go through Calgary you will clear US customs there. You do not have to collect your luggage nor do you have to check in again. WestJet and Delta are "code share" airlines so you will be checked right through to your final destination. Once in Calgary you will have to identify your luggage when going through US Customs but you don't have to wait at the luggage carousel and drag it with you.

 

If you do the Victoria/Seattle route, you will go through US customs once you are in Seattle. Again you will be on one flight, checked right through but I'm not sure how long customs will take or what the process is regarding luggage.

[Kamloops50]

If you go through Calgary you will clear US customs there. You do not have to collect your luggage nor do you have to check in again. WestJet and Delta are "code share" airlines so you will be checked right through to your final destination. Once in Calgary you will have to identify your luggage when going through US Customs but you don't have to wait at the luggage carousel and drag it with you.

 

If you do the Victoria/Seattle route, you will go through US customs once you are in Seattle. Again you will be on one flight, checked right through but I'm not sure how long customs will take or what the process is regarding luggage.

 

Some miss information about Calgary pre clearance .

After you leave the secured area . You'll proceed to US clearance . There will be a baggage carousel just instead the zone. You'll have wait for your luggage . Then you'll have to physically move it about 100 yards to another drop off . This is confirm that the correct luggage is transferred.

Then you have to go thru airport security again.

[Gardyloo]

On option two, it goes like this:

 

Arrive at the south satellite at SEA which is where all immigration and customs inspections occur. After passport control, you go to a baggage hall where you claim your bags and go through customs. After customs there's a bag-drop area where your bags (which will have been tagged through to MSY) are taken and re-checked. You then pass through a security post and are released into the airport.

 

If your continuing flight is on Delta, chances are excellent that you'll be departing from the same south satellite, upstairs from the customs area. Up the escalator, badda bing. If your connecting flight leaves from another concourse (e.g. the A gates) then after customs you'll ride the automatic train to the main terminal, and walk (5 min. tops) to the outbound gate.

 

The ease of passage through the border controls will hinge on timing. Until Seattle builds its new international terminal (still in the political process, i.e. limbo) the south satellite handles all international arrivals. If your flight arrives at the same time as a couple of wide-body jets from Asia or Europe or Dubai, things can get slammed at immigration. They're reasonably efficient, but delays can occur. If you were delayed and missed your connection, Delta would be obligated to get you on a subsequent flight, but you'd definitely get home late.

 

For the record, Alaska Airlines has an 8 AM flight from Victoria that connects to the Alaska nonstop from Seattle to MSY, which leaves at 11 AM and arrives in New Orleans around 5 PM.

 

How long are you in Victoria? If you didn't want to get up that early, would you consider returning to Seattle the night before? I'm pretty sure Alaska Airlines allows a "free" Seattle stopover on connections, so you could fly to SEA the night before and still make the morning nonstop.

[leennp]

So would the 2 hour and 15 minute connection in Calgary be enough time for this? When you say you must go back through security again, you mean the initial security checkpoint you would go through if you were originating a flight in Calgary? How long does reentry through security line typically take on a Tuesday or Wednesday around 12-30-1pm?

[leennp]

The 1 stop flight would be nice, but I only see the Alaska air flight at 6 am, don't see an 8 am flight. How early would we have to be at Victoria airport for 6 am flight?

[Kamloops50]

The 1 stop flight would be nice, but I only see the Alaska air flight at 6 am, don't see an 8 am flight. How early would we have to be at Victoria airport for 6 am flight?

The webpage recommends 90 minutes before scheduled flight Add about 30 minutes to get taxi at hotel and get to airport. Basically have to be ready to leave downtown hotel around 4AM at the latest.

[Gardyloo]

The 1 stop flight would be nice, but I only see the Alaska air flight at 6 am, don't see an 8 am flight. How early would we have to be at Victoria airport for 6 am flight?

Would you be so kind as to say when you're traveling?

 

Edited - I see you're flying in May, so the 8 AM flight isn't there. Would I take the 6 AM flight? Maybe, although it involves getting up quite early. The upside is that with the 3-hour time change it will help you adjust the next day. But if you took the last Alaska flight out the evening before, the price is the same as the same-day combination, so you'd just be swapping a night in Victoria (plus an early departure or a late arrival at MSY) for a night in Seattle and an easy morning the day of the (nonstop) flight.

Edited December 15, 2015 by Gardyloo

[leennp]

Sorry for forgetting that detail. Flight home would either be Tuesday, May 17 or Wed May 18th.

[cruiseryyc]

So would the 2 hour and 15 minute connection in Calgary be enough time for this? When you say you must go back through security again, you mean the initial security checkpoint you would go through if you were originating a flight in Calgary? How long does reentry through security line typically take on a Tuesday or Wednesday around 12-30-1pm?

 

That connection time would be ample. The busiest time for US Customs is between 5:00 and 9:00 in the morning. You go through security right after Customs.

[em-sk]

I fly in and out of Victoria quite frequently. Given the choice I would chose the Calgary connection.

 

Seattle is variable. If the flight from Victoria arrives at the same time as the flights from Asia or Dubai it can take a long time to get through customs. Other times it is quite fast.

 

Calgary is an easier airport to make connections.

[leennp]

Great information, glad to hear from someone who travels that airport frequently. The Seattle connecting flight would arrive at 7 am or so, I know the morning is busy for the overnight long haul flight arrivals. the Calgary one arrives in Calgary around 12 or so, thinking the overnight flights should be done by then in customs

[cruiseryyc]

Great information, glad to hear from someone who travels that airport frequently. The Seattle connecting flight would arrive at 7 am or so, I know the morning is busy for the overnight long haul flight arrivals. the Calgary one arrives in Calgary around 12 or so, thinking the overnight flights should be done by then in customs

 

Incoming flights won't make any difference in Calgary, those arriving passengers will be going through Canadian Immigration, you will be leaving and going through US Immigration which is a totally different area.

[em-sk]

Incoming flights won't make any difference in Calgary, those arriving passengers will be going through Canadian Immigration, you will be leaving and going through US Immigration which is a totally different area.

 

US Customs in Calgary is busy in the morning. By mid-day it is pretty reasonable.

[vwrestler171]

Salt Lake is a smaller airport and is easy to get around. Plenty to eat and some good stuff to check out.

 

I personally would avoid LAX. Busy and not very much to choose from if you want to eat. Everything is in different terminals and there was nothing in Terminal 5 that was worth it. I guess that I've been spoiled by having Salt lake as my home airport and everything is connected post security.