Airline Prices - way too expensive - Alaska

[peymas]

We are from Illinois. I got our tickets to Seattle flying southwest from St. Louis mo as soon as they were posted. At the present time flights are only open until March 2017. We paid a little over 800 for both of us round trip. A price drop happened a few weeks ago and I applied for credit and got it. We like to fly sw and they don't fly to Vancouver. Have you checked sw prices?

[peymas]

I should have added that it costs us that or more to fly to Fort Lauderdale from St. Louis. Cruising is expensive if you have to fly. We usually drive to New Orleans and Galveston, but fly to the other ports.

[Mimosa09]

We have used the Princess transfer between Seattle-Vancouver many times in both directions.

 

Here is another reliable option...

 

http://www.quickcoach.com/

 

Yep - that is what we have taken. I put in Quickshuttle and it took me to the Quickshuttle website, but the url was quickcoach:confused::rolleyes:

 

-Rose

[iluvcruzin]

I'm from the Tennessee and we're going to alaska next may, the airline prices are 800 to 1000.00 is that normal? How much does is usually cost from East coast?

 

Believe it or not, there are better times than others for booking air. Right now in the summer is not one of them. I would look about mid-September when the demand is less and prices tend to drop.

 

From your previous posts, it looks like you will be doing the southbound route. Multi-city flights tend to be higher priced. Some have suggested opening a credit card and using points. I doubt 50,000 points would cover enough for a fly into Anchorage and flight out Vancouver. Good idea, but RT from Seattle would require less points and maybe a free fare going that route.

 

I'm going on the same route on Celebrity next summer. I have a credit card that provides a companion ticket every year. We are going RT Seattle and then a one-way to flight to Anchorage. Post cruise we will rent a car from Vancouver and drive back to Seattle. This is one way to save a few dollars.

[iluvcruzin]

Can you elaborate on bus between Seattle and Vancouver? I tried researching it and buses I found did not allow luggage. Train was an option but times inconvenient as morning train too early for disembarkation and afternoon (late) train put you in Seattle late night. Our cruise ends in Vancouver and we are considering a few days in Seattle post cruise.

Chris

 

By far the easiest and most economical way I found was renting a car. Pick up is right in the terminal when you disembark. I went with Alamo booked directly on their website with a Costco code (if you use the Costco site they require entering a membership number). The drive was super easy - even on a busy marathon weekend. It ran around $50 in US for a mid-size (quotes will be in CDN).

[Colo Cruiser]

By far the easiest and most economical way I found was renting a car. Pick up is right in the terminal when you disembark. I went with Alamo booked directly on their website with a Costco code (if you use the Costco site they require entering a membership number). The drive was super easy - even on a busy marathon weekend. It ran around $50 in US for a mid-size (quotes will be in CDN).

 

 

 

I agree. During Alaska season they are always shuttling cars between Seattle-Vancouver. Every time we have rented a one-way car in either direction we have never had a drop fee.

There are lots of options.

[Mimosa09]

By far the easiest and most economical way I found was renting a car. Pick up is right in the terminal when you disembark. I went with Alamo booked directly on their website with a Costco code (if you use the Costco site they require entering a membership number). The drive was super easy - even on a busy marathon weekend. It ran around $50 in US for a mid-size (quotes will be in CDN).

 

And when you rent a car through Costco - you reserve it and keep checking back on the prices. When the prices get lower, you reserve again with the lower price and cancel the earlier one. We do this all the time when we rent in Tucson and Kona. Sometimes several times before we actual arrive to pick up the car. It's easy to do since they are not charging your credit card until you show up.

Edited July 22, 2016 by Mimosa09

[Robinsoncruiseso]

I would second (or third?) the Bolt bus for travel between Seattle and Vancouver. We are 90 miles north of Seattle and about 45 miles south of Vancouver. Bolt is our mode of transportation. From Vancouver station, the Skytrain is across the street from Vancouver station and about one block from the cruise terminal. In Seattle, there is light rail from the Airport station to the station where Bolt bus launches. Cab from bus/train station to Pier 91 in Seattle is under $15.

 

Our last trip...tickets on Bolt Bellingham to Vancouver then Seattle to Bellingham...$11.50 round trip for two people! Yes we scored a couple of the $1 tickets.

 

Also regarding skipping Seattle for Vancouver...both are equally nice cities, try to spend a day in each.

[caribill]

Can you elaborate on bus between Seattle and Vancouver? I tried researching it and buses I found did not allow luggage. Train was an option but times inconvenient as morning train too early for disembarkation and afternoon (late) train put you in Seattle late night. Our cruise ends in Vancouver and we are considering a few days in Seattle post cruise.

Chris

 

If you are going to/from a Princess cruise, a Princess xfer is available. It will drop you at the Seattle airport and from there you can get a cab to your hotel.

[pedirn]

If you are going to/from a Princess cruise, a Princess xfer is available. It will drop you at the Seattle airport and from there you can get a cab to your hotel.

 

Thanks...I was trying to find Princess transfer when I started my research. That led me to the train ( which also includes buses). Would prefer Princess transfer but if not available now looking at Bolt versus car rental. Or just flying home from Vancouver. Not too worried about getting home as timing is not an issue but waiting for airlines to release FF seats so I can grab my flights to Fairbanks.

Chris

[hollon]

I wanted to thank yall all for responding :) I've had a bad headache and haven't beable to look up or acknowledge your answers - wanted to say thank you:)

[lovevacadays]

Consider getting an airline credit card. Many come with enough miles to get you one free trip after spending $xxx the first month or three months. Shop around. I usually use airline miles when I fly to Vancouver.

 

This is what I did for my upcoming cruise leaving out of Fort Lauderdale. I don't fly a lot so thought I would get an airline card and put some of my expenses on it to get the miles. It has ended up working out great. I actually priced airfare today for my trip as I wanted to make sure I didn't want to save my miles for another trip. Airfare to Fort Lauderdale is much more expensive than the last time I was there. Fortunately, I have enough miles to get a coach ticket in the seat I want. Would have loved to have enough miles for first class but the route I'm flying must be popular because there was nothing available in the money saver miles and the anytime miles would have been 170,000 for the trip.:eek::eek::eek:

[ggprincess2004]

I highly recommend taking a look at EZ air for your flights into Anchorage. I was pleasantly surprised - I had to book one set of kids home from Anchorage last summer.

When we cruise in or out of Vancouver we use the Princess transfer between the pier and SeaTac. The coach is comfortable, you travel back from Vancouver to SeaTac "under seal" so the border crossing is usually pretty simple. Airfare out of SeaTac is usually much cheaper than airfare out of Vancouver back to the states.

If you are staying the Seattle area for a few days, you can certainly easily get a rental car at the airport....and the hotels around the airport are generally less expensive than the downtown hotels.

Edited July 24, 2016 by ggprincess2004

[Lucky TGO]

The airlines are making money hand over fist and crying all the way to the bank. Remember when you could take two bags for free. Now you pay 25 to ??? for the second bag. BTW the fuel prices went down but not the airfares.

Tony

[land lover]

If you are not a FF mile user and don't know the ropes I would stick with buying tickets 3-4months out. Check EZ air.......... to make you fell better back in 1998 I paid 595.00 pp from LAX to Alaska and with a return from Seattle. I remember cuz it was our first Princess cruise.

 

I know it's probably just me, because i am lazy..:o but i like taking the ship's shuttle since my luggage goes directly to my room.

[land lover]

This is what I did for my upcoming cruise leaving out of Fort Lauderdale. I don't fly a lot so thought I would get an airline card and put some of my expenses on it to get the miles. It has ended up working out great. I actually priced airfare today for my trip as I wanted to make sure I didn't want to save my miles for another trip. Airfare to Fort Lauderdale is much more expensive than the last time I was there. Fortunately, I have enough miles to get a coach ticket in the seat I want. Would have loved to have enough miles for first class but the route I'm flying must be popular because there was nothing available in the money saver miles and the anytime miles would have been 170,000 for the trip.:eek::eek::eek:

 

So how many miles did you use? Just curious? and how far out did y book ur flight.?

Edited July 24, 2016 by land lover

[lovevacadays]

So how many miles did you use? Just curious? and how far out did y book ur flight.?

 

I used 40k miles. My trip is in four months and a half. I could have gotten away with 24k but would not have had the same options in terms of available seats. I wanted to make sure I got an extra leg room and aisle seat. There were a limited amount left so I booked. With the 24k option I was not able to get the seat assignments I wanted. Everyone has to decide what is worth what to them. For me, to get the seat assignments I wanted, it was worth the extra miles. I am very happy.

[geoherb]

When we took our cruise tour four years ago, we paid over $800 each for our airfare. Fortunately, we got a great deal on the cruise tour, so the overall price wasn't too bad. I just checked a travel website and see that the price next month for us to fly from N.C. to Fairbanks and then home from Vancouver is $300 less per person this year than we paid--$490.

[land lover]

I used 40k miles. My trip is in four months and a half. I could have gotten away with 24k but would not have had the same options in terms of available seats. I wanted to make sure I got an extra leg room and aisle seat. There were a limited amount left so I booked. With the 24k option I was not able to get the seat assignments I wanted. Everyone has to decide what is worth what to them. For me, to get the seat assignments I wanted, it was worth the extra miles. I am very happy.

 

Thanks for the info. Glad you r happy with the use of your miles.

[donaldsc]

I'm from the Tennessee and we're going to alaska next may, the airline prices are 800 to 1000.00 is that normal? How much does is usually cost from East coast?

 

When you are searching for flights, are you using the "search alternative airports" option? Are you also using the "search alternative days" options. You might save enough on the air fare if you left a few days earlier to make up the cost of the lodging in AK. If you do decide to get to AK earlier, check out B&Bs as well as hotels. I often find that B&Bs are cheaper.

 

Are you willing to drive a hundred miles or so to an alternative airport to get a better air fare. For example, we have friends who visit family in south Jersey regularly but they fly in and out of Baltimore because they can get a better air fare. My brother who lives in Madison Wisconsin regularly takes the bus to Chicago because he gets much cheaper fares.

 

You have to get flexible today to get good air fares.

 

DON

[cruiselover1961]

You might want to look into the Alaska cruises out of Seattle. I am going in August 2016 and my flight from Ohio to Seattle was $366. I am still seeing 4 ports of call, but maybe not the northern ports you are looking for. Happy Cruising!