Christmas flight prices from YEG might sabotage our cruise

[h-sar]

Would Saskatoon work for you?

 

Popping your dates into ITA Matrix and punching in a bunch of possible airports, I found flights from YXU to MCO for $700.92, and to RSW for $741.86. Now, whether the times work for you is another matter, but it's enough cheaper to at least consider.

 

When I see your prices out of Saskatoon, makes me wonder why the Airline Gods are punishing Edmontonians! Unfortunately, the drive (while not overly long at 5 and a 1/2 hours), isn't something I'd consider in the middle of winter. Calgary is the most I'd do and even that can be a huge gamble - one fresh snowfall can lead to highway closure or horrific accidents. Sadly, the airlines know exactly where they've got us. In case I'm coming off as a wuss regarding winter driving, I've driven northern Alberta winter roads for over 35 years - so it's more of a healthy respect rather than blind fear :D

 

After seeing your response, I actually looked at booking a flight from Saskatoon to FLL with a short flight from Edm to Saskatoon before and after. The Edm-Sask return adds almost $500 per person to the fare you found :(.

 

Really do appreciate your, and everyone's, efforts!

[h-sar]

Have you checked RCL air2sea. Flights on Air Canada and Delta are priced at $741 or 621. round trip leaving on Friday the 14th or on the 21st. Air2sea has some of the best international prices you can find.

 

Even if those are US prices, the conversion would still have me just under 1000. Not bad. I will look into RCL cruises. thnks!

[LHT28]

I think some people have never driven in winter during snow storm ;)

[h-sar]

We couldn't find acceptable airfare or hotel prices spring break 2017 for embarking from Fort Lauderdale.

Decided to check out flying into a different airport. Worked beautifully to..... fly into West Palm beach, rent a car, stay night before cruise midway between airport and cruise port, return car at port, go cruise, come back, rent car, drive back to West Palm, stay overnight again, get on plane and fly home. All of this for less than the airfare to Ft Lauderdale and one night hotel there.

Just keep watching and checking all options. I actually did not find the lower airfare until about 4 months out from cruise. And yes I was starting to panic a little.

 

That's fantastic! I plugged in W. P. B and, with a return flight of 12:00PM on the day my cruise gets in to FLL, the flight is around 1200. Not ideal, but better than 1400 and gives me another airport to consider. thnks!

 

If I do pick an airport outside of MIA or FLL, I will be sure to ask the CC community about timing for making flight times.

[h-sar]

I think some people have never driven in winter during snow storm ;)

 

And how I envy them :D

[TrqoisWtrs]

Does Princess offer an air program? (I'm doing the CarnivalHorizon transatlantic from Spain to NY and people are saying how cheap the air was that Carnival booked for them to fly to Spain.)

 

So then I was thinking you could possibly fly into Seattle,and then take Southwest down to FLL, but Southwest flights for that time frame are not available yet. Something to keep in mind, plus added bonus of 2 free bags pp.

 

I also just found a $937 on Expedia, YEG to FLL (see pic). Agree with the other poster about booking separate legs. I did find slightly cheaper fares if I booked a trip as 4 legs, YEG to say SEA, and then SEA to FLL and reverse. Convoluted, but hey whatever works – I’ve been there myself! :)

 

Good luck!

[LHT28]

And how I envy them :D

we live 1 hr from the airport

in Dec it was raining & took us 2 hrs to get there I can only imagine if it had been snow we probably would have missed the flight

 

I always try to be there 3 hrs ahead even though we will be sitting around

[LHT28]

I would be careful with booking separate tickets you may have to collect your bags & re check in so be sure you have plenty of layover time if you choose that route

Plus connecting in some of the northern airports can have weather delays or any airport for that matter so leave plenty of time

JMO

[h-sar]

Does Princess offer an air program? (I'm doing the CarnivalHorizon transatlantic from Spain to NY and people are saying how cheap the air was that Carnival booked for them to fly to Spain.)

 

So then I was thinking you could possibly fly into Seattle,and then take Southwest down to FLL, but Southwest flights for that time frame are not available yet. Something to keep in mind, plus added bonus of 2 free bags pp.

 

I also just found a $937 on Expedia, YEG to FLL (see pic). Agree with the other poster about booking separate legs. I did find slightly cheaper fares if I booked a trip as 4 legs, YEG to say SEA, and then SEA to FLL and reverse. Convoluted, but hey whatever works – I’ve been there myself! :)

 

Good luck!

 

Princess EzAir has been the same - almost $1400 person. I think the price you have from expedia is US $$ so I'd be looking at around 1200 which is still better than 1400!

 

As our flights from Edm to Fort L are not available direct (for a decent rate, I'm usually looking at 2 layovers in each direction and about a 14 hr travel day on each end), I am totally not adverse to booking multiple legs. Thanks for investigating!

[taglovestocruise]

Even if those are US prices, the conversion would still have me just under 1000. Not bad. I will look into RCL cruises. thnks!

 

Last year we spent a few days in London, could not believe the prices factoring in the conversion rate. I remember saying to my wife... thank god were not from Canada.. happy cruising

[h-sar]

I would be careful with booking separate tickets you may have to collect your bags & re check in so be sure you have plenty of layover time if you choose that route

Plus connecting in some of the northern airports can have weather delays or any airport for that matter so leave plenty of time

JMO

 

Most definitely!

[TrqoisWtrs]

I would be careful with booking separate tickets you may have to collect your bags & re check in so be sure you have plenty of layover time if you choose that route

 

JMO - curious, even if you book 4 separate legs, isn't it considered 'one ticket' if booked as one itinerary thru Expedia? I haven't done it in a while, so can't remember. But, yes something to consider.

[h-sar]

JMO - curious, even if you book 4 separate legs, isn't it considered 'one ticket' if booked as one itinerary thru Expedia? I haven't done it in a while, so can't remember. But, yes something to consider.

 

Yes, that would be considered one itinerary and one ticket. However, on one or two occasions, I have booked different legs directly through two different airlines as it was cheaper than booking through Expedia. In that case, I was taking a serious chance - if my first flight had been delayed, the airline for the second flight would not have looked after me by putting me on a later flight. I wasn’t comfortable booking that way and I would really hesitate about doing it again.

[LHT28]

JMO - curious, even if you book 4 separate legs, isn't it considered 'one ticket' if booked as one itinerary thru Expedia? I haven't done it in a while, so can't remember. But, yes something to consider.

I never use a 3rd party site to book flights you never know if they are consolidator tickets or not

But as long as they are all on 1 ticket it should be OK & bags are usually through checked to the final destination

The problem comes if you are different airlines that are not connected or a partner

 

We almost missed a flight in the UK once because I tried to save $ by booking 2 different airlines

 

I had enough time to re check in but the 1st flight was late leaving then we circled LGW until we could land then we parked on the tarmac & had to bus in to the terminal then collect bags the to the check in desk which now had closed :eek:

 

then to special services desk to see if we could still get to the gate

 

we only made the flight because it was also delayed

 

Never again will I book 2 separate tickets unless I am staying a day inbetween flights

[zqvol]

Instead of looking at airfare from your home, get creative. Try other departure cities or fly to somewhere close in the US, and then fly across the country.

[Talex831]

We are in the same situation. Flights are surpassing the cost of the cruise. I’m about ready to cancel the Christmas cruise and book for another time school is off.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Kamloops50]

Instead of looking at airfare from your home, get creative. Try other departure cities or fly to somewhere close in the US, and then fly across the country.

 

YEG doesn’t have any other airports nearby. Many Canadian airport don’t have alternate airport. I live in a regional airport, nearest airport lower prices is a five drive away.

[h-sar]

Instead of looking at airfare from your home, get creative. Try other departure cities or fly to somewhere close in the US, and then fly across the country.

 

 

I think we did get pretty creative :D in many of the posts up above: Saskatoon, Spokane, possibly Seattle, Calgary. Unfortunately, the added airfare to those places pushes me back where I started and driving to other airports at that time is just not safe from where I am. Hoping somebody out there does find a creative solution that we haven’t yet thought of.

 

 

In the meantime, absolutely appreciate all of the concern, sympathy, and various solutions you have all thrown out there. :)

[martincath]

I get the 'winter break is needed for sanity if you don't see grass for 4 months' thing - we did the same after moving to Toronto! Did you consider another destination instead of the Caribbean?

 

If you could actually pay about the same to fly intercontinental as to FLL why not look at cruises out of Singapore, Shanghai, or the Western Med and make it feel like your money bought a much more exotic trip instead of the same-old, same-old? All of these show multiple ships sailing within your date range...

[Cruise Junky]

YEG doesn’t have any other airports nearby. Many Canadian airport don’t have alternate airport. I live in a regional airport, nearest airport lower prices is a five drive away.

It’s only a three hour drive to Calgary. Same as Seattle for me. I’d consider that an alternative.

[Kamloops50]

In winter these three hour drives can become 5 hours or longer. Vancouver is a three hour drive to a Vancouver in summer. In winter it can become 5,6 or even 7 hours.

[Cruise Junky]

In winter these three hour drives can become 5 hours or longer. Vancouver is a three hour drive to a Vancouver in summer. In winter it can become 5,6 or even 7 hours.

 

Do you mean Vancouver to Seattle? Not Vancouver to Vancouver. I’ve flown out of Seattle Christmas Day. No extra time. There was no traffic. I do agree the highway between Calgary and Edmonton can be bad but take your time and drive down the night before or take the bus.

[h-sar]

It’s only a three hour drive to Calgary. Same as Seattle for me. I’d consider that an alternative.

 

Absolutely true, but Vancouver to Seattle is an easy drive pretty much all year round. (I lived in YVR during elementary years and we made that drive to Seattle very frequently. My brother currently lives in Vancouver and DH’s brother is in Seattle so I’m still doing that drive). Edm to Calgary at the end of Dec, for me at least, would never be a viable alternative for a flight. Chance of blizzards, black ice, white out conditions...too unpredictable. Wouldn’t want to book a flight out of there with the possibility that weather might not cooperate. Don’t get me wrong; we have a ton of family in Calgary, so we’ve had to make that drive in winter, but always with the knowledge that we could cancel should the weather take a turn. We once spent the night in Red Deer as multiple accidents during a blizzard closed the highway.

[Cruise Junky]

Absolutely true, but Vancouver to Seattle is an easy drive pretty much all year round. (I lived in YVR during elementary years and we made that drive to Seattle very frequently. My brother currently lives in Vancouver and DH’s brother is in Seattle so I’m still doing that drive). Edm to Calgary at the end of Dec, for me at least, would never be a viable alternative for a flight. Chance of blizzards, black ice, white out conditions...too unpredictable. Wouldn’t want to book a flight out of there with the possibility that weather might not cooperate. Don’t get me wrong; we have a ton of family in Calgary, so we’ve had to make that drive in winter, but always with the knowledge that we could cancel should the weather take a turn. We once spent the night in Red Deer as multiple accidents during a blizzard closed the highway.

 

Is there a reliable bus service? It sucks that you’re finding air so high.

[iancal]

Have you checked flights from Calgary? Also, check on itmatrix but look at one way trips on different airlines. Cherry pick. A few years ago we booked a last minute AI. We live in Calgary. The same resort was $400 plus less from Edmonton than it was from Calgary, for each of us. So we drove to Edmonton and flew from there.

 

When we are going to FLL we price flights, both one way and return, to FLL, MIA, and PBI (palm beach). More than once we have done two one ways flying to/from different airports in Florida.

 

We also try to avoid changing planes in Canada, Salt Lake, Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis in wintertime because of the potential for delay.

 

Good luck. Actually I think that it is a bit early to score a reasonable deal. I have no doubt that fares will improve as some time passes.