The Air Canada Empire Strikes Back!

Air Canada put on a big sale today for flights out as far as April 2019. I quickly jumped on their website and found the nice Las Vegas flights (morning departure, afternoon return) for $642 per person so I booked it.

My personal expectation for flights at decent times is around $600 per person.

I did check Southwest as they extended their schedule into March Break. They were running $653 per person after factoring the US/CDN exchange and there is the two hour drive across the border into Buffalo as well.

Swoop Airlines would have been $250 per person cheaper, but they were an evening departure with a red eye return and Hamilton airport doesn’t have the US Customs pre-clearance.

What can I say? I chose laziness and comfort.

Now that's booked we’re going I need to wait for the Wynn or TI to send me their Winter offers for a hotel room.

I also need to book a car. I checked Dollar since I usually use their Express option, and prices are relatively high -- $40+ per day for a compact. Looks like I’m going to have to wait them out too.

--helpmespock

642 return is pretty high

Just booked from Detroit for 150 return in US dollars. Still way cheaper.

I'm pretty sure properly timed and dated return flights (the singular flight leaving Vegas, returning you home) are slot limited (or whatever the term is). RT flights from DC have crept up from 350-400 a couple of years ago to 450-500. The only low cost carrier flights are super inconvenient, either you leave Vegas at midnight or 6am.

Glad you were able to find something that works.

Quote: speedycrap

642 return is pretty high

Keep in mind it's in Canadian Dollars. We've gotten the flights out of Buffalo for under $600 Canadian per person the last couple years, but our dollar was better then.

Quote: vegas

Just booked from Detroit for 150 return in US dollars. Still way cheaper.

DTW airport is a 3+ hour drive for us so it has never been a consideration.

Quote: ahiromu

The only low cost carrier flights are super inconvenient, either you leave Vegas at midnight or 6am.

Glad you were able to find something that works.

Thanks.

Indeed the Swoop Airlines flights I mentioned in my other thread are evening flight out with a red eye return. I seriously considered them, but since Air Canada was able to keep it close to the $600 mark I relented.

Part of our trap on flights is that I'm forced to book during March Break with my wife being a teacher. I'm sure the airlines know this and keep the prices up for those times. Once we retire we'll be able to pick and choose times and get better breaks on prices for flights. Only 11 more years...

--helpmespock

Quote: ahiromu

I'm pretty sure properly timed and dated return flights (the singular flight leaving Vegas, returning you home) are slot limited (or whatever the term is). RT flights from DC have crept up from 350-400 a couple of years ago to 450-500. The only low cost carrier flights are super inconvenient, either you leave Vegas at midnight or 6am.

Glad you were able to find something that works.

I am a big fan of redeye flights when travelling for personal reasons. I can usually fly Las Vegas to the DC area for $99 each way when traveling on redeyes.

southwest buffalo to lv used to offer some good deals. Nowadays the guys are driving to Detroit or Cleveland to get the deals.

Quote: DRich

I am a big fan of redeye flights when travelling for personal reasons. I can usually fly Las Vegas to the DC area for $99 each way when traveling on redeyes.

Cheapest flights I found from IAD were Frontier for $129 RT this fall. So happy they're flying again, gives United some pressure on the route. Nonetheless, United has me. I'm like $100-150 away from hitting my qualifying dollar mark.

I just can't do redeyes. That final day is a waste. If i "pay" for a room, that $100-150 in comp dollars gone and I dont even get to enjoy the day since I'm leaving that night (my mind has basically told itself that you're not in Vegas anymore). This isn't even counting the fact that I arrive back in DC during rush hour, tired.

I'm happy people like you exist, takes the pressure off the primetime flights.

Quote: DRich

I am a big fan of redeye flights when travelling for personal reasons. I can usually fly Las Vegas to the DC area for $99 each way when traveling on redeyes.

My wife sides with ahiromu. She hates red-eye flights. I'll live with them, but I'm not keen on them. Hanging around without a hotel room waiting for that late night flight out on the last day is a downer.

ontariodealer if the guys don't mind the evening out/red-eye return then Swoop Airlines would be a good deal for them and the drive from Niagara Falls shouldn't be too bad. Presumably an hour or there about.

--helpmespock

Quote: DRich

I am a big fan of redeye flights when travelling for personal reasons. I can usually fly Las Vegas to the DC area for $99 each way when traveling on redeyes.

I always fly red eye home. With the time difference any other flight would ruin an entire day. At least this way I can get 4 hours of sleep.

Quote: helpmespock

My wife sides with ahiromu. She hates red-eye flights. I'll live with them, but I'm not keen on them. Hanging around without a hotel room waiting for that late night flight out on the last day is a downer.

ontariodealer if the guys don't mind the evening out/red-eye return then Swoop Airlines would be a good deal for them and the drive from Niagara Falls shouldn't be too bad. Presumably an hour or there about.

--helpmespock

When do you like to leave? I like read eyes because of my reasoning above. I don't like the morning flights because then I have to worry about waking up and not staying up too late the night before. Plus you can save a night on a hotel.

never heard of swoop....i'll check it out.

Quote: GWAE

When do you like to leave? I like read eyes because of my reasoning above. I don't like the morning flights because then I have to worry about waking up and not staying up too late the night before. Plus you can save a night on a hotel.

We like to leave Las Vegas somewhere around noon getting back to Toronto around 6PM. That way by the time you get out of the airport rush hour traffic has largely cleared.

We can't sleep on red-eye flights so we're driving back home in the morning rush hour traffic tired and irritable.

Typically I don't adjust to Las Vegas time and just stay on Eastern time so getting up early for us isn't too much of a problem for that morning flight out. Staying on Eastern time allows me to roll out at 6AM for that early morning craps session on those empty tables. 8-)

--helpmespock

Quote: ontariodealer

never heard of swoop....i'll check it out.

Swoop is the ultra low cost carrier alternative from WestJet. They are flying out of Hamilton to keep costs down. Similarly their other spots out of Canada are Abbotsford, Winnipeg, Halifax, and Edmonton.

The price you're paying is just for the seat and one personal item -- 16"x16"x13". Everything else is pay-for: carry-on baggage, checked baggage, advanced seat selection -- front, front with extra leg room, back with extra legroom, etc. etc. Do everything you can on the web before you get to the airport as the price goes up the further you go along. E.g. a carry-on bag's price increases from web (~$38), to airport counter (~$55), to gate check (~$88) so it pays to do everything on-line at home.

--helpmespock

booking with DOLLAR.COM from Canada now a days is a pain. They switch your link from dollar.com to dollarcanada.ca all the time. Not sure if this big change they make costs you more or not but I would guess it does

to beat them at the switch you can take a few steps to check the American dollar site for prices

type in

https://www.dollar.com/reservation

click enter ....new page click on CAR first after that loads click on reservation and when drop down box appears click on new reservation and search away remember to click on the box top right to see LOCAL DEALS/Specials

Quote: coilman

booking with DOLLAR.COM from Canada now a days is a pain. They switch your link from dollar.com to dollarcanada.ca all the time.

Yes I noticed this too with Dollar.

I've been logging into Dollar Express first and then it gives me US prices when I search. I'll check out your method too.

Prices seem to be dropping. After I booked flights I immediately checked Dollar for cars and it was running $40/day. It's down to $30/day now. I got $15/day last March Break so I'll hold out a little longer.

--helpmespock

Just paid an extra $100 to leave at 1pm instead of 7am next month. I actually found a $360 ticket non redeye return round trip, plus $100 to give me ideal times (arrive in Vegas at 2pm, leave Vegas at 1pm). I'm proud of myself, because I said no to $460 for the morning return flight just two days prior. This is on United, nonstop both ways, Saturday to Tuesday, Monday is Columbus Day (which I have off... the joys of being a fed).

Leaving in the morning sucks because I don't stay at the same hotel that my host works at (host at Cromwell, staying at Paris or Harrahs). This means that I have to go talk to a host on duty while checking out... And doing that the night before or at 5am the day of can be a pain.

Quote: ahiromu

Just paid an extra $100 to leave at 1pm instead of 7am next month. I actually found a $360 ticket non redeye return round trip, plus $100 to give me ideal times (arrive in Vegas at 2pm, leave Vegas at 1pm). I'm proud of myself, because I said no to $460 for the morning return flight just two days prior. This is on United, nonstop both ways, Saturday to Tuesday, Monday is Columbus Day (which I have off... the joys of being a fed).

Hey I like those times. 8-)

A 1PM arrival means that you'll have a room ready for you by the time you get over to the hotel. No storing your bags with the Bell Hop.

You're in the Eastern time zone right? That means a 1PM Vegas flight out puts you at 8PM Eastern when you land? Not bad.

Actually we'll be in New York City that weekend. Columbus Day is our Thanksgiving. We haven't been since 2014 so I've been itching to catch a NY Jets game at MetLife and we take in the opera Saturday night.

My wife decided to save some cash and skip a Broadway show this time. Holy crow tickets to Hamilton are expensive! Instead we'll probably do Brooklyn Bridge, the Highline, and maybe the One World Trade Center observation deck and the 9/11 memorial on Friday.

Sorry SOOPOO if you're reading this -- the Bills look to be destined for the basement of the AFC East this year instead of my Jets.

--helpmespock