Best deal you've gotten on flights

[Liz315]

We will be flying NY to Anchorage then Vancouver to NY next June/July. Flights are not out yet but am curious as to what the average cost some of you have paid that have flown this route. Looking at this year I've seen flights range from $650 to $1700. Can you tell me some of your best deals? Thanks

[CruiserBruce]

Past prices are no indicator of future prices. You have already done some research. Continue with that research on a very regular basis. You will get the trend of prices.

[Budget Queen]

There are so many ranges.

 

Depends what you are open to, some people want the fewest connections, certain times etc.

 

An alternative, sometimes, cost saver is to book a round trip Seattle, then a one way Seattle Anchorage. You then would have to factor in transfer and maybe hotel costs?

 

It is advisable to fly in at least a day early.

 

If leaving disembarkment day out of Vancouver, look at flights after noon, or later.

[restes]

Don't forget to consider the airlines that only fly to Anchorage during the summer season, such as Jet Blue or Frontier. We flew on July 5, and I was able to purchase flights from Austin to Anchorage for $278 (one way) back in April. If you can fly out of JFK, I think you will be able to find great deals to Anchorage come next spring. Plus, Jet Blue allows one checked bag to fly for free.

 

Jet Blue also has great deals from Seattle to JFK. Currently some of the flights are as low as $319 one way. You would have to get to Seattle though. We spent the day touring Vancouver after our cruise and then took the evening train from Vancouver to Seattle and loved it. Didn't even consider flying out of Vancouver because the prices were so much higher.

[KruisinKath]

For Chicago, I've been trying to check flights every couple of months since October of last year. A multi-destination option with a connecting flight to Anchorage and connecting flight from Vancouver (both thru Seattle) was the lowest in April, at $580/pp. I also check doing RT to Seattle then the one-way Anchorage, and Quick Shuttle (or train) from Vancouver to Seattle, and the prices really weren't better, plus you had to allow the time to get from Vancouver to Seattle. At other times, believe it or not, I got non-stops using the multi-destination that were only a little more.

 

My intent is to try and get the lowest price possible without having to connect more then once, and I'm really going to try and do the non-stops. To me, it's worth the $ not to have to spend a bunch of extra time waiting around in airports or traveling via other modes, or increasing the risk of lost luggage by taking connections. That's just me though.

 

If I really wanted to live dangerously, I could get a pass on A/A from my dad, or passes for both me and my boyfriend on Delta from my brother, but I just don't want to do stand-by during such a busy time and potentially have to spend hours (or days, lol) trudging from gate to gate trying to get on. Although...

 

Budget Queen, you fly stand-by if I remember past posts correctly, don't you? We're flying to Anchorage on a Wednesday to do tours in Whittier and Seward. You think that day would still be risky to do stand-by?

[geoherb]

I wasn't thrilled with the cost of flying from North Carolina to Fairbanks and then the return flight from Vancouver. But I booked our cruise tour late (after the final payment date) and did save a bunch on it. I checked out flying roundtrip into Seattle and getting a flight from there to Fairbanks. It didn't work with our dates. I couldn't find a reasonably priced flight back from Vancouver on the day our cruise ends, so we're staying overnight there, which I'm looking forward to. The cost of the hotel was less than what we would have paid to fly back the day our cruise ends.

[Marillian]

We are flying round trip from/to Newark International (EWR in NJ) to Seattle on United: FREE! :D

 

I had enough frequent flyer miles so I cashed some of them in and bought 2 round-trip tickets.

 

Keep an eye out on some of the flight ticket tracking sites. You may get a good deal.

 

Good luck and have fun!

[harry0]

Just booked this for flights in late aug.2012

Phl-Philly to Anc-$304-Alaskan Airlines-over night flight get in at 1 am

YVR-Van Couver-Phl--$240-United-Early flight-staying in VC 1 night.

That includes all taxes-not checked bags

[Liz315]

Great searching options, thank you all :)

[pmjnh]

I booked our flights in August 2011 for July 2012.

 

We flew Air Canada from Boston to Vancouver at $373 pp

 

Our return flight was Anchorage to Boston via Delta at $202. Booked through the Delta website.

 

It is hit or miss, you just have to be vigilant and check all the time, then pick what you think will be the best deal, but I do recommend starting that early. Delta changed our flight several times but always within a few hours of the original times and the ultimate change was from a 3-legged to a 2 legged flight, which was fine for me.

 

Good luck!

[ISLABONITA]

Your best fares will probably be coming and going out of Seattle.

I too got one way flight free using Airmiles/rewards with Airtran.

I booked late May 30th of 2012 for Aug 2012

One way fare $191 Roc to Sea ( cruise transfer $49) hotel at airport with points+$50

Return JetBlue from Anchorage- to Las Vegas $207

Las Vegas to Roc $196

So for one total round trip paying $594

Maybe look into getting a credit card that will give you a large amount of points to get started like Capital One or an airline CC.

[greatam]

Great searching options, thank you all :)

 

An option you may want to look at-JFK to Vancouver RT on Cathay Pacific. One of the best airlines in the world. The short JFK to Vancouver flight is a "feeder" to the Vancouver/Hong Kong daily flight It is usually priced very reasonably at about $500.

 

Then a separate ticket from Vancouver to Anchorage to get you to your cruise. The only downfall is the Cathay flight arrives at about 2AM. So it means a wait in the Vancouver airport but it is doable for a great airline experience.

[Budget Queen]

 

Budget Queen, you fly stand-by if I remember past posts correctly, don't you? We're flying to Anchorage on a Wednesday to do tours in Whittier and Seward. You think that day would still be risky to do stand-by?

 

Anchorage doesn't have a lot of flights, so you MUST be willing to allow a couple days.

 

I am assuming this would be on a "buddy pass"?? And you are not the employee/retiree?

 

That puts you ALWAYS at the bottom of the list. Load factors in Anchorage are high.

 

IF you have a few days to play with, AND access to the current loads- you need to keep checking- so you would need the employee access. The numbers change by the minute, always people are missing flights and getting rescheduled, employees showing up, flight crew bumping etc etc.

 

With your "Wednesday" reference and only one day- and no priority- big risk to fly stand by.

[FunShipCruiser05]

I booked my flights May 2012 for Sept 2012 cruise from Windsor Locks,CT to Anchorage, than Seattle to Windsor Locks CT

 

No Payments no Interest via Bill Me Later

 

 

WL, CT to Newark NJ 6am-7am, then 9am NJ straight to Seattle arriving at 3 something pm.

 

Seattle to Anchorage getting in around 4pm

 

 

 

Then Seattle to Washington DC, 830am to 3pm

 

Getting into WL CT at 4pm

 

 

 

 

All for 636.00 round trip per person on United/Continental

[Gardyloo]

An option you may want to look at-JFK to Vancouver RT on Cathay Pacific. One of the best airlines in the world. The short JFK to Vancouver flight is a "feeder" to the Vancouver/Hong Kong daily flight It is usually priced very reasonably at about $500.

 

Then a separate ticket from Vancouver to Anchorage to get you to your cruise. The only downfall is the Cathay flight arrives at about 2AM. So it means a wait in the Vancouver airport but it is doable for a great airline experience.

At six hours block time, I wouldn't call the JFK-YVR flight especially "quick." This summer, it arrives in YVR at 1:30 AM. Also, this year, and probably (?) next, there's only one daily nonstop flight from Vancouver to Anchorage, Air Canada departing at 11:50 AM, so a 10 hour layover is required. (I'd probably just book into an airport hotel for a late arrival - by NY time it will be pushing 6 AM by the time you check in.)

 

Alternatively, there are numerous routings from NYC to ANC via US points that will be a bit easier on the body, with relatively easy connections in Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle, Denver... on and on.

 

Personally, I'd buy enough American Airlines miles (if you don't have enough already) to pay for a one-way business class award flight (25K miles each) from Vancouver to JFK on the Cathay flight on your return. This year it departs at 10:50 PM (arrives in JFK at 7 AM) so after a cruise it allows a full day in Vancouver (throw your bags in a rental car and use the car to explore that beautiful area during the day.)

 

Or splurge for 32,500 miles each for first class, which we're doing tonight (leaving in an hour or two - drive to Vancouver, dinner in the city, then to the airport around 7 when the counter opens.)

 

The only bad thing about the CX YVR-JFK flight in business or first class is that it isn't long enough :(.

[Budget Queen]

 

 

WL, CT to Newark NJ 6am-7am, then 9am NJ straight to Seattle arriving at 3 something pm.

 

Seattle to Anchorage getting in around 4pm

 

 

I think you have this wrong. The EWR/Sea flight leaving at 9am, should be getting in around noon??? You aren't going to be arriving in Anchorage at 4pm, just getting into Seattle at 3pm?? Is this over several days?

[Gardyloo]

 

 

WL, CT to Newark NJ 6am-7am, then 9am NJ straight to Seattle arriving at 3 something pm.

 

Seattle to Anchorage getting in around 4pm

 

 

I think you have this wrong. The EWR/Sea flight leaving at 9am, should be getting in around noon??? You aren't going to be arriving in Anchorage at 4pm, just getting into Seattle at 3pm?? Is this over several days?

Just guessing, UA EWRSEA 9:00 - 12:06, UA SEAANC 14:10 - 16:45.

[FunShipCruiser05]

Just guessing, UA EWRSEA 9:00 - 12:06, UA SEAANC 14:10 - 16:45.[/quote

 

 

 

close... UA from WL to Newark about 7:00am... Leave 9am to Sea 12:11pm... change planes... then 1:40pm to anchorage for 4:17pm...

[FunShipCruiser05]

 

 

WL, CT to Newark NJ 6am-7am, then 9am NJ straight to Seattle arriving at 3 something pm.

 

Seattle to Anchorage getting in around 4pm

 

 

I think you have this wrong. The EWR/Sea flight leaving at 9am, should be getting in around noon??? You aren't going to be arriving in Anchorage at 4pm, just getting into Seattle at 3pm?? Is this over several days?

 

 

lol... i know i was off...

[Sunshine91]

Hi Liz - In 2009 we did a southbound cruisetour on the train from Fairbanks to Seward AK, where we boarded Holland America's Ryndam. A week later the ship arrived in Vancouver. We live in Delaware, so can fly from Philly, Baltimore or DC, but prefer Baltimore.

 

We flew Delta in & out of Baltimore, both times connecting thru Minneapolis (Delta's hub). It was a WHOLE lot cheaper to buy 2 one-way fares than to book the airfare as multi-city. And the return air from Vancouver was hideously expensive - I'm remembering fares like $600/pp! :eek:

 

Instead we took the Quick Coach (Quick Shuttle, whatever its called) right at the Canada Place pier in Vancouver to Seattle. Spent the day in that fun, quirky city with friends. Then flew home on the red-eye; I'm positive our flight departed after midnight. But it only cost about $100/pp including all taxes & fees. Yeah we had a middle of the night stopover in Minneapolis for an hour or so, but got in to Baltimore at a reasonable time for someone to pick us up. Napped for a bit & then drove home to DE. I think maybe we're on that same return flight next month. Hmmmm.

 

Also, I KNOW a lot of folks like to book their air as soon as flights become available at what - 300 days prior to departure? We don't fall into that group. I try to book around when final payment is due - maybe earlier for Europe. Now, only once have we ever cancelled a cruise & re-booked something else. But you just never know. At least that's how we think of it.

[dawndelion]

Alaska Air started new routes to Philadelphia this year, so we got tickets from ANC to PHL for $332 (tax inc) one-way with one stop in Seattle. I check BWI and EWR, and PHL was the best price with least amount of connections for us.