aa/air alaska go on sale ever?

[happy cruzer]

Hi, I have never purchased air fare to Vancouver. My home airport is DFW.

 

I know that Seattle is an option for lower airfare. But I also would like to look at flying in and out of Vancouver. I typically see AA flights that are really Air Alaska flights quoted.

 

So my question is do they go on sale like other routes?

 

Thanks for any insight, the cruise I am looking at is Sept 15 thru Sept 26 2013.

[Gardyloo]

Hi, I have never purchased air fare to Vancouver. My home airport is DFW.

 

I know that Seattle is an option for lower airfare. But I also would like to look at flying in and out of Vancouver. I typically see AA flights that are really Air Alaska flights quoted.

 

So my question is do they go on sale like other routes?

 

Thanks for any insight, the cruise I am looking at is Sept 15 thru Sept 26 2013.

The prices will vary somewhat (different fare classes sell out sooner, etc.) but in general you'll find that prices to/from YVR are typically higher than to SEA. Partly it's an issue of taxes, but mainly just supply and demand.

 

One can't generalize, but "sales" aren't typically held during peak demand periods such as cruise season into Vancouver.

 

American flies its own planes into YVR from DFW; Alaska Airlines flights typically connect in Seattle.

[greatam]

Hi, I have never purchased air fare to Vancouver. My home airport is DFW.

 

I know that Seattle is an option for lower airfare. But I also would like to look at flying in and out of Vancouver. I typically see AA flights that are really Air Alaska flights quoted.

 

So my question is do they go on sale like other routes?

 

Thanks for any insight, the cruise I am looking at is Sept 15 thru Sept 26 2013.

 

You just missed the biggest sale of the year-the annual PDF sale (oil money given each year to resident Alaskans). Usually starts in late September/early October and continues through about the first weeks of November. It starts yearly with Alaska Airlines putting trips to "warm" destinations on sale to pry some of the PDF money out of Alaskan's hands. Other airlines generally follow. AA and Alaska codeshare a lot of flights.

 

Will there be other sale fares??? No one knows. Vancouver is a very expensive place to fly in and out of due to supply and demand and high taxes/fees.

 

And as late in the year as you are going, some of the seasonal flights may have already stopped which makes the supply/demand equation even tighter.

 

Just an FYI-you do realize that quite a bit of "stuff" will already be closed in Alaska so late in the year??? Days will be short (dark by 7PM) and it will definitely be quite a bit cooler than the first of September.

[PennyAgain]

I fly DFW -YVR -DFW on business and have fairly good records on what my tickets have cost over the years. The average for the past 10 years has been $535.

 

I seldom book more than 21 days in advance.

[kenish]

Alaska Airlines flies out of Bellingham, WA as well. It's about 30 miles south of Vancouver. You have to connect thru SEA, but it will probably be cheaper due to lower demand and taxes. Whether or not the savings offsets the convenience of YVR will be the issue.

 

AS has a good partnership with AA; you will get full AAdvantage miles as well as EQM/EQP if that's important to you. If you have elite AAdvantage status, it will get you various benefits on AS depending on your status with AA.

[happy cruzer]

Thanks for all the great information. As usual, the cruise air experts are the best.

 

Yep, if I beat 535 on direct flights, I will probably jump on it next year.

 

Thanks, I really appreciate the help and information it will make booking alot easier.

[Alaskanb]

We flew ELP-LAX-Vancouver on United for about $400 each in late May 2011

[scottbee]

Hi, I have never purchased air fare to Vancouver. My home airport is DFW.

 

I know that Seattle is an option for lower airfare. But I also would like to look at flying in and out of Vancouver. I typically see AA flights that are really Air Alaska flights quoted.

 

So my question is do they go on sale like other routes?

 

Thanks for any insight, the cruise I am looking at is Sept 15 thru Sept 26 2013.

 

AA have 2x daily DFW-YVR;

AS/UA/DL will all involve a connection via one of their hubs (SEA, SFO, SLC most likely respectively).

AS/Alaska is a partner of AA, and you're probably seeing something like AA/DFW-SEA+QX/SEA-YVR (QX is Horizon, Alaska's regional carrier)

 

 

Yes, you'll pay more for DFW-YVR vs DFW-SEA, and there's two basic reasons that Gardyloo touched on. Firstly, there's less demand, and secondly you're comparing an international flight with a domestic flight. On international flights, there are a lot more add-on taxes/fees (especially on the southbound legs into the USA where you pay quite a bit to enter the country via air).

[Gardyloo]

Here's a fare and tax comparison, both American Airlines, one way SEA-DFW and YVR-DFW on the same day in June 2013...

 

AA Seattle - Dallas, June 2013 ($US)

One-way fare, booking code V Covers SEA-DFW (Economy) $230.70

US Transportation Tax (US) 17.30

US September 11th Security Fee (AY) 2.50

US Passenger Facility Charge (XF) 4.50

US Flight Segment Tax (ZP) 3.80

Subtotal per passenger $258.80

Total taxes/fees $28.10

 

AA Vancouver- Dallas, June 2013 ($CA)

One-way fare, booking code N Covers YVR-DFW (Economy) $352.50

Canadian Goods and Services Tax (XG) 18.24

USDA APHIS Fee (XA) 5.10

US Immigration Fee (XY) 7.10

US Customs Fee (YC) 5.60

Vancouver Airport Improvement Fee (SQ) 20.00

Canadian Harmonized Sales Tax (BC) (RC) 2.40

US International Arrival Tax (US) 17.00

Canadian Air Travelers Security Charge (CA) 12.10

Subtotal per passenger $440.04

Total taxes/fees 87.54

 

Ignoring minor currency exchange differences, while taxes and fees are 3x more ex-Vancouver than ex-Seattle, the base fare is also over 50% higher.

[happy cruzer]

Still doing my research and want to thank everyone again. I just looked at Bellingham wa and Amtrak as an option.

 

Alot such as direct flights will depend on whether I have lots of vacation time then or just two weeks. Time will tell.

[kenish]

Still doing my research and want to thank everyone again. I just looked at Bellingham wa and Amtrak as an option.

 

Alot such as direct flights will depend on whether I have lots of vacation time then or just two weeks. Time will tell.

 

Everyone's price sensitivity is different, but I wouldn't wait too long. The example fare that Gardyloo posted is $120 higher from YVR. Although that seems high, ground transport to SEA will eat up a significant portion of the savings. You also have to put a value on your time...from ship to plane you will spend about 5 more hours getting to SEA compared to YVR.

 

Also you are going during a busy tourist / cruise season (high demand) and you're already aware there aren't a lot of flights (limited supply). The fare out of SEA could easily increase more than the $120 while you study and research...others will buy them.

 

FYI, there is usually a surge in summer flight bookings after New Year. People are done with the holidays and have time to plan their summer vacations. None of us have a crystal ball, but in your shoes I would probably buy my flights this weekend...the fares don't look bad and there's far more exposure to an increase than a decrease.

[PennyAgain]

Kenish has excellent advice!

 

The odd thing about my history of what I've paid for DFW-ANC and DFW-YVR (and returns of each) over the decades is that for the true value of a $, I'm paying far less NOW on average than back in the 1970's and 1980's.

 

I have many bookings during the 1980's with DFW-ANC-DFW and HOU-ANC-HOU that were well over $650 in economy.

 

I had a ANC-DFW-HOU one way that was $555. It was a stop at DFW but not a plane change. Used to love flying all night from ANC to Texas and then have the plane fill up with clean & tidy Texans.

 

One HOU-ANC-HOU in 1978 was $1250.00 in economy.

 

So now I don't hestate to book a RT at $535 or so.

 

Just wish I could have gotten Frequent Flyer miles pre-1980 something but Aadvantage hadn't been invited.

 

So now you have an odd history of ticket prices from a woman who likely is obsessed on the subject.

 

I booked DFW-ANC-DFW during the Permanent Fund sale at $423.

 

New Year's resolution: to give up my obsession with air fares!

[Gardyloo]

Everyone's price sensitivity is different, but I wouldn't wait too long. The example fare that Gardyloo posted is $120 higher from YVR. Although that seems high, ground transport to SEA will eat up a significant portion of the savings. You also have to put a value on your time...from ship to plane you will spend about 5 more hours getting to SEA compared to YVR.

Actually counting the tax differential, it was $181. A car carrying up to four people will cost around $150 - $170 at most; one way on the train is around $40. You're right about the time factor, of course.

[kenish]

Sorry, I looked at the pre-tax amounts!

 

Any form of ground transport to SEA requires a departure out of SEA after 5pm to allow for disembarkation, getting to Amtrak or the rental car office, border crossing time (in a car), Seattle rush hour traffic, and getting from the train station in Seattle to the airport. There is a nonstop on Alaska Airlines to DFW that arrives around midnight; any other options are redeyes. If none of those are viable, there's the added expense of a hotel room in YVR or SEA, plus meals and again, the time factor.

 

There are shuttle van services that are more streamlined but more expensive.

[happy cruzer]

Well, the ticket is purchased. DFW/SEA roundtrip for 242 (purchased directly from AA), with the times I wanted so that I can connect to Amtrak which seems to be at $29 one way to Vancouver.

 

Thanks to everyone's advice I kept watching and got a fare that I could not pass up.

[happy cruzer]

Ok, AA has now changed the flight no and times.

 

We were departing dfw arriving seattle at 1130pm and now arrive at 1220am.

 

So what are my options?

 

Ask for an earlier flight, I really don't want to try to get a rent car at 1am.

 

Cancel and start over, will they let me just cancel since I have the super saver rate, non refundable??

 

Just asking the experts before I give AA a call in the morning.

 

Thanks.

[Gardyloo]

Ok, AA has now changed the flight no and times.

 

We were departing dfw arriving seattle at 1130pm and now arrive at 1220am.

 

So what are my options?

 

Ask for an earlier flight, I really don't want to try to get a rent car at 1am.

 

Cancel and start over, will they let me just cancel since I have the super saver rate, non refundable??

 

Just asking the experts before I give AA a call in the morning.

 

Thanks.

It's not enough of a time change to trigger the compensation machine. I think you'll probably have to live with it, but of course do phone and ask about an earlier alternative.

 

Are you driving from the airport to Vancouver? For what it's worth the drive time differential will be negligible - you'll sail through the border either way.

[Zach1213]

Yeah it never hurts to ask, but it's not a huge time change so you may very well be stuck. But do ask.

 

Cars at SEA are easy as heck. Just about as easy as it gets for a large airport. No shuttles or anything - just walk across from the terminal to the garage, and you're at your car. I love SEA.

[happy cruzer]

I did the call this am. I was able to select from any flight the same day for no difference.

 

I picked an early morning one and will now go the Amtrak route vs. the rent car. Picking up a rent car at one in the morning just seemed like a possible trouble point.

 

Just gotta make a decision and go.....

 

Thanks for all the help.

[FlyerTalker]

Cars at SEA are easy as heck. Just about as easy as it gets for a large airport. No shuttles or anything - just walk across from the terminal to the garage, and you're at your car. I love SEA.

Sorry, but the car rentals at SEA have moved from the parking garage to an offsite mega-facility. Yes, they used to be easy, but now you have the ever-increasing bus shuttles instead.

[Gardyloo]

Sorry, but the car rentals at SEA have moved from the parking garage to an offsite mega-facility. Yes, they used to be easy, but now you have the ever-increasing bus shuttles instead.

Yes, and the rental return exit is also different and potentially confusing.

[kenish]

Sorry, but the car rentals at SEA have moved from the parking garage to an offsite mega-facility. Yes, they used to be easy, but now you have the ever-increasing bus shuttles instead.

 

...also what seems like 7 elevators and 15 escalators getting from the plane to curbside at SEA!

[Zach1213]

Sorry, but the car rentals at SEA have moved from the parking garage to an offsite mega-facility. Yes, they used to be easy, but now you have the ever-increasing bus shuttles instead.

Well darn. Guess it has been a year or so since I was last there. That's a disappointment.