What Airlines have good routes from South Florida to Vancouver?

[SeaWatch]

I'm hoping the frequent cruisers to Alaska can help me with this: 5 of us are flying from South Florida to Vancouver next summer. We will be on the Nooordam.

 

Just looking up different airlines it seems like there are such long layovers for this flight. Any suggestions for I should explore would be helpful.

 

Also I was wondering if anybody has used Holland America's flight program and been happy with it?

 

As always I really appreciate your input!

 

 

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[sapper1]

Air Canada flies from Fort Lauderdale and connects to Vancouver through Toronto.

They also fly to Toronto from Orlando, Tampa and most likely, Miami.

 

If you want to avoid tight connections and multiple stops I would never book through HAL. Been there done that, not happy.

 

Check out AC online and find a connection time that makes you comfortable, bearing in mind that you would clear customs in Toronto, as the onward flight to Vancouver would be a domestic flight.

[Jim Avery]

As former Florida residents, my short answer is: None. We tried several times to do an AK cruise from FL but just didn't like the long travel times/numerous changes available to us from our part of FL. We waited till we moved to Arizona. Loved the 3 hour direct flights to YVR.:eek: If you can get a direct flight from FLL/PHX then you have only one change as US Air flies PHX/YVR direct.:D

[cruising cockroach]

The major U.S. airlines don't have good frequency to Vancouver (though it increases for the summer). Alaska has from Seattle but there are not that many AS flights to south Florida. Air Canada via Toronto adds a fairly-long diversion.

[sandthrush]

Since DH will only fly direct, we have flown Alaska Airlines from Orlando to Seattle several times. If we are going to Vancouver or returning from Vancouver, we take the train. We have also flown Orlando to Quebec on Air Canada.

 

We always book our own flights.

Edited August 24, 2014 by sandthrush

[PatLuv]

We went to Alaska in May,and DCL booked us on United one way,and American on the trip back.There were layovers on both,in Texas both times,and we flew out of Tampa.

[SeaWatch]

I did not think about the train from Seattle - will check it out!

 

 

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[wander]

Suggest you look into flying to Seattle. Then from Seattle there are several options on getting to Vancouver.

(1) Train to Vancouver (will require an overnight in Seattle), or

(2) through Amtrak there are several buses through-out the day to downtown Vancouver, also

(3) there is a bus service (unsure of name???mighjt be Quick Shuttle, others will know, very popular) that only goes from Seattle to Vancouver, with two or three stops (downtown Seattle and sometimes the Bellingham airport). Probably the easiest from the Seattle-Tacoma airport or downtown Seattle if the times work for you. This bus takes you right to the Cruise Terminal in Vancouver. Prices of each of these - reasonable. I have used each of these three options several times - depends on the timing of my flights and where I spend the night.

(4) Also, for the Alaska cruises HAL may have a bus taking folks from Sea-Tac to Vancouver Cruises that any passengers can purchase tickets for. I did this once - worked really, really well. However I do not know if HAL still has that option.

 

No matter what option you use - there is getting through immigration at the boarder - may be real quick or real slow. Depends on ….heaven only know what. I have found the train the quickest way through the boarder - but this may have changed, and the only through train leaves Seattle early in the morning (the rest of the AMTRAK trips are by bus from Seattle.)

[Kamloops50]

HAL no longer has the transfer bus from SeaTac to Vancouver. Buses go thru a special customs clearance area at the Canadian Border.

When we fly to Florida from Vancouver , I try and make connects either in Phoenix or Dallas-Fort Worth.

I try to bypass Denver , Atlanta , Detroit ,Chicago and Montreal due to poor signage and improper info between different terminals.

Edited August 24, 2014 by Kamloops50

[Dave in NJ]

I can't help with your south Florida to Vancouver question, but regards your question about HAL's air program, I have used it often, perhaps 50% of the time, and have never had an issue or problem. It's almost always the same flights that I would have picked myself and the most direct routes though perhaps I have an advantage of flying to/from Newark or JFK in NY. On one-way flights to or from Europe they have been especially good, far cheaper than anything I could book myself. Plus if your on a tight schedule, it's nice to have their assistance available should you get delayed or cancelled. I'm not sure about this, but perhaps your airfare is also protected under their cancellation insurance.

 

All said, I check both ways and if the difference between HAL and the best flights I could book myself is $40 or so, I usually take their package.

Edited August 24, 2014 by Dave in NJ

[PathfinderEss]

The best your going to do I think is pick an airline you like and take it from FLL to Seattle. Then take the puddle hopper from Seattle to Vancouver which would be Alaska Air. There just is not many direct flight into Vancouver.

[Kamloops50]

The best your going to do I think is pick an airline you like and take it from FLL to Seattle. Then take the puddle hopper from Seattle to Vancouver which would be Alaska Air. There just is not many direct flight into Vancouver.

 

You can use Air Canada Jazz between Seattle and Vancouver.

 

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[Himself]

Fly to Seattle and get the early Cascades train to Vancouver and go business class on the train. I did it last July and loved it!

[donaldsc]

There are lots of good airline WEB sites that you can check to find out - Hipmunk (a good new one because it can rank flights on the basis of the pain that they cause), Kayak, Expedia are ones that I use.

 

DON

[Lizzie68]

Going in reverse, there is an American Airlines flight Van - FLL that has only and hour and half layover at DFW. I expect there is one coming the other way very similar.

[SilvertoGold]

As some have noted, the short answer is: NONE!

 

We hate flying to FLL. Ugh. Really a pain. Best flights for length seem to be overnights ones. Been there and really don't like that.

Otherwise the connections are long or multiple.

The timetables have gotten worse over the past few years.

 

Same happens with VYR to SAN: used to be able to fly non-stop. Not any more.

 

Good advice to try FLL to SEA.

[canadianbear]

This might not help you but thought I would share. We just booked our one way flight from Vancouver to FLL the other day. We had several choices including Air Canada or Westjet or Delta (through Toronto or Montreal then on to FLL); Alaska Air lines which flew to Seattle (on a puddle jumper as I call it) then to FLL; and the one we chose was American Airlines from Vancouver to Dallas with a 1 1/2 hour lay over then on to FLL (like Lizzie68 said). We chose this one as it was the shortest time to get us from Vancouver to FLL which in total still takes us about 8 hours and 45 minutes.

 

If you can get a direct flight to Seattle and stay overnight there (like others have said) and either take the train or a bus to Vancouver it might be your best bet.

 

Good luck.

 

PS-or you could just hop on the Noordam and go through the Panama Canal with us to Vancouver and stay on for Alaska!!:D

[SeaWatch]

Canadian Bear - I like how you think!

 

Is the Cascades stain station close to the airport? Scenic?

 

Thanks again :)

 

 

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[cruz chic]

I'm irritated with American right now. I booked going to fll. I had 2.5 hours going down and 1.5 hours going back. I woke up with a cold this morning to an email from American saying they changed my flights to an hour and a half going down and less than an hour coming back:eek:. I was on the phone with them pdq. Now I have long layovers that are less than great but better than what they changed me to. If you book with aa you might have less time than you think.

[iancal]

We no longer live in Vancouver but you may want to check what airlines fly in to Bellingham, WA on the border. There may be buses into Vancouver from there as well. Much closer than Seattle but you definitely no have a direct flight.

[Kamloops50]

We no longer live in Vancouver but you may want to check what airlines fly in to Bellingham, WA on the border. There may be buses into Vancouver from there as well. Much closer than Seattle but you definitely no have a direct flight.

 

I have looked into flights from Bellingham. There is no price or time savings over flying into Vancouver.

 

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[Kamloops50]

You can also check

Matrix.itasoftware.org

for flight schedules

 

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Edited August 24, 2014 by Kamloops50

[Mr_Astro]

Suggest you look into flying to Seattle. Then from Seattle there are several options on getting to Vancouver.

(1) Train to Vancouver (will require an overnight in Seattle), or

(2) through Amtrak there are several buses through-out the day to downtown Vancouver, also

(3) there is a bus service (unsure of name???mighjt be Quick Shuttle, others will know, very popular) that only goes from Seattle to Vancouver, with two or three stops (downtown Seattle and sometimes the Bellingham airport). Probably the easiest from the Seattle-Tacoma airport or downtown Seattle if the times work for you. This bus takes you right to the Cruise Terminal in Vancouver. Prices of each of these - reasonable. I have used each of these three options several times - depends on the timing of my flights and where I spend the night.

(4) Also, for the Alaska cruises HAL may have a bus taking folks from Sea-Tac to Vancouver Cruises that any passengers can purchase tickets for. I did this once - worked really, really well. However I do not know if HAL still has that option.

 

No matter what option you use - there is getting through immigration at the boarder - may be real quick or real slow. Depends on ….heaven only know what. I have found the train the quickest way through the boarder - but this may have changed, and the only through train leaves Seattle early in the morning (the rest of the AMTRAK trips are by bus from Seattle.)

 

Amtrak has two trains out of Seattle, one early in the morning (as noted) and a second one at 6:50 pm. Either way you will have to overnight somewhere prior to your cruise, there no real convenient train out of Seattle that will get you to the pier in time for the sailaway. The Quick Shuttle might be your best option. The shuttle passes through customs and immigration at the boarder, the train does it in Vancouver at the station. (Go train!).

[Mr_Astro]

Canadian Bear - I like how you think!

 

Is the Cascades stain station close to the airport? Scenic?

 

Thanks again :)

 

 

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The train station is closer to the pier than the airport and, yes, it is a very scenic trip. The train hugs the water all the way to just about Vancouver.

[Cruise_More_Often]

It's a beautiful trip. Take a taxi from the Seattle airport to a downtown hotel for the night, then a taxi in the morning to the train station. Be sure to book Business Class.