Advice? BOS to FAI then land/cruisetour to YVR then BOS

[Nhsaltshaker]

Hi all,

 

We have booked a land/cruise tour through Princess for May 2017. It's early yet, but, it doesn't hurt to plan ahead.

 

We're flying from Boston, Mass to Fairbanks, Alaska to start the land portion of the tour. Then we get on the ship at Whittier and debark in Vancouver the first week of June. We would like to spend a day or two post-cruise in Vancouver, possibly the Westin Bayshore.

 

My question to all you wonderful readers is...

 

What are my cost-effective options for travel?

 

Buy round trip tix to/from Seattle, buy a one-way to Fairbanks pre-cruise, then a post-cruise Amtrak ride to Seattle, then getting a flight from Seattle to Boston?

 

Or, is it better to book open jaw BOS to FAI... then YVR to BOS?

 

Saving a buck or two isn't really a priority but blowing the whole budget is. We prefer non-stops (best we can). I would rather shoot myself in the foot twice rather than spend more than four hours waiting at an airport for a flight.

 

Does anyone see a cost-effective option for efficient travel without wasting 48 hours of travel time?

 

Any and all advice is appreciated.

[Nhsaltshaker]

I'm guessing it's easier/cheaper to just skip the train from Seattle and fly straight through.

[mapleleaves]

there's no shortcut ... you just have to cost out each option.

 

An option you didn't mention is a rental car.

 

If you take the train, Amtrak bus, Bolt Bus or Greyhound Bus, you also need to factor time/cost to transfer from their depot downtown to the airport. (Bolt Bus can be as low as $5 the first few days that the schedule is available)

 

Quick Shuttle has service from downtown Vancouver TO SeaTac a few times a day. If it's significantly cheaper to fly to Boston from Seattle over Vancouver, and the flight leaves late afternoon or evening, it might be a worthwhile option. But you'll have to price it and see.

 

Good luck!

[Gardyloo]

Or, is it better to book open jaw BOS to FAI... then YVR to BOS?

 

Saving a buck or two isn't really a priority but blowing the whole budget is. We prefer non-stops (best we can). I would rather shoot myself in the foot twice rather than spend more than four hours waiting at an airport for a flight.

 

Does anyone see a cost-effective option for efficient travel without wasting 48 hours of travel time?

 

Any and all advice is appreciated.

 

Since there aren't any nonstops from Boston to Fairbanks or Vancouver, you're going to have to suck it up and endure a plane change in each direction.

 

It's an ideal open-jaw routing, and my recommendation would be to use Alaska Airlines, which flies nonstop from/to Boston to/from Seattle, and connects to nonstops to Fairbanks and Vancouver as well.

 

On the money saving front, I'd apply for an Alaska Airlines Visa card (Bank of America) which will not only get you 25,000 Alaska frequent flyer miles as a signup bonus, but which will also give you an annual "companion certificate" with which one passenger pays the going price and the other pays $99 plus taxes for the whole trip. All the flights have to be operated by Alaska Airlines, but for example, if an open-jaw ticket cost, say, $500 for BOS-FAI//YVR-BOS, then the total for two would be something like $620 after taxes, or $310 per person, a savings of almost $400. The companion also earns full FF miles on the ticket, so one person would have over 30,000 miles in his/her account (more than enough for a free round trip) and the other would have almost 7,000 in his/hers. You can redeem Alaska miles on numerous partner airlines, including American, Delta, British Airways, KLM/Air France, Emirates and others.

 

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/credit-card/visa-signature.aspx

Edited May 12, 2016 by Gardyloo

[SadieN]

Hi all,

 

............... I would rather shoot myself in the foot twice rather than spend more than four hours waiting at an airport for a flight.

 

 

 

Any and all advice is appreciated.

 

 

You do know that Seattle is a four hour drive from Vancouver? Can be more depending on the border.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Nhsaltshaker]

Since there aren't any nonstops from Boston to Fairbanks or Vancouver, you're going to have to suck it up and endure a plane change in each direction.

 

It's an ideal open-jaw routing, and my recommendation would be to use Alaska Airlines, which flies nonstop from/to Boston to/from Seattle, and connects to nonstops to Fairbanks and Vancouver as well.

 

On the money saving front, I'd apply for an Alaska Airlines Visa card (Bank of America) which will not only get you 25,000 Alaska frequent flyer miles as a signup bonus, but which will also give you an annual "companion certificate" with which one passenger pays the going price and the other pays $99 plus taxes for the whole trip. All the flights have to be operated by Alaska Airlines, but for example, if an open-jaw ticket cost, say, $500 for BOS-FAI//YVR-BOS, then the total for two would be something like $620 after taxes, or $310 per person, a savings of almost $400. The companion also earns full FF miles on the ticket, so one person would have over 30,000 miles in his/her account (more than enough for a free round trip) and the other would have almost 7,000 in his/hers. You can redeem Alaska miles on numerous partner airlines, including American, Delta, British Airways, KLM/Air France, Emirates and others.

 

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/credit-card/visa-signature.aspx

 

I realize there is no actual "nonstop". Your information is exactly what I was looking for. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[VibeGuy]

One strong consideration for flying Alaska BOS-FAI via Seattle is that if stuff hits the fan, they have five daily nonstops on the SEA-FAI leg and a couple of *dozen* options if they route you through another airport in Alaska. This matters more in the winter, but should factor into your decision for summer given the importance of making your land your on time. Other carriers have significantly less capacity into FAI and rebooking opportunities due to misconnect may be limited.

 

On the return, I'm going to argue for flying Alaska out of Vancouver. By the time you take QuickShuttle or Bolt and spend four hours on a bus teeming with humanity, just to clear customs at the truck crossing and *still* have a 2:30 ride to Seattle, you're halfway home flying from the lovely and efficient YVR airport which has such modern amenities as lounges and shopping and toilets that flush. Clearing US CBP at Vancouver is a breeze, getting to the airport is easy and the connection times in Seattle are manageable.

 

I think the suggestion of getting one of the Visa cards is a splendid one. It will also get you free checked luggage for everyone on the reservation, a $25/bag value.

[Nhsaltshaker]

Thanks so much, vibeguy! I don't mind paying for convenience. Your advice makes sense!

 

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[scottbee]

One strong consideration for flying Alaska BOS-FAI via Seattle is that if stuff hits the fan, they have five daily nonstops on the SEA-FAI leg and a couple of *dozen* options if they route you through another airport in Alaska. This matters more in the winter, but should factor into your decision for summer given the importance of making your land your on time. Other carriers have significantly less capacity into FAI and rebooking opportunities due to misconnect may be limited.

 

On the return, I'm going to argue for flying Alaska out of Vancouver. By the time you take QuickShuttle or Bolt and spend four hours on a bus teeming with humanity, just to clear customs at the truck crossing and *still* have a 2:30 ride to Seattle, you're halfway home flying from the lovely and efficient YVR airport which has such modern amenities as lounges and shopping and toilets that flush. Clearing US CBP at Vancouver is a breeze, getting to the airport is easy and the connection times in Seattle are manageable.

 

I think the suggestion of getting one of the Visa cards is a splendid one. It will also get you free checked luggage for everyone on the reservation, a $25/bag value.

 

The only slight caveat to this is that the majority of YVR-SEA flights leave from the E90s gates, which are remote from pretty much all of the services of the airport like shopping, lounges and civilization. But still, compared with a 4 hr bus ride.....

[jonsmom]

I realize there is no actual "nonstop". Your information is exactly what I was looking for. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

We are cruising August of 2017. Wow. Your trip sure is ambitious. We are sailing out of Seattle though. Just seemed a lot less stressful.

 

I am going to read about the Alaska Air cc.

 

Good luck planning

[VibeGuy]

The only slight caveat to this is that the majority of YVR-SEA flights leave from the E90s gates, which are remote from pretty much all of the services of the airport like shopping, lounges and civilization. But still, compared with a 4 hr bus ride.....

 

True - it's about a four minute walk from the "good parts" to the gates in question. There's a pretty excellent collection of contemporary Haida art on the way.

[Nhsaltshaker]

We are cruising August of 2017. Wow. Your trip sure is ambitious. We are sailing out of Seattle though. Just seemed a lot less stressful.

 

I am going to read about the Alaska Air cc.

 

Good luck planning

 

Not sure what you mean by less stressful. Is it because a land tour from Fairbanks causes the extra flight leg?

[Nhsaltshaker]

You do know that Seattle is a four hour drive from Vancouver? Can be more depending on the border.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Thanks for the heads up. The last thing I want to do is drive.