LAX to YVR by hook or by crook!

[Warks]

I've been blabbing on here about a trip to the US and Canada for a while and have just grabbed cheap flights SYD-LAX that QF had on offer. Can't knock $3940 for a family of four considering it was $6500 a week ago and about a year ago I was looking at about $10K.

The hard part seems to be getting from LAX to Vancouver (YVR). I've looked high and low through various websites and the best I can get booking separate fares for the family comes in at $A2385 with Alaska Air. Other airlines in that ballpark but it seems that it will cost 2/3 of the price of the (admittedly bargain) flights to LAX! If I just book to YVR with QF via LAX it goes up to around $8500(!)

I thought about using points (Aha!) but the dates I gave me the "We could not find a fare for the requested itinerary. (# 66002)" message. Then I tried other dates. Then I tried one pax only and flexible dates. Then I tried March 2010. Each time I got the same message!

I rang QFF to find out more about another matter and when that dead end was finished with I asked about this leg and using points. I was assured there were seats available for this leg I just had to be more flexible. Wasn't going to bang my head against THAT brick wall!

Dunno what to do now. Want to spend about 6 days in LA/Anaheim on the way back from Canada. I'm surprised how poor the price war is in the US considering the permanently dire state of the industry. Actually that might explain it!

Anyone with any ideas? I know it's months away but it'd be nice to have some certainty.

Options
1. Cough up the $2350 with Alaska
2. Keep looking at various US airlines and grab a special when it happens.
3. Try and get a deal out of QF for flights
4. Go to a higher authority with the points
5. Fly to SEATAC and bus/train from there...
6. Hire a car and drive all the way:shock:

Anyone... anyone?

 

[docjames]

How old are your kids?

I'd say fastest/most direct routing is preferable to some extent over price if travelling with kids <12yo.

. I was assured there were seats available for this leg I just had to be more flexible

What seating options did they give you for LAX-YVR in relation to your flight into LAX?

 

[Maca44]

I usually fly into SEA and pick a rental vehicle as the cost of flights on AA (even though you fly Alaska) seem to be much better. I am usually in the Seattle area for a few days before I drive north, but it depends on where you are going to be in Vancouver or whether you intend having a look around. It's a pain to get a park in downtown Vancouver, or expensive in any event, but the public transport system is good. You might consider a one way rental as I don't think the likes of Avis etc charge a 'drop off' fee between SEA and YVR. If you drive from SEA you can also do the Boeing Tour Boeing: About Us - Toursr

If you want to cross into Canada from a different point as opposed to the Peace Arch which is the main crossing point and can sometimes take a long time depending on traffic etc, you might consider driving north along I5 and turn onto 539th near Bellingham, continue along 539 until you cross the boarder at Aldergrove, continue through to Canada 1 and then turn left and head into Vancouver. This route saves a lot of time. Just my 2c worth.

 

[N860CR]

Yes ditto. Last time I was in YVR I flew into SEA then got the train across the boarder. Fairly painfree process and its quite a nice ~4 hours train ride (early departure though).

On the YVR-SEA leg I ended up flying Horizon (Alaska) and from memory it was only about $AU85, however I booked it when the dollar was at $0.95. I dare say the LAX-YVR flights seem very expensive due to the exchange rate.

 

[Warks]

maca44 you've nailed it!

Someone in another thread mentioned cheaper flights to SEA and then taking the bus or train. I've done the bus before years ago.

However we will be travelling around BC for the next three weeks and there's no reason why we can't just pick up our car in Seattle and drop it off back there.

I quickly priced the flights with Alaska (only one I checked) and it was $A1000 cheaper than YVR. I then looked at car hire ('rental' as the Yanks say) and an intermediate car will cost us a bit over $A1500 for three weeks including insurance.
Apparently we can drive from SEATAC to Vancouver in 2.5 hours. Good tip about the back way.

As for parking/accommodation in Vancouver, it's all sorted. My sister lives there and owns a house. Sweeeet! Were thinking of doing day trips around Vancouver for a few days and then heading east and north.

The kids are pretty good travellers. In any case, to save 3 or 4 grand they can be bored as much as we like!

 

[Ric]

Pick your time and day as to when to cross the border. Don't know much about the back way, but the wait/queue at Peace Arch can be in excess of an hour either way. Weekends are the worst.

I think the reason for LAX to SEA is so much cheaper than LAX to YVR is because it is domestic rather than "international". As a reference, I did a trip last June SEA-LAX-LAS-JFK for 4 adults and it only cost US$1440 where YVR-LAX-LAS-JFK costs more that double!! A one way rental (corporate rate) from YVR to SEATAC costs US$100 for a large SUV.

Cheers,

Ric

 

[Maca44]

Well, you have been to Vancouver before so you might notice a 'huge' change in the condition of the Hwy 99 to Whistler. They have done heaps of work, and I think they have constructed 35 new bridges to cope with the winter olympics in 2010.

You might want to search this forum for information on good rental firms as there is heaps of info on what companies include insurances etc.

 

[DrAndyC]

If time is on your side I would recommend doing the train trip from LA to Seattle...then bus from there? I did this approx 6 years ago for around $150USD (discounted) in a single sleeper class with meals included. It will take about 2 days i think....but you get to see some spectacular coastline...and I am sure kids fares would be reasonable...

That said I cannot imagine entertaining kids for this length on a traintrip

 

[jgm]

Well, you have been to Vancouver before so you might notice a 'huge' change in the condition of the Hwy 99 to Whistler. They have done heaps of work, and I think they have constructed 35 new bridges to cope with the winter olympics in 2010.

We arrived in Whistler last Friday, & I reckon the Sea to Sky highway (Hwy 99) looked to be at most about 1/3 finished. Estimating from the amount of work left & the time taken for what has been completed, I'll be amazed if they get it anywhere near finished in time for 2010.

 

[aybee]

Oh there's plenty of price war type fares around in North America, but they seem to be all short to medium term. If travel is "months away", I'd just hang in there and keep checking every so often.
I was looking at something similar a couple of weeks ago and Air Canada had flights for USD99 each way on offer as an example. Only available on their website as it turned out, but it was there.

 

[Warks]

I did a flying visit to Vancouver in late 2005 for a visit to my new niece. While there we did a trip to Whistler where the roadworks were everywhere but all the same even then it looked like way too big a job to do in 4 years!

I have noticed there are better short term prices for flights in the US so it could be better to wait. However Mrs Warks loves certainty and I reckon I'll be booking the LAX-SEA flights, car hire and some hotels in the next few weeks!

I wouldn't mind a long train trip but as we're in a hurry to get to Canada to see the rels I'll leave that for another time. After having the kids on the plane for 14 hours it's probably best we get where we've got to go!

Thanks to all for the advice. :mrgreen:

 

[mushypeas]

I'm in the exact same boat (wanting to be a plane!) as yourself... travelling BNE to get to YVR ... I found the cheapest alternative from LAX was Westjet and you can even preselect and book exit row seats for $15/ea.

I think I'm going to hold off a little longer, I really want to try V-Australia but I want their $2000 p/e return special and then I'll tag on my Westjet booking

Failing that, I'll probably just go with Air Canada ex Sydney.

 

[Warks]

Funnily enough Air Canada doesn't seem to have got into this latest price war. They did drop their prices a few weeks back but we would still be looking at $6500 for the family for four vs less than $4000 with any of the best LAX deals for September.
I'd heard AC's loads were getting pretty light so was concerned that they may not be flying by Septmber so went to QF. We want to go to LA for part of the trip anyway. Unfortunately this way we miss out on combined LA/Anaheim deals with our airfares as we are flying out of LAX. Still with the saving we've made I'm sure we can work out something.

 

[bambbbam2]

I think the tip to fly from LAX/SFO- SEA and then get the train sounds great. A real way to see the country.

Has anyone done the Boeing tour near SEA? Is it worthwhile?

 

[Mal]

Has anyone done the Boeing tour near SEA? Is it worthwhile?

Yep, it is. A few threads about it here that you can read through - eg:
http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/your-questions/seattle-worth-doing-both-boeing-15649.html

 

[Maca44]

I think the tip to fly from LAX/SFO- SEA and then get the train sounds great. A real way to see the country.

Has anyone done the Boeing tour near SEA? Is it worthwhile?

It is worthwhile and have done it twice with different friends.
Boeing: Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour

 

[serfty]

... Has anyone done the Boeing tour near SEA? Is it worthwhile?

Sort of; but I'd not rush to do it twice; it's at Everett about ¾ hour drive north of Seattle.

More interesting for me was the Museum of Flight, a little South of Seattle, on Boeing Field / King County Airport.

 

[Warks]

What about a tour of Microsoft?:mrgreen:

Was in Seattle in 1994 when it really was flavour of the month. Pikes Place market was great but didn't bother with the Space Needle. It's nowhere as high as they make it look on TV. The ones in Toronto and KL kick its bottom. I think I even went up one in Finland (Kuopio) which was possibly higher.

Did go to Mt St Helens and Mt Rainier which was fantastic.

 

[Mal]

What about a tour of Microsoft?:mrgreen:

Hehe, I've driven around their campus. Interesting, but nothing special!

 

[Warks]

Another option to get to YVR from LAX I've discovered is to fly to Bellingham, WA (BLI) which is on the border. Apparently it's a common tactic of Vancouverians to avoid the excessive charges for using YVR airport.

From what I could find in a quick search the flights seem to be a bit more than LAX-SEA and seem to require a change of planes in SEA. Not sure it's worth it. I imagine the car rental options are going to be better in Seattle than Bellingham as well. Will keep looking at it.