Confessions of a YYC Travel Junkie

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

We’re planning on a driving trip along the U.S. coastal highway spring 2025. Our great Aussie friends will fly to L.A. (TBD) where we’d pick them up and head up to maybe Seattle, Vancouver, Alberta. We’d spend 2-4 days in 3-4 places along the route before resuming our drive.

I’m excited but my only concern is the long drive down to L.A. However, this way we don’t have to rent a car at current horrendous prices. Any advice on the drive to Los Angeles.

I used I-15 all the way when I went from here to Alberta. Lots of places to stop along the way. Plus you won't see anything twice with the way you plan to go back.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

We’re planning on a driving trip along the U.S. coastal highway spring 2025. Our great Aussie friends will fly to L.A. (TBD) where we’d pick them up and head up to maybe Seattle, Vancouver, Alberta. We’d spend 2-4 days in 3-4 places along the route before resuming our drive.

I’m excited but my only concern is the long drive down to L.A. However, this way we don’t have to rent a car at current horrendous prices. Any advice on the drive to Los Angeles.

I did the PCH over 17 days from San Fran to Seattle. There’s so many awesome places to stop… I feel like 2-4 days in 3-4 spots will miss a bunch.

Surfing, hiking, camping it’s an amazing trip. I think you’re a touch older than when I did it though..

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

I did see a DeLorean once on the highway while driving from Portland to Seattle 6-7 years ago. Maybe that was you (or will be you) haha.

I totally missed that opportunity for a Delorean joke.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I did the PCH over 17 days from San Fran to Seattle. There’s so many awesome places to stop… I feel like 2-4 days in 3-4 spots will miss a bunch.

Surfing, hiking, camping it’s an amazing trip. I think you’re a touch older than when I did it though..

…just a touch.

[sleepingmoose]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

Any tips on the best time to book flights to Europe this summer for my family. We'd like to fly into Paris in mid-July and home from Rome in mid August.

You may know this already - but just remember the Summer Olympics are in Paris from July 26 to August 11. You may want to avoid the area unless you’re going specifically for the Olympics. I’m guessing the rest of Europe will be busier before and after as well.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by sleepingmoose

You may know this already - but just remember the Summer Olympics are in Paris from July 26 to August 11. You may want to avoid the area unless you’re going specifically for the Olympics. I’m guessing the rest of Europe will be busier before and after as well.

Europe is a pretty big place - I doubt very much that people tacking an extra week after the Olympics will make much difference. You can expect summer in Europe to be busy, but outside of Paris I don't think that'll make much difference.

[Calgary14]

Westjet has announced another round of new fees: https://dailyhive.com/canada/westjet-new-fees-november

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Westjet has announced another round of new fees: https://dailyhive.com/canada/westjet-new-fees-november

It's astonishing to me how many people seem to care about that. In the article there are about a dozen tweets of complaining.

Get a $119 credit card, don't purchase Econo fares, or earn elite status. There are ways to defeat baggage fees. If none of those make sense then you likely don't fly often enough for it to matter.

It's like "free" breakfast, parking, internet, TV channels, fitness club access at a hotel. You are paying for it whether you use it or not and have no say in the matter. With a la carte pricing you only pay for what you deem is worth it.

[topfiverecords]

Ohs noes! I have to pay for something! Why do price increases for this stuff get so much attention?

My tire rotation service went up $10! Oh my gosh, I'm going to the media!

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Get a $119 credit card, don't purchase Econo fares, or earn elite status. There are ways to defeat baggage fees. If none of those make sense then you likely don't fly often enough for it to matter.

It's even easier in this case. Simply use the self-serve check-ins and you won't see these extra fees.

[BlackArcher101]

However, if you are on a basic fare, you now get a seat assigned at random at check-in, and now need to pay to select any seat of your choice. Before you could select one at check-in. Scummy.

Guests who purchase a Basic fare will be assigned a seat at check-in and if they choose to change their seat, a fee will be applied.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

However, if you are on a basic fare, you now get a seat assigned at random at check-in, and now need to pay to select any seat of your choice. Before you could select one at check-in. Scummy.

I’ve never flown basic fare. If two people are travelling together on the same reservation, on basic fare will they be seated together?

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

I’ve never flown basic fare. If two people are travelling together on the same reservation, on basic fare will they be seated together?

Not guaranteed. There are some basic rules that run in the seat algorithm like a parent sitting beside kids under a certain age (12 or 13) and then purchased seat selection and the remainder is randomly assigned. If there are side by side seats open it tries to fill them with people traveling together but that isn't always available.

[Eric Vail]

Originally Posted by sleepingmoose

You may know this already - but just remember the Summer Olympics are in Paris from July 26 to August 11. You may want to avoid the area unless you’re going specifically for the Olympics. I’m guessing the rest of Europe will be busier before and after as well.

We got RBC Westjet cards to book with them with their companion voucher that they told us we'd get for our trip, but then when we were ready to book, they decided that the voucher was only good for continental US and Canada.

We booked with Air Canada. The flights aren't direct, buy we save a few hundred per flight and with five flights, it is worth it. With the Olympics going on in Paris a few weeks later, I doubt there will be any great deals there this summer. In all likelihood, prices are just going to go up as we get closer.

If I had my choice, I'd travel in the spring or summer, but I have this annoying job that gets in the way of my life.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

However, if you are on a basic fare, you now get a seat assigned at random at check-in, and now need to pay to select any seat of your choice. Before you could select one at check-in. Scummy.

That's pretty standard in the industry for basic economy.

People who buy basic economy will still buy it. The only thing they care about is price.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by butterfly

That's pretty standard in the industry for basic economy.

People who buy basic economy will still buy it. The only thing they care about is price.

In some cases it can be a blessing as well. Oh sorry honey, we aren't sitting together...see you in 4 hours!

[Ryan Coke]

I expect that basic fare will migrate more into being a swoop type fare. The lowest price, with nothing included and pay for everything extra. The normal westjet type fares will start with econo and move up.

[Bill Bumface]

This reminds me of the bad old days of airfare not including all the fees and taxes. It was impossible to compare flight prices based on what was advertised.

People just click the lowest fare, so as soon as someone goes down this path, it's inevitable everyone will.

Despite all the fees, I've found Flair actually pretty reasonable. Changing a flight doesn't require you to dispose of your entire ticket that you already purchased, even on the most basic fare.

[Cappy]

Any recommendations for hotels in Honolulu? I’ll be there for two days before flying to Kauai. Something nice, pool and close to beach?

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Cappy

Any recommendations for hotels in Honolulu? I’ll be there for two days before flying to Kauai. Something nice, pool and close to beach?

I really like the Royal Hawaiian. It's right on the beach and while their pool isn't great, you can use the Sheraton pool next door and that one is really nice. Sheraton is a good choice as well, though I like the Royal Hawaiian better (their bakery is incredible).