trirod

Looking at making a quick trip back to the UK next month. I usually fly out of Detroit (to Manchester) and the price is always somewhere around $1,200 (with Delta or their partners). And indeed for the time I want to go it's showing $1,157 for the return trip.


However, instead of driving 1 hour to Detroit, I could instead drive 4.5 hours to Toronto and get to Manchester (also with Delta, or actually with KLM or Air France most likely under a Delta codeshare) for about $580 each - so exactly half price. With two of us going that would save $1,160 (less the additional cost of getting to Toronto - so will still be at least $1,000 saving).


It makes no sense to me that it's so much cheaper out of Canada. The strong dollar may help a bit (although fuel prices are priced in dollars so that should wash out), but it's apparently a supply and demand issue (since I notice if you book the MAN-DTW route from the UK it's a lot cheaper than originating in DTW). Just wondering if other folks in the northern US also fly out of Canada for price reasons, and if so if there's anything I'm not thinking about?

TheCynick

We live in Seattle and flew YVR-LHR in July this year. It was a no-brainer because of the fare difference, even after factoring in 2 weeks parking in Vancouver.

Pulaski

It's the same out of IAD at the moment - as little as $550, or even slightly less, but $1,200+ out of CLT, RDU, or ATL, or feeder airports in the area. Bizarrely you can even get IAD-CLT-LHR, LHR-CLT-IAD flights at the IAD rate.

Guindalf

Our last trip three years ago was with Air Canada, so we flew from Atlanta with a stopover in Toronto. It was nice to do customs and immigration clearance at Pearson and not at ATL.

Jerseygirl

Air Transat fly directly from Pearson (Toronto) to Manchester. Only flew once with them but prices were good. Would use them again as it is a direct flight...I think the only airline that flies that route direct.

celticgrid

Air Canada fly direct Toronto to Manchester. We used them in the summer and would do the same again every time. A bit busy flying out, when you are using the national carrier out of home the process for luggage check-in was terrible, but balanced by the return experience...checking in at Manchester was a doddle.

trirod

Thanks for that information. Just checked them out and the prices are a little higher than Delta/KLM/Air France, but I like the fact that they're nonstop. They don't fly every day though and not sure I'm going to be able to make the timing work, unfortunately.

trirod

Unfortunately the nonstop flights to Manchester are seasonal and ended September 30th. Good to know for future reference though.

dj6372

Couple of Brits I know fly LAX - YYZ - LHR and say it saves a ton of money.


Not my cup of tea its 10-11 hours non stop and that's more than enough for me!

robin1234

Living in northern New York State, I have always flown from Ottawa to LHR .... It's a direct flight, and the airport is only an hour and a half from us. I've probably done the round trip thirty or forty times over the last twenty years.

It used to be a convenience thing, the cost was formerly much higher than flying from the U.S. to London. Now, as you say, it's cheaper for whatever reason. I just flew over here to England last Wednesday. I paid $590 for the round trip. (US dollars that is)

Pulaski

That was higher than some tickets I have seen out of IAD and BOS for October flights, though not by much.

robin1234

Ah OK.. Boston is our other sometimes-used airport. We can fly into Boston on Cape Air from our little local airports. (Nine seater Cesna.) But that's another couple of hundred dollars and possibly another days travelling, depending on the timing. Boston has the daytime flights to London, which would be nice, but that involves an overnight in the airport hotel because of the early start...

Pulaski

Yeah, Mrs P and I have debated the extra day/ overnight layover issue while considering "cheaper" flights from DC, Philly, NY, or Boston, and it usually destroys the incentive to take the cheaper flight if you have to shell out for a hotel, not to mention losing a day from the trip.

Rete

Not me but I did fly out of the US to Toronto to Vancouver to board a ship to go back to the US

dj6372

That's my whole thinking, especially as a west coaster to try and get the whole journey over in one lump!

4-5 hours to Toronto, layover anywhere from 1 to ouch hours and then 7 hours to LHR, makes for too long a journey.

When Mrs DJ and me where dating I admit to flying all manner of routes and stops, but usually because I decided short notice. My layovers varied, but I tried them all depending on airlines and hubs, so I hit Chicago, Atlanta, New York and various combinations, my worst but cheapest was 27 hours!! Times were hard in the day.

Now being an older and more cantankerous old fart, its direct or nothing!!