Best flight route from Montreal to Seattle?
October 21, 2021 1:00 PM
Next June I'll be flying from Montreal to Seattle. The single non-stop flight is an evening flight, and I need to take a morning flight. Route #1 is: Air Canada to Vancouver, 1 hour 9 minute layover, Jazz to Seattle. Route#2 is: WestJet to Calgary, 1 hour 39 minute layover, Alaska Air to Seattle. Which should I choose?
Through Vancouver, I wonder if they'll be enough time to go through US customs in the Vancouver airport. However, there are lots of flights from Vancouver to Seattle, so if I miss my scheduled one, it'll be easy to get on another one. With Air Canada you have to pay extra to reserve seats.
Through Calgary, it gives me more time to transfer and go through US Customs, but if things go wrong, there are fewer flight to Seattle. No extra charge to reserve seats, and since I'm a member of Alaska Airlines mileage plan, I'd earn some miles.
There's also an American Airlines flight from Montreal that requires a transfer in Charlotte, but its 39 minute layover seems too short.
Through Vancouver, I wonder if they'll be enough time to go through US customs in the Vancouver airport. However, there are lots of flights from Vancouver to Seattle, so if I miss my scheduled one, it'll be easy to get on another one. With Air Canada you have to pay extra to reserve seats.
Through Calgary, it gives me more time to transfer and go through US Customs, but if things go wrong, there are fewer flight to Seattle. No extra charge to reserve seats, and since I'm a member of Alaska Airlines mileage plan, I'd earn some miles.
There's also an American Airlines flight from Montreal that requires a transfer in Charlotte, but its 39 minute layover seems too short.
39 minutes in Charlotte is too short, so don't go that route.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 1:28 PM on October 21, 2021
posted by Ms Vegetable at 1:28 PM on October 21, 2021
Two things to think about:
- Is the connection time really 1h9min? Air Canada's website seems to suggest that the minimum connection time for a Canada-US connection at YVR is 1h10min. Assuming their MCT information is correct, it should not be possible to book such an itinerary in one reservation that does not meet the MCT requirement.
- In these times, a flight in June is very far away. I would not be surprised if there are (in fact almost expect that there will be) schedule changes and/or cancellations affecting your itinerary from now until then, especially if travel/border requirements change. So I would keep that in mind when planning your schedule as well.
posted by andrewesque at 1:29 PM on October 21, 2021
- Is the connection time really 1h9min? Air Canada's website seems to suggest that the minimum connection time for a Canada-US connection at YVR is 1h10min. Assuming their MCT information is correct, it should not be possible to book such an itinerary in one reservation that does not meet the MCT requirement.
- In these times, a flight in June is very far away. I would not be surprised if there are (in fact almost expect that there will be) schedule changes and/or cancellations affecting your itinerary from now until then, especially if travel/border requirements change. So I would keep that in mind when planning your schedule as well.
posted by andrewesque at 1:29 PM on October 21, 2021
Through Calgary would probably be preferable if it's all one ticket. I'd think the immigration line is likely to be shorter in Calgary and the airport is a little smaller (In Vancouver, you can end up walking a long way). I'd feel more comfortable with more time to get through immigration. There will still be other Westjet or Alaska flights that same day, unless you are arriving quite late in the evening.
If this is two separate tickets, then definitely not.
posted by ssg at 1:51 PM on October 21, 2021
If this is two separate tickets, then definitely not.
posted by ssg at 1:51 PM on October 21, 2021
39 minutes in Charlotte is too short, so don't go that route.
Yes. But Charlotte's an easy airport to connect in (can't vouch for immigration, though), so if there were a longer connection I wouldn't rule it out.
posted by madcaptenor at 1:57 PM on October 21, 2021
Yes. But Charlotte's an easy airport to connect in (can't vouch for immigration, though), so if there were a longer connection I wouldn't rule it out.
posted by madcaptenor at 1:57 PM on October 21, 2021
But Charlotte's an easy airport to connect in (can't vouch for immigration, though)
I'm sure OP is definitely aware of this but for others, there wouldn't be any US immigration or customs in Charlotte on this itinerary because it would be done in Montreal prior to departure. In other words a Canada-US connection in Charlotte is effectively the same experience as making a US-US connection in Charlotte.
posted by andrewesque at 2:19 PM on October 21, 2021
I'm sure OP is definitely aware of this but for others, there wouldn't be any US immigration or customs in Charlotte on this itinerary because it would be done in Montreal prior to departure. In other words a Canada-US connection in Charlotte is effectively the same experience as making a US-US connection in Charlotte.
posted by andrewesque at 2:19 PM on October 21, 2021
In these times, a flight in June is very far away.
Yeah, I would not buy this ticket before March at the very earliest.
But, if you're set on buying it now, get the one through Vancouver. It gives you the most flexibility to get to Seattle in case you miss the connection. Worst case, you can even take a bus or train.
posted by something something at 2:34 PM on October 21, 2021
Yeah, I would not buy this ticket before March at the very earliest.
But, if you're set on buying it now, get the one through Vancouver. It gives you the most flexibility to get to Seattle in case you miss the connection. Worst case, you can even take a bus or train.
posted by something something at 2:34 PM on October 21, 2021
Connecting cities and layover times are meaningless this far in advance. I booked a nonstop flight for Christmas (so less than 90 days out) and it got changed to a connecting one after two weeks. And then changed again to shave yet more time off an already close connection. For whatever reason there are no longer nonstops to my destination for the Christmas holidays. I can get my money back but that may not be helpful if there's no superior option to be had. So I would book a flight I can live with and hope it doesn't change too much. One "tip" I can share is that refundable flights are not nearly as outrageously expensive as they once were. Usually it's twice the price of the advance-purchase fare, and lately I've been been seeing (at least domestic US) a number available for only $100 more. So you might book a refundable flight and then re-assess as you get closer.
posted by wnissen at 3:31 PM on October 21, 2021
posted by wnissen at 3:31 PM on October 21, 2021
I’d vote Route 1 through Vancouver. I’ve only flown WestJet through Calgary a handful of times and I’ve had two really bad experiences with late flights. Both times I ended up needing to spend the night in a hotel near the airport. You don’t want that hassle.
posted by Susan PG at 3:49 PM on October 21, 2021
posted by Susan PG at 3:49 PM on October 21, 2021
You'll probably punch yourself for booking a YVR - SEA connection because you'll spend more time in line than on the plane. We flew Vancouver to Seattle once and decided that any other method was better.
That being said it might be the better connection than through Calgary.
posted by fiercekitten at 7:17 PM on October 21, 2021
That being said it might be the better connection than through Calgary.
posted by fiercekitten at 7:17 PM on October 21, 2021
Jazz is Air Canada's regional partner for the west coast, they're basically the same airline. There's no concern about split tickets there as far as I'm aware. Personally, I'd go through YVR because as you noted, there are about a million other ways to get to Seattle from Vancouver if something goes haywire. And YVR is a pretty nice airport if you do have to kill some time, all things considered. I can't comment on Calgary since it's been years since I've been through there.
But as others have noted, booking flights that far in advance might be more hassle than not given the state of the world today. Both Montreal to Vancouver and Vancouver to Seattle are run multiple times a day. These are very popular routes, there will be no shortage of flights if you're ok with a connection.
posted by cgg at 7:44 PM on October 21, 2021
But as others have noted, booking flights that far in advance might be more hassle than not given the state of the world today. Both Montreal to Vancouver and Vancouver to Seattle are run multiple times a day. These are very popular routes, there will be no shortage of flights if you're ok with a connection.
posted by cgg at 7:44 PM on October 21, 2021
Thanks for all the suggestions. There was also a flight through Calgary (same WestJet flight) with a Delta flight to Seattle, with an extra hour of layover. And since I had enough Delta miles to cover (and WestJet is a Delta partner), I used my Delta miles and went with that one.
posted by ShooBoo at 4:43 PM on October 22, 2021
posted by ShooBoo at 4:43 PM on October 22, 2021
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by lovelygirl at 1:16 PM on October 21, 2021