Cheaper Flights Denver to Calgary advice?

[CTR]

headed/flying (can't take the time to drive unfortunately) to Calgary (from Denver, CO) the end of March 2013 again for a Selkirk/Powder (hopefully) trip...the last few years tix have been more expensive seemingly, though I have not been much ahead of the game making reservations.....not a lot of competetion for that route, but....anyone have any strategy advice on getting better price tickets for that route?? any specific websites, agents, etc? taking the family this year so extra $ multiply the pain...........thanks, Chet

[DoubleA]

This obviously isn't what you asked for, but if it were me I'd take one of the numerous cheap non-stop flights from DEN to SEA and drive from there. Yes, it's nearly 3 hours more driving than from Calgary (7.5 hrs vs 4.5 hrs assuming Revelstoke is your destination) and you'll have to cross the border, but you'll probably save $500+ per person on airfare.

[m-ruta]

I fly that route all the time. If you`re flying United/Air Canada it probably doesn`t get much cheaper. There`s not a whole ton of competition. Maybe check a deal site like Travelocity, but flying cross border is always brutal.

[yabyum]

I fly that route all the time. If you`re flying United/Air Canada it probably doesn`t get much cheaper. There`s not a whole ton of competition. Maybe check a deal site like Travelocity, but flying cross border is always brutal.

Rounder from SLC < 500$ ( Delta in Janurary)

[cmsummit]

I just paid $559/rt Denver -> Calgary in early March. Not as good of a deal as I was hoping, but not too terrible. Booked through Travelocity and flying Alaska Air.

[ak_powder_monkey]

Shit you can drive there... Seriously I pay $600 RT to fly a federally subsidized route that's like a 150 mile flight (ANC-King Salmon). Its almost cheaper to just charter a damn cessna. Can't you take the train or something? Loads of options.

[leftfield]

I did this route(EGE actually) last year. What you need to do is book the ticket with frequent flyer miles. Round-trip for me Eagle to Calgary on United in March was 25,000 miles, which is generally the same as a domestic US round-trip ticket.

Don't have any miles? Get one of those promo credit cards that waives the fee for the first year and cancel after you've traveled. Or, offer a friend $$ to gift you the miles you need. Should work out cheaper than paying full price for a ticket.

[goldenshowers]

You'll have to drive regardless. The drive from Calgary to Revelstoke can be often closed in the winter and you want to make sure that your rental has winter tires (law in BC on certain highways, the #1 being one of them and you'll most likely rent in Alberta which doesn't require them) It is a minimum 4 hour drive on a good day. The stretch between Calgary and Golden closes less often than the stretch between Golden and Revy which can be closed for days at a time. You may want to ensure that you can get a refund on your cat skiing if the highways are closed and you can't get there. What about flying into Kelowna or Cranbrook? Drives from these airports are less likely to be closed due to avalanches or accidents.

[goldenshowers]

Oh and the train and Canada don't work unless you have lots of time and lots of money. Oh and there's only one route and it goes Edmonton - Vancouver via Jasper.

[nobueno]

Bar none, the best site for searching flights is hipmunk. The way it shows you flights visually is outstanding and it basically sorts through the best prices from travelocity, hotwire etc. to find the best ones.

Bing Travel has a pretty cool price predictor that lets you know if the price will most likely be going up or down and if you should wait or buy your ticket now. It's not available for all flights (like when i just for searched den to calgary) because there isn't enough data or dates are too far off etc but when it's available it's never steered me wrong.

EDIT: just searched mid jan and it's only $152 to fly to seattle and $442 to Calgary. that would easily pay for your rental car and mileage.

[Treycal]

Another choice is to fly into Spokane. We had friends from Denver fly into Spokane and drive up from there. I think that their flight from Denver was less than $200 and they flew on United or Delta. Drive time was about 6 hours (slightly longer than from Calgary). Only caveat is the road from Nelson to Revelstoke (via Nakusp) can be a little hairy in the winter time.

[Shredhead]

Another choice is to fly into Spokane. We had friends from Denver fly into Spokane and drive up from there. I think that their flight from Denver was less than $200 and they flew on United or Delta. Drive time was about 6 hours (slightly longer than from Calgary). Only caveat is the road from Nelson to Revelstoke (via Nakusp) can be a little hairy in the winter time.

GEG is the way to go. Since Southwest services Spokane, all fares are lower. The road can be a little hairy, but there's nobody on it?

[hofman]

Funny, I was just looking at this same thing yesterday. Spokane seemed like the best bet as tickets were $160. Now thats cheap! Another option is whitefish MT where tickets were 330.

[The Duke of Hurl]

Another choice is to fly into Spokane. We had friends from Denver fly into Spokane and drive up from there. I think that their flight from Denver was less than $200 and they flew on United or Delta. Drive time was about 6 hours (slightly longer than from Calgary). Only caveat is the road from Nelson to Revelstoke (via Nakusp) can be a little hairy in the winter time.

+1., except that Trey needs to relinquish either 1. his Canadian Driver's License or 2. his man-card. I've driven that route many times in winter and it's a relatively flat two-lane interrupted by an eerie midwinter ferry ride, no major passes, decent snow clearance. You may need a windshield repair after from the gravel they sand the roads with. Overall a fun couple of hours.

[sparkletarte.]

^ yeah, that road isn't that bad. spokane is a good bet, but check on the snowtires for rentals. and then you can stop at ww or red on the way there.

flying to and from canada is not cheap.

[cat in january]

My trip out west this year has me flying into Calgary from Portland (the first one) and one piece that made the higher airfare palatable was taking Greyhound west out of Calgary.

When I looked it was cheaper to fly to US (Spokane or Seattle) and drive. I have driven from Seattle to Whistler and that was ok, but had the sense the rental was limited in Canada as to how far East you could go. Definitely make sure you are good on the rental in Canada before you commit to the flight.

From what I have read holding off until after the New Year should see some sales.

[Treycal]

+1., except that Trey needs to relinquish either 1. his Canadian Driver's License or 2. his man card.

Okay, maybe i was overstating the "hairy-ness" of the road, but in my defence the one time I drove the road it was in pea soup fog that made it tough to see much beyond about 100 ft. Next time i drive the road I promise to drive unnecessarily fast and have at least one beer in my hands at all times. Deal?

[The Duke of Hurl]

Haha, 2 beers in one hand, cig in the other, driving fully loaded logging truck, crossing the line at random, and be sure to flip the bird when passing RCMP on the right. Then maybe... ahh, we'll get back to you on that one.

[DanoT]

^ yeah, that road isn't that bad. spokane is a good bet, but check on the snowtires for rentals. and then you can stop at ww or red on the way there.

flying to and from canada is not cheap.

Yup. Its about 2.5 hour drive from Spokane to Red for some of the best tree skiing in Canada and then less than 1.5 hours to Whitewater which gets a lot more snow than just about any resort worth skiing in Canada, then about 4 hours via Hwy #6 and #23 to Revelstoke keeping in mind that the free 20min. ferry from Galena Bay to Shelter Bay only runs 7am to midnight.