Cheap travel to Toronto from California
I'm coming from Sacramento/San Francisco and I'd like to travel to Toronto, and then back a week later.
So far I've found round-trip flight tickets for $600. But a round-trip between SFO and BOS (Boston) is only $300.
Why is Toronto so much more expensive?
Any suggestions on how I might fly to somewhere NEAR Toronto for much less $ and then cross the border by other means? This is my first time travelling internationally so I have no idea.
Best Answer
As has been extensively reported elsewhere, Canadian taxes and fees are considerably higher for air travel than American taxes and fees. On the one hand, the U.S. subsidizes its airports (for example, supplying TSA agents and FAA air traffic controllers) allowing them to charge lower rents and passenger facility charges than their Canadian counterparts; additionally, Canadian excise taxes, like most Canadian taxes in general, are higher than their U.S. equivalents. Air Canada being Canada's only major international carrier may also bear some blame.
When in Canada, do as the Canadians do: take ground transportation across the border and fly from a U.S. airport. Such is the business in tiny Plattsburgh (pop. 20,000) that PBG bills itself as "Montreal's U.S. airport" and has a French website, and by some reports 75% of the passengers through PBG are Canadian. Allegiant Air even began service from Grand Forks, North Dakota to capitalize on the willingness of Canadians to drive in from as far as Winnipeg to save a few hundred dollars going to Florida.
- From Calgary: GTF or MSO (>5 hours' drive, but attested to online)
- From London: BUF or DTW
- From Montreal: PBG or BTV
- From Ottawa: OGS or BTV
- From St. John: BGR
- From Toronto: BUF, ROC or SYR
- From Vancouver: BLI or SEA
- From Winnipeg: GFK
- From Regina and southeastern Saskatchewan: ISN or MOT
Megabus, as noted previously, has direct service from Toronto to the Buffalo airport, although it is not the speediest. You can also take Greyhound to the Buffalo terminal, then take city bus 204 to the airport. There are also a variety of premium shuttle and limousine services between Toronto and Buffalo, although these are quite expensive unless you have a group of 5 or 6.
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What is the cheapest time of year to fly to Toronto?
Top tips for finding cheap flights to Toronto High season is considered to be July, August and September. The cheapest month to fly to Toronto is January.How much is transport from California to Canada?
Train, bus or fly from California to Canada? The best way to get from California to Canada is to fly which takes 4h 48m and costs $160 - $390. Alternatively, you can train via Dearborn Heights, which costs $320 - $550 and takes 2 days 7h, you could also bus, which costs $280 - $440 and takes 2 days 14h.What is the cheapest month to fly to Canada?
Top tips for finding cheap flights to Canada High season is considered to be July and August. The cheapest month to fly to Canada is June. Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Canada flight deals.What is the cheapest city to fly to in Canada?
For those who want to keep their vacation north of the border, Montreal is the cheapest Canadian destination. It comes in 15th with a $481 pricetag. The most frequented Canadian destination is reportedly Vancouver, with its scenic ocean and mountain views.HOW TO FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS - My Best Tips After Booking 500+ Flights
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Answer 2
As @KateGregory mentioned you could fly to Buffalo for around 400 USD (roundtrip price, 7 nights). The cheapest prices you will find in the first day of October at the moment:
To get from Buffalo to Toronto you can use Megabus. I did the same journey 3 weeks ago and it is quite convenient and it costs at the moment only 12.50 CAD (one-way price). It will take between 3 and 4 hours.
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