UK to Edmonton options and advice please

[Krystal n chips]

Not sure if this is the right forum, however.

Friend of mine at work wishes to make the journey in the Summer and is looking for the cheapest option to get there....hence I am posting on his behalf in case anybody on here has any suggestions or experience to pass on please with regard to making the trip UK- Edmonton.

[IJM]

I moved to Edmonton last summer, so am basing much of what I write on last year's info, but as far as I know it is still much the same:

The cheapest option may work out as Thomas Cook (Canadian Affair) from Gatwick to Edmonton (Gatwick is the only UK airport that links to Edmonton through the Canadian Affair banner). I used them and it was fine, I paid around £40 extra for Premium, but couldn't overdo the free booze as my new boss was meeting me at the airport!

Air Canada have a daily(?) flight between LHR and Edmonton, although they are often more expensive than Canadian Affair - keep an eye open for seat sales.

Another option is to look out for flights to Calgary - BA and Air Canada fly from London, and Canadian Affair / Thomas Cook fly from LGW, MAN and GLA (GLA just during the summer though?). Once you get to Calgary, its around a 3 hour drive north to Edmonton, or you can catch a bus (Red Arrow is more expensive than Greyhound, but very comfortable), or you can fly with Westjet or Air Canada (about a 30 min flight).

There are more flight option by going via other Canadian cities such as Vancouver and Toronto (they have similar airline options as Calgary), or another option is via Winnipeg (new charter flights via Rekjavik - see Iceland Express website). Note that in these cases you'd then have to book a seperate flight onto Edmonton allowing for suitable connection time etc. off your first flight.

Hope this is of some use!

[Two-Tone-Blue]

Check the BA website - they have sales going on like there's no tomorrow.

Be careful about whether strike action might affect that, though I'd guess it ill all be over and dusted by the Summer.

[IJM]

Not a bad idea checking the BA website, although they don't serve Edmonton (and if you try a test booking for Edmonton they didn't show any flights), there could well be good deals for Calgary / Toronto / Vancouver etc, then continue onto Edmonton.

[raffele]

I'm headed to Vancouver this summer and what I've learnt is, sale or no sale, BA is miles cheaper than Air Canada.

I suggest Canadian Affair (from what I've heard the service is good and the fares can certainly be cheap), or BA to Calgary as suggested, and book a connecting flight to Edmonton

[Krystal n chips]

My thanks :ok: for all the replies so far. I will relay the information at work tomorrow and indeed any more info that may be posted.

[groundbum]

I'm hooked on this, skyscanner.net looks at loads of websites, and even tries to make joined up itineraries using low-cost, such Ryanair Manchester to Dublin then Aer Lingus Dublin to Boston etc etc, that kind of cleverness. Far better to say "LONDON" for airport rather than LGW or LHR as then skyscanner can find the best deals. Skyscanner also checks the other aggregatgors such as opodo and expedia..

I've got no interest in the website, just use it for comparison shopping.

[ConstantFlyer]

Air Transat operates a good range of services to various Canadian destinations from across the UK. This year, they seem to be offering:

Birmingham - Toronto
Edinburgh - Toronto
Exeter - Toronto
Glasgow - Calgary
Glasgow - Toronto
Glasgow - Vancouver
London Gatwick - Calgary
London Gatwick - Edmonton
London Gatwick - Halifax
London Gatwick - Montreal
London Gatwick - Ottawa
London Gatwick - Toronto
London Gatwick - Vancouver
London Heathrow - Toronto
Manchester - Calgary
Manchester - Montreal
Manchester - Toronto
Manchester - Vancouver
Newcastle - Toronto

Flights seem to be operated by either Air Transat A310s or Thomas Cook A330s. Air Transat has its own website, and uses the Canadian Affair brand.

Iceland Express Another option mentioned is the route via Iceland. There are direct advertised connections on the London Gatwick - Reykjavik - Winnipeg route. In addition, Iceland Express also flies to Reykjavik from Birmingham and London Stansted.

Icelandair Go from Glasgow, Manchester or London Heathrow to Reykjavik, then on to Halifax or Toronto. If you're prepared to go via the USA, then Icelandair's Minneapolis or Seattle services could also be gateways to Canada.

[ExXB]

With all due respect look for a non-stop flight, or a connecting flight via Calgary or Vancouver. Flights from Halifax could be as long, if not longer than the trans-atlantic journey (6 hours or more if you have to transit YUL or YYZ). Toronto is at least 4 hours away, more if the jet-stream is blowing.

In any case Edmonton International is quite a distance from city centre (the down-town airport no longer serves commercial flights (or flights with more that 20 seats)) which will add to the journey.

Pay a little extra for a non-stop. Transit via Calgary or Vancouver, if you must but avoid travel via E. Canada or the US (unless your friend has a fetish for rubber gloves).

[Doors to Automatic]

If you fly with Thomas Cook I would strongly recommend the upgrade. You will bypass a 200-300 long check-in queue and the seat pitch and width in economy is awful.