Getting to Toronto

Hi there im flying to YYZ in a couple of weeks and just trying to sort out the routing. Going with VS ideally to JFK on the vs3 as it gets in earliest, then onwards. Im not that familiar with US and canadian airlines so getting lost as im not sure who flys that route or whether id have to go to another airport for the next flight. If its easier could go to EWR IAD BOS OR ORD.
Any help would be appreciated thanks in advance!

Both United and Air Canada fly from NYC to Toronto and from from BOS and ORD as well.

The only real way to check routings is to go on their websites or check on expedia and thay will show you most of the carriers then its a case of shopping around. You really want to avoid having to transfer between airports !

If there is no urgency in getting to Toronto I would sugegst getting the Amtrak train, It takes about 12 hours but most of the journey is during daylight (something like dep NYC @ 9.00 AM and arrive at union station in Toronti at 9.00 PM

Looks like very few flights from JFK. LGW looks like the best one has anyone transfered from JFK to LGA is it quite painless?

[Decker]

go to http://matrix.itasoftware.com/cvg/dispatch and use NYC as your start, tell it non stop and put in your dates and times...

I did this trip but mind you it was 2 years ago. I went to JFK and transferred onto Delta Connect. I went with Delta because at the time I could collect VS miles and booked both VS and DL flights via VS reservation. The bags were tagged all the way. AA used to fly from JFK - YYZ as well but not sure about now.

There's a very stylish looking airline called Porter who fly from NYC but not sure which airports they serve...

[preiffer]

Twice now, I've ended up staying the night at NYC because of missed connections up to Canada (both because of late inbound VS flights).


Never again will I risk it - fly direct.

[Scrooge]

However, if you do want to risk it, skip JFK, go to EWR and fly Porter airlines LINK they fly to Toronto City airport which is right in the middle of the city.

Why not fly Continental and earn Flying Club miles?

Late last year I had to go via YYZ to connect with a flight to Raleigh-Durham, just did direct LHR->YYZ with Air Canada which is probably the simplest way other than the fact you wouldn't get any VS miles on there.

No chance of missed connections etc at least.

[Decker]

Yes but staff travel is a great inducement...

[mcmbenjamin]

Fly direct. The cost of a staff ticket on an other airline outweighs the saving on VS then connecting.

I'm working in Toronto at the moment and am back and forth all the time. I tried getting VS to quote me a fare, connecting in NYC/BOS/etc - but they were incredibly uninterested in doing so - claimed it would take them two days to confirm seats on connections from JFK or EWR up to YYZ. I didn't want to take the risk of booking a separate connecting flight in case I missed it due to a late inbound - I wanted reprotecting onto another flight ... and ended up giving up on VS and am flying on the dark side. Oh well - BAEC Silver, here I come... VS FC Red, here I come too
One other observation is that the flights between NYC and YYZ are expensive... in the region of 300 - especially when you consider the actual distance flown. Porter are good, and cheaper (~CAD$300), and do fly from EWR to Toronto downtown airport, which avoids the mess that is Pearson airport, but they're not necessarily the most reliable of airlines (ad hoc cancellations all over the place), and they fly those planes with funny little whirly things on the wings. I like jet engines, for some reason. :/

We flew Paris to Toronto and back from Montreal with Air France. Very enjoyable and decent flight times.

The last time I went to Canada, the cost of a staff ticket on BA/AC direct to YYZ was pretty expensive. So I flew on the VS3 to JFK and then got a hire car - it was a very pretty drive through Pennsylvania, Upstate New York and great to stop in Niagara on the way.