Using YVR as an alternative for West Coast?

[Neil]

Looking at flights to the West Coast next summer, due to some quite tight date restrictions, there aren't currently any UC miles seats to SFO/LAX/LAS on the dates we need to travel out (return is okay).

So my initial plan is to book the L return, pray every day to the reward seat Gods that they release some, or at worst pay cash to upgrade the out bound L to a Z.

However, just noticed that there are some G's to YVR on the date we need to fly, and to me, it doesn't seem a bad alternative with it only being a couple of hours flight from YVR to SFO. Am I missing something obvious or is it a viable alternative to use for getting out to the West Coast?

Cheers
Neil

the other benefit could be that you clear US Immigration by road which I am led to belive is quicker and easier

[Neil]

the other benefit could be that you clear US Immigration by road which I am led to belive is quicker and easier

?| Surely I would still have to clear US immigration when we flew YVR to SFO?

You would clear US immigration in YVR

Check on flight costs INCLUDING tax from YVR to SFO as the taxes on Canada flights are (IIRC) higher than domestic US taxes.

Whats the normal plane on this route? I got the impression a 343 with Nova/Odessey, ie: one of the last few with that...

The two things that would make hesitate would be a) the extra travel and hassle of a connection after such a long flight and b) the added complication of pre-clearing immigration in Canada, which can be unpredictable. You might not mind these, especially if the compensation is a good UC flight!

Whats the normal plane on this route? I got the impression a 343 with Nova/Odessey, ie: one of the last few with that...

This yr was mostly A343. Odyssey is the entertainment on these a/c with the exception of G-VSUN (V-Port). A new entertainment option in J and W classes on the non V-port 300's is the Samsung Galaxt Tablet which is handed out after take off. This became official on October 22nd.

I spoke to ground staff in YVR a couple of weeks ago, 'apparently' the A330 might be operating summer '13 and on slightly different days of operation to this summer (still to be confirmed) and still 4/week.

Neil, how about flying into LA and get a short connection up to SFO with Virgin America.
Los Angles flights always seem easier to get UC miles seats
My son is considering flying into New York or Washington and then got a Jet Blue or VA flight over to the west coast, with the time difference it's not that bad travelling east to west.

the other benefit could be that you clear US Immigration by road which I am led to belive is quicker and easier

?| Surely I would still have to clear US immigration when we flew YVR to SFO?

duh yea, teach me to read properly, :#
for some reason I thought you were thinking of driving to SFO

[honey lamb]

OK, so I flew ex-YVR in the summer and never regretted it from the point of logistics that I was leaving the USA from SEA.

I've travelled from Canada to the USA both by land and by air with no problems and indeed easier than via any airport. By air you get pre-cleared on leaving Canada in the same way that we do ex-DUB and SNN here and it is far less painful than on arrival in any US airport. My arrival in Canadian airports by air has been mixed. Calgary was tough especially as the female agent was young enough to be my daughter!

By land was a doddle especially as the first time I went through the Peace Arch to the US was about the first week or so after the introduction of the ESTA.

A suggestion - you fly into YVR. Vancouver is a great place and you'd love it. Go to Seattle - I took the train from to Vancouver from there and I love Seattle and from there take VX to SFO or wherever you want to go

A suggestion - you fly into YVR. Vancouver is a great place and you'd love it. Go to Seattle - I took the train from to Vancouver from there and I love Seattle and from there take VX to SFO or wherever you want to go

I've also taken the train, although it was many years ago. I can thoroughly recommend it! Things may of changed.... I remember going through US immigration at my seat! This was pre 911 though !

The view is beautiful, it's never busy and relatively cheap!

[honey lamb]

A suggestion - you fly into YVR. Vancouver is a great place and you'd love it. Go to Seattle - I took the train from to Vancouver from there and I love Seattle and from there take VX to SFO or wherever you want to go

I've also taken the train, although it was many years ago. I can thoroughly recommend it! Things may of changed.... I remember going through US immigration at my seat! This was pre 911 though !

The view is beautiful, it's never busy and relatively cheap!

Yup! It was $59 in Business.

I can't answer for the down train but Immigration was done on arrival in Vancouver where they disembarked the passengers one coach at a time starting with Business. y)

I would by and large aim for crossing the border and flying from SEA anyway, if at all practical. SEA-SFO is a far more competitive market with AS, UA and VX these days, and prices are far more manageable. YVR-SFO can lead to occasional nasty surprises (even if, if you're booking much earlier, it's probably better).

Picking some random mid-July dates, YVR-SFO return comes in at 400 ish on Westjet, which have one flight a day in the morning, 500+ on UA or AC.

SEA-SFO can be had for 280 bucks on AS, 290 on UA and 300 on VX.