Have an upcoming trip planned for LAS for Feb 8-Feb 11, I am debating whether to book with AC or UA.

How low can fares get for Feb? It's quoting me around $230 CAD before taxes now and I am sure I've seen as low as $100 CAD couple weeks ago. I am definitely not getting V or higher just so I could upgrade because I will get 100% Q miles for either L or V class anyways and it's not worth paying 100% more for V class to upgrade the 2 hour YVR-SFO flight on AC metal and stay in Y for the SFO-LAS UA metal. {More disadvantage for not giving 25% for C class}

I was thinking maybe I should book with UA so I could get 10% off for booking online and I could have a chance at getting an upgrade if I could manage to get some 500 milers... otherwise, I'll get E+.

Any thoughts?

I would go for the cheapest option. I managed to get a BUF-LAS r/t ticket for USD$128.37 plus taxes/fees. It's a shame you're not going in January - then we could've partied in Las Vegas together

Have you picked a hotel yet?

Ewwwww - ick.

I agree, LAS in January doesn't sound too appealing!

[I assume you're not flinging gratuitous insults at our friend FlyerAl, that isn't done any more]

andrew

Andrew Webber
I assume we're not flinging gratuitous insults at our friend FlyerAl,any "less"either.

You're suggesting Empress drive from Vancouver to Buffalo to save $50??? Why wouldn't he just drive directly to LAS? It's much closer than BUF.

No no, Empress should fly to YYZ from YVR on points, then take a bus to BUF, and on to LAS!

andrew

Back on topic, $230 pre-tax seems pretty reasonable. The fare from a competitive market (SEA) is US$178/213 (with taxes) for the same time period.

The Venetian is my favorite hotel in Vegas.

[This message has been edited by skofarrell (edited 11-17-2001).]

This is a classic example of how AC's crappy upgrade scheme is costing them business.

If you want to fly UA/*A, I'd highly recommend against a connection in SFO due to the more-than-remote likelihood of weather-induced delays (I've known of people flying from RNO to SJC being dumped in LAX!). The routes offered via SEA and LAX would make for a great mileage run though (3,900 q-miles r/t).

Might consider flying AS if you decide to switch to AA next year. They've had specials for USD 89 pre-tax before. Right now it's US$199.37 with tax (ouch!) (but should have 10% taken off that). But believe it or not, this is lower than ex-BLI ($325) and ex-SEA ($230) currently.

No, obviously not....I was just commenting on how I picked the cheapest option available to me.

As for SFO, terenz has a good point. At LAS, I've observed the gate area of the United Shuttle flights to SFO, and those flights were always delayed. They also had a weird boarding process - not by row number, but according to the type of seat (window first, then middle, then aisle).

Have you picked a hotel yet?

No, FlyerAl, do you have any good suggestions? Money is not a major factor but of course I don't want it to be too high.

So to avoid SFO, I should probably go via LAX on UA instead? AC have a new V class fare today for $383 which is very attractive since it's upgradeable until I discovered that it forces me to go via YYC & DEN! (YVR-AC-YYC-AC-DEN-AC-LAS) Anyone know why?? That means I could only upgrade the YVR-YYC in advance and nothing more...

So AC have made it easy for me to make a decision. Looks like I'll buy from UA so I could go via SEA or LAX or every city along the west if I want.

Um, money?? Someone should verify, but I think Denver is the low cost connection for AC and UA.

Empress, I'm not sure where you got the information that you are forced to go via YYC & DEN. That would be one of the last choices AC would want (even though it is probably permitted). I think the problem is that there is no space on this fare level on the non-stop flight(s) you are looking for. LAS is a popular destination for many people, so the fares available on the non-stop flight that you are looking for are likely already sold out.

CPYVR... the timetable shows that the nonstop flight only operates on Thursday and Sunday. As I said in my first post, I am leaving on Feb 8 which is a Friday and when I try to price out the flights, all of the choices are via DEN. When I try to force YVR-LAS (split into 2 seperate segments YVR-SFO,SFO-LAS) to go thru SFO & LAX, the price doubles.

Btw, is that direct flight always overbooked?