Originally Posted by
HanoiIG
I learned how to navigate the AS website. Since my closest airports where they fly are BWI and PHL, followed by EWR, DCA and IAD, my options are limited. I don't want to fly to New Orleans via the West Coast, or to Vegas via LA(though that isn't the worst. My two choices were Maui and Calgary, but my timing made Calgary better. My wife's Companion Fare doesn't expire until next March, so I can try for the following winter if I chose Maui.
I got IAD-SEA with two nights layover, then on to Calgary. I think I'll stay four nights in Banff then can take a 13:30 flight back to Dulles, via SEA and arrive by 23:30. All in all, not the worst plan. Paying around $1100, including my wife's 99+ taxes/fees.
It's a nice perk but the options are limited. Can fly to LAX or SFO non-stop, but the fares are so low, it's not worth burning a credit.
Indeed, taxes are high in Canada on airfares nevermind the fares themselves. Welcome to my world! From British Columbia it is often cheaper and faster to fly to UK/EU than it is to fly to Eastern Canada. Of course, Canada is a large country spanning six time zones and St. John's Newfoundland is 805 miles closer to London England than it is to Vancouver British Columbia.
Banff Alberta is a beautiful area with the Majestic Rockies. Don't be surprised to see Elk walking down the main street and deer grazing on front lawns. Be sure to take the Gondola up Sulpher Mountain for incredible views over Banff. Definitely check out Lake Louise. From there you are less than 15 miles to the British Columbia Border entering into Yoho National Park after crossing the continental devide, the physical boundry between British Columbia and Alberta.
Also consider a day trip up the Icefields Parkway towards Jasper and stop at the Athabasca Icefields for a Snowcoach tour up onto the Athabaska Icefields Glacier. The glacier is the size of the city of San Francisco. You can sample pure water that has been frozen for 10,000 years.
Enjoy your time there
James