YYC traveler

Would any of the FT gurus out there care to share their favorite tools to use when trying to figure out routing and pricing for an upcoming, unfamiliar route?

As an example, my spouse and I are planning a trip to Morocco in 2018. We've traveled fairly extensively to a variety of European destinations, but this our first attempt at Northern Africa and it will involve new routes and airlines we have never used before. It will likely be a revenue booking, not a points booking. There is some flexibility on dates and we have a preference towards lie-flat beds when traveling overnight and PE when traveling long distance during the day.

We've been using Google flights and the Air Canada website to try to determine a cost and stop effect routing that would take us from YYC to CMN and then return from OZZ to YYC. To the best of my knowledge it cannot be done solely with Star Alliance, so trade-offs will likely be need to be made. Are there other tools/websites we should be checking? Are there tricks/hacks that can be used on Google flights and/or Air Canada to reveal the 'good' routes at reasonable prices?

smallmj

OZZ looks to be a tiny airport, with only a few flight options. That is definitely limiting your possibilities. Have you tried looking at CMN both ways, or leaving through RAK?

MightyTravels

As an alternative consider the ultra cheap Ryanair fares from many Irish, British, Spanish and German departure airports often under $50 RT to Spain. Might make it easier.

Air France considers Morocco as Europe for award redemptions. Lastly Avios can be used from Madrid on Iberia (no fuel surcharges) to Morocco. Or you can also take a modern ferry from many ports in Spain to Morocco.

YYC traveler

Thanks. Yes we have looked at other ways out. We are aware of a Royal Maroc flight to Paris - ORY that seems better than retracing to CMN, the trade-off being an airport change to CDG to get back to Star Alliance flight possibilities.

Keeping as much as practical in the Star Alliance family, both the Air Canada website and Google flights generally want to route via YYZ->CDG->CMN. We're trying to avoid the overnight Rouge flight into CMN. We've done an overnight Rouge flight from OGG->YVR, so been there, done that. We'd like to keep the number of stops reasonable, this isn't a mini-RTW or EYW type booking.

pewpew

For my RAK trip, I did EasyJet in, TP out. Cost something like 100eur two weeks out. I've found Ryanair et al to be about as comfortable as AC (Y), but I'm also not the kind of person who needs to recline my seat.

ensco

I would book in and out of LHR (nonstop from YYC) or CDG, and buy a separate ticket to Morocco from there.

I used easyjet in and out of RAK, from LGW and to CDG, last year. It was around 50 euros one way for each flight.

It may require overnights in London or Paris to make it work.

We looked at leaving from OZZ, but it only has Royal Air Maroc service to Paris, and that would have cost us $600 p.p. one way, so we passed on that. The ULCCs mostly serve Marrakesh or Fez.

ABG

CMN is going from Rouge back to Main line on 1 June
Summer 2018 shows AC808 from Montreal

karachi

try kayak or vayama as well for other non star alliance options.

Tetsuro

I did this route last year, all star alliance and about $100 tax
YZZ-IAD United
IAD-GVA Swiss
GVA-RAK United

back home I got Ryan air to Spain, stayed a few days and make my way to MAD to YYZ via United


​​​​​​hope this helps

YYC traveler

Thanks for all the suggestions and help. Ended up booking the following.
Outbound:
YYC->FRA (AC)
FRA->CMN (Royal Air Maroc)
Inbound:
OZZ->ORY (Royal Air Maroc)
Overnight in Paris -- never a bad idea!
CDG->FRA (LH, AC codeshare)
FRA->YYC

It might not be the most cost effective choices, but it maximizes AQM and AQD and minimizes the number of stops and travel time.

jc94

Avoiding European ULCC like RyairAir is always a good choice.

zoobtoob

Really?