nomadic.relief

I am in need of a one-way flight Europe to North America Nov 3rd ... specifically I need to be in Vancouver for about 7 or 8pm ... any suggestions for the cheapest routes?

I am definitely noticing return fare would be better, but then I'd just get stuck in Europe in the future! What about purchasing a return fare and cancelling the return leg ... I know refunds aren't allowed but does anyone know of an airline where I wouldn't get dinged a cancellation fee and then a rebooking fee to use the credit down the road if my next booking is a totally different route?

I don't mind using multiple airlines (one to get me to NA, then one to get to my destination, whatever). I have played around with a bunch of choices, but as I can may my departure and destination match I am having weeding out variables. I'd love a search engine that I can just enter "departing 'Europe' day x, arriving 'NA' day y" but I know that's asking too much!

LXboy

Where in Europe are you departing from?

Try Air Transat, they do sell reasonanble priced one way flights on some routes. LGW-YYz is on your date e.g. Ł299. On some dates it is only Ł199.

They also fly from many other airports in Europe to many other airports in Canada, just play around....

nomadic.relief

LOL thanks, it's the playing around that's driving me nuts! There are a zillion combinations.

It turns out my parameters are narrower than I thought ... I need to be in Vancouver by 8pm at the latest to catch a 10pm flight to Prince George, but am starting in Gibraltar. I think I'll just have to bite the bullet at go for a one way LHR-YVR on points as that gets the most reasonable connections. Not the most effective use of points, but I hate the idea of $1000 for a one way fare!

I tell ya this is the last time I base a vacation last minute on where other people will be! Usually I just have a list of possibles and go with cheapest, way easier.

zkzkz

Transat is the only one I know of who sell one-ways TATL at reasonable rates. I wouldn't write them off they're really good value. But if you're really firm on your deadline you might want to aim to arrive early because they often have delays.

Otherwise, BA AA and UA offer one-way awards at 50% the return rate. If you only have miles in a program where they're prohibitive (US where they're 100% the rate for a return) or expensive (AC where they're 66%) then you might consider trading miles with someone in one of those programs. There might be more programs that have one-way redemptions, I'm not familiar with most of the others.

If you get an award keep in mind that with most programs you can get connecting flights included. You should be able to get Gibraltar to Prince George for the same price as just LHR-YVR (modulo fuel surcharge and taxes) at least that's the way it works on most *A programs. BA's program is different though.

Fwiw some web sites you might want to play with:

Skyscanner (includes low-cost airlines like Ryanair)
Rome2rio (includes combining multiple tickets or for that matter train and bus connections)

LXboy

Beside Transat also Aer Lingus does cheap one ways to NA. They are however only flying to the east cost with own metal. You can book to the west coast as well but then it is a connection flight with Jet Blue and the price is not attractive anymore.

Gibraltar is unfortunately not the airport with many connection. BA does however fly daily to LHR - you definitely have to check if GIB-LHR-YVR is not an option. With the programs I am collecting and spending miles that would be the same amount of miles required, only tax would be different (Europe to NA reward).

Try to get GIB-LHR-YVR on points (not only LHR-YVR) if you e.g. using BA/AA or any other one world mile program.

poptarts

Have you priced a round-trip ticket? Many times they are cheaper than one way, especially with international carriers.

Have you tried the throwaway city trick? Explained here:

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...ey-on-airfare/

angatol

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