1389

I am trying to plan for labor day long weekend (September) trip to Alaska form Chicago. Looking for suggestions on -

1. Budget travel between Chicago- Alaska
( direct purchase; or american and hyatt miles )

2. Suggested itinerary ideas for 3 day Alaska trip

thanks,

Big4Flyer

Alaska is difficult, but not impossible to do on a small budget. American or Alaska should be your best bet for using miles to get to Alaska, which will be the largest cost. As for a possible itinerary, it depends what you're into. Rental car prices will still be high around labor day but probably lower than peak summer. If I were you I would do one of two options.

1. Fly into FAI, take the Alaska Railroad down to Denali National Park (if rental car rates are high, otherwise drive). Buy an Alaska Toursaver Coupon Book that gives you a BOGO free night at the Mt. McKinley Princess Lodge (also has a BOGO rental day with Avis). Stay there, do some hiking. Maybe continue down to Talkeetna for a Denali flightseeing (starts around $209).

2. Fly into ANC, take the Alaska Railroad down to Seward. Go kayaking in Resurrection Bay, visit and/or hike Exit Glacier and the Harding Icefield depending on your skill and comfort. There is also a BOGO coupon in the toursaver book for a hotel in Seward. Return to ANC or (if you have Alaska miles), take the train to Whittier, then the Alaska Marine Highway to Valdez. Go kayaking at the Valdez glacier. Fly out of VDZ (fantastic flight, pretty much a free flightseeing flight).

There are dozens of options depending on what you're interested in. Let us know if you have any other questions.

1389

Thanks a ton !!!
I am primarily interested in three things in Alaska - 1. hike/water tour a glacier, 2. northern lights, and 3. hot springs.

Flights does seem quite expensive though, and I am wondering if I should just go to iceland considering how cheap wow air flights are!

Big4Flyer

For hiking/glacier touring your best bets will be down in Anchorage around the Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords National Park area. Unfortunately that is a ways away from you other two interests. Fairbanks will be your best bet for Northern Lights, although if you're using Alaska miles (maybe American as well) you could fly to Barrow where you'd have an even better chance. For Hot Springs I'd check out Chena Hot Springs just North of Fairbanks.

Of course, for all those things, you can't go wrong with Iceland. For a weekend trip it would be relatively easy for you to do the Golden Circle with a stop at the Blue Lagoon. Chena Hot Springs doesn't have anything on the Blue Lagoon, both in size and sheer beauty. If flight times were the same, which they might be from ORD, I'd probably go with Iceland. You won't be disappointed. No matter which you decide, you'll have the chance to visit one of the most beautiful places in the world, IMHO.

1389

Thanks !

RustyC

I've done this kind of trip quite a bit, and the September Alaska trip has been a fixture on the schedule for all but 2 years since 1997. Though I'll probably skip this year because of going to the Seychelles on Etihad in that mistake-fare deal.

I always do it on miles, as 25K for ATL-ANC or ATL-FAI is a bargain (with some real finesse I once booked a PDX/JNU on AS just for variety).

IMO Labor Day is a bit too close to high season, though I've done it before. Wait a couple of weeks, unless you really have your heart set on something like a Fjord cruise or Denali bus tour with a defined season and advance planning required.

For FAI I usually aim for around 9/12-ish, or whenever the last weekend of the DL flights from MSP were. That flight was a huge plum, as I'd usually get the 25K RT (if booked far enough in advance) AND an upgrade. But it stops running around mid-Sept.

Would try to hit the Alaskaland Salmon Bake, and *maybe* there's the Denali car lottery if you plan ahead and are lucky on both the draw and weather. Also lots of other scenic drives and the fall colors are usually spectacular, and Chena Hot Springs is great (paved road all the way, also scenic). Northern lights are great but never guaranteed...I'll see 'em maybe 1 time in 3. FAI is best place for that as well. With hotels I've been able to land the Westmark and ESA on Priceline around $70, but only in mid-Sept. or so.

There's some chance of snow by the 20th-25th and I had one year like that, but with climate change it's probably less likely. If really lucky the Denali road can stay open past the lottery time and you can just go in and drive some of it. Have been able to even use free-rental-day coupons with Alamo and Avis in FAI.

With ANC you can go later into September...I'll aim for 20-25-ish there. Fall colors come later, hotel rates drop and roads *probably* will still be fine or just rained on. Lots to see overland (Portage Glacier, drive to Homer, Glenn Hwy., Seward, Exit Glacier). I once took the Marine Highway as a passenger to Cordova and back, which was a way to see glaciers and the sound for $99 then.

With JNU I hit the end of September, but there and in other places there's less competition on rental cars and lodgings, so deals can be harder to get.

It's a short shoulder season but there's still a lot of scenic beauty. And far fewer mosquitoes.

1389

THANKS! That was helpful. Since you mentioned you only got to see the northern lights about 1 of 3 times, I am wondering if thanksgiving would be a better time to improve those chances ? Have you made a trip that late in the season, and what can I expect to see (accessible) around that time ?

thanks,
Yog

EmailKid

One thing I can say, RustyC didn't become FlyerTalk Evangelist by post padding; there's TONS of very useful advice posted under this handle ^

As to northern lights, back when I lived in Edmonton in central Alberta, IIRC we would see them sometimes in color, and the later in the year the more likely an occurrence. A mere 180 miles south in Calgary they weren't nearly as often, and IIRC never in color (did spend a lot more years in Edmonton than Calgary).