Why Canadians head south to fly, redux
 

http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulli.../canadian-fees

HIGHER taxes and fees are often blamed for the millions of Canadian passengers eschewing local airports for those in nearby American cities. But according to a new report from the University of Maryland, "Transborder Demand Leakage and the U.S.-Canadian Air Passenger Market", these charges accounted for just 17% to 37% of the difference in fares between Canadian-US cross-border routes and comparable US domestic routes.

It is really awful. Particularly, but certainly not exclusively, out of YYZ.

I am flying the family YYZ-YVR over the summer. We almost booked out of BUF until a seat sale came up.

Flew BUF-LIR last year - saved well over one thousand dollars.

Sure I want to support Canadian airlines and pay taxes to the Canadian government which pays for goods and services I use . . . but with this type of price discrepancy I simply cannot justify it.

Ah well USA needs the revenue too.

Family wedding in YVR this Aug, party of 9 going from west of GTA:
Van service to YYZ $100, Van service to BUF $150.

AC YYZ YVR 50000AP plus $200 fee taxes pp
AC YYZ YVR T $800

DL BUF YVR 40000SM plus $130 in fees pp
DL BUF YVR $750

DL BUF BLI 25000SM plus $5 in fees pp
DL BUF BLI $600

It is not that US need the revenue. I need the revenue.
The number don't lie. My bottom line is up $5000/yr flying consulting gigs to US out of BUF.

You also need to account for BLI-YVR (or wherever in the vicinity your ultimate destination is), as well as whether the connections and resulting time wastage are worth it. Obviously, with 9 people in your group, there is serious money to be saved. For 1 or 2 people, not so sure.

The border crossing and the additional driving might not be everyone's cup of tea.

With the new law permitting Canadians to drive US plated vehicles it will make future SEA/BLI car rentals easier not having to hop from agency to agency looking for Canadian plated cars.

Hint: You can score very cheap one way YVR to SEA/BLI or the other way around by re-positioning the cars for the agencies. I have paid $35 for a four day one way SEA YVR rental of a Canadian plated car.

Van service BLI to our rental apartment in Vancouver is $350 including return.
We are also replenishing the "beverage" supply at the wedding.

For me even 1 or 2 person is worth it for I have a perfect UG Score BUF-DTW/MSP/ATL-SEA due to top tier status; I can also use the status qualifying miles.

Replying from DD's new apartment at Platts Lane. ;)

Any tips on obtaining this from the respective car rental companies? It is certainly not an option via online booking (at least that I've seen).

I'm not Canadian, but in my experience I have to ask for specific plates when traveling to certain destination in which it benefits me (French plate in vs. Dutch rental plate in SXM for example)

Call the airport rental counter the day before or counter-hop when you get there.

I have also always felt guilty for not keeping my money home but my next flight (LAS) has a whopping $600 price discrepency! That is comparing YYZ-LAS with BUF-LAS. Ridiculous and I don't think so!

I fly south because the shopping is better and the girls easier ;).

I so wish we had a viable option for a place to fly out of in the US from Alberta.