Deal Alert: YBR to Kona, Hawaii. $751

Heck of a deal!!! I cross referenced Trip Advisor and Expedia for reviews and prices. Reviews are very good. Expedia's price (same dates, same flights) are about $5000 per couple.  So if this is a Westjet typo, or a purposeful super-deal, I'd book now before it disappears.

Dates are available for Spring Break. Cost is about $2300 per couple.

Lots of dates available. Other Hawaiian islands are available, at about $600 more per couple.

Screenshots and prices as of 11:30pm January 5th.

Vegas from YBR under $500

Here's a nice easy flight from Brandon to Las Vegas. Great hotel, centre strip.

Book through Westjet Vacations or your favourite travel agent.

January Disney: 2 adults, 1 child $2K

Westjet Vacations Cyber Monday Deal

Prices & availability subject to change with no notice.

Westjet Black Friday Sales

I object to Black Friday sales starting on Monday night, but that's pretty hypocritical of me since that's exactly what I'm going to write about tonight.

You see, the horse has already left the gate and two travel operators and a  are already showcasing their sales.

Selloffvacations.com has sent out their Black Friday sales notice. It's basically Cuba, Mexico and Vegas being offered on sale.  Their sales pitch is 'five star vacations at three star prices.'

Westjet.com is suggesting they have 500,000 seats on sale and you could save up to $1000 on a vacation. I followed their link and found a sweet Florida deal in January.

If you travel January 12th to 19th with your family of 2 adults and 2 minor children you can go for $2100. That includes return tickets, taxes and hotel for 7 nights. However, the hotel included doesn't meet with my holiday standards. So, rather I would suggest a hotel like the Nikolodian Suites which would be about $2700 for the same package.

The Disney hotels are also on sale. In fact it's cheaper to stay at a Disney "moderate" that a "budget level" hotel this week.  So while it would be $3200 for your family, I feel you are getting excellent value. The Disney transportation system (which is free to use if you are staying at one of their hotels) is such a huge perk.  This package price does NOT include park passes, which are extra.

If you spy any other great travel deals, please share them in the comments. It's an exciting week if you are hoping to nab a travel bargain. 

Maui wowee from YYC

Cash in a few Air Miles for a car rental, eat pineapple and pancakes in your condo, and this is a CHEAP, FABULOUS vacation.

$3244 for a family trip to Hawaii

There are a few pretty sweet deals to Hawaii on right now.

First off there's a basic 15% off flights anytime this winter (blackout dates apply) with either Westjet or Air Canada. That takes your airfare down to about $500 per person, if you pick the right dates.

Secondly, Westjet is offering packages on sale right now which includes week in a beachside condo.  For 2 adults, the cost is $2030, air, tax and accommodations from Winnipeg. OR, with 2 minor children I see it priced at $3244 for the same date package. That's a mere $811 per person, for a week in a condo in Maui. SWEEEEEEET deal!

Lastly, with this package deal in mind, I looked up what you could get for $1220 per person, which I would still consider a very good price for a package to Maui. Look what I found! The Waldorf Astoria in the highly coveted Wailea area for under $5K. This would be AMAZING!!! You'd be in the playground of the rich and famous, on a modest budget.  

The only thing to keep in mind would be that in a condo, you would prepare your own meals and could realistically do so for a family at a cost of $500CDN total for a week. Whereas, staying at a hotel/resort and buying meals would be far more expensive. 

Prices are in Canadian funds and can be found at Westjet Vacations or through your favourite travel agent. Prices subject to change. 

15% off Florida w/Westjet

Very short window to book.

Westjet unveiled a new Disney Frozen theme plane today. So there's the connection. May as well save a few dollars.

Vegas in December

Here's another gem that meets my criteria:

• 5 star hotel, on the Strip
• Direct, Westjet flights
• $500 Cdn

Like Cinderella's carriage....

At midnight, the bargain London fares turned into pumpkins.

Both Air Canada and Westjet adjusted their fares after midnight on September 16th/17th.

Will you book London at this regular fare price?

Or will you look at it again only if another seat sale drops the price below $700?

Westjet screenshot 1:15am

To London, from Brandon $730

If you read travel blogs and love to travel, I bet you've already heard that Westjet announced today that they are offering service to London's Gatwick (code LGW) airport from Canada.

The introductory prices (of about $300 to get there and about $400 to get back) are being offered until midnight on September 16th.

To get there from Brandon,  you will go through Calgary. Alternately, you can drive to Winnipeg and fly direct.

Westjet is causing a buzz with this new route and the cheapest flights will sell out quickly. Prices are subject to change constantly. Sometimes, even when you are in the booking process.

I expect the prices to settle out in that $800 - $850 range, which is quite normal per Air Canada sales and other partner airlines.

A new route for a Canadian airline is always good news. Flights commence in May 2016.

Using your Westjet dollars for even greater savings.... that's excellent news!

To start your planning,  visitlondon.com

Tacos for Thanksgiving in the Mayan Riviera?

If Turkey and pumpkin pie just isn't your thing, you might want to jump on this 5 star deal to Mexico. Leaving October 11th and returning on the 15th, you will enjoy 4 nights on the beach and be pampered at any one of the luxury resorts that Westjet is offering.

These 5 star packages are starting at $ 797 taxes included. All inclusive. Pretty great eh? Cheap enough to invite your mother-in-law to tag along?!!

The screenshot here, from Selloffvacations.com (Sept 14th, 11pm) clearly shows you how the picking the right departure date can save you hundreds of dollars on the exact same trip.

You'll have to watch carefully though, some of the flights have an overnight connection. While it might be fun to have a night in Vancouver, it's adding to your cost and taking away from your beach time.

If you'd rather wait two weeks, you can go for a whole week for $1002 taxes included at a very well rated, 4 star hotel. October 26th to November 2nd.

As always, do your research and read the current reviews from Trip Advisor before you book. Do look for the details, like how long you will have to sit on a shuttle to get to your destination, and whether or not airport transfers are included in your package.

Blue Jays vs Yankees?

If your idea of an epic sports trip is watching the Blue Jays vs the Boston Red Sox, you're in luck.

If your idea of an epic sports trip is watching the Blue Jays vs the NY Yankees, you're in luck.

If you're idea of EPIC is seeing all this in one weekend, you better sit down, take a deep breath and then find your credit card.

Will there be another year when the rivalries are this heated? Will the Jays be contenders next year?

Check out this schedule:

Now, since you're going to need some money for tickets and souvenirs, you might want to save $300 on flights, and instead of paying retail, cash in your Air Miles for the flight. (If you pay retail for the flights it's $420 if you book asap) 

Cashing in your Air Miles will be at a very affordable rate of 1600 Air Miles and just $123 in taxes. You can put the savings towards tickets or the hotel. 

A quick glance at Stub Hub says you can have game tickets for about $30 each. They won't be great seats, but you're in the building. (Also check Ticketmaster.ca for seats)  So 3 games for about $100, plus flight tax, and hotel (split with a buddy) $300. Plus hot dogs ($11 each) and a few beers ($12 each) I'll estimate $650 for your epic weekend per person. 

Worthy of the EPIC WEEKEND title, if you're a baseball fan.  

Don't wait on any of this. as the pennant race heats up, so will ticket prices, hotels etc. 

I've actually done this Blue Jays trip before and watched them play the Boston Red Sox, so if you have any questions, I have the personal experience to answer them. (We stayed at the Doubletree Hotel, a place we picked up off of Hotwire.)   We had a great time, of course, there's something special about an MLB game that you just have to experience for yourself. 

Vegas - Next Monday. Crazy Cheap!

Sometimes the last minute bargains are amazing!  Here's one from Westjet, just in case you need one more quick getaway before back to school.

These deals have direct flights to/from Winnipeg. (I checked the Brandon prices and they are 3x as much in this case). It's definitely worth the drive to Winnipeg for this one.

$209 & taxes ($360 total per person) Gets you round trip flights and 3 nights hotel, tax etc.  The Linq is centre strip, while the Tropicana is at the MGM/New York corner.  Both are decent hotels. But if you want to splurge a bit on an amazing hotel, stay at the Cosmopolitan ($448 tax in) or the Aria ($505 tax in). Cromwell, Vdara and the Venetian are all similarly priced.

These are Canadian prices, and considering our low dollar vs the US, I would definitely recommend buying the package rather than booking a flight and paying at the hotel in US dollars. You would have to book a US package (like from Allegiant) for $275 or less to beat this deal. See why I called it amazing! The real value is in the superior Westjet service and reliability.

Prices are subject to change. Book on-line or give Selloffvacations.com a call ((204) 571-4570) and tell them you saw the deal on my blog.

Air Miles special YWG to YYC

You know those Air Miles I urge you to pick up on Customer Appreciation Day at Sobeys & Safeway... well here's a great way to redeem them.

This week's discount flights include Winnipeg to Calgary. For a measly 1320 Air Miles (for Onyx Collectors) and $126 you've got yourself a direct flight to Calgary this September.  About 1550 Air Miles for Gold Collectors.

Of course, if you prefer Montreal, Vancouver or Edmonton, those are on sale too!

Alberta/BC Bargain flights to Halifax

For our friends and neighbours in Alberta and BC, Westjet has a promo code on right now that can save you 20% on flights to the east coast. You can even travel cheaply over Thanksgiving. (Christmas is on blackout)

Fares from Calgary to Halifax are under $600 and can go as low as $525. That's pretty amazing.  See first graphic for codes and conditions.

Fast 5 Travel Tips: How to find the YBR bargain

YBR is a small, and relatively new airport in Brandon Manitoba. It has daily service from Westjet Airlines to their hub in Calgary, Alberta.

So far, YBR is not recognized by the major search engines or travel sites, thus making it a challenge to find the best dates to fly. However, using these tips and tricks you'll be poised to find the best deals.

1. Be flexible. If your leisure travel can be tailored to suit the best bargains, you'll save more money and travel for less.

2. Using your favourite APP, like 'Air Fare Watchdog', 'Kayak' or 'On The Fly' set your searches for YYC (Calgary) airport.  When you find the cheapest dates to fly to your destination, from Calgary, THEN go the Westjet flight booking page and look up the price starting in YBR.

3. When there are advertised Westjet sales even from other departure cities, make a point of looking up your favourite destinations. They might be on sale from YBR even though they are not advertised.

4. Book 6-8 weeks before your desired flight. Historically, this is when the best prices are offered.

5. Now that a second daily flight has been added, (After January 15th, 2016) you should look to book trips for January to March, as soon as possible, while supply still exceeds demand.

** Do note that holiday times (like Christmas and Easter) are extremely busy travel times. You are not likely to find a bargain during these high times. It's best to book early and commit as soon as you can.


And of course... the best tip of all:  Subscribe to this blog and hear about deals departing from Manitoba cities!

July 24 Bahamas Sale

Air Canada has answered Westjet's Blue Tag special with their own one day deal. Good prices on select dates on flights to Nassau (Bahamas) or Grand Cayman. Travel prices on sale until midnight on the 24th only.

It's not an exceptional deal. It's a nice deal, nearing the end of hurricane season.  Your call.

So much more that JUST Calgary!

It still makes me cringe when I hear people say,  "I don't want to fly to Calgary. What good is Westjet if there's only one flight a day and it only goes to Calgary?"

OMG NO! Westjet does not ONLY fly to Calgary. Calgary (YYC) is a hub. A hub!! Like Denver is to United Airlines and Minneapolis is to Delta.  Their flight system feeds into their hub and from there you can connect to the world!

From our little airport in Brandon, Manitoba (YBR) you can currently fly (Leaving at 1:15pm) and get to your fabulous holiday destination same day. That list includes Honolulu, Maui, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Nanimo, Comox, Edmonton, Los Angeles and more!

However, there are additional routes (Like SNA, SFO) that require an overnight stay in Calgary (YYC) but, as on January 15th, 2016 Westjet will double the number of flights out of Brandon, with strategic timing so that you can widen your choice of same-day destinations even more.  This is wonderful news!  It definitely has cost savings for the bargain traveller.  When you eliminate the hotel stay in YYC you are saving at least $150.

Let's look at this Las Vegas example:   Look at the flight options in September and January.  Pretty great eh? More vacation for your money. And realistically, back at home at 11:20pm after arriving at YBR. Sure beats that 2 hour & 20 minute trek from YWG!

The future of travel looks bright and includes our YBR. Where do you want to go next?

Say Aloha this Summer

Hawaii is blessed with nearly perfect weather year round. And lucky for us, there is year round air service to the islands.

The beauty of going to Hawaii, or any other tropical destination, in the summer is that you will pay about 40% less than in the winter and you will have smaller crowds to contend with.

I personally have travelled to the Bahamas, and the Turks 'n Caicos in July and definitely recommend it. It's been my way of guaranteeing good weather on my hard earned days off. I am frightened by the prospect of having cold, mosquito infested camping trips on my only week of holidays.

Here's a great bargain for a family of 4, with Westjet.  It's from Winnipeg to Kona, Hawaii for 7 nights.

If you're from Brandon, you can save a few more dollars and leave your car at home. The only difference is an overnight in Calgary on the way home. But, it should still net you savings over the gas and parking fees to drive to Winnipeg and fly from there. 

If you'd rather stay at the Sheraton Resort, it will just come in at about $300 more per family of 4. 

As always, I suggest reading up on Trip Advisor. Recent reviews are worth their weight in gold. They give you an accurate, real time description on what's going on NOW, and not 2 years ago and in December. 

Here's the Trip Advisor link to the island in general. See if it's the destination for you. 

If you're more interested in big city Hawaii, and lots of glamorous shopping, you would likely prefer Honolulu. If you're more relaxed and chill, you might prefer tacos on the beach in Maui.  Best head over to www.gohawaii.com to see what suits you best. 

The price is sure fabulous on this trip! Flights alone are often $800 per person. Imagine getting a whole week's hotel included for just $130 more, and in Canadian funds? BARGAIN!

15% off WJ to Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver

Westjet has added a promo code for the next 24 hours offering Canadians from all destinations, 15% off flights to/from Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

This means you could fly to Calgary, from Brandon (YBR) for about $340.

Flights are available March 17th to April 30th, but Easter weekend is not included.

Nice price! But you must use the promo code (shown below) and you must book before end of day March 4th.