Plus, WestJet suspends nine U.S. routes as Canadians fly elsewhere
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TRAVEL TIME

Looking out the window of a plane

PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

Looking to make your travel dollars go further this summer? 

With a little strategy and know-how, you can find ways to save without compromising on your vacation experience — and that often starts with finding affordable flights.  

I, for one, will happily cut costs on airfare if it means I can free up funds for other experiences that truly make a trip standout.

A couple of years ago, when travelling in Europe, my husband and I booked a few flights with a budget carrier and used the savings toward our stay at a breathtaking resort in Mallorca. If you ask me about the flights, I won't remember a thing. But that resort? It'll stay with me forever. 

In this week's top story, Jennifer Jacoby-Smith digs into a new report from Skyscanner revealing the most affordable destinations for Canadians to fly to this summer.

By analyzing millions of flight bookings and calculating the median return economy seat price for all departure cities within the market, the flight comparison website was able to compile a list of the best-value destinations for Canadians.

So, if you're looking to snag a roundtrip flight for less than $750 this summer, or just want to know what the cheapest week to travel is, keep reading. 

Samantha Peksa
Executive Producer, Travel
Email us at traveltime@postmedia.com

 
 

In this edition:

  • The 10 cheapest destinations to fly to from Canada this summer
  • WestJet suspends nine U.S. routes as Canadians fly elsewhere
  • California is trying to attract Canadians with hotel discounts and a new campaign
  • These floating bars are bringing a taste of the tropics to Toronto

  • Disney announces its first Middle East theme park in Abu Dhabi
  • 7 things to do in Iceland that are just as cool as the Blue Lagoon
  • This Caribbean paradise is perfect for island hopping with a private resort back in action
  • How a Vancouver woman created a one-of-a-kind Italian dream job
 

The 10 cheapest destinations to fly to from Canada this summer

A sunny harbour in Castries, Saint Lucia

According to a new report from Skyscanner, 88 per cent of Canadians believe it’s important to maximize their summer vacation this year and 45 per cent are selecting destinations based on budget. So the flight comparison website compiled a list of the most affordable destinations to fly to from any departure point in Canada.

Read more here
 

WestJet suspends nine U.S. routes as Canadians fly elsewhere

WestJet planes at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

The Canadian airline’s service from Vancouver to Austin — a new route that was originally slated to start next week — is now on hold until October. Other previously popular cross-border flights have also been halted for various periods between June and August.

Read more here
 

California is trying to attract Canadians with hotel discounts and a new campaign

A sunny valley in Palm Springs

California wouldn’t be California without Canada. That is the sentiment at the heart of a new campaign by Visit California, which aims to show Canadians how much they mean to the Golden State by offering up to 25 per cent off select hotels and attractions.

Read more here
 

These floating bars are bringing a taste of the tropics to Toronto

A tropical-themed floating bar on Toronto's waterfront

It may be a long way from the Hawaiian archipelago, but Toronto's waterfront islands will be channelling their own Polynesian spirit this summer. Two custom-built, fully licensed vessels will offer 90-minute booze cruises around 15 islands, just minutes by ferry from the skyscrapers of the downtown core. 

Read more here
 

Disney announces its first Middle East theme park in Abu Dhabi

The Disney World castle in Shanghai

Walt Disney Co. announced plans for its first theme park in the Middle East, a sprawling resort property in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. It will be the company’s first all-new location since the Shanghai Disney Resort opened in 2016. 

Read more here
 

7 things to do in Iceland that are just as cool as the Blue Lagoon

Iceland's famous Blue Lagoon

Google “things to do in Iceland” and the Blue Lagoon — the Nordic island’s famous geothermal hot springs — will be one of the very first things to pop up. But the remote country has so much more to offer than any one of its most searched for attractions.

Read more here