As the Remembrance Day long weekend approaches, Metro Vancouverites might be scouring airline websites for cheap flights.
But not all destinations offer equivalent value for the busy travel time -- and neither do the platforms that travellers use to book their tickets.
While Remembrance Day takes place on Saturday, Nov.11, there is a designated holiday on Monday, Nov. 13, creating a long weekend for the sombre annual observation in 2023.
In most cases, you should book long weekend travel as soon as you have your dates nailed down. Generally, these travel windows see higher air passenger traffic, driving the cost of tickets up.
You will also want to ensure that you search for travel insurance before you book your trip. Some policies include a relatively new feature that will help you in today's often volatile travel landscape.
Where to start your search for Remembrance Day 2023 long weekend travel
Once you know you can travel, the best place to start your search is on Google. While you might not be able to book your flight directly on Google Flights, the website allows you to browse dates for a specified time period for nearly every available airline and destination from Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
From here, you can use the Google Flights "search anywhere" feature to find the cheapest deals from Vancouver (or wherever you happen to be flying from).
Once you pull up the results, you can also use Google's platform to change your flight preferences. For example, you can exclude certain airlines, choose the maximum number of stopping you are willing to do, and the earliest/latest departure times that work for your schedule.
After you find your ideal flight, you'll want to shop it around. This means having a look at how much your trip costs on other comparison platforms, such as FlightHub and Skyscanner.
Travel tip: Don't book the lowest price without checking who you're booking it through. A third-party supplier, such as a respected travel agency, may be a boon for travel hiccups. For example, a travel agent can call on your behalf through a special agent line in order to expedite a request during any part of your travel process. However, other third parties may actually cause a nightmarish process for resolving issues, or you might not get what you pay for.
If you are unsure about the legitimacy of a third party, book directly with the airline.
What are the cheapest flights out of Vancouver available over the holiday?
Depending on when you book, this answer will change. That's why it's so important to compare recent searches and to book a low-price ticket as soon as possible. For busy travel times, these prices aren't likely to drop.
For the purposes of a long weekend, travel outside of North America is a tad extreme. By the time you get to your destination, the jet lag could preclude you from making the most of your short stint, if you've crossed time zones.
Instead, your best bet is to look at the traditionally low-cost routes out of YVR. Having a quick look at Google Flights' "anywhere" search results will reveal which destinations are within your budget. If you want to leave on a Friday night after work, for example, you can make a specified search and compare prices in the regular Google Flights section.
As shown below, a flight from Vancouver to Los Angeles (return for $310) is the best deal south of the border. In Canada, a return trip to Calgary for $171 is your best bet out of the province. Keep in mind, however, that if you zoom in on certain areas, you'll be able to see more cities and more deals -- this is an interactive map, and not all of the information will be displayed on the screen at once.
For example, trips to Las Vegas will typically cost around the same or even less than trips to Los Angeles, so it is worth checking them out, too. There are several different ways to get the cheapest deals on flights to Sin City.
For travel within B.C., Flair Airlines offers cheap flights to Kelowna for passengers who aren't keen on driving.
Nashville is an often overlooked but up-and-coming destination for Vancouverites, offering a vibrant nightlife scene with popular music acts and is home to the legendary Grand Ole Opry. It is also known as a gastronomic paradise, particularly for fans of juicy fried chicken, barbecue, fluffy biscuits, and other hearty eats. Plus, a return ticket to the Tennessee capital only sets you back $325 from YVR.
