The Swiss Army 8-Function Pocket Knife is on sale for $24.99 $9.99 at Canadian Tire. A great deal for an item that can come in handy when you least expect it. If you stay in the library until late at night and go back to your res/home walking it’s a good idea to have one of these . You can buy them at any Canadian Tire store or online.

More details on Canadian Tire’s website

Jawaad M. of Ordisante.com is writing a well researched 3-part series on Air Travel in Canada and has kindly offered to share his series with us.

Jawaad will join the SmartCanucks.ca editorial team. He will have his own account on SmartCanucks.ca and will publish articles directly. I’ll also add a brief biography of him in the About section very soon. For the time being you can find more about him by visiting his blog. Jawaad will write special articles every now and then giving us advice on how to save money on flights, hotels, car rentals, etc. His articles will be published on both Ordisante.com and SmartCanucks.ca

Thank you Jawaad and welcome to SmartCanucks.ca 🙂

Read Part 1 of Jawaad’s “Air Travel in Canada” below

Introduction

Buying a plane ticket isn’t quite the same business as it was when Sinatra was crooning about buying a ticket to Acapulco Bay. People no longer dress in their Sunday finery. No one makes stops in Gander and the Azores anymore – the day of refueling stops ended with the appearance of the long range Boeing 707. Low-cost airlines entered the business since Southwest in 1971 and the No-Frills style of airfare has no less than the late Sir Freddy Laker’s “Skytrain” in its pedegree.

Saving money on flights has always been challenging; the entire travel agent profession revolves around finding ways to save cash, while providing the best vacation possible. This business suffered through much shocks when the Internet appeared; however, for those without any inside links or understanding, booking through a travel agent is still probably one of the best ways to get a deal on a flight.

This three-part series is intended to give you a bit of an understanding so the next time you are booking a flight, you understand the differences between domestic and international flights, as well as the differences between different fares. Our first part deals exclusively with domestic fares. This is based on the Canadian market; do not make the mistake of assuming it is the same in the USA, most European countries and Japan. Canada is in the unfortunate position of having its small population spread over its vast territory, and as a result has few competitors in the domestic airline market.

My love for flight has always been there, but being from a strictly middle-class background kept me grounded. As my mom always explained to me, airplanes were very expensive for families, and we couldn’t possibly afford for us to go on those expensive vacations that we saw on TV. Our dreams of Disneyworld ended at the “Welcome to West Virginia” sign, as we crawled by in our rusted up Ford Taurus. Of course, the reality was that my family didn’t know anything about the airline business. The only ticket prices my mom was aware of were Karachi’s Quaid-e-Azam International to Montreal’s Dorval, not Montreal’s Dorval (now Pierre-Elliot Trudeau Airport) to Vancouver International Airport. Unlike the cartel-dominated world of International air travel, domestic airfare was and still is significantly affected by low-cost airlines that sprouted up everywhere. I can’t go back in time and teach my mom the lessons I know, but I am volunteering this knowledge so that no other children are victimized by a vacation in Morgantown ever again.

There are four things to take into account when trying to get the lowest airfare;

– supply vs. demand
– the date the flight is booked
– the rigidity of one’s schedule, and
– whether you are flying from the US or Canada

Notably missing on this list is where you buy your ticket; contrary to popular opinion, you cannot save money on domestic Canadian plane ticket by booking on independent websites. If you keep these simple facts in mind while booking, and the penny-pinchers among us should be set.

Fact 1: Booking a Month From Now Does Not Make It Cheaper

Most people are bound by invisible constraints; they have a specific destination in mind when they leave, as well as a specific time they need to be there. If you want to have any sort of peace of mind about a trip, you really do need to book in advance. However for those of us with more flexability, last minute booking can save money, especially if one is purchasing straight from the airline. Our example for this will be Montreal to Vancouver, as it is probably the longest (read: most expensive) flight available in Canada. These prices were obtained on the morning of December 6th, 2006, and involved two dates

According to Aircanada.com, I can get a flight on December 8th on AC129 for $263.99 (Taxes included). Now when I look for the same price on January 26th, 2006, it is available for $347.17. Westjet.ca offers the exact same fares for December 8th on WS629 ($263.99), and a $275.38 fare on the 26th of January. On the surface, it is clear that you are saving some dollars by booking at the last minute; what is the catch?

Well, for one, look at the times the planes leave. WS629 leaves at 5:35 PM (so you need to be there around 3:30, when rush hour traffic has already starte piling up in Montreal), and arrives at 8:07 PM in Vancouver. AC129 leaves at 7:55 PM (meaning you are going to be in the bumper-to-bumper phase when you get to the airport). More importantly, you have no choice over the time you leave; all the other timed flights are significantly more expensive. Planning in advance costs more, but you have more control over your itinerary.

Of course, your next question is probably “Why is it cheaper??”. The answer is, of course, supply and demand. Vancouver has been battered by rainstorms and snowstorms at the time of this writing; it isn’t exactly a good time to be on the West Coast. Airlines sell a certain number of seats to bulk dealers and base their ticket prices on sales. Clearly, sales to the west coast aren’t particularly strong, and are reducing traffic on the flight. The reverse flights (from Vancouver to Montreal) are more expensive, almost $240 + tax for the 8th.

Fact 2: You do not save on domestic flights at smaller websites.

I went ahead and checked some of the last minute travel sites for airfare quotes. This is what I got:

December 7th, 2006
itravel2000: $367.17 + tax
expedia.ca: $354 + tax
travelocity.ca: $350 (Tax Included)
travelmix.ca: $263.99 (Tax included)
flightcentre.ca: $262.99 (Tax Included – Appears to have been a mistake on the site, as the taxes are $1 less than they are supposed to be)
flightnetwork.com: $263.99 (Westjet), $283.99 (Air Canada)
orbitz.com: $404 (American dollars)

January 26th, 2006
flightcentre.ca: 275.38 (Westjet) and $338.38 (Air Canada) (Tax included)
travelmix.ca: $275.38 $347.14(Tax included)
travelocity.ca: $354 (Westjet) and $412 (Air Canada) (Taxes Included)
flightnetwork.com: $275.38 (Westjet)

As you can see, these prices are the same, or more, than what Air Canada and Westjet charge. Air Canada and Westjet have a deliberate policy of listing the lowest domestic fare on their website (note, this is NOT THE SAME as the lowest international fare; more on that in the third part of this series)

Fact 3: The United States is ALWAYS CHEAPER than Canada… except at the last minute.

The US should, logically, be cheaper than Canada. More competition, more airlines, more sales – what isn’t there to like? Well, for one, the US has a better economy, and more people move around than in Canada. As a result, the last minute sales just don’t exist; how could they when there is no excess capacity?

Look at Burlington -> Seattle (the closest we can get to Montreal->Vancouver) is 500 dollars for a last minute booking; US Dollars at that. However, long term bookings are obscenely cheap. Kayak.com has Burlington -> Seattle for $102, I have no doubt you could find something cheaper if you looked. Booking beforehand can save you a lot of money, especially if you are flying out of hubs for major discount airlines. This isn’t to say that money should be your only factor; there has been a deep decline in customer service ever since the tragic events of 9/11. I personally have been interrogated and kept aside for a period of 4 hours (on top of the normal luggage check-in), on a trip to Japan which only stopped for refueling in Detroit. Still, as long as you don’t have a funny middle-eastern sounding name like I do, you won’t share my unfortunate experience.

If the potential hassle doesn’t bother you, the question becomes “Is Burlington -> Seattle REALLY cheaper than Montreal -> Vancouver?”. Taking a flight from Montreal to Burlington flight is out of the question, because you have to pay the airport taxes (which is what hobbles most Canadian flights, including Montreal -> Vancouver). The train is out of the question as well; I am well versed with taking VIA and trust me when I say that it is not the “cheaper” way to go, by any sense of the word. Taking your car to Burlington from Montreal costs about $40-60 in gas, but then you need to arrange for parking. Assuming you have no family in the area, this could easily cost a lot.

The cheapest way to spend those two hours getting there is to leave by Greyhound, and it costs $32 American. The flight from Burlington to Seattle costs the aforementioned $102 (USD taxes included). The bus stop (345 Pine Street) is about 4 miles away from Burlington Airport; let’s say a $10 taxi fare. It works out to $165 American, and 3 extra hours. Of course, this assumes the bus gets you there in time (The only daily bus arrives at 2:15 PM, which is good for any flight that leaves around 4:30 PM). There are several buses from Seattle Airport to Vancouver, and they all cost approximately $40. This brings you up to $205 American, and another 2 hours. Factoring in everything, it is $220 Canadian, which is about 55$ cheaper than the cheapest flight in Canada. Although it might not seem like much, remember that this is a 20% savings over flying in Canada, with all expenses factored in. In short, if money is a bigger problem than time, it is worth it to fly through the US when booking in advance. This is doubly true when flying to the US, a situation we will cover in the next article.

Conclusion:

There ARE ways to save money in flight, even in the money-dry world of Canadian aviation. Whether you are in Montreal, Quebec, or Inuvik, NWT, the planning and thought you bring to booking your flight will pay dividends. Even in the busy vacation time, a little foresight can yield great dividends. Now, admittedly, this is of limited use. After all, like I said, all my vacations as a kid were in the US; how can a family save money going to Florida or Hawaii? Our next part will deal exclusively with Canada -> US travel, and some surprising stories of how you can get your family to Florida without having to take out some of that home equity. 🙂

Click here for more details on this special ebay.ca listing

Entertainment.com is offering free shipping and $5 off any 2007 Coupon Book purchase. Considering that the coupons in the book more than cover the book’s price, this is one awesome deal. From your hometown to your next vacation destination, the Entertainment.com coupon book is packed with discounts on Dining (2 for 1), attractions, shopping, travel and hotels.

The entertainment book is available for the following Canadian cities:

Alberta
Calgary – $40.00
Edmonton – $40.00

British Columbia
Okanagan Valley – $32.00
Vancouver – $45.00
Vancouver Island – $32.00

Manitoba
Winnipeg – $28.00

Nova Scotia
Halifax – $32.00

Ontario
Hamilton – $36.00
Ottawa/Outaouais – $36.00
Toronto Area – $36.00

Quebec
Montreal et environs – $32.00

Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan – $32.00

Click here to purchase a 2007 Etertainment.com coupons book

Promotional offer valid only in-store on Wednesday, December 13, 2006 at time of purchase with valid coupon. Offer applies to regular price, in-stock products only and may NOT be used for discount on food & beverages, giftcards, magazines, newspapers, electronics & accessories including iPods or Virgin phones, irewards memberships, or purchases/donations to the Indigo Love of Reading Fund. No cash redemption value. Not valid in conjunction with any other offers, including irewards discount or Magic Gift Card.

Click here to print your invitation

Came across this very useful post on thebudgetfashionista.com and thought I’d share it with my readers (I changed it slightly so that it focuses on Canada)

I’ve received quite a few questions from readers regarding what US based online stores ship to Canada and other international destinations. Below is brief list of stores that ship abroad and of stores that don’t (Target still doesn’t ship abroad, which seems like a lost opportunity to me). If you know of any other stores, please feel free to add them below.

Who ships to Canada
American Eagle
eBay– Make sure to check where the seller ships BEFORE bidding
NeimanMarcus.com– must call 1-888-888-4757
Bloomingdales.com– must call 001-1-513-573-8170 for international shipping
Bluefly.com
YOOX.COM
Beauty.com and drugstore.com (via AccessUSA)
Bare Necessities
figleaves.com– (via it’s UK site) – looks like they don’t ship to Canada anymore. Thanks for the info ceci 🙂
Torrid.com
LaneBryant.com– Must have a Canadian Billing and Shipping Address.
EddieBauer.com– rates are ridiculous but sometimes sale prices justify it
Thanks for the info M@ 🙂
victoriasecret.com
shopbop.com
abercrombieandfitch.com
revolveclothing.com– free shipping to canada
Thanks for the info lisalikespink 🙂
monoprice.com
Thanks for the info cubalis 🙂
aeropostale.com– shipping fees, duties, etc. apply
Thanks for the info jenn 🙂

Who doesn’t ship to Canada
Gap.com
OldNavy.com
BananaRepublic.com
Nordstrom.com
SaksFifthAvenue
Bebe.com
SmartBargains.com
Spiegel.com
Newport-news.com
Zappos.com
Target.com
Macys.com
newegg.com – thanks for the info Matt 🙂
woot.com
eluxury.com

For those who want to purchase from the above sites, you can sign up for a service called Access-USA, which creates a US mailing address for you to use for purchases (and things like magazines) and then forwards the items to your international address. A word of caution: the service isn’t cheap, but if you live in China and are desperate for that Isaac Mizrahi dress, this is an option.

Does anyone else feel nostalgic?

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also via Games-Gadgets.com

Where do I buy this from? Seems very fun to play with!

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via Games-Gadgets.com

The cost for a 2007 pass is $39 (plus tax), and if you’re an IMAX fan it’s well worth it in my opinion. The 2007 benefits are:

– Unlimited entry to standard 45-minute IMAX films. (Not applicable toward special event films, private theatre rentals or films longer than 45 minutes).
– Full length Hollywood features for only $3.00
– 10% discount on purchases at the National Geographic Store
– 20% discount on companion tickets (for each additional ticket purchased with a pass holder)
– Free ‘upsizing’ on your popcorn and soft drink purchases at the IMAX concession
– Invites to special screenings and special events

More details on IMAX’s website

Sign up for ALDO’s newsletter and they will email you a coupon for 15% off your next Aldo Kids purchase.

Click here to sign up and get the Aldo coupon

If you got some points from last week’s 20x event you can redeem your points for more this week. Read Shoppers Drug Mart flyer here for more details.

Here is how to get 2 free movie rentals & popcorn from Nestlé Baby:

Becoming a mother is life changing. But that doesn’t mean everything about your life should change. Finding time to enjoy a little “couple time” is important too. That’s why Nestlé Babyâ„¢ is giving you 2 free BLOCKBUSTER Movie Rentals & Popcorn – when you purchase specially marked GOOD START® formula. So why not stay in? And enjoy an evening out. (Yes. It’s possible.)

All you have to do is:

1. Purchase a specially marked can of Nestlé GOOD START® (900 g), GOOD START® with Omega-3 & Omega-6 (730 g) or GOOD START® with Omega-3 & Omega-6 (712 ml)
2. Look for the offer sticker on the front of the can. You will find your coupon on the top of these specially marked cans.
3. Visit any participating BLOCKBUSTER® store to redeem your coupon for 2 free New Release Movie Rentals and microwave popcorn
4. Enjoy

Details on this Nestle Baby promo here

Got this email from Michelle who represents AOL.ca and thought I’d pass it on since the event if free to watch online with no registration.

Hey Boo,

Hope all’s been well since we were last in touch! Just got word of something really cool (and sort of last minute) from AOL Canada.. they’re going to be broadcasting a free live Nelly Furtado concert tomorrow at midnight (Friday to Saturday). The actual show is by invite only, but AOL.ca will be broadcasting it online for the world to see. Details are below…

Date: Friday, Dec. 8 / Saturday Dec. 9

Time: 12:00 am EST (9:00 pm PST)

Where to watch: www.aol.ca/entertainment

Live from: The Roxy Theatre on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, CA

Fans will be able to watch the performance as it happens and will also be able to access the concert on demand after the show ends. This is all absolutely free and available to all Canadians (no need to register or anything like that). This live performance broadcast is an AOL exclusive, and is part of AOL Canada’s new free online music and entertainment services.

Cheers,

Michelle =)

Updated