Flight Passes?

[Raggie]

Are flight passes really worthwhile?

I'm looking at flight passes offered by Air Canada (e.g. to New York City). I don't really see any monetary savings in it. The flight pass offers 6 credits, but each one way flight is considered a credit. If the cost of a flight pass is $1500 plus taxes, each one way flight would be at least $300.

[D582]

If you book your trips well in advance, then no, they are unlikely to be worthwhile for you.

If you book trips last minute, then they can be extremely worthwhile.

[Drew_W]

Flight passes are for companies that do not book months in advance like casual travelers will.

[drdrma]

Flight passes are for companies that do not book months in advance like casual travelers will.

Uh, the AC sun and sun-plus passes are intended for leisure travel. My last 8-9 trips have used them.

[TrevorK]

Are flight passes really worthwhile?

I'm looking at flight passes offered by Air Canada (e.g. to New York City). I don't really see any monetary savings in it. The flight pass offers 6 credits, but each one way flight is considered a credit. If the cost of a flight pass is $1500 plus taxes, each one way flight would be at least $300.

I found they were worth while as a casual traveler.

Why? Because like many people I want to stretch my holidays out as much as I can so I end up traveling on long weekends, peak periods (Christmas), etc. The prices of flights during these times is MUCH higher and the cost savings of the flight passes is rather large. For instance I purchase a flight pass awhile ago where I was paying $200 per flight credit and because I was flying during Canada Day weekend I saved over $250 each way.

The only downside we experience is our flight pass has a selection of 5 cities we could visit some of which we had already been to and weren't keen on going back to. So it limited your selection in a way but for us we wanted to get away and it didn't matter where as we would take our actual holiday days (earned from work) for longer vacations to other destinations. We really should have just purchased an 8 credit (to share) rather than each our own 6 credit.

[Drew_W]

A lot of them aren't really worth it. East/West connector for $410 each way? C'mon. These flights are $229 without seat sales.

[drdrma]

A lot of them aren't really worth it. East/West connector for $410 each way? C'mon. These flights are $229 without seat sales.

These comparisons are tricky. The flight pass has probably $15 in taxes/fees versus $100 in taxes/fees for $229 seat.
Also, as TrevorK mentioned, flight passes have better availability -- arlines like to put advance purchase restrictions on the cheapest tickets.

[wisegi]

I got in on the First offering of flight passes when AC had it on for 2 mths , NORTH AMERICA for $800 total including tax..... I practically lived at airports for those 2 mths.... ended up taking 30 flights over those 2 mths..... East Coast , West Coast, South.... haha each flight cost 30 bucks... Greatest Pass Ever...!

[Raggie]

I got in on the First offering of flight passes when AC had it on for 2 mths , NORTH AMERICA for $800 total including tax..... I practically lived at airports for those 2 mths.... ended up taking 30 flights over those 2 mths..... East Coast , West Coast, South.... haha each flight cost 30 bucks... Greatest Pass Ever...!


When was this? Was it recently? Thats the kind of deal I'm waiting for. I remember years ago the flight passes were much better, my sister used to fly to London almost every weekend.

[Drew_W]

I think the good ol days of flight pass deals are gone. There were seemingly more back in like 2009 when the passes were just starting. It would be rather opportune if something like that came up again, but I'm not holding my breath. Unless you lack advance planning ability, flight passes are only "meh" deals without some kind of AC promo.

[drdrma]

I think the good ol days of flight pass deals are gone. There were seemingly more back in like 2009 when the passes were just starting. It would be rather opportune if something like that came up again, but I'm not holding my breath. Unless you lack advance planning ability, flight passes are only "meh" deals without some kind of AC promo.

"lack advance planning ability"? You could have written that better, not all of us can plan ahead two months for reasons other than competency. Also, you seem to be unaware of the upgrade benefits of passes.

[TrevorK]

Unless you lack advance planning ability, flight passes are only "meh" deals without some kind of AC promo.

Regardless of how much "advance planning" you have the flights during Christmas are still more expensive to book then a credit from a flight pass. The same goes for other holidays.

If you want to plan your holidays around getting the lowest cost flights or booking during low season then flight passes are not for you. They are for people who want to make last minute bookings and those that want to travel during peak times.

[swifferman]

I got the East-Coast West-Coast 6 credit solely because I had to book a flight around Christmas. Unless at least two of your credits will be used during high season no discount times(holidays), a flight pass probably isn't worth it. My pass also had a 21 day advance booking policy which really handcuffed you though so advance planning was required anyways. I think most other flight passes might be 7-14 days in advance though.

[TrevorK]

I think most other flight passes might be 7-14 days in advance though.

The ones I have used allowed booking up to a couple hours before departure.