Canadians travelers are familiar with the high cost of flying. It just seems like airlines tickets are more expensive in Canada compared to flights originating out the USA. Annecdotally, for instance, whenever I plan a trip, I always search nearby US airports. I live in Victoria BC (YYJ), so my surrounding airports are: Vancouver (YVR), Seattle (SEA), and Bellingham (BLI). Recently I have become a huge fan of flying out of Bellingham and have done so now on a handful of occassions.
Anyone who lives in lower British Columbia (Vanouver, Victoria, Kelowna, etc) should consder flying from Bellingham for cheaper flights. In fact, since most Canadians live within an hour of the US border, US departure cities should not be overlooked when considering travel.
Top Reasons Canadians Should Fly From Bellingham, Washington
Here’s why Bellingham is an attractive departure city:
1. It is just across the Canada/US border, about 30 minutes from the Peace Arch Border Crossing.
2. Parking at the airport is inexpensive.
3. There are many nearby hotels that offer free parking if you spend the night, as well as shuttle service. See the Bellingham Hotwire Hotel list or Bellingham Priceline Hotel list.
4. The airport is small, meaning check-in and security is extremely quick. In fact, I recommend checking in ahead of time to avoid any potential delays. On the other hand, crossing the border is a big risk factor. Sometimes it can be quick but it can often take 30 to 90 minutes.
5. Canadians avoid expensive air fares for flights originating out of Canada, as well as high Canadian taxes on flights.
BLI, the airport code for Bellingham, is serviced by 2 airlines:
Allegient Air: Allegient Air has flights from Bellingham direct to Las Vegas. Flight prices from BLI to LAS range from $69 to $100+. Allegiant Air, although inexpensive, tries to make money by charging you for everything, even things you would not expect to be charged. For example, they charge for: carry on luggage, seat selection, and even printing your boarding pass. There are no free drinks on flight, not even water
Alaska Air: Alaska also flies to Vegas non-stop. A tip when flying to Las Vegas: Ask if there are any first class upgrades available. For $50, you get 2 free checked bags and all the other perks of flying first class. This is the way Vegas should be done. Alaska also flies to Seattle, which can get you pretty much anywhere. In the winter and spring, Alaska also has direct flights to Honolulu (HNL) from Bellingham. For Canadians wanting to excape the winter, you can get a direct flight to HNL for sometimes as low as $150 each way.
Many of these flights leave early in the morning. If you need to stay at a hotel in Bellingham, there are some great deals available, either through Priceline and Hotwire or through regular hotel reservation websites. I recently stayed at the Comfort Inn Baron Suites. This hotel included free shuttle and breakfast, as well as a week of complimentary parking on the hotel premise. The parking lot was full of other Canadian and British Columbia vehicles, by the way… a sign that a lot of Canadians were flying out of Bellingham because of the significantly cheaper flights.
