Why don’t you fly out of Buffalo? This is the first question, or advice, that anyone has for anyone else in Southern Ontario that plans to fly to the United States. Why? Flying out of the much smaller Buffalo Niagara International Airport, as opposed to Toronto Pearson, can be much easier, faster and cheaper to American destinations.
For one, the commuter flying network in the U.S. is infinitely greater than in Canada. Competition ultimately reduces pricing. Secondly, passing customs in your car on the Peace Bridge between Fort Erie and Buffalo, New York can be easier and faster than at the airport. Thirdly, parking and ‘park and fly’ packages are simply cheaper in Buffalo.
Here’s a twist. If you’re in the Toronto area and you want to fly to another major Canadian destination, does it also make sense to fly out of Buffalo? What? Sound ridiculous? Maybe not.
We took a look at eight major destinations in Canada, comparing pricing from Buffalo compared to Toronto. This comparison takes the lowest possible prices including taxes for a round trip departing on Sunday, November 10, 2013 and returning Sunday, November 17, 2013. Pricing was correct as of October 20, 2013, is subject to change and availability without notice and should be used as reference only.
The results are interesting. Some locations are much cheaper out of Buffalo and some are more expensive. Some locations just aren’t practical. All flights out of Buffalo make connections while all flights out of Toronto are direct. Times are given as a reference but this case study is really just about the price.
Destination: Vancouver, British Columbia (YVR)
From Toronto via Westjet: $586.00
Flight departs at 10:45 EST and arrives at 12:57 PST (15:57 EST). This is a direct flight.
From Buffalo via United: $486.00
Flight departs at 13:07 EST and arrives at 20:19 PST (23:19 EST). This flight connects at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
Destination: Edmonton, Alberta (YEG)
From Toronto via Westjet: $591.00
Flight departs at 06:55 EST and arrives at 09:07 MST (11:07 EST). This is a direct flight.
From Buffalo via United: $589.00
Flight departs at 08:10 EST and arrives at 12:37 MST (14:37 EST). This flight also connects at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
Destination: Calgary, Alberta (YYC)
From Toronto via Air Canada: $589.00
Flight departs at 07:00 EST and arrives at 09:17 MST (11:17 EST). This is a direct flight.
From Buffalo via United: $535.00
Flight departs at 16:31 EST and arrives at 20:45 MST (22:45 EST). This flight also connects at Chicago O’Hare.
Destination: Regina, Saskatchewan (YQR)
From Toronto via Air Canada: $566.00
Flight departs at 07:00 EST and arrives at 12:55 CST (13:55 EST). This flight connects at Calgary. A direct flight is available for $652 with Westjet.
From Buffalo via United: $622.00
Flight departs at 16:31 EST and arrives at 01:30 CST (02:30 EST). This flight connects at Chicago O’Hare then again in Calgary. For $663, a flight can be had that connects just in Chicago. That one departs at 16:31 EST and arrives at 23:12 CST (00:12 EST).
Destination: Winnipeg, Manitoba (YWG)
From Toronto via Air Canada: $468.00
Flight departs at 10:00 EST and arrives at 11:38 CST (12:38 EST). This is a direct flight.
From Buffalo via United: $528.00
Flight departs at 08:10 EST and arrives at 11:58 CST (12:58 EST). This flight connects through Chicago.
Destination: Montreal, Quebec (YUL)
From Toronto via Air Canada: $243.00
This flight departs at 14:00 EST and arrives at 15:15 EST. This is a direct flight.
From Buffalo via United or Delta: $304.00
This is not feasible. If you’re driving to Buffalo from the Greater Toronto Area, you may as well just drive in the other direction for a few more hours to get to Montreal. Via United, the flight departs at 17:17 and arrives at 21:52, connecting through Cleveland, Ohio. Via Delta, the flight departs at 08:00 and arrives at 11:54, connecting through Detroit, Michigan.
Destination: Halifax, Nova Scotia (YHZ)
From Toronto via Westjet: $459.00
This flight departs at 21:00 EST and arrives at 23:59 AST (22:59 EST). This is a direct flight.
From Buffalo via United: $525.00
This flight departs at 10:29 EST and arrives at 16:04 AST (15:04 EST). This flight connects at Newark International. Not feasible but it would possibly be a great view directly up the Atlantic coast from New York to Nova Scotia.
Destination: St. John’s, Newfoundland (YYT)
From Toronto via Air Canada: $584.00
This flight is really the only option as flying out of Buffalo will eventually connect in Toronto anyway. It departs at 06:50 EST and arrives at 11:18 NST (9:48 EST). This is a direct flight.
From Buffalo via Air Canada or Delta: $839.00
Again, this is just for reference and unless you’re in it for the flying experience, this is simply a bad idea. Via Air Canada, the flight connects in Chicago and Toronto, departing at 16:31 EST and arriving at 03:23 NST (01:53 EST). Via Delta, the flight departs at 11:53 EST and arrives at 23:56 NST (22:26 EST) and connects at Detroit and Toronto.
Need help booking your next flight?
E-mail me: tsamworth@cruiseshipcenters.com
Book on-line: Orangeville Expedia
