Travellers can score an ultra-low-cost ticket that takes them to two popular vacation destinations from the Lower Mainland.
Thanks to WestJet's big birthday sale, tickets to several of the airline's key destinations cost significantly less than they typically do. The sale is on from now until March 5 and is applicable to basic, economy, premium, and business fare classes for travel between March 14 and Dec. 15, 2023.
The promotion only applies wholly WestJet-operated flights, meaning that it doesn't apply to tickets that include another airline on any of the flight segments. There are no black-out dates.
Direct, round-trip options to Honolulu, Hawaii cost less from Metro Vancouver with WestJet than on any other airline on the market. If you only want to visit Hawaii, you can book cheap tickets from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in late spring and into next fall and winter. While tickets to the hotspot soar during the winter months, you can snag a cheap deal to the islands right now for the next frosty season to keep costs low.
But you can also combine a cheap ticket to Hawaii as a stopover en route to one of the world's most highly sought-after destinations.
Tickets to Sydney, Australia are an absolute steal from Honolulu, which means you can actually visit both cities for less than the cost of flying there directly from YVR or via another city.
Get cheap Vancouver flights to Honolulu, Hawaii and Sydney, Australia
Depending on your flexibility, there are numerous options for under $1,000 return that visit both destinations. If you can wait until November, you can take advantage of a ticket for under a jaw-dropping $800 including all taxes and fees.
To book this deal, use the Google Flights price calendar to find cheap dates from YVR to Honolulu International Airport (HNL). In a separate tab, look for cheap flights from HNL to Sydney International Airport (SYD). You might want to keep both tabs open as you determine dates because you'll want them to line up for your availability and also so there's enough wiggle room in case of delays. Rather than spending several nights in Honolulu at the beginning or end of your journey, you might want to put a couple of nights on the outbound and return journeys.
You should try to spend at least one night in Honolulu in each direction in case there are delays since the ticket is not all booked together.
Here's an example of an itinerary that works out to a deal under $800 that includes a few nights in Hawaii in either direction. You fly from Vancouver to Honolulu on Nov. 6 and then fly from Hawaii to Sydney on Nov. 9. After flying back to Hawaii on Nov. 23, you take your final flight back to Vancouver on Nov. 26.
Google Flights shows you several pricing options -- but you must be careful
The YVR to HNL ticket may appear a bit cheaper on Google but works out to just under $401 directly with WestJet.
Travel tip: If you book one of the cheaper third-party suggested showing in the flight matrix you might end up with issues along the way. Although some larger travel agencies with brick-and-mortar stores in the Lower Mainland, such as Flight Centre and Expedia, are reliable options, there are numerous others that may end up being scams or make ticket changes more costly, time-consuming, or impossible.
When you book the other ticket through Jetstar, you will get roughly the same price you saw on Google. It will show that the price is US$252.40, which works out to approximately C$343.12.
When you add the two tickets together ($400.96 + $343.12), you'll end up paying $744.08 including all taxes and fees for the entire journey.
From glistening white-sand beaches to vibrant coral reefs, and delectable eateries to endless shopping experiences, there are a number of things to see and do in Australia. Of course, the country is famous for its wildlife, and there are a variety of tours that take travellers up close and personal with some of the most fascinating creatures in the world.
Use the Google Flights online matrix to get tickets to Honolulu and Sydney.
