In another Star Alliance connection, Continental will be returning to Edmonton as of November 2 with daily flights from Houston. Flights are timed to connect with Continental flights to Latin America and Southern U.S. and will be operated with a mix of Boeing 737-500s and 737-700s
Flight times as follows:
Edmonton-Houston Dep 0640 Arr 1156
Houston-Edmonton Dep 1800 Arr 2145
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Sunwing to fly Montreal-Ft. Lauderdale
According to Airline Route Updates, Sunwing Airlines will fly a twice weekly service between Montreal and Ft. Lauderdale starting on Dec 13, 09.
Flight times are as follows:
Montreal - Ft. Lauderdale Dep 1645 Arr 2020
Ft. Lauderdale - Montreal Dep 1220 Arr 1545
Flight times are as follows:
Montreal - Ft. Lauderdale Dep 1645 Arr 2020
Ft. Lauderdale - Montreal Dep 1220 Arr 1545
Air Canada to launch service between Calgary and Honolulu and Maui
Calgarians can now avoid connecting in Vancouver (or LAX, SEA, SFO) to get to Hawaii as Air Canada announced on Aug 18 that they will launch direct service from Calgary this winter. Both cities will start with once weekly service on Dec 5 and by mid to late December will be running at twice weekly to Honolulu and three times weekly to Maui. The flights will run until the end of April and be operated onboard Air Canada's Boeing 767-300ER's. Hopefully they will run the XMed planes with the new interiors and not one of the three they did not retrofit. However as the non-retrofitted planes do get quite a bit of rotation on sun/vacation routes due to lower yields, chances are the route will see them at least some of the time. No matter what I think my family will be hitting Maui again this year (even more then once perhaps)
Flight times are as follows:
YYC-OGG Dep 1420 Arr 1835
OGG-YYC Dep 1955 Arr 0515+1
YYC-HNL Dep 1405 Arr 1820
HNL-YYC Dep 1940 Arr 0510+1
Flight times are as follows:
YYC-OGG Dep 1420 Arr 1835
OGG-YYC Dep 1955 Arr 0515+1
YYC-HNL Dep 1405 Arr 1820
HNL-YYC Dep 1940 Arr 0510+1
Air Canada to launch non-stop service between Montreal and Houston
Of course during the week I decide to take vacation, Air Canada and other airlines announce a bunch of new routes from Canadian cities. All the new routes had two main focuses, Sun Destinations and Star Alliance connections. So here I am playing catch up on the new routes.
The new Montreal-Houston route announced by Air Canada on August 19th, is a Star Alliance connection. Houston is a large hub for Continental Airlines which is joining Star Alliance on Oct 27. This new daily route starts on November 30th and is timed to arrive into Houston to connect to Continental flights across the southern U.S., Mexico, Central and South America.
Schedule:
Montreal-Houston Dep 0955 Arr 1155
Houston-Montreal Dep 1225 Arr 1640
The new Montreal-Houston route announced by Air Canada on August 19th, is a Star Alliance connection. Houston is a large hub for Continental Airlines which is joining Star Alliance on Oct 27. This new daily route starts on November 30th and is timed to arrive into Houston to connect to Continental flights across the southern U.S., Mexico, Central and South America.
Schedule:
Montreal-Houston Dep 0955 Arr 1155
Houston-Montreal Dep 1225 Arr 1640
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Continental sets Oct 27 as entry date into Star Alliance
From Continental email sent Aug 12:
Travel through Oct. 24, 2009
OnePass members can continue to earn and redeem miles and make reward reservations on SkyTeam partners through Oct. 24, 2009. All reward travel on these partners must be completed on or before Oct. 24, 2010.
Travel on Oct. 25 and Oct. 26, 2009
If you travel on a Star Alliance airline on Oct. 25 or Oct. 26, we will make every effort to ensure you automatically receive OnePass mileage credit (including Elite Qualification Miles/Points) and eligible customers receive lounge access. Please save copies of your travel documents for Oct. 25 and Oct. 26 — eTicket receipts and original boarding passes — until mileage credit is confirmed on your OnePass statement.
Travel Oct. 27, 2009 and beyond
When the transition to Star Alliance occurs on Oct. 27, 2009, OnePass members will begin earning base miles and Elite Qualification Miles/Points and be able to redeem miles on Star Alliance airlines.
Travel through Oct. 24, 2009
OnePass members can continue to earn and redeem miles and make reward reservations on SkyTeam partners through Oct. 24, 2009. All reward travel on these partners must be completed on or before Oct. 24, 2010.
Travel on Oct. 25 and Oct. 26, 2009
If you travel on a Star Alliance airline on Oct. 25 or Oct. 26, we will make every effort to ensure you automatically receive OnePass mileage credit (including Elite Qualification Miles/Points) and eligible customers receive lounge access. Please save copies of your travel documents for Oct. 25 and Oct. 26 — eTicket receipts and original boarding passes — until mileage credit is confirmed on your OnePass statement.
Travel Oct. 27, 2009 and beyond
When the transition to Star Alliance occurs on Oct. 27, 2009, OnePass members will begin earning base miles and Elite Qualification Miles/Points and be able to redeem miles on Star Alliance airlines.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Emirates 2 Day World Sale for Toronto departures
Receive an additional $150 off roundtrip Economy Class fares and $1,000 off roundtrip Business Class fares when you book online. Save on flights from Toronto to any one of Emirates over 100 destinations worldwide. Bookings must be made Aug 11 or 12. Travel is valid until Mar 10, 10 with Dec 5-Dec 24 blacked out.
Book online at Emirates
Book online at Emirates
Friday, August 7, 2009
Air Canada cuts Madrid for winter season
From Airline Route Updates:
According to online GDS timetables, Air Canada will not fly the Toronto-Madrid route this winter. Initially it was planned that AC would fly the route 3x weekly.
According to online GDS timetables, Air Canada will not fly the Toronto-Madrid route this winter. Initially it was planned that AC would fly the route 3x weekly.
US Airways to resume Edmonton-Las Vegas Service for the fall
Earlier this year US Airways cut their routes to Las Vegas from Calgary and Edmonton as part of a larger program in flight reductions out of LAS.
It appears though that the Edmonton - Las Vegas route has been reinstated and will be starting on Sep 11 (the incoming flight will leave LAS on the 10th) . It looks to be a 4x weekly routing for September (Mo,Tu,Fr,Sa) and then goes daily in October. The direct link will then end on Dec 16. Flights are operated by regional carrier Mesa Airlines with a CRJ900 as follows:
YEG-LAS Dep 630 Arr 832 x
LAS-YEG Dep 2128 Arr 139+1
It appears though that the Edmonton - Las Vegas route has been reinstated and will be starting on Sep 11 (the incoming flight will leave LAS on the 10th) . It looks to be a 4x weekly routing for September (Mo,Tu,Fr,Sa) and then goes daily in October. The direct link will then end on Dec 16. Flights are operated by regional carrier Mesa Airlines with a CRJ900 as follows:
YEG-LAS Dep 630 Arr 832 x
LAS-YEG Dep 2128 Arr 139+1
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Why I think WestJet teamed up with RBC Royal Bank and MasterCard
A conversation on Twitter last night had me answering some questions as to why I think WestJet went with RBC and MasterCard for the credit card that will be associated with their frequent flyer program and here is what I came up with:
- Why RBC? I would have to speculate that RBC was chosen because WestJet wants (and should be) affiliated with a major Canadian bank. It could not be CIBC as they are heavily tied into Air Canada/Aeroplan, BMO has Air Miles and although they had a previous relationship together the new WestJet program will technically compete with Air Miles, TD has put a lot of time and effort into their new cards and in all reality since you can redeem for any travel, the TD points earned can simply be redeemed for WestJet bookings so no real need to tie in with WestJet, which leaves RBC and Scotiabank. Scotiabank is one of the weakest in the travel rewards department while RBC has proven their might in the industry with the Avion, British Airways and Cathay Pacific cards, hence the link up with RBC.
- Why MasterCard? I believe there are a few reasons why MasterCard was chosen. Many people are asking why because RBC is traditionally a VISA supplier. First, WestJet's previous credit card that was tied into Air Miles was a MasterCard and it was quite successful leading me to believe WestJet has a comfortable and good relationship with MasterCard. Second, MasterCard may have pushed WestJet as MasterCard is not partnered with any major airlines in Canada for a direct airline branded credit card. The closest they come to is the Alaska Airlines MasterCard but Alaska only serves B.C. and Alberta, so while they a major U.S. airline, they cannot be considered the same in Canada. Compare this to VISA who have Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways and Cathay Pacific cards in Canada. With this link up MasterCard will have a major airline to call their own, although soon enough WestJet will not be the only one as there are hints of another major U.S. airline launching a credit card here. Some may say why the RBC and MasterCard connection when there are many other MasterCard issuers in Canada. I would have to answer that outside of BMO with whom WestJet will now compete, all the MasterCard issuers in Canada are U.S. based banks and to team up with them just does not have the same marketing prowess as being teamed up with a Canadian bank, if fact some people may have been angered if WestJet had teamed up with one of the U.S. banks (Keep it Canadian right?)
So there you have it, when you look at all these factors the whole WestJet-RBC-MasterCard connection seems to make sense. Now we just have to wait and see with great anticipation how the rest of the WestJet frequent flyer program looks.
- Why RBC? I would have to speculate that RBC was chosen because WestJet wants (and should be) affiliated with a major Canadian bank. It could not be CIBC as they are heavily tied into Air Canada/Aeroplan, BMO has Air Miles and although they had a previous relationship together the new WestJet program will technically compete with Air Miles, TD has put a lot of time and effort into their new cards and in all reality since you can redeem for any travel, the TD points earned can simply be redeemed for WestJet bookings so no real need to tie in with WestJet, which leaves RBC and Scotiabank. Scotiabank is one of the weakest in the travel rewards department while RBC has proven their might in the industry with the Avion, British Airways and Cathay Pacific cards, hence the link up with RBC.
- Why MasterCard? I believe there are a few reasons why MasterCard was chosen. Many people are asking why because RBC is traditionally a VISA supplier. First, WestJet's previous credit card that was tied into Air Miles was a MasterCard and it was quite successful leading me to believe WestJet has a comfortable and good relationship with MasterCard. Second, MasterCard may have pushed WestJet as MasterCard is not partnered with any major airlines in Canada for a direct airline branded credit card. The closest they come to is the Alaska Airlines MasterCard but Alaska only serves B.C. and Alberta, so while they a major U.S. airline, they cannot be considered the same in Canada. Compare this to VISA who have Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways and Cathay Pacific cards in Canada. With this link up MasterCard will have a major airline to call their own, although soon enough WestJet will not be the only one as there are hints of another major U.S. airline launching a credit card here. Some may say why the RBC and MasterCard connection when there are many other MasterCard issuers in Canada. I would have to answer that outside of BMO with whom WestJet will now compete, all the MasterCard issuers in Canada are U.S. based banks and to team up with them just does not have the same marketing prowess as being teamed up with a Canadian bank, if fact some people may have been angered if WestJet had teamed up with one of the U.S. banks (Keep it Canadian right?)
So there you have it, when you look at all these factors the whole WestJet-RBC-MasterCard connection seems to make sense. Now we just have to wait and see with great anticipation how the rest of the WestJet frequent flyer program looks.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
WestJet selects RBC and MasterCard to supply the new WestJet Travel Rewards Credit Card
WestJet announced today that they have selected RBC and MasterCard to be the supplier of the credit card for the upcoming WestJet Travel Rewards program. The card itself will be the first MasterCard issued by RBC, who have been solely a VISA provided to this point. The card should be released in line with the launch of the yet to be named WestJet Frequent Flyer program this fall.
It will be interesting to see what the card offers and if different versions will be available, for example a no/low fee version, a higher fee version with a full suite of benefits. The card will definitely have a significant role in changing the rankings of next years Top Travel Rewards Credit Card (see 2009 rankings here) as WestJet is such a key player in the Canadian market.
Source: WestJet
It will be interesting to see what the card offers and if different versions will be available, for example a no/low fee version, a higher fee version with a full suite of benefits. The card will definitely have a significant role in changing the rankings of next years Top Travel Rewards Credit Card (see 2009 rankings here) as WestJet is such a key player in the Canadian market.
Source: WestJet