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Taking a Trip? Fly From the U.S. and Save

Friday, April 1, 2011

If you’re planning a trip and looking to save money on airfare, consider taking flights from the U.S. instead of Canada.

After years of paying higher airfares at home, Canadian travelers are getting wise to the fact that there are big savings to be had by taking cheap U.S. flights from airports just across the Canada – U.S. border.

These savings can amount to hundreds, even thousands of dollars, particularly when travelling in groups of two or more.

A recent survey showed that in 2010, 21% of Canadians air travelers flew from the United States, and an additional 11% said they would consider flying from the U.S. in the future to save money on flights.

Why are flights from the U.S. Cheaper?

Why, you may ask, is there such a large price difference between U.S. and Canadian airfares? The answer can be summed up with the following three reasons:

Lower Taxes in the United States – The biggest reason for the difference in airfares is that the United States imposes much lower taxes on airlines that the Canadian government.
Generally Lower Airfares in the United States – Due to greater competition and economies of scale, airfares in the United States are often lower than those in Canada, although this is not always the case.
Low Cost Carriers in the United States – Unlike Canada, the United States has a number of national and regional low cost airlines that fly exclusively to high demand destinations.

Depending on which city you live in, it can be well worth your time to drive to a nearby U.S. airport to catch a flight. Many of these airports are easy to get to and offer affordable long term parking rates. An additional advantage of flying from the U.S. is that you won’t have to waste time going through U.S. customs.