How far ahead you should book flights to get the best deals to Canadian cities

Mar 28 2017, 11:19 pm

As Canadians, we often travel within our own country.

From Nova Scotia to British Columbia, there’s so much to do and see, which is why we were voted the number one place in the world to visit this year. But often times, we have family and friends we want to see or we simply need to travel somewhere for work.

And as we know, flights can be tricky within Canada. Often, you can fly south of the border for cheaper prices than flights within Canada.

But, it’s all about timing.

Travel website Cheapflights studied travel data to look into the best times to book flights within Canada for the best value.

Some of their findings included:

  • The best time to purchase a flight for a big city (think Toronto or Vancouver) is often 4-5 months in advance.
  • Trying a smaller airport will probably result in cheaper flights (think Abbotsford over Vancouver and Hamilton over Toronto).
  • Off-season vacations are more affordable.
  • The week before Labour Day is the most affordable to fly in the summer.

Based on averages from departure points across Canada, here are Cheapflight‘s average recommended planning times to ensure the best flight deals.

Destination How far in advance to book, on average
Vancouver, British Columbia  143 days (4.75 months)
Montreal, Quebec  140 days (4.5 months)
Toronto, Ontario  138 (4.5 months)
Edmonton, Alberta  121 days (4 months)
Calgary, Alberta  118 days (4 months)
Ottawa, Ontario  118 days (4 months)
Whitehorse, Yukon  109 days (3.75 months)
Victoria, British Columbia  103 days (3.5 months)
Halifax, Nova Scotia  98 days (3.25 months)
Winnipeg, Manitoba 92 days (3 months)
Kelowna, British Columbia 90 days (3 months)
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island 89 days (3 months)
St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador 88 days (3 months)
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories 84 days (2.75 months)
London, Ontario 81 days (2.75 months)
Regina, Saskatchewan 75 days (2.5 months)
Quebec City, Quebec 72 days (2.5 months)
Abbotsford, British Columbia 72 days (2.5 months)
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 67 days (2.25 months)
Moncton, New Brunswick 66 days (2.25 months)
Thunder Bay, Ontario 61 days (2 months)
Fort McMurray, Alberta 59 days (2 months)
Windsor, Ontario 56 days (1.75 months)
Fredericton, New Brunswick 54 days (1.75 months)
Deer Lake, Newfoundland and Labrador 53 days (1.75 months)
See also
Daily Hive StaffDaily Hive Staff

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