JayBearII Posted December 27, 2016 Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 Hey snowbirds, please give me the benefit of your experience: what flights are best, at good rates, and within daylight hours, to get from Guadalajara airport to Toronto and return? I would not want to make more than one stop each way. TIA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ready Or Not Posted December 27, 2016 Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 We have tried them all but I am sure others may have a different opinion. The one we like best for travel times is United - as you can leave around 7:50 am from Tor. and get into Guad. around 2:15 pm. The turnaround time in the airport in the US is quick, and we like that as we do not like hanging around airports for too long. Also like that you can get a flight back leaving Guad. at around 3 pm so you don't have to get up & to the airport at an uncivilized hour. We like Delta for service, but there is usually 2-3 hrs. waiting for connecting flight in US & sometimes too long to catch connector from US. Sometimes we use American depending on the flight times, also ok. Its all about the timing for us. We try to get back and forth as fast as possible with as little time spent in the connecting airport as possible. We caught a good deal for Jan. and were able to get a great price on first class so we can bring down a bunch of stuff for the house without worrying about extra baggage fees. Hope this helps, and of course this is just our opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted December 27, 2016 Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 Lots of nonstops from down here in PV. No messing with the US and a beach visit, might be worth considering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayBearII Posted December 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2016 Note: we LIVE in Ajijic. Looking to go to Toronto to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monica40 Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Air Canada through Mexico City avoids US stops. From Guad to MEX, then from MEX to YYZ (Toronto) I booked through Air Canada directly and saved a few bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Another good idea, through CDMX. I notice a flight tomorrow to Toronto on WestJet from PVR. Are they any cheaper than Air Canada? Flight time to Mexico City and PV are about the same but avoiding US Customs is probably priceless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ned small Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 15 hours ago, JayBearII said: Note: we LIVE in Ajijic. Looking to go to Toronto to visit. All my friends and relatives do Westjet from PV, from Toronto and places west. You can bus from GDL or fly to PV. A friend flew from Pearson to PV, then took the bus and it was less time than one of those flights with a stopover in the USA and all the inconvenience that entails. Viva Westjet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezzie Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Daily flights non-stop from Mexico City to Toronto via Air Canada. This way the trip avoids any stops and layovers in the Excited States of America so has become my favorite way. There are hourly flights between GDL and Mexico City and as one poster above indicated, just book the whole thing through Air Canada's web site (they partner with Aero Mexico). I have not yet found a better way or lower cost than doing it that way. You can also do the INM exit paperwork thing at GDL so you don't have to fuss with it at the Mexico City airport (Benito Juarez International). The only tricky part is making the connection in Mexico City - you have to change terminals and the terminals are at opposite sides of the airport. There is a train you take to change terminals and for a "first timer" it can be a little bit confusing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 That is a real advantage to using PVR, small but nice terminal and no trains! (Yet) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Over the last twenty years, I have tried every which way there is to fly to Toronto and back. Everyone's experience is going to be different for one reason or another. I have a personal vendetta with Air Canada for their petty charging and have always found them to be the most expensive of any airline in flight cost. One example of their pettiness is the charging of $35 dollars for an extra suitcase...except that both suitcases were carry on size and both combined were smaller and weighed less than the one humongous suitcase in the next line for which there was no charge. But I digress. The following are my personal observations for flying to Toronto ONLY. 1) Any flight to anywhere that is not booked months in advance is going to have crappy timing both in the start, finish and layover time. 2) Any flight going through Houston or Mexico City would best be used by a person in superb physical condition. Lots of walking and changing of terminals. 3) I like American Airlines through Dallas. I like the cost, I like the timing and I like the airport there. I have never had to change terminals and everything seems more compact and easy. As always, YMMV... but have a Happy New Year anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 My daughter spent many hours over a two-month period looking for a decent booking from Ottawa to here and back. Every trick you've ever read about or seen on TV? They don't work. We go through this every time. Finally, she was driven to Montreal to get a flight from there to Mexico City. 5 hours delayed due to snow at this time of year. My point being that, as Ferret said, there is no good answer. You just have to thrash around until you get something that isn't going to kill you. Doesn't matter which airline (hers was AeroMexico all the way, but when I checked travel times, WestJet was offering it too... no difference in departures, or cost. I dislike Dallas and Houston intensely, because they always schedule the connecting flights too close to your arrival there; three years running, guests have had less than an hour, and three years running missed the flights. Mexico City is our preference (although I agree it is a real boondoggle of a place). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ready Or Not Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 13 hours ago, Ferret said: Over the last twenty years, I have tried every which way there is to fly to Toronto and back. Everyone's experience is going to be different for one reason or another. I have a personal vendetta with Air Canada for their petty charging and have always found them to be the most expensive of any airline in flight cost. One example of their pettiness is the charging of $35 dollars for an extra suitcase...except that both suitcases were carry on size and both combined were smaller and weighed less than the one humongous suitcase in the next line for which there was no charge. But I digress. The following are my personal observations for flying to Toronto ONLY. 1) Any flight to anywhere that is not booked months in advance is going to have crappy timing both in the start, finish and layover time. 2) Any flight going through Houston or Mexico City would best be used by a person in superb physical condition. Lots of walking and changing of terminals. 3) I like American Airlines through Dallas. I like the cost, I like the timing and I like the airport there. I have never had to change terminals and everything seems more compact and easy. As always, YMMV... but have a Happy New Year anyway. I totally agree....and find it strange that some people here have found Air Canada to be the cheapest as it has always been far more $ whenever I have checked plus changing in Mx. City is a hassle. Also don't like the longer flight time to Mx. City - prefer shorter jaunts on planes at my age. Of all the change over airports in the US - Atlanta is far superior IMO - very helpful people just walking around the airport asking you if you need help (cant even find someone to help you in Houston or Dallas) plus a nice relaxed atmosphere & a very good seafood restaurant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayBearII Posted December 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Thanks to all who have posted! You have given me a lot to think about and it's a big help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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