In August, my sister and I went on a sister trip to Vancouver, B.C. before my school started. We normally wouldn’t be buying a flight when it was going to be such a quick trip but we snagged an AMAZING deal from Flair Airlines. If you live in Canada, or have traveled here before, you probably are well aware that flights within the country are disgustingly expensive. I really believe that it makes people avoid Canada as a travel destination, and forces Canadians to travel elsewhere.
You’re probably thinking that I’m exaggerating at least a little bit, but for reference, it’s about 1/3 the price for a round trip flight from Edmonton to London, England than it is for a flight on the same dates to Halifax, Nova Scotia. So let’s just say I wasn’t planning a trip to the east coast.
Adidas Sneakers | Aritzia Jallade Trousers | American Eagle Denim Jacket and Sweater | Delsey Pink Luggage
I got a lot of messages wishing me luck for my flight to Vancouver on the low budget airline, which I wasn’t taking as a good sign. So I wanted to make sure I gave a 100% honest review of my first experience using the airline.
The flights themselves came out to be just over $200 from Edmonton to Vancouver; this was including paying for a checked bag each there and back. Which is nothing short of AMAZING if you ask me.
Bags are an EXTRA cost (both checked and carry on).
This bumps up the cost of your flight, but the fee isn’t grossly expensive, and honestly, what do you expect from a low fare airline? Checked bags are cheaper so I bought a checked bag for $25 both ways. Next time, I’ll probably pay the extra $5 and carry it on with me just for convenience sake. That being said, their bag sizes are normal so you can take your regular suitcases, the same ones you would have taken on Air Canada or Westjet flights (so you can stick to the same packing methods!)
It obviously depends on a number of factors, but the lines for counter service were relatively long when we were coming from Vancouver. This is why I would pay for a carry on bag and skip the counter all together. Just make sure you’re getting to the airport with ample time if you are checking your bag. While I was in line, there was a man behind me that was furious about the wait times. All I could think was his family was able to take a vacation because of this airline (he said that was the only reason they could afford it), so waiting in line for an hour or so was a small price to pay for the ability to travel at all. Just my two cents.
Food and drinks are an EXTRA cost (except for water).
If it means I can travel for cheaper, I’ll bring my own snacks thank you very much. Some people (read: every second angry comment) really take offence to this as per Flair online reviews, but in my opinion, I don’t need the coffee and pretzels on the flight if it means that I can go on a trip for cheap! Load up at Bulk Barn the day before and you’ve put yourself in a BETTER position snack wise, than if you’d gotten crappy pretzels on the plane.
You can’t expect the same quality as a regular cost airline for half the price.
Sorry, you just can’t. If you’re traveling on a budget airline, expect to have a little less legroom and no built in TVs. Download some shows on your Netflix app and you’re good to go!
The cosmetics of the airplane that we traveled on were on the older side; everything was a little worn down. But, it was perfectly fine for the price I paid. Everything on the plane worked completely fine.
I had absolutely NO safety concerns.
It seemed like almost every critical review I read about Flair Airlines was that the extras weren’t provided for free. There was never any mention of terribly turbulent flights, seat belts not working, safety concerns or anything of that nature. For me, that’s probably my primary concern when flying. If I go on a plane and feel like I might die at any second, I probably would avoid that airline the next time I travel. Not once while on the plane or in flight did I feel like my safety was being compromised.
Overall, I will 100% be flying Flair Airlines again.
Maybe not my first choice for a long haul flight, but the things I give up to be able to travel across Canada and the US for cheap is SO worth it to me. You just have to decide what’s worth it to you!
Check out a few of the hotspots in cities Flair flies to like Calgary, Alberta and Vancouver, B.C.! I’ve been seeing a bunch of adds around for heading to Winnipeg, and as much as I have’t heard a ton of good things (sorry, but true!), I’m kind of intrigued. Maybe it’ll be my next solo trip?!
Have you flown Flair or any other discount Canadian airlines before? Let me know what you thought of them in the comments!
xx Victoria
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