Canadian Travel agency

[howardhoavan]

Hi
I need help on what best travel agency to book for my ticket to SABA from a Canadian City. Would it be possible to book from two way ticket from a us city near border ( buffalo ) since it much cheaper in US according to my preliminary search from yahoo, orbitz, expedia.com . Thanks

[scoobz1981]

I have yet to talk to a Canadian travel agent who gets good deals on flights from Buffalo - I have called dozens in the past 2 years. They will quote you the same fares you find on expedia and the others. But, if you have friends in Buffalo, or look online for some Buffalo travel agency phone numbers, they may have better deals. All the times I travelled to SABA, I left from Buffalo, and it usually saved me 300 dollars but I booked through Expedia.

Val

[Conway]

I have just posted something in the sticky called "Travelling to Saba," and I had mentioned JetBlue.

I know JB services both Buffalo and Rochester, NY, (Buffalo is right over the border from Fort Erie, and Rochester is about one hour down the thruway/I-90).

I just did a search on JB's website with random dates going from Buffalo to San Juan, and they were about $119 one way, (goes through JFK in NY). Then you can take a Liat, Caribbean Sun, or other regional airline to SXM, and then Winair or the boat to Saba. As I posted on the other thread, it shouldn't be more than $240 one way.

I think to connect strategically with the regional and Winair flights, you have to leave really early in the morning from Buffalo and then eventually get to SXM by the afternoon.

Hope that information was helpful. :wink:

[howardhoavan]

I am canadian, I just wonder if you are a canadian, when you come back from sxm, US custom will not let us in since we only have one-way ticket from sxm to buf. Please advise me on this, since I am afraid that i will be block from come back to buffalo. On the way to SABA, it make sense. Thanks a lot

[howardhoavan]

Also, it is ok to tell the border guard that you come to buffalo to flight to st marteen. Will they accept that as a legal thing, or just tell them lie that you are visit a friend in buffalo. I am on my h1 visa in US, everytime I cross the border, these suckers give me a lot of hazzel that may be the reason why I am really preoccupied. Thanks

[Conway]

I'm not Canadian, though sometimes I wish I was :roll: I'm an American citizen, and I go to school near Rochester at SUNY Geneseo.

As with the ticket problem, perhaps you could try to buy JetBlue tickets round trip. This is because Jetblue only sell tickets as groups of one-way tickets, so prices are the same, even if you buy one way tickets.

Thus, if you were to use the route I suggested, you could buy the BUF-SJU tickets round trip, with the SJU-SXM tickets as one-way (I think it is much more expensive to buy a round trip ticket, and travelocity's deals on $120 round-trip tickets only allow a 4-7 day stay.) Just remember to see the fine print before buying anything.

[Conway]

I'm not too sure about the Visas, I'm sorry.

I suggest that you talk to Val (scoobz1981), he's Canadian, and he's mentioned flying from Buffalo.

Usually when I go to Mississauga or Toronto to visit friends or paricipate in charity work, I just say that I'm visiting a friend. Usually they're pretty good about it. Though I'm not sure if they would enter your reason into their computer, because if you visit a friend or "go shopping" for four months, it could get suspicious :lol:

[scoobz1981]

When I travel from Buffalo: As I cross the border into America, they always stop me and ask me where I am going, and I always say that "I am going to medical school in the Caribbean on an island called SABA and that I am flying out of the Buffalo airport." Then they check my trunk and let me drive through. Tada... It is just that simple! Truth is so much easier than fiction. Also, one time (I think in august) the border patrol guard said that I was the 3rd student he had seen in 2 days going to SABA. I just laughed.

Val

[Conway]

Wow, lots of Canadians crossing the border to fly to SABA, eh?

Maybe that's a sign that it is significantly cheaper to fly out of the US?

I agree w/ you there on the truth - I just usually choose the most simple thing I am doing out of them all. For example, if I am visiting a friend and going to do street-sweeping with him, I'll just say that I am visiting the friend.

[dr.holbs]

I was just wondering if anyone has used Liat Carribbean they seem really cheap, but I was worried about the flight from Puerto Rico to sym. Any into would be helpful. Thanks

[Conway]

I just read on another thread by Val on how his Liat flight was delayed 5 hrs, and how he recommends against it.

Val - any other experiences relating to Liat?

[scoobz1981]

Don't Fly with LIAT... If you have to swim, you will be better off!



Val

[dr.holbs]

I read the same post. Has anyone else had any dealings with them. Not that I am trying to minimize how bad that your trip was. I just read some of the earlier posts and it seemed that every one was using them because they were/are super cheap. SO if anyone has had any dealings with them please let me know.

[Conway]

As I was searching on Travelocity, Caribbean Sun seemed to offer similar routes and schedules as Liat, and perhaps that would be another option...

[howardhoavan]

Hi Val
I am still confused about the legal of the trip

Let say I buy two-way from BUF-SJU , SJU-SXM

From Toronto to buffalo, we will hit the custom, you can get away with them very easy if you just tell them you are visiting friend and just flight to airport ( :), I will tell them the truth, it is peace of mind). From SJU-BUF probadly will be hard since we only have one-way ticket. If they ask, how do we tell them. Would you mind to expedite your trip details. Thanks a lot

/howard

[scoobz1981]

When you fly from SXM to SJU (into San Juan) you are officially entering the United States since Puerto Rico is now a territory so that is the ONLY customs officer you will meet. There you have 2 options:

1. Tell that customs officer you are going home to Toronto.

2. Tell that customs officer that you are flying into Buffalo, and then driving to Toronto cause it was cheaper.

Ta-Da... its just that simple.


Val

[Siddman]

I am a Canadian..from Toronto..and the best place to buy tickets is from cheap tickets .....but you have to wait and watch it everyday to get the cheapest ticket....i saw one for 400 Can dollers for one way departure on April 27th..but the prices go up and down..keep on watching the prices to suit your needs.....

Siddman,

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Faith it seems, is not without the touch of irony