Porter Airlines is expanding its Western Canada network with the addition of a non-stop route between Ottawa International Airport (YOW) and Edmonton International Airport (YEG).  The new route begins October 4, with one daily roundtrip flight operated on the 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. Introductory roundtrip fares start at $184. The Edmonton-Ottawa route offers a variety of connections to Eastern Canada via Ottawa. Porter also operates multiple non-stop daily flights between Edmonton and Toronto-Pearson.  Here’s a story I wrote about Ottawa a few years ago.  And one from Edmonton back in 2014. Route Departure Arrival Ottawa-Edmonton 7:15 p.m. 9:40 p.m. Edmonton-Ottawa Read more

Thinking of a trip to Europe next year? You’ll likely need a special waiver form/authorization statement. Americans, Canadians, Australians, Mexico citizens and many others heading to Europe have traditionally not needed special documentation, other than a passport. But the European Union is changing the rules for 2024, and will now require a special authorization for people travelling from visa-exempt countries (1.4 billion people in all) to so-called Schengen Zone countries, which you can apply for in advance through the European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ETIAS. NOTE: This does not apply to the United Kingdom or Ireland, which are Read more

One of the world’s favourite foods is celebrating it’s 100th anniversary in January, 2024. And a weary, hungry world says thank you. The story goes that Lionel Sternberger, a 16-year-old worker at a restaurant in Pasadena, California, was making up some hamburgers at a place called The Rite Spot in the first month of 1924. Apparently one of the patties started to fall apart. Rather than serve a good customer a fragmented burger, he is said to have found a slice of cheese and placed it on top to cover up his poor patty work. Voila! A star was born. Read more

  WESTJET NEW WINTER SCHEDULE   WestJet today announced its winter schedule, unveiling significant opportunities for Canadians to plan their winter escapes and extending key domestic and international routes from summer to year-round service. New routes include Calgary-Tampa Bay, Toronto-Bonaire and Edmonton-Montego Bay. The Tampa Bay flights will allow greater access to St. Petersburg, Clearwater Beach and Dunedin, spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays. WestJet also is extending key routes to operate year-round, including Calgary-Paris and Vancouver-Atlanta. “This year’s winter schedule is about providing Canadians with what they want: affordable sun destination getaways from across Canada; enhanced domestic Read more

Dreaming of a European summer? The ultimate list for a summer of travelling has been revealed.    It’s been a busy and warm summer in Europe, so here are some ways to beat the heat. Once you’ve cooled off, get out there and enjoy.   The team at Spin Genie analysed the average price and the number of days it would take to view the tourist attractions of major European cities to create a list of the 11 best places to visit in Europe.      11 of the Best Places to Visit in Europe:   City  Country  Average Hotel Read more

With the Canadian women’s soccer team about to start their quest for a FIFA World Cup title in Australia, here comes a great sale from Qantas. Qantas today released its Australian “Red Tail Sale” offering discounted airfares for round-trip nonstop flights between Vancouver and Sydney. Flights are available from $1,499 CAD.* The sale will run July 18-24, 2023 across all cabins for varying travel periods in 2023 and 2024. Selected travel dates and days apply.     Onboard Savings & COVID Credits   Qantas international fares include checked baggage, food and beverages, and in-flight entertainment as standard with every booking. Customers Read more