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A flight across the Pacific to the Great White North is no easy feat, and making sure you have the best value flight is a must. The best flight deals from Australia to Canada are, generally, into the two largest airports: Vancouver and Toronto.
Canada is larger in size than Australia, so consider your itinerary and then look for a flight deal. If you want to check out destinations in the East like Niagara Falls or the Bay of Fundy, fly into Toronto or Montreal and then travel by car, train or regional flight. If you're hoping to see the Rockies and Pacific coast, fly into Vancouver.
Canada flights from $1,682 return
Canada flights from GBP£332 return
Business Class flights from $5,004 return
North America flights from $1,257 return
Vancouver is the only city in Canada you can fly direct to from Australia, and with that ease of travel often comes the cheapest fares. Expect to pay at least $1,000-$1,500 for fares from east coast cities like Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Occasionally, sale fares with connections through China are available for a few hundred less but do add time to the journey.
Connections to other cities in Canada, like Toronto, Montreal, Calgary or Ottawa, generally add a few hundred dollars to the fare.
Autumn (September to November), late-winter (February) and spring (March to May) are generally the cheapest times to fly to Canada as the colder months bring unfavourable weather for sightseeing, unless you're planning on a ski holiday.
The exception to this is December and January when ski season and Christmas/New Year's travel is at its peak.
Based on Skyscanner data, you should book your flight to Canada at least three weeks in advance if you're flying to Vancouver, and leave even more lead time if flying to other cities like Toronto or Montreal.
We also recommend booking flights whenever there is a sale for a price that's less than the "good deals" noted in the sections above, and not leaving it to the last minute, if you can avoid it, especially if there is a specific time of year you want to travel.
The earlier you book, the more likely it is you'll get cheap tickets. For most Canadian destinations, try to book before July to pounce on early-bird offers.
You can still get cheap tickets in last-minute deals if you missed the early promotional offers. But this involves a lot of risk that you won't get a seat. Even if you miss the early bird offers, it's recommended that you book your tickets at least two weeks in advance.
For those planning to stay for about a month in Canada, flying in towards the end of November or the first few days of December can save you 10-30% on your fare. According to Skyscanner data, flying back either side of 31 December will bag you a bargain.
This depends on where in Australia you're flying from, and where in Canada you're flying to.
Below are the fastest possible options we were able to find and include connection times. We found some cities, like Winnipeg, do have available fares with fewer stops, but longer connections.
If you're flying from Melbourne to:
If you're flying from Brisbane to:
If you're flying from Perth to:
It currently flies from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Vancouver, where you can connect to other destinations in Canada.
Qantas offers seasonal service between Sydney and Vancouver.
Direct flights from Australia only arrive into Vancouver. If travelling onto other destinations in Canada, like the airports above or destinations like Ottawa, Halifax, Winnipeg or Saskatoon, you may find flights through Los Angeles are a better option.
If travelling to eastern Canada, like Toronto or Montreal, there are more connections available than via Vancouver.
Most of Canada's airports are far from the city centre, and driving times can be 30 minutes or more, depending on traffic especially if you're travelling during peak hours.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport, which is on the United States' side of the border does have an airport that is closer to the Falls, but you will need to cross the border to get there if you're hoping to visit the Canadian side of the waterfalls.
If arriving into Canada by air, Australian citizens travelling to Canada with an Australian passport need to apply for an electronic travel authorisation (eTA), which is valid for five years (or until your passport expires, if it's due to expire in less than five years). It's valid for unlimited entries to Canada as long as it's valid. You need to apply for an eTA online before you leave Australia.
If you're crossing into Canada by land, you don't need an eTA.
It's not just Australians who need to apply for this, but any visa-exempt traveller (including British citizens and those from the EU) also needs an eTA.
If you hold a valid American passport, you don't need an eTA.
Australians can stay in Canada for up to six months visa-free, so make sure your ticket is for a day before your six months are up.
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