Travel from Ontario (Frances)

[jgiesbrecht]

Looking at going about March 13thish 2020. I know it's a bit early to buy tickets but been looking them up nonetheless. If anyone here has flown from Toronto do you have any advice ...cost is very crucial...I financially may regret going haha, but I know I need to, so I am preparing for the costs (and plan on cheap basic housing), I'm just starting looking at travel and things to be ahead of my game. I am planning on about 40 days for my trip, and hope to go from St Jean all the way through Finisterre to Muxia.
Some things of interest to me would be
the multi way flight from Toronto to Paris and returning from Madrid to Toronto
Doing a round trip from either location if it's cheaper with finding the other smaller transportation's to get to the locations
How far ahead does anyone think I should purchase tickets by
Any other option that anyone has good feedback for

 

[NorthernLight]

Consider also flying to Paris, and home from Porto (OPO is airport code). Air Transat flies out of Porto -but not every day - and you may find a good deal. Anything under $700 Cdn is a good find. Sometimes there are good deals after Christmas.

 

[TMcA]

Check Air Transat, Air Canada, and maybe even Air France. Air Canada has had a succession of sale fares recently. I am signed up for email notifications for both Air Transat and Air Canada. This provides notifications of specials and deals. Suggest you sign up also if your budget is tight.

I think it is easier to start from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port if you fly into Paris. But if you start in mid-March, the pass over the Pyrenees is going to be closed, so what's the point, really? You can start in Pamplona and the logistics of getting there from either Madrid or Barcelona airport are cheaper and simpler. You're planning on going all the way to Finsiterre and Muxia, so you'll have no shame whatsoever about starting in Pamplona. Just my opinion, but the movie The Way has convinced way too many people that they must start in France at SJdPP.

If you start in Pamplona, consider a very short day and stop at the albergue in Cezur Menor. That's what my wife and I did in 2013 and it provided our intro into pilgrim's meals, albergue life, and allowed us to meet fellow hikers which we did not do when we arrived in Pamplona late in the evening before. That was a mistake, because Pamplona is a great place to visit, with extremly reasonable food and drink plus things to see. Fly from Toronto, bus or train to Pamplona, spend the night and then explore Pamplona the next morning. Then begin your Camino with an easy hour and a half walk to Cezur Menor.

Buen camino!

 

[jgiesbrecht]

I know nothing about the movie other than things I've heard since I had already made my choice. It's more of a if I'm going to go I'm going to do the distance kind of desire...feel like that's the route I'm supposed to take.

 

[TMcA]

Go with it, but if you keep an eye on this forum, you will find that you will have to take the alternate route (the Valcarlos) from SJdPP to Roncevalles. And you will have to fly somewhere in France, Paris is usually the cheapest, in order to minimize travel time to SJdPP.

 

[canlongwalker]

On my first camino I flew Air France to Paris, then on to Biaritz and from there took the train to SJPP. The problem was that I had to change airports in Paris. I had 4 hours and chose to use an inter airport bus instead of the subway. On that day it was a bad choice. It seems it normally takes about an hour and a half but on this day it took 3.5 hours. Fortunately for me my flight from Orly to Biaritz was also quite late and things worked out. I have since flown AC once each to Barcelona and Madrid and used trains from there. My experience is that flying to Madrid is by a small margin the most efficient and cost effective route from Toronto. Bon voyage.

 

[dfox]

#1 - the multi way flight from Toronto to Paris and returning from Madrid to Toronto
Doing a round trip from either location if it's cheaper with finding the other smaller transportation's to get to the locations

#2 - How far ahead does anyone think I should purchase tickets by
Any other option that anyone has good feedback for

#1 - Online tools, e.g., flighthub.com, offer many flight options and price points. Play around with dates, etc.

#2a - Chartered flights, e.g., Air Transact, their prices are relatively fixed. A round trip ticket between Toronto and Porto bought in May 2018 for May 2019 was C$630.00.

#2b - "Regular" flights, e.g., Air Canada, their prices fluctuate. One had suggested the best price would be 3 to 4 months prior to the departure date.

 

[danielle aird]

Looking at going about March 13thish 2020. I know it's a bit early to buy tickets but been looking them up nonetheless. If anyone here has flown from Toronto do you have any advice ...cost is very crucial...I financially may regret going haha, but I know I need to, so I am preparing for the costs (and plan on cheap basic housing), I'm just starting looking at travel and things to be ahead of my game. I am planning on about 40 days for my trip, and hope to go from St Jean all the way through Finisterre to Muxia.
Some things of interest to me would be
the multi way flight from Toronto to Paris and returning from Madrid to Toronto
Doing a round trip from either location if it's cheaper with finding the other smaller transportation's to get to the locations
How far ahead does anyone think I should purchase tickets by
Any other option that anyone has good feedback for

I live in Kingston and fly to Pamplona via Frankfurt with air Canada/Lufthansa. I get my flight tickets on the Flight Network. March 13 it is going to be very cold and will likely have snow. Buen Camino.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

If cost is your primary concern you might save by flying through New York or possibly also Boston or Philadelphia. We once saved quite a bit by flying from Boston to Amsterdam via Detroit. Crazy.

 

[MichaelF4]

You can find good airfare to Gatwick and then get a connection to Biarritz on Easyjet or other low cost UK carriers. On the return you can fly via Santiago or another Spanish city (Vigo, Bilbao etc.) to Gatwick. Westjet and other charter carriers fly to Gatwick daily from Toronto.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I don't think it's too early at all!
I'm walking in March and bought my tickets this week for $402 round trip to Madrid from LAX!
I've NEVER flown to Europe this cheap.
Try the JustFly website.

 

[cowanche]

We booked tickets as single routes as previous guests on this forum suggested, to avoid potential disappointments with missed connections, especially on back end of trip, coming home. Found we saved significantly on flight costs versus multi city round trips. Plus more flight options.
Air Canada Toronto to Paris (leave at least 2-1/2 hours to clear customs, get luggage and walk the airport terminal) ~$500CA. Air France Paris to Lyon to Biarritz ~$150CA ... easy peasy. Biarritz is a lovely beach destination, but maybe not in March. We used it to adjust internal clocks and kickoff the trip. Bourricot Express to St. Jean Pied de Port (cost dependent on shared passengers)
Home flights are Santiago to Madrid and same day Madrid to Lisbon - both on Iberia and with hotel overnight in Lisbon - $150CA. Finally, homeward bound with Air Portugal.
All booked 8 months out ... with a varied investigation of airline schedules and discount travel sites.
Hope it helps!

 

[cowanche]

Air Portugal cost was $275. All of above with taxes included.

 

[Michael Suechuck]

Do check out TAP Air Portugal. I was able to get a return flight from Toronto to Madrid via Lisbon for this September 2019 for $550.