I was online in early January looking for flights to Florida. Searching for the best prices on flights, car rental, accommodations, and travel insurance. I gave up after spending hours researching flights; departure times are mostly early hours, like 7 a.m., so I must be up at 3 a.m. to make sure I am at the airport before 5 a.m. I would say that return flight prices are as cheap as they have ever been. I have been going to Florida for over 20 years as I have extensive relatives living all over Florida. I have gone in every month from Sept. to March, but especially in Feb., to attend the Daytona 500, the start of NASCAR season. Now I have to check the luggage requirements. Some airlines include one checked bag in price; for others, you have to pay per bag; some allow carry-on bags, and some you pay; some allow a laptop bag under the seat, and some don’t. You better make sure you check the weight and size of your luggage also because if you oversize or weigh, the price increases significantly. I am travelling by myself. If you’re a family with kids, I salute your ability to manoeuvre all the above.
How do I get to the airport? I take my car and park in the park n’ fly lots; pay for the one close to the airport. One year, maybe in 2018, I saw a low price for a parking lot furthest from the airport with a free shuttle. Good idea, NOT. My GPS had the address, but there was no sign by the road. It got buried under the snowstorm that evening. Then, the shuttle didn’t come on time, and I was left frozen in the dark waiting. I was the only person waiting at this lot.
So now we make it to the airport, hurry up, and wait in long lines to check in. I usually fly into Orlando, a great airport that is very easy to navigate. One year, I flew into Sanford, and it was amazing. There were no people, no traffic, no problem, except it is at the very north end of Orlando, about 5 miles from my cousin, who lived in Winter Springs.
So at the Orlando Inter. Airport, you land, and take the train shuttle into the main terminal, down one level to collect your luggage, and down another level to pick up your car rental. I always book a compact car as they are very reasonable. One year I arrived late at night and all the compacts were all gone, so they gave me a Toyota Sienna van that could hold a basketball team. Most years I book with Enterprise off the airport as they are very cheap for a week’s rental. They used to have a weekend special rate from Friday to Monday morning for $40 with unlimited mileage. You can thank me for ending that deal. Drove from Orlando to Key West to Miami and Fort Myers. Bargoon.
As for accommodation, I have had the benefit of staying with family, but I also liked seeing the whole state. So, I would generally book Airbnb or 3-star motels for very reasonable rates in Canadian funds if pre-booked. This requires a strict travelling timeline, though. I’ve got this down to a science, but it limits your sightseeing time unless you have a very well-planned itinerary. The last thing to look after is travel insurance. Never, ever think that nothing can go wrong. Of all the types of insurance, this is the one to must-have. A friend of mine was travelling with his wife in Florida and got hit by a drunk, non-insured driver with a suspended
licence. His car was totalled, his wife was hospitalized, and their travel insurance covered everything till they finally got back home.
Now for money. Everything so far, I have prepaid before I left home in our money. The exchange on our dollar, I affectionately call the Canadian peso, is a killer. This is where credit cards come in handy, but most regular travellers to USA have a US bank account to keep funds. I always take enough for food and gas expenses. So after all the above explanation, along comes Mr. Trump and makes disparaging remarks about our lovely country, and his tariff folly.
Change of plans. I am staying home.
P.S. Make sure you include cancellations in your travel package
_________________________________________________Paul W.
