It’s just Summer, but we are already thinking about where to go for our Winter getaways. Vancouver is the gateway to Whistler — which is great for some skiing and boarding.

Vancouver at Sunset. Photo: Qole Pejorian, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)

Sample Travel Date:

• September 5th – 9th

Fare Availability:

• Valid for travel from September – April, 2014. Use ITA Software Matrix Airfare Search and flexible month search to see availability. Must purchase at least 7 days in advance of departure
• Beginner’s Guide on How to Use Matrix by ITA Software
• How to Read Airfare Rules and Use It to Your Advantage

Routing:

• ZFV – EWR (Newark) – SFO (San Francisco) – YVR (Vancouver) – SFO – EWR – ZFV
• ZFV is the the airport code for Philadelphia 30th Street Amtrak Station. The ZFV – EWR // EWR – ZFV segment is operated by Amtrak.
• A few things to remember about fares from ZFV from our reader Sean
  • You do NOT earn Premier Qualifying mileage on the ZFV-EWR and EWR-ZFV segments
  • You do earn 250 Redeemable miles, but do NOT earn status bonuses.
  • You do have to take the train to start the reservation
  • In the case of a schedule change, you may be able to drop the ZFV-EWR segment. (Your Mileage May Vary)
  • You can only print out your Amtrak boarding pass the day the train departs from the departing terminal kiosk or ticket desk.
• United travel vouchers cannot be combined or used with fares from ZFV.
• Logistics of the train to plane transfer
  • From Newark:
    • Follow sign for AirTrain
    • Take AirTrain to Rail Link Stop (Past Terminal C and P4)
    • And exit using your Amtrak ticket. AirTrain fare is included
    • NJ Transit and Amtrak shares a platform, so look for the right departure platform
  • To Newark from Newark Amtrak Station:
    • The above reversed
• Baggage will not be automatically be transferred from Amtrak to United and vice versa should you check your luggage. You must re-check your luggage with either United or Amtrak.

Mileage:

• 6,876 miles or 6.0 cents per mile

How to Book:

• Use dates found on ITA Software Matrix Airfare Search and book on United.com
• United’s risk free cancellation policy here

Background Information:

• Visa: US Citizens – not required. Other nationals, check the TIMATIC Visa Database
• Currency: Canadian Dollar (CAD) $1USD = 1.01 CAD

Tips for saving when using credit cards at international destinations:

• No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards to save on international purchases
• Don’t get hit with Dynamic Currency Conversion
• Get your taxes refunded when shopping
• How to Avoid International Data Roaming Charges

For more of the latest cheap Philadelphia Flight Deals:

• Go to the The Philadelphia Flight Deals page

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The Flight Deal does not sell travel products or services. We provide you with information about third-party travel suppliers’ offers, and link you to their sites. The information posted by The Flight Deal is valid at the time of publication. However, we have no control over the suppliers, and we therefore do not warrant or guarantee that their offers will not change or become unavailable. Nor are we responsible for their products, services or site content. Please see their sites for their most up-to-date offer information and all applicable terms and conditions.