Best Cheap Flights to Vancouver to Book with Points

Are you itching for a mildly damp and gorgeously lush vacation? If so, then Vancouver, Canada, may be a good fit for your next destination. With moderate temperatures year-round and over half a million residents, this modern city is well-connected with flights from the U.S. Best of all, it’s easy to find award flights to Vancouver.

For this analysis, we compared five major airports from around the U.S. including:

• Los Angeles.

Although your airport may not be on this list, these are good examples of prices you’ll find for flights to Vancouver. But what airline offers the best deal from each city? Let’s break it down.

Although the U.S. has many major airlines operating within its borders, just four of them offer flights to Vancouver.

The four airlines offer a variety of flights to this Canadian city, while other popular airlines such as JetBlue and Southwest do not.

Below are some of the best options for flights you can book with points. All of these prices are based on a one-way economy ticket for a Sunday in April 2022; you’ll find comparable rates on return flights.

Keep in mind that when booking award flights it’s nearly always better to book two one-way flights rather than a round-trip award. The main reason for this is flexibility: by booking separately, you can change, cancel or rebook either flight without affecting the other.

It should come as no surprise that Alaska Airlines is the best for flights out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) given that it’s headquartered in Seattle. Still, there’s surprising competition with other leading airlines charging just a few thousand more miles on this one-hour nonstop flight.

Although New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is a major hub for most airlines, you’ll find surprisingly expensive fares for this cross-country journey. American Airlines stood out — head and shoulders — above the rest, with fares coming in under 10,000 points total, more than 20,000 points fewer than the competition.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is another major airport with good connections. You can find decent rates from a member of every airline alliance here. Still, American Airlines provides superior services out of DFW with nonstop options and cheap flights.

Another win for American Airlines with flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), though the competition gets closer with just a few thousand miles difference for flights from United and Delta. Of these airlines, only Alaska will force you to make a stop on your way north with layovers in Seattle.

You’d think Delta Air Lines would have this one in the bag, given that the airline’s massive headquarters at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). However, American Airlines takes the lead again with flights that are exponentially cheaper than its competitors.

Although American Airlines handily beats out the competition for Vancouver flights, don’t worry. There are still plenty of other ways to book cheap flights to the coastal city.

• Book with a Companion Pass from Alaska Airlines, American Airlines or Delta Air Lines. Depending on which credit card you hold, you may be eligible for a companion ticket that’ll allow you to bring someone for deeply discounted rates.

• Have flexible dates. While these rates are a good representation of award flights to Vancouver, keep in mind that every U.S. airline features a dynamic or semi-dynamic reward program. This means that on one day you may find a flight for 30,000 miles, while the next day the same flight will cost just 12,500 miles. Being flexible is key, especially when you’re flying multiple people at the same time.

• Redeem American Express Membership Rewards points. If you have the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you’re eligible to receive a 35% rebate on redeemed points for certain airlines. If flying economy, this must be your chosen airline; if flying business or first class, you can receive the rebate for any eligible airline. As an example, if your chosen airline were United and you purchased a $101 ticket (10,060 points) for a flight from Seattle to Vancouver, you’d essentially be paying 6,539 AmEx points after the 35% rebate — plus you’d earn miles for your flight. Terms apply.

• Consider multiple airports. Oftentimes, major cities feature multiple airports. In these cases, searching surrounding airports can help you navigate to the cheapest offerings, such as flying out of New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) or Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) rather than JFK.

Vancouver is a well-connected city with plenty of options for flight reward redemptions. Whether you’re looking to fly with American Airlines — which is nearly always the cheapest — United, Delta or Alaska Airlines, you’ll be able to find flights to Vancouver with ease.

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