I have three different shovels and an ice pick, and I used all of them on my driveway this week to clear the snow, slush and chunks of ice left by the plow clearing my street in Halifax.
It’s only January, and this is already getting old. If this winter wonderland has you feeling miserable too, you might be thinking about a vacation. Destination: Anywhere but here.
The Canadian dollar’s plunge means that your usual go-to destinations in the United States might be less appealing in the face of a grim exchange rate.
With a one-day adult ticket to Disney’s Magic Kingdom park edging past $150 Canadian ($105 U.S.), maybe it’s time to try something new.
The poor Canadian dollar has adversely affected U.S. trips, but the low price of fuel has made flights more affordable.
“Fuel being as cheap as it is… it helps the price of all-inclusive destinations that much more,” says Michael duch*esne, publisher at Travelzoo Canada.
“So far this year we’ve seen some packages discounted as much as 40 per cent from Toronto, that’s year-over-year compared with 2015.”
Booking flights 90 days in advance can often score the best deals when buying tickets. “They know that if you really need to go to New York City tomorrow, you’re going to pay for it,” says duch*esne.
Also keep add-ons in mind when booking flights. Many airlines charge extra for checked bags, but Wow Air, which will be flying to Iceland from Canada starting later this year, charges extra for more than one piece of carry-on luggage, as well as seats with extra leg room, and oversized items like golf clubs, bikes and musical instruments.
duch*esne also recommends having some local currency before arriving, and says the best place to exchange money is either at your bank in Canada, or from an ATM at your destination. “Doing it at the airport is cost-prohibitive, the service fees are through the roof,” he says.
Travelzoo recommends five destinations for Canadians concerned about the loonie.
Iceland
Iceland Air already services Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto and Halifax, and they’re adding Montreal later this year. You can fly to Reykjavik for as low as $249 including taxes, each way.
Reykjavik, the capital, is a great layover option for travellers heading to Europe. You can stop for a couple of days and continue on to Paris, says duch*esne. Hotels and restaurants will be reasonable, as Iceland’s krona is almost at par with the Canadian dollar.
Poland
With a relatively low cost of living compared to other European countries, “Poland is one of the only European countries that’s still a good deal for Canadians,” says duch*esne. “Krakow [the second largest in the country] is constantly listed as one of the five least expensive cities in Europe.”
Poland’s currency is called the Złoty, but if they adopt the Euro, that may eventually mean higher prices.
The Czech republic once had a reputation as an accessible European country, but Poland is becoming the new hot spot for Canadians looking for history, culture and a bargain.
China
“We’re seeing very strong demand for China,” says duch*esne, adding that Air Canada offers non-stop service to China from across the country for less than $1,000 round-trip per person.
He suggests that the market is currently flooded with vacation packages thanks to buyers anticipating that the Canadian dollar would affect prices.
“China is also a great jump-off point to see other parts of Asia, it’s about $200 to fly to Hong Kong, about $300 to Malaysia,” says duch*esne.
Dominican Republic
Air Canada, Sunwing and West Jet have all increased their flights to this popular sun destination, where higher hotel costs due to the weakening dollar are balanced by lower-priced flights.
“So far this year we’ve seem some packages discounted as much as 40 per cent from Toronto, that’s year-over-year compared with 2015,” says duch*esne.
Rio de Janeiro
The Olympic games will be held in Rio de Janeiro this August, and that means more flights to Brazil’s second largest city.
The Brazilian currency, the Real, has been declining, which is good news for sporting fans looking to see Olympic events. Tickets start around $45, and meals and accommodations will be reasonable thanks to the exchange rate.
If you visit after the Games, that huge influx of rooms will need to be filled — watch for bargains. “More than 70 new hotels have been built since 2010, increasing the occupancy from 31,000 beds to 51,000,” says Travelzoo.
