Cheapest flight from PDX,OR or SEA, WA to ANC, AK?
I'm sure the title was a bit confusing, so let me elaborate. I just received a job offer at Anchorage, AK (Alaska) for summer job. I'm a student trying to enjoy the summer while earning money for another school year. I currently live in Portland (PDX), OR. I am finding few, if any, flight from PDX to ANC. It seems there are more available from Seattle, WA. I think the best option is for me to take Grayhound and spend $25 to reach Seattle, and take the plane from there. I have spent hours searching for best option. I would like to leave between 26th~30th, ealier the better. So for anyone who likes to research airfare, or has some experience doing so, it would truly help me a lot to figure out the most financially sound way to make the trip. 1) Which is cheaper, from PDX or SEA? 2) What is the cheapest rout? (One way, or round trip) 3) Would bus or ferry be possible alternative trip back home? Thank you for your time.
Air Travel - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I think flying out of SEA has more airlines flying that route. Therefore the prices should be lower. I think Alaska Airlines, United and Delta fly that route. From PDX, I think only Alaska Airlines flies that route. You can try www.airfarewatchdog.com to see if you can find a decent airfare price. Round-trip is usually cheaper versus one way ticket. But when you do your search, you can try both methods. I am sure there has to be bus service from ANC to SEA and you can see if Greyhound operates that service.
2 :
It'd have to be a hellagood PT job to get me to fork out $700+ just for an interview. Will you recover that much from the job to make it worthwhile, vs. taking a PT job in Portland? I checked Orbitz and ITA to see what's available, and it's outrageously expensive--$600+. Instead, I think you'll do better with a last-minute package specialist such as http://www.site59.com because it's often cheaper to bundle air+car or air+hotel for last-minute travel. For example, they show PDX-ANC air+car at $420 with tax included. This is outstanding considering it's nonstop flights on Alaska Airlines, +2 days rental from Hertz for a compact car. Also check student sites http://www.statravel.com and http://www.studentuniverse.com and http://www.travelcuts.com -- they might have something cheaper on the airfare.
3 :
Travelling by air from Seattle to Anchorage is definitely your best choice. But don't expect bargains -- the airlines flog too many of their "cheap" seats to cruise companies whose customers fly one way, sail the other. Going north by ferry is very time consuming and expensive too, to get all the way to Whittier (near Anchorage) from Bellingham (north of Seattle). I priced a sample itinerary and it cost $547 for one adult passenger, not counting meals or cabin. Travel time with a minimal connection at Juneau is 4 1/2 days! As for bus, Greyhound would take you the best part of 3 days to get you from Seattle to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and there is no indication of a connecting bus service from there to Anchorage on Greyhound's website. Perhaps a bus terminal ticket agent could advise you. But from a purely practical point of view, air is really your only option, given your time limits.
