Friday July 15 is Healthy Parks Healthy People Day--Free Park Day Passes

Friday July 15 is Healthy Parks, Healthy People Day.  Provincial Parks in Ontario will be offering free day visitations to all, and some of the parks have free events and activities planned that day. Might be a good day to take the day off!
Here's a rundown of the day's events.  Enjoy your staycation!

Price Glitch with Aeroplan?

Since Aeroplan introduced Market Fare and what they tag on their website as a "great deal" is largely not at all a great deal.  Market Fare is Aeroplan's answer to customer complaints that there are not enough reward seats available on flights, so Aeroplan decided to make EVERY seat on EVERY Air Canada flight available--but at a price.  As seats become more and more scarce, the number of points required to fly increases to incredibly unreasonable amounts of Aeroplan points, just so they can keep their promise.  Well, sometimes they offer deals, but while you'll get a deal on the points, they'll shaft you with the fuel surcharges, making a "great deal" a sham.

Right now, Aeroplan is, in my opinion, either accidentally offering OR doing this as a publicity stunt to get people to look at Aeroplan as a more viable option than competitors such as British Airways Avios.  It could simply be because Air Canada prices for the flight at the time period listed below allows them to offer such a low price.

Interested in flying to Hong Kong from Toronto?  Right now, such a flight between September and April 2017 is going for as little as $1000 with Air Canada.  Aeroplan is having both direct and 1 stopover in Vancouver flights from as little as $74 and only 56K (for those with Black Distinction status and around 60K for those with no status) and change in Aeroplan points.  Regularly, a flight from Toronto to Hong Kong, with fixed mileage is the maximum number of points for any flight, 125K Aeroplan points.  Normally, market fare taxes are lower than fixed mileage, though in this case, the differential is insignificant.

Book now!

Nexus--for ANYONE Xing to the States

My family all have Nexus cards.  Nexus cards are a high security US-issued ID that allows you to cross the border with relative ease and most importantly, SPEED!  If you have little ones, even if you only cross the land borders once a year during the holiday season, the last thing you need is a screaming/whining child because of a long wait at the border–you’ll be thanking me for getting you to spend the $50/adult just to avoid that hassle.

Solution: As a Canadian citizen with a passport, you can apply for a Nexus pass.  The cost:: $50USD or $50CDN for FIVE YEARS ($10 a year), depending which way you apply (on paper or online) and that’s per adult.  Children are FREE until they’re no longer minors!  If you cross at a land crossing, they’re are usually dedicated NEXUS lanes, just for NEXUS card holders.

EACH person in the car though MUST have a Nexus pass or the CBP (Customs and Border Patrol) guard WILL take all of your cards and BAN you from the program, perhaps for years!  It’s at the CBPs discretion.  You may send a letter of apology, BEGGING to get back in and they may say yes.

After applying, you’ll need to schedule an interview with a CBP office–the closest one in the GTA is at Pearson Airport.  Currently, due to renovations, it's on Airport grounds, but NOT at the airport--and there's free parking!

I’d rather go to a bridge crossing that has a CBP office that does interviews; specifically the one at the Whirlpool Bridge.  That bridge is awesome because it is a DEDICATED bridge to Nexus card holders only.  They'll also let you through the bridge on the way back after the interview though you haven't been issued your card yet.  They'll give you a number which you'll mention through the speaker box to them.

It’s a little tricky at first to find the bridge (not far from the Rainbow Bridge, in Niagara Falls) but the wait there is practically ALWAYS minimal.  They’ll probably ask you at the interivew (and your partner if you’re not single) why you want a Nexus and how often you’ll likely be crossing.

You can use the card to get a small discount on your cost of crossing the bridge.  You may put either CDN or USD on your actual NEXUS card at the border crossing booth on the US side (of the Whirlpool) so you don’t have to go scrambling for change since they don’t accept NY highway transponders nor credit cards to pay to cross.

You ARE EXPECTED to always be totally upfront about your business and what you’re bringing over and returning with.  My wife and I have always followed that policy and we’ve NEVER (thank G-d) been pulled over when coming back to Canada except when one of the cards had expired--even then, they were very respectful, professional, and understanding of the matter.

Don’t think if you’re coming back on the Monday of a long weekend that they’re won’t be a wait–ONE TIME we were foolish enough to do what we usually do when we go every few months–to do grocery shopping, but instead of going on a Sunday of a long weekend, we came back on the Monday–and dealt with about a half-hour wait–the longest I’ve ever waited.

The advantage to the Whirlpool is you don’t have to worry about being blocked by cars from getting to the dedicated Nexus lane as you would with other bridges as EVERYONE crossing at that bridge is in the same boat as you–with Nexus cards.  At other bridges, you may be backed up for hours before you can weave your way into that special lane.  And as of the renovations in 2015, there are now up to 2 officers/lanes on each side of the bridge, cutting wait times by 50%!

Oh yes, and babies DO need to get a passport, followed by applying and receiving a NEXUS card too if you wish to use the NEXUS lane.

While you may wish to save money and apply through a paper application so that you pay $50CDN, paying $50USD is worth it as you'll do so through an online application.  You'll have an online ID through the GOES website connected to the Nexus program.  When you reapply 5 years later, your profile will still have all of your info so you won't have to go through the trouble of starting from scratch.  Also, your chances of avoiding another interview are MUCH higher if you reapply online.  Apparently, only 10% of reapplying applicants avoid a new interview, but me and even my wife, whose Nexus expired, had to go for a new interview.

EVEN HOTTER Deals from Washington and Boston to Joberg!

For some reason, Expedia's New Zealand website is offering even cheaper deals than out of JFK.  They're not direct, either having stopover in Ghana or JFK, but now that the JFK-Joberg deal's dates are slowly vanishing at the low rate reported on yesterday's post , other options have been found, as reported on Dan's Deals.
Here's the info from that website:
From DC the fare starts at NZD 544 which is USD $391. From Boston the fare starts at NZD 651 which is USD $468.
As with the NYC deal, cheap fares can be found for departures from August through December
You can find cheap dates using Google Flights and then plug them into the link below to save approximately $390 off those fares.
Sample $391 dates from Washington DC-Johannesburg:
-September 13-21
-September 18-28
-October 9-26
-October 30-November 9
-November 6-16
-November 13-23
-November 21-30
-November 27-December 7
-December 4-14

HOT!!! JFK-Johnannesburg direct on SAA for $667CDN return!!

As reported on Dan's Deals this past hour, South African Airlines is offering flights through Expedia.co.nz for 722NZD (New Zealand $) which converts to $667 CDN!  Click here to go to their website! Here are the available dates, with the bold dates $100USD more each way. $836CDN return starting from Johannesburg!
JFK to Johannesburg
August 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31
September 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
October 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
November 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
December 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Johannesburg to JFK
August 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31
September 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
October 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
November 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
December 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
January 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
February 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
March 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
April  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
May 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

ACT FAST!!

Return for $400+ Canada to Europe, Morocco and Tunisia!

Deals from Canada to Morocco, Tunisia, and Europe for late summer/early fall/winter are on now.  Flights out of Toronto for several cities across Europe with Delta, KLM, Alitalia, Swiss, Air Canada and other airlines.  Go to Google flight search here and change the date and the city of your choice. I put in Toronto to Budapest for August 23-31.  That flight is pricing out at $569 with Air Canada and Swiss airlines. The Google search will show you the best prices based on your dates of departure.
For departures during specific periods, FlightCentre.ca is offering upwards of $100 off your flight through them.  Check this link out to find out more about whether you can double dip and take advantage of both deals! Much success in booking your travel!

NYC to Toronto for $44-59USD one way!

Vayama.com is having a sale--the first 1K people that use the FLASH40 promo code on the payment information screen to get $40 off the flight.  This deal is good for any international flight originating from the States so it's best to use for a one-way, and use the code for only one ticket, so if you need to book three tickets, book each one individually and use the code each time at checkout!
To Toronto from either JFK (flying TAM business class for $59, the Brazilian airliner that is allowed by open-sky policy to pick up and land in both cities) or Air Canada for $44 out of La Guardia or Newark is the best way to take advantage of this deal.  You still of course, have to find your way to NYC.  That's the catch of course, and the taxes are usually quite steep, as leaving out of YYZ tends to always be pricey in the tax dept.
JFK to Toronto dates for the deal, from the Dan's Deals website:
July 13, 20
August 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 31
September 7, 14, 21, 28, 30
October 5, 12, 19, 26
November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
December 7, 14, 21, 28
January 4, 11, 18, 25
February 1, 8, 15, 22
March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
April 5, 12, 19, 26,
May 3

LaGuardia to Toronto on Air Canada:
June 22, 23, 28
July 6, 7, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26
August 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31
September 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 23, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30
October: All dates except 7, 10, and 31.
November: All dates except 27, and 28.
December: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Newark to Toronto on Air Canada:
June 29
July 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27
August 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31
September All dates except 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
October: All dates except 10
November: All dates except 14, 27, and 28.
December: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15