When you can get them. I’m certainly not going to complain though in my situation – my flights were nearly free thanks to points, but the routing just is a bit odd:
My flight plan is thus: Nanaimo-Vancouver-Phoenix-Los Angeles-Auckland!!!! Air New Zealand does operate direct flights from Vancouver to Auckland, but only on certain days and none were available to me via Aeroplan. So, I took this option. On the big plus side, we flew over the Grand Canyon, a definite perk, before landing in the scorching wasteland that is Phoenix – 41C right now, before humidity…okay, there is no humidity in the desert.
Regardless of how I travelled, the first flight was required, and really, the most fun. It’s a short little sea-plane hop from Nanaimo to Vancouver, and drops me at Vancouver’s airport. Well, nearby, since the plane lands in a nearby inlet. The airport is right on the coast though, so it’s only a short shuttle ride to the airport. Once I got there, I was the only person waiting for an US Airways flight – nobody was available to check me in. Turns out I was just a bit before the 3 hour normal wait period. Shortly after I arrived however a person came to claim my bag and check me in. And off I went (to security).
Another interesting peculiarity of flying this way is having to connect through the States – going from Canada to the US, I actually went through US Customs before boarding the plane. I think this was the first time I got to experience this (other times, coming into the US from other counties, you clear customs upon landing in the US), and while at first being a bit odd, once I got off my flight in Phoenix I grew to appreciate it – I walked off the plane and didn’t have any more security checks to worry about! It was rather nice and civilized.
And that’s where I sit currently, Phoenix’s airport. This thing is monstrous (and kind of dark/muddled), I took about 40 minutes to wander around one of 3 terminals here, and then went to find lunch. Chose spicy Mexican, which may end up being a mistake considering I have another 19 hours of travel or so: 3 more hours here in Phoenix waiting, a short 1 hour hop to Los Angeles, 2 hour layover there, and then, finally, my 13 hour long haul to deliver me to Auckland! Almost there!
Im about to take this flight, luckily it’s direct, but it’s going to be a long 14 hours!