I want my niece to travel from Toronto to a central jersey (NJ) airport (newark or atlantic city or Laguardia) at a very cheap price. she is an int'l student and is looking for a good bergain. SHe has a 3 day long weekend that she wants to use for this visit. what are the choices she has that would be both cost and time effective. is there any bus or train deal that would be better than air. Pls advise. thanks

The very cheapest way is to fly out of Buffalo. It's worth the drive to Buffalo and you can get soem really good prices from there.

If that's not possible, try Porter Air out of the Island Airport. I really don't know much about them, but have heard good things.

The train leaves Toronto in the morning (around 9, I think) and su[[osedly gets to New York City mid-evening, but I'VE READ SEVERAL REPORTS THAT IT IS USUALLY LATE BECAUSE OF DELAYS CLEARING us CUSTOMS GETTING INTO THE USA.

For eguylar tourists, this is a poor deal because you then need to pay for a hotel room, without any time for sightseeing that day.

Porter early flights are recommended. You arrive in Newark befor internation flights from other countries start to fill up the US Customs and Immigration lines.

Porter leaves from Toronto City Center Airport, which is downtown on Toronto Island, and for many people, easier to get to that the main airport.

BAK

We took Porter Air to Newark last month and it was just great! Very convenient, very competitively priced and everyone is treated like a first-class passenger. It was like the 'good old days' of flying.

She can either have someone drop her right at the Porter ferry terminal at the foot of Bathurst Street or she can catch the shuttle at the Royal York Hotel.

I highly recommend Porter. Here's their website:

www.flyporter.com

I wouldn't even consider the train. I don't think it's any cheaper and it takes forever.

Thanks to the posters for their responses.
I see Continental fare is about $340 for RT ticket. Porter airline is abt $350 also. Not much savings.
In any case, Good that I came to know about porter airline which I didnt know before. I gues because of the oil price nothing is cheaper these days.
regards,

Hi sumplanner,
I knew that Porter, like the other airlines, recently raised their prices. We payed about $220 return in May and Air Canada was just slightly higher than that when I flew to LaGuardia in June.

If you have a choice, I'd spend the little bit extra and have your niece take Porter. It's so much nicer than the others. Of course, it helps if she's coming from downtown or central Toronto.