Confirmed—flight travel in Canada is no bargain

Thinking of taking a cheap flight somewhere in Canada this year to celebrate the country’s 150^th birthday? Well, get ready to feel it in your wallet. Because just like with mutual fund fees, cell phones, and wireless rates, Canada is paying some of the higher airfare rates in the world.

According to Kiwi.com, an online travel agency runs the numbers on the cost of air travel in 80 countries to come up with the countries that offer the best value airline flights, Canada ranks 65^th. Their Flight Price Index aims to help travellers find the countries that offer good opportunities for affordable travel.

As part of their analysis, Kiwis.com analyzed over a million flights to find an average price of short-haul and long-haul flights on low-cost and full-service airlines from each of the countries. Domestic flights were calculated by finding an average airline from the country’s capital to up to five major cities within the country, or to a major city nearby in a neighbouring country when no domestic flights were available, while the price of international travel was calculated based on flights from all international airports within the country to several international hubs.

For instance, according to the CheapOair.ca website, a one-way flight from Toronto to Winnipeg on June 23rd, a distance of about 1,500 km, would cost you $194 (all taxes and fees included). A similar one-way flight from London to Rome on the same day would cost just $90 (all taxes and fees included).

“Ticket prices fluctuate constantly and for many reasons. Some of the changes from one year to the next can be attributed to fuel prices, sociopolitical shifts like Brexit, and recent elections. Egypt and Turkey, for example, saw a decrease in ticket prices because of a decrease in demand as a result of regional turmoil,” said Kiwi.com CEO Oliver Dlouhý. “By tracking flight cost by country, travellers have more information with which to choose destinations that allow them to travel further on their budget.”

Here’s a quick look at the 5 countries with the most affordable flights per 100 km

1. Malaysia
2. Bulgaria
3. India
4. Turkey
5. Romania

…. And the 5 countries with the most expensive flights

1. United Arab Emirates
2. Chile
3. Qatar
4. Netherlands
5. Belgium

The full ranking can be found here.

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