Cheap flights to Calgary, Canada

Calgary is definitely a city that knows how to celebrate: With festivals covering everything from cowboy culture to salsa dancing, it’s no wonder that visitors from around the globe are booking flights to Calgary to see what Alberta’s largest city has to offer. The annual Calgary Stampede, the Folk Music Festival and Carifest, and one of the largest Caribbean festivals in the country are just a few of the activities on the Calgary calendar. Thanks to its diverse entertainment options, Calgary is a vacation destination that caters to the interests of travelers from around the globe. 

The pristine cleanliness of the city doesn’t hurt Calgary’s popularity, either. According to the Mercer Quality of Living Survey and Forbes Magazine, Calgary is one of the cleanest cities in the world, despite the revelry that ensues on the city streets courtesy of its vibrant nightlife and packed cultural agenda. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what you’re looking for: Rodeo clowns, ski bums, animation enthusiasts, and mountaineers are all booking flights to Calgary for an exciting stay they’ll never forget.

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Calgary, Canada climate

Calgary’s winters are fiercely cold, as are most inland Canadian cities. Temperatures in the months of December, January and February hover well below freezing. The Chinook, a hot, thawing wind that hits southern Alberta from the Canadian Rockies may relieve those booking flights to Calgary in the wintertime. With average temperatures basking in the 70s, it’s no wonder that summer is the most popular season for booking Calgary flights. Fall and spring bring about cooler, comfortable weather and little rainfall.

Best Time to Fly to Calgary, Canada

Whether you’re braving the chill for a chance to take in the city’s numerous winter festivals or admiring the natural wonders on display in Alberta’s most breathtaking botanical gardens, there’s no wrong time to book your flight to Calgary. 

Peak Season:

Flights to Calgary fill up fast during the summer, when the weather in Alberta is on its best behavior. Musicians and fans from around the world are booking June flights to Calgary to check out the annual Calgary Jazz Festival. The Calgary Stampede, which causes a quite a ruckus each July, is an international celebration of cowboy culture full of rodeos, square dancing and hearty pancake breakfasts. 

Off-Peak Season:

With the thermometer indicator hovering just over 30 degrees, it’s no surprise that cheap flights to Calgary are plentiful during the winter. The good news is that Calgary travelers can keep warm despite the cold winter chill: To combat the winter cold, the city installed a system of raised, heated walkways known as the Plus 15 to make conquering the city on foot a bit more comfortable. If you’re braving the winter weather with a cheap flight to Calgary during the winter, check out some of the season’s festivals: The biannual International Festival of Animated Objects is a dazzling array of animated art in the form of masks, puppets and cartoons; Winefest and the Chestermere Winter Festival are two festivals held annually each winter.

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Getting around Calgary, Canada

Calgary has a bus system and a light-rail system, the C-Train, running through the city. You can transfer between the two easily, and the C-Train is free anywhere downtown. If you want to rent a car, you can find any of the car rental companies at the airport or around town. Taxis are also convenient, and reasonably priced. Be careful if you decide to walk. East-west blocks are very long, and it can take you longer than you’d expect. To help pedestrians get around, the city has the “Plus-15” system, which is a series of enclosed walkways connecting downtown buildings above street level. You can access the walkways at streets marked with a “+15.”   

Calgary, Canada Travel Information

• Though downtown Calgary is all about business and commerce, the neighborhoods just outside the downtown core are where you’ll find the best galleries, nightlife, restaurants and museums. Stretch your legs after your Calgary flight with a leisurely stroll through the streets of Kensington, Calgary’s “urban village”. Kensington is packed with funky boutiques and quaint cafes, and the neighborhood hosts Calgary’s Sun and Salsa festival every July. If rowdy bars and raucous nightlife is more your style, head over to Uptown 17th Avenue, notoriously known as the Red Mile for the hockey jerseys worn by Calgary Flames fans partying in the streets after games. 
• The Winter Olympic Games are source of local pride for Calgarians: Calgary was the first Canadian city to host the Olympics, and the Olympics greatly benefited Calgary’s economy. If you’re looking for something to watch while you’re packing for your flight to Calgary, rent “Cool Runnings”: The mid-90s comedy starring the late John Candy is a fictional account of the Jamaican bobsled team’s experience at the Olympic Games in Calgary. 
• Calaway Park, western Canada’s largest amusement park, is just 6 miles west of the city and guarantees a thrilling trip for the whole family with its 32 rides. After a spin on the Vortex Rollercoaster or the Ocean Motion, stick around for one of the live music and stage shows that take place at the park on a daily basis. If a day at Calaway Park seems like an ideal addition to your Calgary trip itinerary, keep Calaway’s off-season in mind when you’re booking your flight to Calgary: The park is closed from November through the beginning of May, so be sure to plan accordingly.
• Calgary Tower is an essential component of the city skyline, and there’s no way you can board your return Calgary flight without visiting this manmade behemoth. The tower was built in 1968, and the most stunning views of the city can be seen from the top of the 627 ft. structure.
• Don’t be surprised if you see a pair of skis or two in the luggage claim after your flight to Calgary lands: Calgary resides close to the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountain range, and hordes of snow loving visitors are booking Calgary flights to revel in the region’s excellent winter sport conditions. Banff, Lake Louise and Canmore are some of Calgary’s most popular mountain resorts, so splurge on a snowy vacation and take advantage of the Calgary cheap flights that open up after the winter holidays.

Calgary, Canada airport overview

One of the biggest airports in western Canada, Calgary International Airport (YYC) is located 13 miles (20km) northeast of downtown Calgary. The spacious and sunny terminal handles more than 12 million people every year, making it one of Canada’s busiest airports.

Flights to Calgary International Airport come in from all over the continent, including major hubs like Los Angeles, Cancun, Edmonton, Portland, Dallas, Chicago, Minneapolis, Winnipeg, Salt Lake City, Honolulu, San Francisco, Phoenix, Seattle and Denver. You can also get international flights from Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Zurich, and Glasgow.

Calgary is an important business destination in Western Canada, but even more people fly into Calgary Airport for a taste of Alberta’s wilder side, with easy access to Glacier National Park, the pristine Lake Louise, and hiking opportunities in Banff. The busiest time to fly here is definitely during the Calgary Stampede though, when the city is filled with more cowboys than you can count!