For some reason, the 50% off sales that Via was running regularly have disappeared. The Express Deals are still there, but the 50% off sales offered much greater flexibility in scheduling. I have no idea why they stopped, they had been running them so often that you only had to wait a few weeks between those promotions.
However, I just discovered that there is a perk in the Via Preference frequent traveler program that is simply great. ONE full length trip on the Canadian in Sleeper Plus, even at 50% off, yields enough points to qualify you for elite status (Privilige). One of the perks of that is a 50% off coupon for a Sleeper or Sleeper Plus ticket. Now, that is 50% off of peak summer undiscounted fare no matter when you travel, but it still represents a significant savings. And then you qualify for Privilige for the next year and get another coupon.
I had joined Via Preference with no real expectations, I just wanted the email notifications of the sales.
I've been waiting in vain for another 50% off sale. I recently had to clean out my email inbox and in going through it I found a bunch of unopened emails from Via, I looked at them and one of them was welcoming me to Via Privilige for 2014-15 from a trip last September that I booked on a 50% off sale. So I just used my newly discovered coupon and booked another trip for March.
Via Preference is open to US as well as Canadian residents, so if you are planning a trip on the Canadian, enrolling in Via Preference before you go is a really good idea, just in case.
However, I just discovered that there is a perk in the Via Preference frequent traveler program that is simply great. ONE full length trip on the Canadian in Sleeper Plus, even at 50% off, yields enough points to qualify you for elite status (Privilige). One of the perks of that is a 50% off coupon for a Sleeper or Sleeper Plus ticket. Now, that is 50% off of peak summer undiscounted fare no matter when you travel, but it still represents a significant savings. And then you qualify for Privilige for the next year and get another coupon.
I had joined Via Preference with no real expectations, I just wanted the email notifications of the sales.
I've been waiting in vain for another 50% off sale. I recently had to clean out my email inbox and in going through it I found a bunch of unopened emails from Via, I looked at them and one of them was welcoming me to Via Privilige for 2014-15 from a trip last September that I booked on a 50% off sale. So I just used my newly discovered coupon and booked another trip for March.
Via Preference is open to US as well as Canadian residents, so if you are planning a trip on the Canadian, enrolling in Via Preference before you go is a really good idea, just in case.
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