Condor Airlines has business-class airfares that are more than $2,000 less than what Air Canada charges for the same routes on the same dates. (Photo courtesy of Condor Airlines)
One of life’s joys is boarding a plane and turning left at the doorway.
Flying in the business-class cabin means reclining seats that transform into lie-flat beds, noise-cancelling headphones, personalized service, and unlimited glasses of bubbly. But all that legroom doesn’t come cheap.
What if you could get that pampering at a more wallet-friendly price?
German leisure carrier Condor Airlines, which has been expanding its presence in the Canadian market, has business-class fares for around $2,000 less than the competition on direct flights from Toronto and Vancouver to its Frankfurt hub onboard new Airbus A330neo aircraft.
Ticket prices depend on date, season, and other variables.
With its funky stripes, Condor Airlines is a standout for more than just the price savings it offers Canadians. (Photo courtesy of Condor Airlines)
With a codeshare agreement launched in June, Condor passengers can now book flights to Frankfurt from Calgary and Edmonton through WestJet, connecting through Toronto or Vancouver. Halifax has direct flights to Frankfurt with Condor on the A330neo, also bookable via WestJet.
Condor started phasing out its fleet of Boeing 767-300 aircraft for A330neo aircraft in 2022. These planes are quieter and produce fewer emissions.
The new aircraft have a 30-seat business-class cabin with lie-flat beds, 4K seatback screens, and noise-cancelling headphones. The entertainment system can be paired with a passenger’s own Bluetooth headset. Each pod-style seat opens onto an aisle.
There are two seats side-by-side up the middle of the cabin, with an optional privacy partition. I sat in the row of solo seats by a window.
An online search of Air Canada fares for early August on the non-stop Vancouver-to-Frankfurt route showed basic business seats for $7,109.72 round-trip. Condor’s basic online business fare on the same round-trip dates was $3,579.99 USD (a strange way to bill a Canadian flight search). That came to $4,944.15 CAD on the day I checked the exchange, a savings of more than $2,100.
Condor’s direct Toronto-to-Frankfurt service flies daily in the summer and three times a week in winter. The seasonal Vancouver-to-Frankfurt route runs five times a week until the end of October. It starts again in May, when Condor launches daily service on the route through October.
I took the non-stop flight from Frankfurt to Vancouver in late April, a week after Condor launched the A330neo aircraft on the route.
How did Condor’s business class stack up? I’ve been lucky enough to fly business on Air Canada, United Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Emirates Airlines. Nothing can match the exceptional level of service on Dubai-based Emirates. And Turkish Airlines was right up there in terms of comfort, meals, and luxurious touches.
Compared with the other two North American carriers, the Condor flight ranked higher in terms of cabin room, services, and comfort.
From the time I walked onto the plane, the extremely friendly and capable Condor cabin crew provided effortlessly professional service.
Condor has made a colourful design upgrade, too. The aircraft are wrapped in bright, horizontal stripes, a look the airline says is designed to remind people of holiday memories — think towels, umbrellas, and inflated beachballs. You’ll never confuse a Condor plane for any other carrier at the airport.
I like the playfully bold design and the fact everything on board is covered in horizontal stripes — including the branded cans of BrewDog beer, and the underwhelming amenity kit and cozy duvet at my seat.
If stripes aren’t your design thing, the business cabin colour scheme scales things back with a relaxing dark navy interior with sand-coloured stripes.
Onboard, the cabin service was friendly and efficient. The food was surprisingly good, especially the appetizer plate with slices of cold rare roast beef with rich porcini mushroom “tiramisu” and Norwegian smoked salmon with pickled wild blueberries.Maybe I’m too easily pleased but I loved the cup of Black Forest Cherry ice cream offered at the halfway point of the flight.
Before landing, a decent Thai chicken curry was served with cheesecake for dessert.
The business ticket includes entry to the Lufthansa Business Lounge in Frankfurt.
More Travel Savings
BC Ferries has numerous vacation packages for passengers sailing to Vancouver Island and elsewhere in the province. (Vacay.ca photo)
Airline Deals: Air Canada and WestJet have regular sales on seats and vacation packages, often for travel into 2025. Sign up for email alerts, follow on social media, or go to the websites to get the latest information. It’s how I learned about Air Canada’s premium cabin sale in late July. Move quickly: Airline sales have limited windows to purchase, typically less than a week.
More Specials in Western Canada: Get updates on BC Ferries flash sales and sail-and-stay specials by signing up for alerts at onboard@bcferries.com.
Check with western hotels about special room rates and deals like free self-parking with a stay for BC, Alberta, and Washington state residents. Summer is a good time for flash sales.
Join airline, hotel, and rental car loyalty programs for perks and/or savings. It’s also a good idea to download airline apps to get instant alerts on flight-day updates or changes.
Note: Linda Barnard was a guest of Condor Airlines and the German National Tourist Office, which did not preview this story.
