Budget Travel to Banff National Park

One of the biggest attractions in the entire province of Alberta is Banff National Park, the oldest national park in Canada. It covers more than 2500 square miles, and is home to the beautiful Lake Louise (not to mention several other lakes), stunning mountains, and many glaciers as well.

It’s an excellent spot for a holiday, except for one thing – Banff isn’t cheap. This is why it’s important to do your research when planning a trip, so you know where you can save money on your Banff vacation. Here are some tips to help you do Banff on a budget.

Best Airports to Use for Banff

Unless you’re driving distance from Banff (or you’ve got a really long road trip planned), your first order of business will be finding a cheap flight to Banff. Airfare is the top expense of nearly every trip, so saving money on your flight will help cut your overall vacation costs dramatically. Luckily, Banff National Park has a few options for airports you can fly into, and more options means more potential for cheap fares.

>> Look for cheap airfare to Canada

These are the airports to consider when you’re flying to Banff. They’re listed in order from the closest airport to the park to the airport that’s furthest away.

• Calgary International Airport (YYC) – Calgary’s airport is closest to Banff at roughly 1.5 hours away by car. It’s a hub airport for Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz, and the headquarters for Canadian budget airline WestJet. Other budget carriers that serve Calgary include US Airways and Horizon Air; the list of big airlines flying to and from Calgary includes Delta, American Airlines, Continental, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, and United. There’s a shuttle bus that connects Calgary International with Banff (a one-way ticket is $53 + tax, and it’s a 2-hour trip).
• Edmonton International Airport (YEG) – A secondary airport for the province of Alberta is in Edmonton, so although it’s a bit further from Banff (the drive from Edmonton-Banff is about 4.5 hours) it’s still worth including in your search. Edmonton’s airport is a focus city for Canadian low-cost airline WestJet as well as airlines Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz. Other budget carriers flying to and from Edmonton include Horizon Air and US Airways, while major carriers include United, Continental, and Delta. There are shuttles from Edmonton airport to Jasper, and then from Jasper there’s another shuttle to Banff.
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR) – While Vancouver’s airport is a nearly 11-hour drive from Banff, because it’s the second busiest airport in Canada it’s worth checking on flights to see whether you can score a great deal. Just remember that the money saved has to be more than you’ll spend on getting from Vancouver-Banff! Flying to Vancouver is also an option if you’re taking advantage of the excuse to do a longer road trip en route to Banff. Vancouver is a hub for Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, Air Transat, and budget carrier WestJet. Other budget airlines serving Vancouver include Air Berlin, Horizon Air, and US Airways; other major airlines serving Vancouver include Air New Zealand, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Continental, Delta, KLM, Lufthansa, and United.

Times of Year When Banff is Cheaper to Visit

As is the case in many places, the summer months are the busiest months in Banff – and busy means expensive. July and August are the most popular and most expensive times to visit Banff, so if you’re on a budget you’ll want to avoid that time of year. Winter in Banff is a cold and snowy affair, and although it can be beautiful it can also be a bit more challenging to visit in the winter.

For that happy medium of reasonable prices and still-nice weather, aim your vacation target for the shoulder seasons of spring and fall. Many businesses that cater to tourists run specials during these seasons, and prices are overall not as high as they are in the summer – but you’re still likely to get good weather. Keep an eye on forecasts, and if you’re concerned about weather issues then plan for a late spring or early fall trip.

Finding Cheap Accommodation in Banff

Staying in Banff can really eat through a travel budget if you’re not careful. If you plan ahead, however, there are some budget-friendly ways to sleep cheap in Banff. Because these options are cheaper, they book up more quickly (especially during the high season), so don’t delay too long in booking or you’ll be forced to pay more than you’d like for your bed.

• Banff Hostels – There are a couple of hostels in Banff. The Banff Alpine Centre is an HI hostel roughly 10 minutes walking distance from the main street and right next door to one of the Banff campgrounds. Note that the hostel is at the top of a hill, so walking back at night is an uphill hike (or a trip on public transportation). The SameSun Backpacker Lodge is right on the main street through town, and there’s also the nearby SameSun Chalet that offers slightly upgraded (but still budget-minded) lodging. The Banff Y Mountain Lodge is a YWCA facility, but you don’t have to be a Y member to stay. You do get to avoid the 5% room tax, however, because it’s a non-profit.
• Camping in Banff – Perhaps the cheapest lodging in Banff is the kind you bring yourself in the form of a tent or camping trailer. There are lots of campsites in and around Banff, and it’s by far the most budget-friendly option, but not all of them take reservations. In other words, if you don’t get a spot at one of the campgrounds that will allow you to book ahead, you’re taking a chance on there being an available space at one of the other campgrounds when you arrive.
• Banff Vacation Rentals – If you’re staying for a long enough visit and there are enough people in your travel group, renting a condo or chalet can be a great way to cut the overall cost of your accommodation expenses. Not only does the cost of a vacation rental get spread out among all the people in your group, having your own kitchen means you’ll save money by cooking some of your own meals, too.

General Banff Visitor Information

There are a few websites that claim to be the “official” website for Banff National Park, but the true official site is the one by Parks Canada. That’s the site to check out for information on visitors hours, driving directions, special events and activities going on when you’ll be there, weather forecasts, and safety tips.

>> Official Banff National Park website

One money-saving tip is that if you plan to be visiting Banff for more than seven days, you’re likely to be better off purchasing the annual pass to the National Parks instead of daily passes to Banff. Check out the fees page of the official Banff site to do the math for your situation.

>> Banff National Park fees

photo by Steph & Adam Kahtava