Originally Posted by
CrownRoyalForever
While I admire the creative thinking and the sheer practicality of this approach, I think some of y'all are too wrapped up in the miles/points culture to look at the problem from the layperson perspective.
The librarian wants to (1) Visit Paris for her (2) 30th birthday.
Montreal/Quebec City, while gorgeous and probably the closest to a European experience one can get in Canada/US, both pale in comparison to Paris. If you haven't turned 30 yet or forgot what it was like to do so, keep in mind that it can be a traumatic experience and that the best way to approach it is to celebrate the event in some grand fashion e.g. lifelong dream trip to the City of Light..
So, moving it to the off season to maxmimize mile redemption, or the other fine suggestions that have been listed, while normally helpful are impractical in this case.
Just my 2 francs :-)
Cheers
Au contraire. I'm turning 30 in the fall and planning on a RTW trip culminating with a jaunt in Paris so I know of what I speak.
Anyone who has ever been in Paris in August knows it bears little resemblance to the Paris of the other 11 months. I worry she will find the experience disappointing. Also I don't think it is impractical to postpone a birthday trip if it will significantly enhance the experience of that trip; one of my good friends took her 30th birthday trip 5 months after the actual birthday itself. Given OP's friend has not started collecting any miles and is dealing with a significant other who is either unable or unwilling to help in this process, a little practicality may be warranted. Of course if the OP's dream is to walk around in the heat with half the stores closed and only a fraction of Parisians left in the city as every other large group of obnoxious tourists makes Paris its playground all while paying double for the privilege, then that is certainly fine too, but she should know/consider the options.