MrsAina

Hi
Have enjoyed other stories of x transfers in Asia on bonus trips. I don't have the grip on backtracking, number of transfers etc and would appreciate any advice.

Will use Amex bonus on SAS metal to the US. Is there any way to set up a trip from the three SAS destination in the US to make a transfer in SAN on the way to or from the Carribean? Have found available award tickets from IAD to Aruba or St Marteen or Acapulco. Any other travel tips for such a holiday in this region is appreciated.

SirRagnar

I'm heading that way myself in a few months. Award trip in C from CPH to ORD and award C from EWR-OSL-CPH.
In between I have a separate itinerary ORD-nyc-AUA-CUR-EWR which is on paid travel (I did not have enough for 2 award tickets all the way).

We opted to take both Aruba and Curacao because Aruba seems a bit boring in the long run but with nice beaches whereas Curacau does not boost the best beaches, but a lot more interesting as island.

Hannibal Lecter

[QUOTE=SirRagnar;16673500]I'm heading that way myself in a few months. Award trip in C from CPH to ORD and award C from EWR-OSL-CPH.
In between I have a separate itinerary ORD-nyc-AUA-CUR-EWR which is on paid travel (I did not have enough for 2 award tickets all the way).

We opted to take both Aruba and Curacao because Aruba seems a bit boring in the long run but with nice beaches whereas Curacau does not boost the best beaches, but a lot more interesting as island.[/QUOTE

Curacao has: lousy beaches, absolutley NO attractions, high crime rate and is boring boring boring boring, and on top of everything the casinos serve no alcohol, free non-alcoholic drinks great
If you are interested in diving make sure to go to Bonaire, or better go somewhere else in the Caribbean eg. Tobago, St. Lucia, Barbados - for nature lovers Dominica is no doubt the hidden jewel and an absolute must.

SirRagnar

We are not there for attractions but for nature parks and hiking which should be pretty decent, no?
We'll be using quite some time in the hilly areas in Christoffel Park.
I'm also very interested in seeing Willemstad, which look like little Amsterdam (on pictures at least).

Casino's are aight, but it's not why we go there either. We can get casino's and drinks on Aruba (as we'll be staying at the Westin Resort & Casino there).

We have considered Bonaire also - I don't actually remember why we didn't plan to go there in the end, but probably to limit it.
The other Caribbean Islands are not so great in the time we will go there, Hurricane Season in September, otherwise we would definitively have gone to Cuba and Jamaica instead.

Hannibal Lecter

with attractions I meant also the nature ones, I've done the Christoffel Mountain trek (only someone from the Netherlands, England or Denmark would call a 370m hill a mountain ) although it's not as barren
as Aruba, it is a mediterranean style desert landscape (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_br1mjhZbQU...0/DSCN0062.JPG )
AFAIC no reason to go around the globe for that, as a difference Dominca has tropical rainforests, mangrove swamps, waterfalls and a boling lake(but no good beaches either)
Willemstad looks best from a distance and all in all we found Curacao boring, Bonaire would probable be even more boring for someone who isn't interested in diving.
Aruba is not much for sight-seeing either, but for a laid-back vacation, fantastic beaches loads of restaurants etc.

Trinidad and Tobago are also below the hurricane belt, and so is Los Roques(Venezuela) and Isla Margarita(Venezuela).

On Aruba, make sure to wave in front of the camera
http://www.bucuticam.com/album2/gallery.php

SirRagnar

370m is HUGE!
The biggest "mountain" we have here is 170m high

Well, actually we haven't booked anything on Aruba or Curacao yet except flights arriving in Aruba and leaving from Curacao to the US.

Is there anything in the neighborhood worth a day trip in case we do get bored? Trinidad may be too far away for a day trip?

SK_RSJ

A regular Star Alliance award with Eurobonus from Europe to the Caribbean will only allow one stop in the North America zone (135K EB points in Business). It also allows for surface sectors that you have to take care of yourself. This means you are allowed to fly FRA-ORD//YYZ-MBJ and buy a separate ticket ORD-YYZ. Still 135K EB points.

However, as you want to make use of the Amex burnoff voucher you can not book a Star Alliance award anyhows. It has to feature only SK flights and thus will take you only to the SK gateway in the USA.
Your option is to split the itinerary and use one burnoff-award to the USA and then book another award North America-Caribbean. This could be e.g. EWR-YYZ-Caribbean. The agent will be happy to add both tickets in one PNR but you will end up paying 175K EB points in total for Business Class (minus the burnoff voucher).
See if you can find space and go count on the number of points you have to spend...

Note: And AC wins hands down among the north american *A carriers with their Exec First Business Class to the caribbean. Also pretty easy to find award space with them.

MrsAina

Thank you all for your kind advice. We'll finalize the plans this weekend.

Hannibal Lecter

Caracas, but why would you want to go there

Also Los Roques is a stones throw away http://www.losroques.org/
I doubt there is a direct flight or boat though, which is a pity.
An interesting combination is Merida, there is (or at least used to be) a direct flight from Aruba to Merida, they have real mountains there they also have the world's highest cable car 4800m if hiking is too much work.

Trinidad/Tobago is not close enough for a day trip unless you're crazy and have too much money.

freeman_swe

Hi,

Im also looking for an award trip to the US next year and will use the amex voucher. It seems like i cant find any dates with two award tickets back home to ARN(Outbound are no problem). You guys who are pro´s could you please help me. My dates are anythime between Juni-Aug next year and i want to be away for 3-4 weeks. Class of ticket doesnt mather.

ORD or EWR doesnt mather either as i dont know what i will do

Br
Niclas

belfordrocks

Did you try flights with stopovers? While ORD/EWR may have the only non-stops to ARN there are likely to be plenty of availability on connections, such as JFK-FRA-ARN etc.

freeman_swe

The Amex voucher only allow me to fly on SK metall so i dont think i can fly via FRA. But i might be wrong.

SK_RSJ

The Amex burnoff voucher is valid on native SAS award bookings only, so only transfer point possible would be CPH or OSL.