Destinations that are inexpensive and cheap to get to
Aug 5, 2024 | 1:21 am
#31
Join Date: Nov 2023
Posts: 9
Yes, including Panama City. Many affordable and inexpensive accommodations. Recommend the Old Town, Casco Viejo. Very safe. Lots of English spoken in urban areas. Tons of nightlife with jazz and Latin music and dancing. Good subway. Cheap taxi fares. Do not recommend driving one’s self in the city, countryside ok, if you know where you are going. Outside the capital, I recommend historical sites (Fuerte San Lorenzo, Porto Bello), gasping number of jungle/eco outings (pipeline road, rainforest park, birding almost anywhere bucolic), Islands (Las Perlas, Taboga, Bocas del Toro coast), beaches (Santa Clara, Rio Mar, Gorgona), El Valle de Anton, Chiriqui Highlands (coffee farms, extinct volcanos, flowers, birds galore, refreshing cool weather, gorgeous countryside) entertainment like here. Etc. Oh, and all the Canal stuff.
Last edited by LuciaSemon; Aug 7, 2024 at 3:38 am
Aug 5, 2024 | 8:05 am
#32
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,080
Yeah, I was focused on cheap points travel to a Europe hub, not really the final destination. I'm pretty cheap so often book to a hub, spend a day then fly an LCC or use points to go elsewhere in Europe.
Aug 6, 2024 | 10:31 pm
#33
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 6,227
We went to Mexico City on UA in May bc I needed to burn through some expiring ANA points. 30k RT. Stayed in a suite at the Hyatt in Polanco for minimal points (I think a reg room is 12k). FANTASTIC city. Excellent hotel and location. Very, very affordable. Amazing restaurants that in the US would be 3x the cost. Ubers were cheap. Art museums first rate.
Aug 9, 2024 | 5:13 pm
#34
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN A-list preferred, United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 22,887
If you like snorkeling in warm warm water with hundreds of species of fish for less than half the cost of Hawaii, I recommend Fiji Airways to Nadi and a high speed catamaran to Barefoot Manta Fiji resort. Its a favorite of young Australians. About $200 a day including meals for two on a charming tiny island with about 50 total guests. The reef starts right in front of your hut.
Until this year coach was 40k Alaska miles each way with excellent availability. Including a post-stopover flight to Christchurch or Sydney. It costs a bit more now but still a good value.
NZ South Island pre-Covid had ample cheap backpacker lodging. You can still find it if you book far enough ahead and dont stay in queenstown. Car camping is essentially banned.
I have done a 3 week vacation with both stops for less than $3000 plus miles. Business class was 60k which required having a paid fare alert service and booking immediately. Business awards on AS are higher now, but if you get lucky you will get lucky.
Until this year coach was 40k Alaska miles each way with excellent availability. Including a post-stopover flight to Christchurch or Sydney. It costs a bit more now but still a good value.
NZ South Island pre-Covid had ample cheap backpacker lodging. You can still find it if you book far enough ahead and dont stay in queenstown. Car camping is essentially banned.
I have done a 3 week vacation with both stops for less than $3000 plus miles. Business class was 60k which required having a paid fare alert service and booking immediately. Business awards on AS are higher now, but if you get lucky you will get lucky.
Aug 9, 2024 | 5:19 pm
#35
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN A-list preferred, United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 22,887
We went to Mexico City on UA in May bc I needed to burn through some expiring ANA points. 30k RT. Stayed in a suite at the Hyatt in Polanco for minimal points (I think a reg room is 12k). FANTASTIC city. Excellent hotel and location. Very, very affordable. Amazing restaurants that in the US would be 3x the cost. Ubers were cheap. Art museums first rate.