Deal Alert: Escape Winter for Less Than $200 RT to Puerto Rico
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Want to see the latest flight deals as soon as they’re published? Follow The Points Guy on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to text message alerts from our deals feed, @tpg_alerts.
Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.
We are just six days away from the Winter Solstice, the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year for anyone in the Northern Hemisphere. It's also an indication that we are approaching the darkest and coldest days of the year. With winter weather having wreaked havoc on much of the US already, many weary Northerners might be looking for an escape.
Now just might be the perfect time for a quick getaway to Puerto Rico. Round-trip flights to San Juan (SJU) are available on most major US carriers for less than $200. There's plenty of availability with round-trip itineraries available from January through May. There are a variety of US cities that can be selected as the city of origin to take advantage of this deal. Other US cities can also be selected for fares less than $275 round-trip.
Puerto Rico is a fantastic destination for Americans looking to soak up the Caribbean sun. A passport is not required to travel to the US territory of Puerto Rico and there are, of course, no foreign transaction fees or currency differences. Additionally, San Juan is a bustling city full of culture and history. Still, if you're just looking to soak up the sun, there are plenty of resorts and beaches that offer travelers the opportunity to do just that.
To search, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination cities. Cities in which the fares are available can be found below. Use the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you. Click through to book directly with the airline or through an OTA like Priceline or Expedia.
Airlines: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, United
Routes: FLL, MIA, MCO, TPA, JFK
Cost: $177+ round-trip
Travel Dates: January – May 2019
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Prestige Card (3x on airfare plus excellent trip delay insurance) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
New York (JFK) to San Juan, PR (SJU) in January for $205 R/T on Delta:
Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to San Juan (SJU) in February for $177 R/T on JetBlue:
Austin (AUS) to San Juan (SJU) for $247 R/T on American Airlines:
In addition to Austin, TX, other cities with low fares to Puerto Rico during the next few months include Washington DC ($257), Buffalo ($265), Nashville ($259) and Toronto ($229). All flights are round-trip and in economy though allow for one personal item and one carry-on bag.
Maximize Your Purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier® Card, Citi Prestige Card (3x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
H/T: Thrifty Traveler
