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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.
Spring Break is just weeks away and that means families, college kids and anyone looking for a little relief from winter’s wrath will soon turn to major airfare aggregators like Expedia or Kayak to find the best last-minute deals. Unfortunately, airlines know this and will ultimately jack prices up. However, there’s still time to beat the rush and avoid expensive airfare. At the moment, flights from destinations across the Eastern United States to destinations throughout the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America start at just $201 round-trip.
Currently, major tourist destinations including Cancun, St. Thomas and cities throughout Puerto Rico are available from $201 to $365 round-trip. All fares include both a carry-on bag and taxes and fees. While there are fares out there for $10-$30 less, they are on ultra-low-cost airlines, meaning the price of a carry-on bag will immediately bring the total price at or above the prices offered by full-service carriers like JetBlue, Delta and American. Since a period of increased travel is just weeks away, we recommend that you act fast on any deals mentioned within this post as ticket prices to these cities are sure to increase in the coming days.
Lastly, to make sure you don’t miss out on what your destination of choice has to offer, check out Get Your Guide’s list of best activities in countries across the Caribbean and Latin America.
To search, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination cities. Scroll through the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you. With these fares, dates are somewhat limited which means searching for dates might take a little longer than usual. Finally, click through to book directly with the airline or through an OTA like Priceline or Expedia.
Airlines: Aeromexico, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue
Routes: BNA/BWI/LGA/JFK/ORD/PIT to AUA/BQN/CTG/CUN/FDF/PSE/SJO/SJU/STI/STT/SXM
Cost: From $201+ round-trip (fares include carry-on bag)
Travel Dates: March – June 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) for $206 round-trip on Delta:
Pittsburgh, PA (PIT) to Cartagena, Colombia (CTG) for $275 round-trip on Delta:
New York (JFK) to Aguadilla, PR (BQN) for $201 round-trip on JetBlue:
Chicago (ORD) to Cancun (CUN) for $244 round-trip on Aeromexico:
New York (LGA) to Fort-De-France (FDF) (*Separate Tickets*) for $263 R/T on American:
New York (JFK) to St. Thomas, USVI (STT) for $276 round-trip on Delta:
Baltimore, MD (BWI) to San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO) for $299 round-trip on Delta:
Nashville, TN (BNA) to Cancun (CUN) for $299 round-trip on Delta:
Nashville, TN (BNA) to Sint Marteen (SXM) (*Separate Tickets*) for $351 on JetBlue:
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.
Featured image by Summer Hull/The Points Guy
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NEW INCREASED OFFER: 60,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,200
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
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- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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