Europe

Two sale bundles in one week? Oh you're a lucky lot! 

London Gatwick

England

Pula

Croatia

Fuerteventura

Forget everything you thought you knew about a good time, because Spain is here to show you how it’s really done.
So, why visit Spain? Well, for starters, the Spanish food is legendary. We’re talking about diving headfirst into world-famous tapas and stuffing yourself silly with paella until you need a mandatory post-lunch siesta. But it's not just about the incredible cuisine; it’s a whole vibe. The sun-drenched streets, the impromptu guitar music wafting from a bar, the late-night dinners that make your 9 PM reservation back home look like breakfast—it’s all part of the glorious, chaotic cultural heritage. If you're looking for a destination where the default setting is fiesta, this is it.
One minute you could be sipping sangria while lounging on some of the Mediterranean’s best beaches in Spain, and the next you’re exploring historic sites that look like they’ve been pulled straight from a fantasy novel—think the whimsical architecture of Barcelona or the Moorish marvels of Andalusia. From the buzzing city life to the quiet, rugged mountains, Spain offers such insane variety it’s practically showing off. And it doesn't have to break the bank either, since our Flights make affordable travel to Spain a reality.

Spain

If you're looking for a destination where the default settings are fiesta and siesta, Spain is the one. You're in for legendary food, charming, sun-drenched streets, and mind-blowing architecture, and that's before you even hit the beach.

Lanzarote

Girona

Minorca

Palma De Mallorca

Alicante

Burgas

Bulgaria

Rhodes

Greece

Bristol

Ibiza

Birmingham

Venice

Why should Italy be next on your list? Because it's the place where "living la dolce vita" is not just a slogan—it's the only way to operate. Travel to Italy means surrendering yourself to world-class authentic Italian food that will ruin your neighborhood pizzeria for you forever. We're talking freshly rolled dough, delicious ragus, and gelato that’s a mandatory daily pleasure, all served up with a side of next-level atmosphere.
But an Italy vacation is so much more than just a culinary tour; it's an effortless deep dive into culture through the ages. The art, the fashion, and the sheer, undeniable style of it all are so effortlessly chic, they'll make you want to immediately uproot your entire life.
One day, you could be standing awed by thousand-year-old historic sites in Rome or Florence, and the next, you're sipping an Aperol Spritz on the Amalfi Coast. From the rugged beauty of the Dolomites to secluded beaches, Italy offers a perfect backdrop for any adventure, whether you're seeking romance in Venice or a vibrant city break. It’s an inspiring destination that checks every box, and our affordable Flights to Italy make those Rome, Florence, and Venice dreams a reality.

Italy

"Living la dolce vita" is not just a slogan—it's the only way to operate in Italy. Our affordable Flights and travel guides will have you soaking in ancient history, sipping on spritzes, and splashing in the sea in no time.

Catania

Split

Bergen

Norway

Bournemouth

East Midlands

Heraklion

Edinburgh

Scotland

Dubrovnik

Glasgow

Leeds Bradford

Corfu

London Luton

Tenerife

London Stansted

Verona

Kalamata

Liverpool

Manchester

Olbia

Chania

Newcastle

The Canary Islands, Greece, Croatia, and more 🌊 in £50s-£90s rtn

You can always rely on this airline to keep the cheap fares coming! 

Bergerac

France

Biarritz

Bari

Bologna

Marseille

Faro

Portugal

Madeira

Exeter

Málaga

Cork

Ireland

Cardiff

Wales

Dublin

Belfast

Northern Ireland

Bergamo

Porto

Murcia

Santander

Reus

Rome

Stockholm

Sweden

Warsaw

Poland

Limoges

Madrid

Prague

Czech Republic

Kraków

Riga

Latvia

Gdansk

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Zadar

Tirana

Albania

Košice

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Gothenburg

Cologne

Germany

Nantes

Almería

Barcelona

Newquay

United Kingdom

Rabat

Morocco

Castellón de la Plana

Zaragoza

Béziers

Turin

Rijeka

Klagenfurt am Worthersee

Austria

Hamburg

Bremen

Knock

Kerry

Shannon

Luxembourg

Croatia, Spain, Italy, and more 🌞 in £/€30s-£/€40s rtn

Hanover

Rhodes 🏝️ at €120-€144 rtn from Hanover

Athens

Athens 🏺 at £120 rtn from Birmingham

Want a kid proof Crete activity that isn't just the beach? Knossos has you covered! 

Billund

Denmark

Memmingen

Crete 🏛️ in €150s-€170s rtn

Heraklion 🏺 at £104 rtn from Edinburgh

Amsterdam-Santorini-Athens-Amsterdam. So at all a very good price via Google Flights.

Postcard from Jan

Postcard from Abbi

I booked my family summer holiday flights cheap to Corfu thanks to a cheap flight notification from you. Thank you.

Upgraded for a flight!

This was a great deal and we just flew SAS to Copenhagen. We booked this for a trip to Berlin! 

Postcard from Amanda

Helloooooo!
I just booked another of your great deal: Chania for 150 euro 🥰 I will take my adult daughter with me, as we missed going during COVID to Crete 🤗
Keep up with the good work!

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Thank you so much for providing this service and information, this has enabled me to book my first trip (hopefully of many) for my daughter overseas. 

Postcard from Nikki

Iceland

Singapore

Like many avid travellers, mosquitoes are the bane of any trip to warmer climates. Although we have them here in Scotland, they still don&rsquo;t seem to have learnt how to bite (unlike our <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/OutdoorScotland/comments/1fhulxs/midges_scotland_help/">demon midges</a>), so I&rsquo;m always underprepared. And apparently very tasty.
When you&rsquo;re travelling to an area with virus-carrying mosquitoes, you don&rsquo;t want to mess around. And even if an itch is the worst risk, one really annoying bite can make a trip pretty miserable.&nbsp;
An established repellent containing DEET is my go-to. However, I know there are alternatives and extras out there that can boost my mosquito-repelling powers, of which I wish to have many.
That&rsquo;s why I asked our worldly-wise Jack&rsquo;s Flight Club Community for tips on how to stop mosquitoes from biting me. Here&rsquo;s what they had to say:

<h2 dir="ltr">Sprays &amp; Oils</h2>

&ldquo;I use the mosquito wipes on my exposed body and it seemed to work just fine in South America where I frequent. A buddy told me BOUNCE dryer sheets also worked but I haven't tried it as the wipes do it for me along with the unscented deep woods spray.&rdquo; - Gallivanter
<hr>
&ldquo;Avon Skin So Soft works for us. Not sold as a repellent, but it does work!&rdquo; - SpiritedDiscoverer78933
<hr>
&ldquo;A friend who was in the army said they all use Avon Dry Oil spray. We&rsquo;ve used it ever since, and the only time anyone has been bitten was when they weren&rsquo;t wearing it. Smells nice too.&rdquo; - LiberatedTourist51024
<hr>
&nbsp;&ldquo;A friend who was working in India told me that a mix of dettol and baby oil was very effective and cheap.&rdquo; - AdventurousHiker36717

Avon Skin So Soft is a popular anti-midge solution here in Scotland. While not sold as a repellent, studies have indicated that <a href="https://bcmj.org/articles/mosquito-repellent-effectiveness-placebo-controlled-trial-comparing-95-deet-avon-skin-so">it can be around 85% as effective</a> as repellents containing DEET.&nbsp;
Mosquito wipes, on the other hand, contain chemicals like DEET or Picaridin, which is similarly effective to DEET and less likely to cause skin irritation.
<h2 dir="ltr">Natural remedies</h2>

&ldquo;Currently in India. The mozzies love to bite me wherever I go. I recently read a scientific article about studies with coconut oil &amp; derivatives of it repelling mosquitos. I use coconut soap, coconut shampoo, coconut oil after shower + eucalyptus &amp; citronella spray ..seems to work great &amp; all natural (+ coconut oil for sandflies is a must)&rdquo; - NomadicCommuter12627
<hr>
&ldquo;If you want to keep the mosquitoes off you keep a bag of limes along. Slice one open, squeeze it on any exposed skin, and that citrus smell will keep them away.&rdquo; - Rich

In particular, it&rsquo;s the fatty acids derived from coconuts that are good at making you less attractive to mozzies. So while there&rsquo;s no harm in washing with all the coconut-scented products under the sun and smelling like a pi&ntilde;a colada for your whole trip, double up with reliable mosquito sprays containing coconut compounds.
It&rsquo;s probably worth stating clearly that coconut oil alone could be a recipe for disaster in sunnier climates, offering little to no protection against UV rays.
Citronella is well-established as a repellent; however, its effects are not so long-lasting as DEET and other sprays. You&rsquo;ll likely need to reapply every couple of hours to ensure you&rsquo;re well protected, which isn&rsquo;t ideal when you&rsquo;re out and about. Lime juice has a similar effect, acting more as a short-term deterrent.&nbsp;
Combined, these seem to make for fairly effective options for short-term natural repellents when you&rsquo;re in a low-stakes environment.
<h2 dir="ltr">Marmite &amp; Vitamin B</h2>
A couple of our esteemed community suggested vitamin B, or its (very British) proxy foodstuff Marmite, as an effective solution for warding off mosquitoes:

&ldquo;I recommend eating Marmite every date before you go. It emits from your skin pores, they don't like it.&rdquo; - Keith
<hr>
&ldquo;I've also been told (and found) that natural source B complex with yeast is effective because they don't like the smell&hellip;&rdquo; - AdventurousHiker36717

As someone who mosquitoes find especially tasty, I tried the B complex tablet solution myself when I went to Cuba in 2017. Unfortunately, it made little to no difference for me, even when combined with repellent&mdash;I still remember the bite I got square in the middle of my forehead nine years on.
Taking vitamin B complex or eating a bucketload of Marmite (which is full of yeast and loaded with B vitamins) is not scientifically supported as a method of warding off bugs. <a href="https://entomologytoday.org/2022/11/21/vitamin-b1-not-mosquito-repellent/">Scientists have debunked the approach</a> as little more than a myth, indicating that oral insect repellents simply don&rsquo;t work.&nbsp;
So if you need a few extra B vitamins in your life or you're a fan of Marmite, it won&rsquo;t hurt you. But definitely don&rsquo;t rely on it!
<h2 dir="ltr">Clothing</h2>

&ldquo;To avoid getting bitten, cover up at dusk&mdash;long sleeves, long trousers, decent socks. Craghoppers Nosilife clothes are the best, as mozzies can't bite through them. Add mozzie repellent for any exposed areas, i.e. face, neck and hands. Squirt your room with mozzie killer just as you leave to go out for dinner. Yes, it's a bit of effort, but you will enjoy an itch-free holiday!&rdquo; - AnimatedBackpacker29290

For going out in nature in mosquito-infested areas, covering up is a must. As a bonus, spray your clothes with repellent to ward off any hitchhiking nibblers who might lie in wait until you strip.
<h2 dir="ltr">Bite Relief</h2>
Sometimes (often) we will still get bitten despite our best efforts. It&rsquo;s best to be prepared when you do:

&ldquo;I don't travel anywhere without Bug Bite Sting Relief; not a repellent, just a remedy when you get bit. I haven't experienced anything this doesn't fix, nothing from South America, innumerable islands or Europe. Dozens of countries, dozens of years!&rdquo; - AdventurousItinerant20681
<hr>
&ldquo;For bite relief, I've found&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lifesystems.co.uk/products/bite-relief-click">electrostatic clickers like these</a> pretty good.&rdquo; - CarCamper

<h2 dir="ltr">Places With No or Few Mosquitoes</h2>
Now and then, it&rsquo;s nice to know that you just don&rsquo;t have to worry about getting bitten. There&rsquo;s only one country in the world where you&rsquo;re (pretty much) guaranteed to avoid mosquitoes, but other popular destinations can offer low-risk options, too.
<h3 dir="ltr">Iceland</h3>
If you want to be certain you won&rsquo;t be woken by that high-pitched drone circling ever closer or find yourself absentmindedly scratching your calf with your foot, Iceland is the way ahead. It&rsquo;s the only country in the world with no native mosquito population.&nbsp;
Even if a wee gang of the bitey beasts hopped on a flight to Reykjavik, there&rsquo;s little chance they&rsquo;d be able to hang their coat for long. Between short summers and long, chilly winters, mosquitoes simply don&rsquo;t get the chance to breed. That said, <a href="https://www.ruv.is/english/2025-06-30-icelanders-learn-to-live-with-biting-midges-447298">other bitey beasts are available</a>. Sorry.

<h3 dir="ltr">Antarctica</h3>
There&rsquo;s lots to consider before heading off on an <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/the-beginners-guide-to-visiting-antarctica">epic adventure to Antarctica</a>. Visiting is pricey, it&rsquo;s remote, and you need to pack a whole load of layers. But one thing you won&rsquo;t need to bring along is repellent.&nbsp;
Much like Iceland, the climate in Antarctica doesn&rsquo;t have the cozy conditions and standing water that mozzies typically enjoy. As yet, they&rsquo;ve not found a way to procreate on an iceberg, for which we (and the penguins) are grateful.
<h3 dir="ltr">Santorini</h3>
Let&rsquo;s be clear&mdash;there are mosquitoes in Santorini. But as warm island climates go, Santorini is a safer bet than most. With no rivers or lakes and generally dry conditions, as well as the gentle Aegean breeze, there just aren&rsquo;t that many spots for mozzies to set up home. You&rsquo;re most likely to have a run-in once the winds calm down in late summer and autumn.
We&rsquo;d still recommend that you take the usual precautions&mdash;body sprays and plug-ins for your accommodation should successfully ward off any determined nibblers.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">Singapore</h3>
<blockquote>
&ldquo;Singapore has a ruthless team dedicated to identifying and removing standing water anywhere. Apparently a common case is an old tyre, its shape inevitably results in a small pool of water somewhere, whatever angle it is stored at.&rdquo; - WanderingRoamer78745
</blockquote>
This is what we love to hear. To fight the mosquito population in Singapore, the government has, in fact, released additional mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia. These guys basically pass along their virus onto other mozzies and neutralise the spread of viruses like malaria and dengue fever. In some areas of Singapore, this has apparently led to a 98% decrease in the overall mosquito population!
Caveat:&nbsp;there are still mosquitoes around. You probably won&rsquo;t encounter many in the city and residential areas, but if you stray out into nature, be prepared.

Of course, there&rsquo;s an element of seasonality to mosquito populations in many destinations. We&rsquo;d always recommend you do your research before heading off on a trip and stock up on trusted, reliable products before you travel.&nbsp;
Before you head out for a day in the sun, apply sunscreen first, give it 15-20 minutes to absorb, and then apply your repellent. Check the instructions on your repellent of choice to see how often you need to reapply for the best protection.
So, dear readers, what did we miss? Are there any products or methods you swear by? Let us know in the comments to help other Jack&rsquo;s Travellers stay itch-free :-)&nbsp;

Mosquito Mayhem: Tips and tricks to avoid getting bitten on your travels

<blockquote>
&ldquo;I&rsquo;d like to know your views on the new EES system which is due to roll out in April &lsquo;26. I&rsquo;m a UK passport holder travelling to Kos in August and concerned about the potential delays at passport control.&rdquo;
</blockquote>

Hey there, Traveller! Great topic, and very timely too.&nbsp;
Since October 2025, countries in the Schengen Zone have been rolling out the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). By collecting your biometric data upon arrival (photo &amp; fingerprints), countries within the zone are aiming to track visitors more consistently and ensure that nobody is overstaying their welcome.&nbsp;
This doesn&rsquo;t feel like anything new in terms of border control techniques (I&rsquo;ve been attempting not to make silly faces in photos at international borders for years), so you&rsquo;d think it wouldn&rsquo;t be a big deal. However, when you try to get <a href="https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/what-is-the-ees">29 countries</a> to roll out one system across 500+ airports, all major ferry ports, land border crossings, etc., things get a little complicated.
Anyone entering the Schengen area on a non-EU/Schengen passport will now need to go through this process upon arrival. Well,&nbsp;probably.&nbsp;
Like you, reader, airports and border control agents are getting anxious about the surge in summer visitors possibly leading to utter chaos at immigration. For that reason, the EU has confirmed that, although April 9th is still the legal deadline for implementation, all countries have the <a href="https://etias.com/articles/eu-entry/exit-system-full-implementation-still-april-9,-with-flexibility">ability to pause the EES checks</a> for up to 90 days after that date. They&rsquo;ve also given the possibility of a further 60-day extension on that, with early September as the final final deadline.
All that to say, you may not even have to deal with the new EES system upon your arrival in Kos. But if you do, there&rsquo;s no knowing whether it&rsquo;ll be hellish or plain sailing. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jacksflightclub/permalink/2734116543610856/">We asked our Facebook community</a> for their experiences so far, and it really was a mixed bag.

&ldquo;Really quick with lunchtime arrival in Vienna on February 16th. Through in under 10 minutes.&rdquo; - Susan
<hr>
&ldquo;Straight through in Lille, took seconds, and in Fuerteventura they had specific machines for people who hadn&rsquo;t previously done theirs and no queues at all.&rdquo; - Sally
<hr>
&ldquo;Barcelona last month - easy peasy and done in no time.&rdquo; - Liz
<hr>
&ldquo;Alicante in January, returned Feb&hellip;no issue.&rdquo; - Lesley

<h2 dir="ltr">The confused</h2>

&ldquo;Been through Faro (where we did our prints and photos done on the way in) and Rome Ciampino. In Rome when I scanned my passport an official told me to go with him, I was a bit worried but it was just to get my passport stamped and I went straight through. Unfortunately because he was dealing with me, he missed my husband who had to go through the whole process and was almost last through! Teething problems!&rdquo; - Fiona
<hr>
&ldquo;Two very different experiences. One was 2 hours (Tromso), and the other was all automated with self-service scanners! I was pleasantly surprised at Tenerife.&rdquo; - Sophia
<hr>
&ldquo;When I went to Spain, there were some new, very confusing lines, and none of the staff really knew which queues to put people in. When I got to the desk at the front, a grumpy man told me to look into the camera, then do my fingerprints, and that was it. It took around 30-40 minutes, I think, but that was mostly down to the lack of organization; they had people switching queues constantly.&rdquo; - Lauren
<hr>
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been through various, and I think depends upon destination. Montpellier in France is a regular trip, and time-wise for me at least, nothing is out of the ordinary. Did experience about an hour delay at Prague, where they seemed to be struggling, and it took about 40 mins at CDG Paris.&rdquo; - Simon
<hr>
&ldquo;We went through with Eurostar in Paris on Wednesday. It was fine and quick for me, but then our train was delayed because so many people, who had arrived at the time the email and tickets told them to arrive, were stuck in big queues at security.
I think, to be honest, it was the bag scanning that slowed it down there, as the staff manning that section could not have been less helpful.&rdquo; - Danielle

&ldquo;Scanner took a while to scan the passport, and the fingerprint scanner didn't work at all no matter how hard or soft you pressed! (Leeds/Bradford) so had to go the usual route anyway, and the queue was enormous!! So it wasn&rsquo;t just us that had a problem.&rdquo; - Jules
<hr>
&ldquo;2 hours to get into Krakow&hellip;&rdquo; - Beverley
<hr>
&ldquo;A nightmare in Lanzarote. Not clear what to do. Those that didn't scan their passports couldn't then get through passport control at the gate. All UK flights were delayed last night.&rdquo; - Anon
<hr>
&ldquo;Scanners "down" at Lanzarote on way in and took ages to get them back up, so there were big queues. There was no one easily found to ask questions of, and I could see that some of the questions might take some folk down rabbit holes&rdquo; - Karen

The main thing I&rsquo;m taking away from all these stories is that it really varies wildly from airport to airport. Anyone arriving in the Schengen Zone on a non-Schengen passport this summer should plan to queue for at least 30 minutes at border control. If the EES system is in use, many people will be going through for the first time and will need to register their details, causing delays. If it&rsquo;s not in use, you&rsquo;ll still have to wait for a manual check and/or stamping.&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;re on a tight schedule, book seats close to the front of the plane so you&rsquo;re first off. Don&rsquo;t stop to use the facilities on your way&mdash;plan ahead and use the toilet on the plane before landing. And it&rsquo;s always worth making sure you have your roaming or eSIM sorted in advance so you can keep on top of your transport plans during delays.
Waiting in a line for hours isn&rsquo;t fun for anyone; however, I would suggest doing your best to go into the situation expecting it but not dreading it. It is what it is, and it will be over eventually. That sentiment may be particularly beneficial for anyone heading to Lanzarote, it seems!
But if you&rsquo;re lucky, reader, Kos will have you through border control in under ten minutes, and you&rsquo;ll be sailing off into the Grecian sunset in no time.

It&rsquo;s worth noting that the EES system is linked to the new <a href="https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias/about-etias/what-is-etias">Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)</a> in Europe, similar to the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/eta">Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)</a> that the UK brought in this week. While visitors to the UK need an ETA already, ETIAS will only be necessary from late 2026 and won&rsquo;t be a problem for your August trip. However, keep an eye out for updates if you&rsquo;re travelling again later in the year.
I hope this helps you feel a little more prepared for your upcoming trip, reader. It may not be plain sailing, but it shouldn&rsquo;t be the end of the world. Do let us know how it goes once you&rsquo;re back!&nbsp;
Have you been through the new EES system already? Share your experiences in the comments!

Will the New EES Give You Border Control Nightmares this Summer?

Crete produces almost everything it eats&mdash;here's how the island has been a self-sufficient agricultural powerhouse for centuries&hellip;
With over 1,600 different kinds of plants and <a href="https://www.cretamaris.gr/blog/sustainability/the-precious-herbs-of-crete">wild herbs</a> (almost 170 of them endemic!), the goats and sheep grazing freely on the mountains produce exceptionally high-quality dairy products and meat.
The island's unique flora fuels the honey with rare mountain herbs and aromas, while the citrus and olive trees thrive in the coastal areas. And let's not even mention the <a href="https://www.greece-is.com/the-cretan-vineyard-5500-years-in-a-nine-minute-read/">4,000-year-old wine-making tradition</a>, with 11 indigenous grape varieties and over 60 wineries dotted around the island.

Oh, and if olive oil is your thing, you'll no doubt appreciate that there are roughly 40 olive trees for every person living in Crete&mdash;let that sink in for a moment.
A quarter of the island is covered in olive trees, some of which are over 3,000 years old. You'd be forgiven for thinking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lucylovestravelling/video/7395128100704636193?q=crete%20olive%20trees&amp;t=1769190136003">they belonged in a museum</a>&hellip; instead, they&rsquo;re still alive and producing exceptional fruit!
To experience authentic Cretan produce and truly understand the magic rooted deep in its soil, rent a car and venture beyond the tourist zones. Visiting the fishing villages and lush valleys will give you a privileged taste of local Cretan life &mdash; finger-licking&nbsp;dakos and <a href="https://seasonedtraveller.com/best-of-lists/crete-food-greece-gourmet">askordoulakous</a> guaranteed :-)

After You Land: Produce of Crete

China

New Zealand

Hey there, Travellers!
As usual, I've spent much of my free time this week planning for future trips. Quelle surprise!
Next week, my husband Dave and I will be jetting off to Germany for a couple of days. Those of you in the UK and Ireland may have heard of a Wowcher Mystery Holiday, where you pay &pound;99pp and the destination is up to the luck of the draw (kind of). I'd never done one before, so we reckoned it was about time.
Unfortunately, our luck didn't bag us 2 weeks in Bali, rather 2 nights in D&uuml;sseldorf. But honestly, I'm still pretty excited! Despite living in Germany for years, I've never been to the city before &mdash; only the airport&nbsp;&mdash; so it's all going to be new.
If you've got any D&uuml;sseldorf tips for me, or if you've ever taken a mystery trip and have a tale to tell, <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-202-fear-of-flying-beijing#comments">let me know in the comments</a> or by hitting&nbsp;'Reply'.
Happy travels and safe landings,

Katy - Editor of The Detour

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How a One-Day Course Cured My Fear of Flying

Flight Finder Akasha finds phenomenal flights faster than you can decide where you want to take a trip to next. A pro at finding the best of the best fares, she's also a master at sharing must-visit spots for when you land.

By Akasha

I never in a million years thought I&rsquo;d be sitting in a window seat, on &ldquo;a flight to nowhere,&rdquo; listening to a pilot calmly instruct us to squeeze our butts over the intercom. Yet, here I was, circling Heathrow on a faux-flight, surrounded by a cabin of strangers clenching in an awkward synchrony&hellip;
For the 1 in 6 of us who fear flying, the real question isn&rsquo;t whether you prefer take-off or landing, but: &ldquo;how will I survive this?&rdquo; and apparently survival starts with your glutes.
The fear of flying starts the moment you book &mdash; the creeping dread as you shuffle through security, the way your body locks at that first &lsquo;bing bong&rsquo; of the seatbelt sign. I know. I used to resign myself to meeting a tumbling death in the first ten seconds of turbulence.&nbsp;
So when British Airways&rsquo; Flying with Confidence course crossed my desk at work, I volunteered to be a personal guinea pig for a&nbsp;&ldquo;life changing&rdquo; experience aimed at curing your fear of flying.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;British Airways did not pay me, sponsor this review or bribe me with tiny pretzels and peanuts. I paid full price for this course, and all opinions and occasional panic are 100% mine.

<h2 dir="ltr">Flight School: Turbulence, Sounds, and Control</h2>
Mainly held in Heathrow and Gatwick, the course is piloted by, well, pilots (and psychologists, too). There are a few flavours to choose from&mdash;Primary, Premium, Premium Plus, or Private&mdash;depending on your budget and nerves. I signed up for the primary course, which meant a day of technical and psychological sessions with about 100 fellow nervous flyers. Perks? Unlimited tea, coffee, snacks, and lunch.
The day is broken into 3 parts, and honestly, it felt a little like flight school lite.
The morning kicked off with some breathing exercises, which would be the foundation for controlling anxiety throughout the day.&nbsp;
The technique is called &ldquo;Breathe &amp; Squeeze,&rdquo; basically a combo of deep breathing and contracting your glutes, aiming to slow your heart rate and muscle tension.
Next, pilots Nigel and Niven gave a presentation that broke down all aspects of aviation. From ailerons and roll, to rudder and yaw, lift and drag. Personally, I found this the most helpful part of the course. I&rsquo;m usually not one to grasp concepts to do with physics &mdash; ask anyone who sat near me in school &mdash; but somehow Nigel and Niven made it click.&nbsp;

They managed to make a deep dive into aerodynamics entertaining. It was seriously in-depth, and I found myself appreciating just how much training, knowledge, and precision go into every single flight &mdash; and wondering why I ever thought my fear knew better.&nbsp;
&ldquo;What if the engine falls off?&rdquo;&nbsp;
&ldquo;What if passengers bring extra baggage on board and it affects the weight of the plane?&rdquo;
&nbsp;&ldquo;How can there be a safe landing if you&rsquo;re flying across the Atlantic?&rdquo; 
&ldquo;What if we get struck by lightning?&rdquo; 
&ldquo;What if there&rsquo;s something wrong with the left phalange?&rdquo; Ok, I &mdash; or should I say Phoebe from Friends &mdash; made that one up, but if there was a left phalange, we&rsquo;d worry about it.
We had all of our questions answered and more, and I even walked away with some new flight-nerd facts with which to impress my colleagues.&nbsp;
Did you know that it&rsquo;s the wing that enables the aircraft to fly, not the engine? Now you do.&nbsp;
Did you know that the wings undergo an extreme stress test? They do, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/x25xeSqNYF8">look</a>!
How many wings does an aircraft have? 2? 4? Wrong. It has one.&nbsp;
Do you know how much weight the paint on an airplane adds? Two tonnes.&nbsp;
Most importantly, though, we gained a greater understanding of the numerous noises inside and outside the cabin (&ldquo;Noise is good&rdquo; was another mantra throughout the day), as well as the phantom threat haunting the skies. It strikes precisely when you&rsquo;ve let your guard down and placed your drink on your lap: Turbulence.&nbsp;

Enter the third chant of the day, &ldquo;Turbulence is uncomfortable, not dangerous&rdquo;&nbsp;
They asked who among us has ever experienced severe turbulence. My hand smugly shot up along with a few others, as if to vindicate every intrusive table-gripping thought we&rsquo;ve ever endured.&nbsp;
Trick question. According to the pilots, they&rsquo;ve never encountered severe turbulence in all their years in the sky, just garden-variety bumps that feel terrifying to us mere mortals because we don&rsquo;t understand what&rsquo;s happening. Which, frankly, felt like a personal attack.&nbsp;
Imagine the plane is like a spoon in jelly, they told us. The jelly is the air&mdash;usually smooth until something stirs it. Then it wobbles. The spoon jiggles, but it won&rsquo;t break. Planes work the same way. Air, they reminded us, has fluid properties.&nbsp;
Just because you can&rsquo;t see it, doesn&rsquo;t mean it&rsquo;s not there, and like boats resting on a sea of water, planes rest on a sea of air. Sometimes, like water, the air gets choppy. It feels dramatic, sure, but really it&rsquo;s just physics being physics. And dangerous? Not even close.&nbsp; 
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/how-the-flying-with-confidence-course-finally-beat-my-fear-of-flying">Keep reading&hellip;</a>

Travel Tricks

Win A Glamorous Night Out In London

It's said there are three great quests in life:&nbsp;1)&nbsp;To find love.&nbsp;2)&nbsp;To find meaning.&nbsp;3)&nbsp;And to win an insane competition for&nbsp;the ultimate luxury night out for four people&nbsp;involving wine, cocktails, and unique luxury dining experiences.&nbsp;
Which, our friends over at London's finest city guide&nbsp;<a href="https://thenudge.com/" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thenudge.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1756982549610000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2x3wyahJgW_cUf8P1PJEUh" rel="noopener">The Nudge</a>. can help with.&nbsp;
What&rsquo;s involved? Well, first you and three (incredibly grateful) buddies will start with cocktails at Mexican-Japanese&nbsp;Los Mochis, City, where you&rsquo;ll have&nbsp;&pound;100 to spend on&nbsp;stunning drinks&nbsp;either in their world-class Agaveria and lounge, or on their panoramic rooftop terrace should the weather see fit.
Then, things move onto&nbsp;<a href="https://thenudge.com/london-restaurants/luna/" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thenudge.com/london-restaurants/luna/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1756982549610000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3lvjEBZSFm_iEUDx-BSP0f" rel="noopener">LUNA</a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;an intimate omakase restaurant&nbsp;perched on the 9th floor, overlooking the city.&nbsp;With only 12 seats in the whole restaurant, your group will be taking up a full third of the jewel-box space. And what follows will be a dozen courses from a theatrical, boundary-pushing menu that fuses storytelling with spectacular food. Expect welcome cocktails, some incredible food, wine pairings, and no bill at the end.
To enter, you don't need to guess how many jellybeans there are in a jar, or solve a riddle, or do a backflip - just click below&hellip;

In Partnership with The Nudge

From Art to Auckland, and Back to the Aegean

The Detour Editor Katy is a budget travel aficionado who has already travelled to more than 50 countries. Whether she's at home or on a foreign adventure, she has a particular talent for stumbling upon tasty Georgian restaurants.

By Katy

In this week&rsquo;s Reader&rsquo;s Corner, I&rsquo;m bringing you a mash-up of topics that have landed in my inbox this week.&nbsp;
First up, it&rsquo;s Beijing. Last week, Flight Finder Kristi asked for your Beijing tips for her upcoming trip, and one of them in particular caught my attention. Aside from the must-see Forbidden City and early-morning panda visits, The Detour reader Fiona recommends exploring the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.babagoeschina.com/beijing-798-art-district/">798 Art District</a>.
I looked it up and all I can say is, wow! Factories and warehouses repurposed as galleries, alleyways splashed with street art, and sleek hipster caf&eacute;s &mdash; you&rsquo;d be forgiven for thinking this was Berlin as opposed to Beijing. We love hearing about the spots that don&rsquo;t usually make it into the tourist brochures, so please keep the recommendations coming.&nbsp;
Next up, it&rsquo;s the turn of the Chinese airlines&hellip;

&ldquo;Greetings!
I am currently in Ireland, but am looking for a flight from London to Auckland, NZ. I can get a good price with China Southern, or with Air China. How would you rate these airlines? I would appreciate an honest opinion.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Thanks so much&rdquo; - Dianne

Hi Dianne, this is a great question. The lowest fares we see to Auckland from the UK generally do involve Chinese Airlines, but most of us on this side of the world aren&rsquo;t very familiar with them.
Our resident Aussie, Larissa, flew home to Sydney with China Southern last year, and rated the airline a rather resounding, &ldquo;fine.&rdquo; There were no bells or whistles, lots of noodles, and a rather lengthy stopover in Guangzhou, but ultimately no major issues either. You can find her&nbsp;<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/jfc-honest-airline-reviews-china-southern">full breakdown of the experience here</a>.
A couple of other Jack&rsquo;s team members have flown China Eastern in recent years and gave pretty similar reviews, but unfortunately we&rsquo;re yet to board Air China. <a href="https://youtu.be/561YLjn7W2M?si=PNBs1lyHdGwnXKdg&amp;t=506">This recent review</a> on YouTube makes it look pretty decent, especially considering the low fares.
I hope that gives you some confidence to go ahead and book &mdash; I sure would!
And finally, we'll wrap up with a return to the Aegean...

&ldquo;Hello, my husband and I are celebrating our 25th anniversary in 2026 and so are friends of ours.&nbsp; We want to see the Greek Islands and are open to cruising, ferries, whatever is the best means of transport.&nbsp; My husband is getting a knee replacement sometime this fall and we're hoping he'll be more mobile. Any recommendations?&rdquo;

Hi reader &mdash; if I&rsquo;m not mistaken, you might have asked a similar question a couple of months back. In case you missed it, Flight Finder Fran put together her <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-182-disastrous-flight-delays#:~:text=Sparkling%20Seas%20for%20a%20Silver%20Anniversary">top suggestions for your gorgeous Greek getaway</a>. We hope you have a wonderful time (and send us some pics when you get back)!

Reader's Corner

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across web this week.
<ul>
<li class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 css-1kubl8f css-1kubl8f">Here's your <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/baby-puffin-throwing-wildlife-rehabilitation">annual dose of Icelandic&nbsp;"awwww!"</a> </li>
<li class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 css-1kubl8f css-1kubl8f">Sometimes, the last thing you want to do after a long trip is talk to a human at a hotel reception. Are <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/inside-japan-henn-na-robot-hotel/">Japan's robot hotels</a> the solution? </li>
<li class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 css-1kubl8f css-1kubl8f">As destinations go, "hell" isn't commonly considered one of the good ones. But just in case it does take your fancy, <a href="https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/wanderlust/entrances-to-hell">these 10 entrances to the underworld</a>&nbsp;are worth checking out. </li>
<li class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1 css-1kubl8f css-1kubl8f">And finally, after 19 years and a lot of controversy, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kazakhstan-borat-ad-tourism-very-nice/">Kazakhstan has decided that "Very nice"</a> might not actually be so bad.</li>
</ul>

Greece

The Canary Islands, Greece, Croatia, and more in £50s-£90s rtn

Croatia, Spain, Italy, and more in £/€30s-£/€40s rtn

€120-€144 rtn

£120 rtn

Crete in €150s-€170s rtn

£112 rtn