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Return flights to Prague for £40 in November! Can now go back and revisit my favourite hostel during the cosy autumn! Thank you jack!

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Hi there, Travellers,
February has whizzed by, and somehow we've reached the end of the month already!&nbsp;
While January was full of meeting members old and new at travel shows, this month has been all about bringing together everything we learned from you. The feedback was so great to hear, so please continue to get in touch with ideas.
One thing we know makes a difference before booking a big trip is getting the inside scoop from someone who's been there, done that&mdash;and that applies to which airlines we fly with, too. Two of our most-viewed articles are our reviews of lesser-known airlines,&nbsp;<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/jfc-honest-airline-reviews-saudia-airlines-and-more">Saudia Airlines</a> and <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/jfc-honest-airline-reviews-china-southern">China Southern</a>, and we'd like to keep sharing the intel.
So if you've had a memorable airline experience (for the right or wrong reasons), or you've flown on an airline you weren't familiar with beforehand, <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/home?contribute=airline">send us a little airline review</a> to help the Jack's Community go further.
Happy travels and safe landings,

Will EES Give You Border Control Nightmares This Summer?

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.

Answered by Katy

<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 passport will now need to go through the process of biometric checks 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? <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/will-the-new-ees-system-give-you-border-control-nightmares-this-summer#comments">Share your experiences in the comments</a>!

Reader's Corner

Calling All Vicarious Travelers...

We love seeing the bargain Flights you, our fantastic Community, have bagged, and hearing stories from your trips. It helps us all travel vicariously through each other when we can't be out on an adventure ourselves.
Here are some of our fave moments of escapism from the last month:

"Always wanted to do a safari and the cheap flight offer defo made it doable for me!! Best trip ever!" -&nbsp;Postcard from DynamicVoyager84378

Kenya

"Had a brilliant time, it was amazing!" -&nbsp;Postcard from Calts63

Slovakia

"Took a very romantic road trip from Athens to see the ancient ruins and monasteries, something I had wanted to do for so long! The food was also absolutely fantastic!"&nbsp;- Postcard from PassionateHolidaymaker60896

Greece

"I had two weeks of a lifetime solo in Barbados after working through the Christmas period. I&rsquo;d never have been able to afford it otherwise and I stayed with a local in the country. After a few days of getting the bus, I hired a car and really saw the island. I made friends who live there, and now I&rsquo;m absolutely dying to go back. It was an amazing trip, I saw so much!"&nbsp;- Postcard from Polly!

Barbados

<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/postcards">Head to our Postcards wall</a> to see more!
We'd love to have your pics and tips joining them up there. <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/home?contribute=postcard">Send us a Postcard</a> to let us know about an awesome trip you found through Jack's, or share all your tips, tricks, and tales in <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/home?contribute=story">a travel story</a>.&nbsp;

Travel Tales

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from around the Jack's Community this month.
<ul>
<li>Help! Jack's Traveler Samina from our Facebook community needs your tips for her upcoming <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jacksflightclub/permalink/2741791856176658/">family trip to the Seychelles</a>. Go give her a hand, would ya? </li>
<li>Cheap flights to Asia sometimes mean a long layover in China&mdash;but don't let that put you off! <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DU2m52MDD5r/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1">Our Navigators shared their top tips</a> for making the most of it. </li>
<li>Now we didn't mean to get you all riled up, but when we asked <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jacksflightclub/permalink/2726200921069085/">where you'd&nbsp;never travel to</a>&mdash;not even if it was free&mdash;there were plenty of opinions flying around. </li>
<li>Jack's Traveler Nina shared some <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVJi-7mkWYg/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1">stunning pics</a> from her recent trip to Northern Vietnam. The rest of us immediately went to book flights. </li>
<li>Layovers, who'd have 'em? Community members shared their thoughts, feelings, and experiences on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jacksflightclub/permalink/2722718518083992/">transiting through the USA</a>. </li>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jacksflightclub/permalink/2723282631360914/">AMA: Ask Masuma Anything</a>. Jack's member Masuma answered all our questions about her recent trip to Sri Lanka, and, boy, were we envious! </li>
<li>And finally, Navigator Akasha challenged an unsuspecting Jack's member on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DVORuEBjPKK/?hl=en">a fundamental part of plane etiquette: manspreading</a>. We think he passed the test.</li>
</ul>

Community Chatter

Community Dispatches & European Border Control Chaos

<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.

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?

Kyrgyzstan

Singapore

Hi there, Travellers,
I hope you're all easing back into post-holiday life without too much stress. No such luck here at Jack's HQ, I'm afraid, as our team of eagle-eyed Navigators keep spotting yet more special January offerings from the airlines.
Suffice it to say, this edition of The Detour nearly didn't get to you today, as I got distracted debating with myself about grabbing non-stop flights to South Korea.
It was a close call, but in the end, I decided I would wait to see what Pegasus Airlines offers up for the Caucasus and Central Asia when their sale rolls around at the end of the month. And as a bonus, you all get to read about Navigator Akasha's experiences from the last time their January sale lured us in...
Happy travels and safe landings,

Katy - Editor of The Detour

The Whirlwind Before The Storm in Kyrgyzstan

Navigator 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

An old Kyrgyz woman turned from the stove, a red-hot spoon steaming in her hand. Before I could flinch, she loomed over me, her calloused hands holding my chin with a vice-like grip, and she pressed the scalding metal to the back of my throat.&nbsp;
I hear my father&rsquo;s voice echoing in my head, &ldquo;God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change&rdquo;.&nbsp;
I wish I could tell you that she was a witch doctor, a hoarder of jars and remedial elixirs promising to restore the HP of weary, wide-eyed travelers. But truthfully, I was too weak to ask. And nor did I care. I was too transfixed by the spectral shapes circling us, fairly certain they were shadows only I could see.
Four days earlier, medical access was the furthest thing from my mind. I was scurrying across Bishkek&rsquo;s streets with my friend and colleague, Kristi, on the hunt for our 4&times;4 rental. We had met for the first time in real life just a few days earlier, having planned this insane trip over Slack.&nbsp;
Pixelated camaraderie and a dirt-cheap Pegasus winter sale convinced us that the next logical step was to commit to ten days mostly off-grid in a &lsquo;Stan. What followed were months of deeply philosophical debate between riding skirts and rain pants, seat savers versus padded cycling shorts.&nbsp;
The only sane solution? Bring it all.

You might think you&rsquo;ve heard this tale before in <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/kyrgyzstan-snapshots-from-an-expedition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kristi&rsquo;s photo diary </a>&mdash; think again. My experience of life in the steppe went a little differently&hellip;

Now, armed with a list of off-road coordinates and a bag of mechanical tools thrust our way with a Russian rental contract, we chuckled at the sheer absurdity of our gamble and hit the road smiling. The next four days would be entirely out of service and off-grid.&nbsp;

Our plan was to drive 4.5 hours from Bishkek to a village called Kyzart, meet our guide, and start our horse trek into the Tian Shan. We would stay in traditional yurts with nomadic herders, something I&rsquo;ve always wanted to do, and make our final ascent to the alpine lake of Song Kul.&nbsp;
After the trek, we&rsquo;d head another 5 hours south to the town of Naryn and spend the night at a hostel. Next, we&rsquo;d drive off-road deeper into the mountains to guide us through the Kok Kiya valley toward one of Kyrgyzstan&rsquo;s most stunning remote lakes, K&ouml;l-Suu. 
We&rsquo;d need a special border permit to cross a military checkpoint (it&rsquo;s located near a sensitive border zone near China), a few gallons of extra fuel, and old-school coordinates to guide us. No biggie.&nbsp;
Soon enough, I'd discover that I needn't have worried about that permit...&nbsp;

Driving in Bishkek is a touch above beginner level. I had only just gotten my full license a month prior, and so I happily let Kristi take the wheel in what can only be described as Russian roulette.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Oh god, Kash, where are the lanes?&rdquo; she mumbled, half-drowned by the incessant shrill of honking horns and screeching tires. The only thing soothing her anxiety? Taylor Swift, of course.&nbsp;
Turns out, the only thing I needed to do to experience culture shock was to plop myself in the passenger seat of a Toyota, eyes wide at the blur of life unfolding, &ldquo;Anti-Hero&rdquo; crackling on the radio. I could&rsquo;ve saved myself some serious saddle burn.
Genghis Khan statues, hawkers dishing out roadside plov. Overturned transport trucks, twisted carcasses on asphalt. Mosques pressed against Orthodox churches. Wild horses completely unbothered by it all.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Arggggh, are we driving on the left or the right? Why are those guys driving on the right?&rdquo;&nbsp;
&ldquo;Ummm, maybe it&rsquo;s both?&rdquo;&nbsp;
&ldquo;Woah, are those billboards made from rocks? Cool!&rdquo;
&ldquo;Should I go? Do I have time to merge?&rdquo; &ldquo;Go, go, go!&rdquo; 
&ldquo;Wait, is that a baby?&rdquo;&nbsp;

The biggest culture shock, however, wasn&rsquo;t Bishkek&rsquo;s vehicular chaos. I had lived in Mexico. I thought I knew things. I had spent two years acclimated to the toilet paper bin. I took whatever the street-food gods threw at me. But nothing, absolutely nothing, prepared me for Kyrgyz toilets.
Allow me to rephrase: Nothing on God&rsquo;s green earth had prepared me for Kyrgyz ROADSIDE toilets. I won&rsquo;t go into detail here; some things are better left unspoken. But heed these words of advice: Brace yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually. Don&rsquo;t breathe. Don&rsquo;t look down. Remember, it&rsquo;ll be over soon (probably).&nbsp;&nbsp;
And for the love of all things holy, empty your pockets.&nbsp;

<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/dream-and-delirium-on-the-kyrgyz-steppe">Keep reading...</a>

By Katy

Oops, we did it again. We asked our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jacksflightclub/permalink/2683271538695357">Facebook community</a> a big question, and we should have known that they'd only go and answer. That big question? Which airports do&nbsp;you&nbsp;think are the best and worst in the world?
Nobody will be surprised to hear that Singapore Changi Airport is a popular choice. After all, it has been named Best Airport in the World by Skytrax 13 times. It has a butterfly garden, a cactus garden, an indoor waterfall. And it's actually quite nice.&nbsp;

Other airports getting a shout-out include everywhere from Osaka to Alicante, Schiphol to St. John's.&nbsp;
One (very confused) Traveller even seemed to think London Heathrow was great, but plenty more piled in to condemn it to the seventh circle of hell, where it belongs. I personally am right onboard with that assessment, as the sharper minded among you may recall from <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/delays-and-drama-are-flagship-carriers-any-good">my 2023 rant about BA</a> and, by extension, Heathrow.&nbsp;
So tell us, readers &mdash; which airports would you nominate for the titles of best or worst in the world, and why? Jump into <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-219-realities-of-a-dream-trip-great-airport-debate#comments">the comments</a> or drop us an email to share your thoughts.&nbsp;

<h2 id="plus-everlasting-ink">Plus: Inking Abroad</h2>
After last week's&nbsp;<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-1226-Ringing%20in%202026%20with%20Our%20Travel%20Memories#travel-tales">travel tattoo stories</a>, a few of you were keen to write in and suggest we discourage getting tattoos abroad due to the risk of contracting hepatitis A &amp; B, HIV, or infections.
Health concerns are always important to take into consideration. However, what I'd like to do instead, is recommend the exact same as I would to anyone getting a tattoo in their home country: do your research and get informed before going under the needle.&nbsp;
Pick a studio and artist with positive reviews. Make sure you're satisfied with the cleanliness and hygiene standards, e.g. that they use sterile, single-use equipment, and that you feel comfortable in the environment. &nbsp;
Beyond the artist and studio, it's also on you to ensure that you'll be in a position to give the tattoo the necessary aftercare during your trip. That means keeping it clean, moisturised, out of the sun and swimming pool, among other things.
Tattooing is an ancient art that has been <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/tattoos-worldwide-history-144038580/">practiced all over the world</a> for thousands of years. If we choose to take part, regardless of where in the world that may occur, it is on each of us to do the risk assessment.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/3d0e6ffe9f2e987fb9255ff2ce420a7e0fdf4590" width="287" height="287">
And in case you were wondering, here are some of the tattoo artists around the world that I would gladly hop on a plane to visit:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sollefe/?hl=en">Sollefe</a> - Based at Papaya Tattoo Studio in Hamburg, I've already synced up three visits to the Hanseatic city with ink appointments. The one above is my fave.&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/maxmurphytattoo/?hl=en">Max Murphy</a> - Absolutely worth the detour to Ellicott City next time you're visiting Washington, D.C., I'd say. Problem is, it's super hard to get an appointment!</li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/suflanda/?hl=en">Suflanda</a> - Like getting an ornate children's storybook character etched into your skin, it's definitely worth booking an appointment first and then planning your trip to Manchester around it.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/pittakkm/?hl=en">PittaKKM</a> - As though I needed any more reason to visit Seoul, these colourful ornamental designs and whimsical clouds lure me in a little more every day.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rit.kit.tattoo/">RitKit</a> - If you're having a "Live, Laugh, Love" moment in Bali, this is the artist who'll help connect you with nature for good, using real plants as stencils.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
So, readers, are there any tattoo artists you'd travel for? Or is there something similar that you'd hop on a plane for a chance to be part of? <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-219-realities-of-a-dream-trip-great-airport-debate#comments">Let us know below</a> :-)

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across web this week.
<ul>
<li>Slope fiends, assemble! Someone's only gone and done the research on whether it's actually <a href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/is-it-cheaper-to-ski-in-europe-than-in-the-us-11880026">more affordable to go skiing in Europe or the USA</a>, and we finally have an answer: it depends. </li>
<li>There's a new entry for the shortest scheduled widebody service in Europe: At just 53 nautical miles, <a href="https://simpleflying.com/just-53-miles-ethiopian-airlines-launches-europes-shortest-airbus-a350-flights/">Ethiopian now flies from Geneva to Lyon</a>.&nbsp; </li>
<li>It's been a hard week in the skies over the UK and Europe, with <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy59k13e7eqo.amp">hundreds of flights cancelled</a> due to freezing conditions. Bad news for anyone hoping to travel this weekend: it <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/09/storm-goretti-germany-heavy-snowfall-strong-winds-france-northern-europe">ain't getting better.</a>.. </li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/most-reliable-punctual-airlines-aeromexico-b2895541.html">most punctual airlines in the world</a> have been named, and for the second year in a row, Aeromexico takes the global win.&nbsp; </li>
<li>And finally, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy8v5z15551o">potential competition </a>seems to be <a href="https://www.visitlondon.com/blog/eurostar-new-routes-london">scaring Eurostar into action</a>. But are they all talk, or will these new routes actually come to fruition? Guess we'll find out sometime in the 2030s...</li>
</ul>

Travel News

The Harsh Realities of a Dream Trip & The Great Airport Debate

Canada

Hey there, Travellers,
My friend Rachel was recently telling me about her alter ego, Airport Rachel. Airport Rachel and Everyday Rachel are not the same person; one is caring, patient, and up for a laugh, the other has no time for your nonsense, and will see you at the gate.&nbsp;
And she's not alone. Those of us who regularly navigate airports on our own have our system worked out, and throwing someone you care about into the mix might not be the fun start to a trip that you'd hope for.&nbsp;
Enter: <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/travel/inspiration/comment-inspiration/airport-divorce-travel-trend-huw-oliver-7jgs8kncs">the airport divorce</a>. A temporary parting of ways in an overstimulating environment that's often full of people you might perceive as utterly bonkers.
What do you think? Is an airport divorce the secret to happy transit? Or do you have another trick to calm the turbulence before you take off? <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-212-sale-predictions-travel-blunders#comments">Let us know in the comments</a>.
Happy travels and safe landings,

Over the past few years, airlines have been dropping sales left, right, and center as that pandemic hangover has worn off and travel numbers have soared to pre-2020 levels and beyond. But, are these sales actually worth it?&nbsp;
We&rsquo;ve rounded up the best Black Friday deals from the most popular airlines we&rsquo;ve seen in the past, to shed some light on what you can expect from this year&rsquo;s sales.
Round-trip flights to Europe under $300, Tahiti at $644 including a checked bag, and five-star flights to Osaka at $690 only scratched the surface of Black Friday deals we've found from across the United States.
Since demand has remained high in the years since the pandemic, it&rsquo;s highly likely that prices might be a smidge higher across the board than a few years back. We&rsquo;re keeping our fingers and toes crossed that 2025 will be another year of (good) surprises!&nbsp;
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<h2 id="h_7267660882881698760985610">Southwest Airlines</h2>
Free bags, open seating, and a generous change policy once made Southwest our favorite &ldquo;no-frills&rdquo; airline, hands down. But a lot has changed over the past year, and they've recently embraced the same cost-cutting methods used by other low-cost carriers, putting an end to the generous policies they were known for. Free checked bags, we hardly knew ye!
Their Black Friday sales have traditionally focused on domestic trips under 100 buckaroos, but anything goes with the new Southwest.
<h4>What we expect in 2025</h4>
Southwest has ignored Black Friday in favor of Cyber Monday for the last four years, and we expect that to continue. They're not the only ones, either&mdash;we saw an overall shift to Cyber Monday in 2024. But hey, as long as the sales are good, it's all the same to us!
We figure Southwest's sales are likely to go in one of two directions this year. Either they'll continue to cut costs and deliver some lackluster discounts, or they'll make up for the new lack of perks by slashing their fares even lower. Either way, they'll be the first place to look for domestic flights in 2025.
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<h2 id="h_3436739416281698761090755">American Airlines</h2>
We had low expectations for American Airlines last year, after they completely skipped Black Friday in 2023. But they surprised us with some&nbsp;killer discounts this time around, landing at the top of 2024's nice list. Great job, guys!
American is the world&rsquo;s biggest airline and has the most robust network, so seeing them drop a BF sale is always a good thing. Especially as they usually tend to shy away from sales just like their friends at Delta, positioning their product on that more premium tier.
When they do offer sales, they typically focus on short-haul domestic routes. But American has an enormous international network with flights all over the globe, so there's always the chance for some top-tier fares to the rest of the world too.
<h4>What we expect in 2025</h4>
We're riding high on last year's great sale, so we have great expectations for American in 2025. We're guessing they'll probably focus on domestic routes again, especially since that's been a trend all this past year. But they might choose to leverage their global network and surprise us with some great international ones too.
We'll be keeping an eye on their Asian routes this time around&mdash;while American's reach is pretty limited in that part of the world, flights to Asia have been super popular in 2025. Could they be looking for a bigger slice of the transpacific pie?
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<h2 id="h_68266749033301698761151853">Alaska Airlines</h2>
Alaska has had a big year since last Black Friday, completing a merger with Hawaiian Airlines and solidifying themselves as the premier carrier for the western US. They've also turned their eyes to Asia, launching new non-stop flights from Seattle to Tokyo, with a Seoul route coming in September.&nbsp;
An Alaska Black Friday sale is almost a certainty - they absolutely love doling out discounted fares across their domestic and regional routes every holiday season.
<h4>What we expect in 2025</h4>
Alaska is one of the most consistent US airlines when it comes to Black Friday sales, so we're expecting the same from them yet again. We're sure to see some really terrific discounts on domestic routes, including to rarer spots like Bozeman or Redmond.
There's also the possibility of better deals on flights across the Pacific this year, falling in line with yearly trends and Alaska's new focus on Asian travel. Could this be the year we get crazy cheap fares to Tokyo?
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<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/black-friday-flight-deals-usa-what-to-expect-in-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read more Black Friday predictions for the US...</a>
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Black Friday Predictions

Over the past few years, airlines have been dropping sales left, right, and center as that pandemic hangover has worn off and travel numbers have soared to pre-2020 levels and beyond. But, are these sales actually worth it?&nbsp;
Canadian airline prices might be a bit higher than other markets, but there are still fantastic deals to be found. We&rsquo;re talking round-trip flights to Europe for under $400 RT, non-stop to Japan in the $600s RT, and&nbsp;five-star&nbsp;seats to Phuket for $894 RT &mdash; and that&rsquo;s just scratching the surface.
We&rsquo;ve rounded up the best Black Friday deals from the most popular airlines we&rsquo;ve seen in the past, to shed some light on what you can expect from this year&rsquo;s sales.
<h2 dir="ltr">Air Canada</h2>
On average, Air Canada&rsquo;s prices tend to be higher than the rest of the Canadian airlines, but with them comes better service and&nbsp;usually a cushier flying experience.&nbsp;
Unfortunately, as of January 2025, they&rsquo;ve nixed the free carry-on for their lowest short-haul fares. But they&rsquo;re still the largest airline in the country, and have an extensive flight network around the world. Plus, they offer nice amenities like seat-back entertainment and a focus on comfort.
We frequently see minor sales on routes within Canada and the US, but they also offer some bigger, rarer sales to Europe and Central/South America too.&nbsp;
<h4>What we expect in 2025</h4>
Air Canada left us hanging last Black Friday. Their 2024 sale was pretty underwhelming, and honestly, we&rsquo;re bracing for a repeat this year.
But don&rsquo;t despair just yet! In the past, Air Canada has come through with better discounts on both Cyber Monday and Boxing Day &mdash; and we think that&rsquo;s where the best deals will be again this year. So, if you&rsquo;re hoping to snag a bargain, keep your eyes peeled for those sales instead.
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<h2 dir="ltr">WestJet</h2>
Another Canadian favourite, WestJet also has an extensive flight network. Although we don&rsquo;t see quite the same level of coverage as their big brother Air Canada, their consistently lower fares are good enough. Similarly to Air Canada, they don&rsquo;t offer a free carry-on for their lowest fares unless you&rsquo;re flying to Europe or Asia.&nbsp;
You&rsquo;ll see consistent &ldquo;sales&rdquo; throughout the year, but the biggest ones tend to be Cyber Monday, Boxing Day and random September sales (don&rsquo;t ask us why). The sales tend to be best for Canadian destinations, so don&rsquo;t expect to find any dramatic deals for the rest of the world.&nbsp;
<h4>What we expect in 2025</h4>
WestJet knows how to throw a <s>party</s> sale. It might not have been the widest-ranging collection of destinations, but we did see their lowest prices of 2024 last Black Friday. That being said, we didn't get a random September sale this year, so fingers crossed that means they're going to toss it all into one massive BF extravaganza!&nbsp;
Whatever they decide to do for Black Friday, we expect to see the absolute best deals on Cyber Monday again.&nbsp;
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<h2 dir="ltr">ZIPAIR Tokyo</h2>
Not to beat this dead horse, but if Flair is the Flair of Canada, and Arajet is the Flair of South America, then ZIPAIR must be is the Flair of&hellip; ok, you get it.&nbsp;
ZIPAIR is a low-cost Japanese airline connecting Canada to Asia (just Tokyo). Although it is no-frills, they offer free in-flight entertainment and, shockingly, free wifi too! Even with consistently low prices,&nbsp; from time to time they offer sales with really low prices, so it&rsquo;s definitely worth holding out.&nbsp;
<h4>Last year</h4>
2024: Their Black Friday sale saw non-stop routes to Tokyo at $678 RT. They were the lowest prices of the year, so well worth the wait!
<h4>What we expect in 2025</h4>
ZIPAIR keeps things simple with its Vancouver&ndash;Tokyo route, but that&rsquo;s exactly what makes this one to watch for Black Friday. Demand for Japan trips is sky-high right now, and ZIPAIR consistently offers some of the lowest fares you&rsquo;ll find. 
We expect a solid BF sale, including the cheapest ways to get to Tokyo this winter &mdash; perfect for anyone itching for sushi, ramen, and neon lights!
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/black-friday-canada-airline-flight-sales-what-to-expect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read more Black Friday Predictions for Canada...</a>

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are on their way once again&hellip; but is it all hype, or do airlines really make it worth the wait?
Last year, we saw a higher concentration of sales during the actual week of Black Friday. This differed to previous years when we noticed the first &lsquo;Black Friday&rsquo; sales pop up much earlier in the month.&nbsp;
For the first time, there were even a few airlines who, despite announcing a sale on or around Black Friday, attempted to distance themselves from the label of &lsquo;Black Friday&rsquo;&mdash;yet they still held a sale. Go figure! Maybe they wanted to try to stand out from the crowd?&nbsp;
We also noticed a decline in the &lsquo;one and done&rsquo; type of sale, with many airlines advertising multiple sales over the period, or even a different sale every day in the lead up to Friday. You can probably expect to see this again in 2025.
Read on to find out what kind of flight deals we&rsquo;ve seen in past Black Friday sales, and see more of our predictions for what to expect in 2025.
<h2 id="aer-lingus">Aer Lingus</h2>
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Ireland&rsquo;s airline isn&rsquo;t just for trips from Ireland. Their connecting flights to airports across the UK make them a compelling way to fly to the US &amp; Canada, especially thanks to the <a href="https://www.dublinairport.com/flight-information/travelling-to-usa/usa-preclearance/us-customs-and-border-protection-video">security preclearance in Dublin</a>.
They&rsquo;ve focussed their Black Friday sales mainly on their routes to the US, Canada, and the Caribbean over the past few years.
Considering they&rsquo;ve previously been one of the earliest to announce their BF sale, we were a little surprised they held off until 3 days before Black Friday last year. Along with plenty of long/short hauls from Ireland, their non-stop route from Manchester to Barbados was a standout.
<h4 dir="ltr">What to expect in 2025</h4>
In 2023 they launched early, in 2024 they launched (relatively) late, so maybe this year they'll go back to being early birds? They were one of the first airlines to announce their end of summer sale this year, so maybe that's a sign.
And speaking of summer sales, their Black Friday offering last year was essentially a re-branded version of what they'd previously offered at the end of August. So if you want a hint at what you'll be seeing this time around, it'll likely be <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/tip/europe-canada-barbados-and-the-us-in-60s-520s60s-390s-rtn?utm_source=JFC-Deals&amp;utm_medium=share&amp;utm_campaign=%5BJFC%5D-deal-sharing&amp;utm_content=deal">similar to this</a>.&nbsp;
<h2 id="british-airways">British Airways</h2>
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If you live in the UK, and especially if you live in London, the British Airways sale is always one to watch out for. They fly to pretty much everywhere you&rsquo;re interested in travelling to.
If you&rsquo;re looking to go to any major US or Canadian city or to one of their many Caribbean island destinations, their Black Friday sale is likely a good time to book, too.
They usually have sales at the end of August and from Boxing Day on, but British Airways jumped into the Black Friday game properly in 2018 to bridge the gap between their main sale seasons.
Last year, the main bulk of the UK sale was made up of short-haul flights, with the unexpected exception of a pleasantly cheap route from Newcastle to Boston. Discounts from mainland Europe seemed a little more diverse, but still very USA-heavy. The stand-outs were a sprinkling of India and Mexico.
<h4>What to expect in 2025</h4>
British Airways holding a Black Friday sale is definitely something you can count on. Bagging an actually decent bargain, on the other hand, now that's a different story.
While you can safely assume to see reductions on their short-hauls across Europe, and long-hauls (mostly focused across the USA &amp; India), the prices appear to be getting increasingly underwhelming with every sale.
That being said, last year they just about pipped Virgin Atlantic to the post with a slightly stronger sale offering &mdash; a winning title they held on to during the battle of the end of summer sales. So, if we had to put our faith in one of the two airlines this Black Friday, it'd still be BA.
<h2 class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-h2 mui-lqgaod" id="sas">SAS</h2>
<img height="290" src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/6d284f748a3cb43854bfd2cf057525ad5e2bba71" width="515" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
While 2023 was all about business class, 2024 was all about short-haul economy.
But what really made SAS stand apart from the other Scandi airline sales were the routes on offer. We don&rsquo;t often see spots like Lule&aring; (AKA Swedish Lapland) and S&auml;len go cheap from the UK. Plus, they came with a huge span of dates up until June.
Don&rsquo;t forget that SAS has a pretty decent year-round&nbsp;<a class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-inherit MuiLink-root MuiLink-underlineAlways mui-1broqmw" href="https://www.flysas.com/en/sas-young/">youth discount scheme</a>, offering at least 10% off all economy fares for anyone under the age of 26.
<h4 class="MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-h4 mui-1nst6g4">What to expect in 2025</h4>
Honestly if we could have a mix of the previous two years, with long-haul, short-haul, economy, and business, that'd be great!&nbsp;
SAS often delivers on cheap US flights, from Scandinavia in particular, but judging by what we've seen this year, we'll also be keeping an eye out for some bargain fares to Svalbard, and maybe some routes to Asia too.
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/black-friday-uk-ireland-airline-flight-sales-what-to-expect">Read more Black Friday predictions for the UK and Europe...</a>

Travel Mistakes We'll&nbsp;(Hopefully)&nbsp;Never Make Again

We&rsquo;ve all been there. Wide-eyed, in a foreign land, full of glee. You no longer feel the sharp ache of life&rsquo;s shackles, those burdens feel a million miles away. The butterflies in your stomach remind you that you&rsquo;re on your path. You&rsquo;re doing you. You&rsquo;re alive!
And damn, is that not the most intoxicating feeling? That's what travel is about.
But then there are those moments in travel that we don't always talk about, when those butterflies suddenly turn into a giant pit.
Missed flights, forgotten passports, ten years on a secondary security screening list&hellip; Our members and the team at Jack&rsquo;s recently shared those travel mishaps they hope never to repeat. And honestly, some of these are a masterclass in exactly what&nbsp;not to do.&nbsp;
Except our Editor, Katy, that is. When asked, she simply said:&nbsp;&ldquo;I&rsquo;m really a very good traveller, so not much stupidity to offer.&rdquo; An admirable stance. A suspicious one, but admirable&hellip;
Here are some of our favorites (and a handful of lessons we&rsquo;ve learned right alongside you).
<h3 id="from-bali-to-frostbite">From Bali to&hellip; Frostbite?</h3>

&ldquo;When our visa for Indonesia couldn&rsquo;t be extended, I booked a week in Shanghai in February. While it was 25&deg;C in Indonesia, we arrived in Shanghai to 0&deg;C and frost!
Also, it was Chinese New Year &mdash; everything closed, no food stalls, not even local eateries. We made the best of it and booked tourist excursions until we could go back to Indonesia.&rdquo; - Elisabeth

Going from beach vibes to freezing winds wasn&rsquo;t quite the mid-trip refresh Elisabeth had in mind&mdash;but hey, at least she got to experience a very different side of Asia - sans dumplings.&nbsp;
Our takeaway: Always check the weather and the national holidays before booking that spontaneous side trip.
<h3 dir="ltr" id="never-again-gambia">Never again - Gambia.</h3>

&ldquo;Never go to Gambia ever again - rubbish on beaches, sea too rough to swim in, and constant harassment by locals asking for money.&rdquo; - Kaminee

Our takeaway: Sometimes a destination just doesn&rsquo;t click - and that&rsquo;s okay. Not every beach is a paradise, and if you&rsquo;re looking for just a quick sun holiday with your creature comforts, there might be better places. But we wouldn&rsquo;t write off Gambia just yet. 
Where the country shines is in the interior and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vejPcqNLmHc">on its river</a>. Take a journey upriver, either as a day trip or a multi-day excursion, and you'll have the opportunity to learn more about the true Gambian lifestyle.
Whether that&rsquo;s spotting&nbsp;<a href="https://perchancetoroam.com/2025/05/10/chimpanzee-spotting-and-other-cool-things-to-do-in-river-gambia-national-park/">chimpanzees</a>, cruising along the Bao Bolong Reserve, or visiting <a href="https://perchancetoroam.com/2025/05/24/visiting-wassu-kerr-batch-and-other-megalithic-stone-circles-in-the-gambia/">megalithic stone circles</a> and traditional villages, can you really say you&rsquo;ve seen Gambia without venturing into its interior?
<h3 id="overpackers-anonymous">Overpackers Anonymous</h3>

&ldquo;Taking too many things on our trip to North and Central America meant we had to take an extra hold bag. Costing &pound;70&ndash;&pound;110 each flight we took!&rdquo; - Albert&nbsp;

That &ldquo;just in case&rdquo; sweater and 10 more pairs of underwear? Not worth a hundred quid per flight.&nbsp;
Our takeaway: Give our genius <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/one-bag-packing-hacks-to-change-the-way-you-travel">one-bag packing hacks</a> a read - non-negotiable.
<h3 dir="ltr" id="leaving-the-hotel-and-forgetting-where-it-was">Leaving the hotel... and forgetting where it was</h3>

&ldquo;This is basic, but leaving the hotel in a foreign country and not remembering its name or address so you can get back to it.&rdquo; - Robin&nbsp;

Our takeaways: A quick photo of the entrance (or a pin on Google Maps) can save you an embarrassing game of charades with taxi drivers.
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/travel-mistakes-well--never-make-again">Keep reading...</a>

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across web this week.
<ul>
<li>Thailand may be known as a party destination, but don't get tripped up by their <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/thailand-alcohol-ban-drinking-fine-b2863488.html">new drinking rules</a> next time you visit. </li>
<li>If Saudi's recent push for tourists has put it on your radar, the country's <a href="https://www.experiencealula.com/en/places-to-go/hegra">first UNESCO World Heritage Site</a> should be firmly at the top of your to-visit list. </li>
<li>Level up your festive European trip with <a href="https://www.timeout.com/europe/travel/best-winter-train-journeys-in-europe">these wintry train journeys</a> beautiful enough to bring a tear to a glass eye. </li>
<li>And finally, most of us have wondered what it would be like to just sack it all in and hit the dusty trail. But very few of us have ever gone right ahead and done it. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/nov/09/hike-continental-great-divide-trail">Here's what happened</a> when one intrepid adventurer spent 5 months walking over 3,500 miles from Mexico to Canada. No mention of how many Compeed she went through, we notice...</li>
</ul>

Our 2025 Flight Sales Predictions & Biggest Travel Blunders

Japan

Iceland

Peru

Estonia

Latvia

Lithuania

Thailand

<h3>Slowing Down the Speed of Our Wanderlust. This is how tourist fines ask us to pause.</h3>

You&rsquo;ve heard the protests, seen the headlines, &ldquo;The new tourist fines sweeping Europe&rdquo;.&nbsp;
But depending on who you ask, the new rollout of tourism rules and regulations can feel like a total killjoy or long-overdue protection against an industry that&rsquo;s been eating itself alive.&nbsp;
Reading the list below, it&rsquo;s easy to roll our eyes when we&rsquo;re the ones passing through. But how would you feel if the beach you grew up hearing the waves at night now echoes with drunk tourists music and drones overhead? That street you grew up on where you learned to ride your bike? It&rsquo;s now blocked with selfie-stick traffic impeding your route to work.&nbsp;
And your favourite caf&eacute;, the one that knows your order by heart? They tell you that you&rsquo;ll have to wait longer because tables are being saved for tourists that tip better and stay all day.&nbsp;
Through this lens, it&rsquo;s easier to see that these new waves of tourist fines are less about punishing visitors, and more about meeting a destination and its locals on their own terms. So, presuming you want to be a conscientious traveller and not become enemy #1 in your chosen destination, here&rsquo;s everything you need to know.

<h2 dir="ltr">Flip-flops behind the wheel in Europe</h2>
Rule / Fine: Up to &euro;200 if police deem your footwear unsafe, despite no outright ban.
In countries like Spain, drivers are expected to maintain proper control of the vehicle at all times. Loose footwear like flip-flops can jeopardize pedal control, so officers can fine you if they judge your sandals to compromise safety.
Traveller Tip: Always pack a pair of light sneakers or secure sandals to slip on when you hit the open road.
<h2 dir="ltr">No Swimwear Off the Beach (Europe, including Barcelona, Sorrento, Albufeira, Cannes, Venice)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Up to &euro;1,500 for walking around in swimwear outside beach zones. It's just polite, really!
 Traveller Tip: Keep a lightweight cover-up handy &mdash; say, a breezy shirt or sarong &mdash; for when you step ashore and into town.
<h2 dir="ltr">Public Drinking (Spain, UK, Baltic states, Canada &amp; more)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Up to &euro;3,000 for alcohol consumption in non-designated public areas.
Party hotspots like Ibiza and Mallorca in particular are trying to curb rowdy public behaviour by outlawing open-air drinking away from bars and restaurants. But beyond that, many countries or local authorities have blanket bans on carrying open containers of alcohol in public.&nbsp;
Traveller Tip: Check the local laws at your destination before cracking open a nice cold beer. If in doubt, sip your sangria indoors, at a bar&rsquo;s outdoor terrace, or in your hotel.

<h2 dir="ltr">Sunbed Reservation Abuse (Spain)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Around &euro;250 for reserving a sunbed with a towel and abandoning it.
Resorts are cracking down on the old 6am towel trick to keep things fair and tidy for all beach-goers.
Traveller Tip: We&rsquo;re not sure what to say about this one&hellip; Don&rsquo;t get lost?&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Collecting Shells or Pebbles (Greece &amp; Sardinia)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Up to &euro;1,000&ndash;&euro;3,000 depending on location.
Coastal ecosystems are fragile. Pocketing natural souvenirs threatens biodiversity and local ecosystems.
Traveller Tip: A picture says a thousand words. Take one, take a thousand &mdash; just leave the shells be.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Swimming in Venice&rsquo;s Canals (Italy)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Around &euro;350 fine &mdash; and up to &euro;1,000 if other violations apply.&nbsp;
Repeat after me, &ldquo;Canals aren&rsquo;t for swimming, they&rsquo;re for boats and sewage!&rdquo; Banning swims protects both visitors and historic waterways &mdash; and probably protects you from at least a dozen infectious diseases.&nbsp;
Traveller Tip: Stick to gondolas, or <a href="https://gillianlongworthmcguire.substack.com/p/gillian-knows-best-guide-to-beaches">head to the Lido</a> if you must get your feet wet.

<h2 dir="ltr">Entry Fee for Day-Trippers (Venice, Italy)</h2>
Rule / Fine: &euro;5&ndash;&euro;10 entry fee; failure to pay can lead to &euro;300 fine.
Overwhelmed by mass day-trip tourism, Venice is trying to manage crowd flow and encourage longer stays by offering fee exemptions to hotel guests.
Traveller Tip: Book your visit in advance, or stay overnight, and keep your receipt handy.
<h2 dir="ltr">Selfie Zones &amp; No-Linger Spots (Portofino, Italy &amp; Hallstatt, Austria)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Up to &euro;275 for blocking walkways with a selfie; Hallstatt uses &ldquo;selfie fences&rdquo; to curb crowding.&nbsp;
Europe&rsquo;s quaint and cute villages are overloaded with visitors lining up for the same shot. This measure aims to restore flow and reduce stress for locals trying to get to work on time.
Traveller Tip: Capture your pic, then move on. Who knows, you might just find a hidden corner!
<h2 dir="ltr">Beach Behaviour Campaigns (Spain &amp; Portugal)</h2>
Rule / Fine: Ranging from &euro;750 for public urination to &euro;2,000 for beach smoking. Malaga&rsquo;s Improve Your Stay campaign enforces up to &euro;873 fines for bad conduct in the port city.&nbsp;
Fines can be as high as &euro;30,000 for anti-social behaviour like vandalism or street drinking; attending (or throwing!) unlicensed events can set you back a similar amount, while hitching a lift in an unlicensed taxi can result in penalties of &euro;600. And before you decide to go for a nighttime dip Benidorm, just consider whether you have &euro;1,000 to spare.&nbsp;
Traveller Tip: Follow the local code snippets posted in your hotel lobby or on billboards, or simply ask a local. But let&rsquo;s be honest &mdash; it&rsquo;s always better to just find a toilet, smoke away from others, keep the noise down at night, and generally not be a nuisance.

<h3 dir="ltr">Proof of Travel Insurance (Spain)</h3>
Rule / Fine: Fines for British travellers of up to &euro;6,900 for not having proper travel health insurance documentation when entering Spain.&nbsp;
To protect its healthcare system and keep tourists from becoming walking liabilities, Spain can now request proof of travel insurance at the border.
Traveller Tip: Buy travel insurance! And just in case your phone battery dies, pack a printed copy of your insurance documents so you can pull them out at passport control.
<h3 dir="ltr">Visitor Caps in Europe&rsquo;s Ancient Icons (Greece, Italy)</h3>
Rule / Fine: Acropolis (Athens) is capped at 20,000 visitors/day; pre-booking required, high heels banned with fines up to &euro;900. Pompeii (Italy): also limited to 20,000 visitors/day and the Colosseum (Rome): capped at 3,000 visitors at a time.&nbsp;
These heritage sites want to stay standing, not crumbling under the footfall. Regulating access protects their history (and makes your visit more enjoyable).
Traveller Tip: Book your tickets for the first thing in the morning to avoid the rush, and leave the stilettos at home.
<h3 dir="ltr">Tourism Balance (Japan)</h3>
Rule / Fine: Mount Fuji: &yen;2,000 entry fee (&pound;10/$13.50/&euro;11.60) with a cap of 4,000 climbers/day. Kyoto: &yen;10,000 fine for taking photos of geisha without permission; some alleys are even off-limits. Tokyo: A year-round ban on public drinking from 6pm-5am.&nbsp;
Traveller Tip: Book early. Ask before snapping. Stick to bars and caf&eacute;s, not the streets.
<h3 dir="ltr">Hiking Restrictions (Machu Picchu)</h3>
Rule / Fine: Timed-slot tickets are now mandatory &mdash; no more spontaneous hikes to Machu Picchu!
Peru is slowing tourism to protect both the trail and the ancient ruins from overuse and degradation.
Traveller Tip: Book your slot online well in advance. Check out Flight Finder Lauren's <a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/detour-145-machu-picchu">top tips for visiting the site here</a>.

<h3 dir="ltr">Digital Arrival Card (Thailand)</h3>
Rule / Fine: As of May 2025, all foreign visitors must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card at least within 72 hours before arrival. Earlier isn't possible.
This replaces the old paper form, and can be submitted online before you travel. You won't need to do this if you're just transiting in Thailand.
Traveller Tip: Set a reminder on your phone to do this 3 days before you arrive, save the confirmation, and breeze through immigration!
<h3 dir="ltr">Eco-Tax (Iceland)</h3>
Rule / Fine: A nightly, per-room eco-tax is in place nationwide to support environmental conservation to protect its glaciers and geysers.
Traveller Tip: Factor this small extra (approx. $5-$8) into your hotel budget; you&rsquo;re investing in the island&rsquo;s future. 
<hr>
 Follow these guidelines, and hopefully you won't find yourself stepping on any toes on your next trip.
Wear the right shoes in Cinque Terre, not because Italy wants to control your packing list, but because those paths are centuries old and prone to erosion. Skip the selfie in a geisha district, not because Kyoto wants to spoil your carefully curated feed, but because a working woman shouldn&rsquo;t be turned into a prop or have her picture taken without consent.&nbsp;
The result? A subtle but meaningful shift: travel is becoming less about extraction &mdash; how much you can see, collect, or post in a few days &mdash; and more about exchange: &ldquo;You bring the curiosity and respect, we&rsquo;ll reveal our truer selves beyond the tourist brochures.&rdquo;
And if that feels restrictive, maybe the question isn&rsquo;t whether the rules have gone too far, but whether the speed of our wanderlust has burned through the soul of the streets before we even noticed.&nbsp;

Navigating New Tourism Rules: The 2025 Traveller's Cheat Sheet

Mexico

&iexcl;Hola,&nbsp;fellow travellers!
Just yesterday, we had some super exciting Mexico trips spring right into our flight-hacking laps here at Jack's HQ.
First, we dug up some sweet <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/flights/mexico-in-1000s-1190s-rtn">Premium Economy fares</a> all across the country &mdash; a real rarity from the UK, for sure! Then there were the perfect winter sun flights to Canc&uacute;n from <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/flights/cancun-in-430s-510s-rtn">Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg</a>. So far, so good.&nbsp;
Then out of nowhere, as we were busy imagining ourselves sipping margs by the Caribbean, appeared an error fare from London to <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/flights/mexico-city-at-295-rtn">Mexico City for under &pound;300</a>!&nbsp;That one didn't last long, but suffice it to say, it made for a very excitable day.&nbsp;
The thing is, readers, all these surprise Mexican treats were from the European side of the pond. And frankly, awesome fares to anywhere other than Canc&uacute;n come around so rarely for us that I just don't know where to pick, given the choice.
So, this time, I'm looking mostly to those of you in North America, who are used to a little more Mexico on your plate &mdash; where's the place to be? Is it the beaches of <a href="https://theawkwardtraveller.com/cabo-or-cancun/">Canc&uacute;n or Cabo</a>? The street food of <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1kmaaj8/mexico_city_vs_oaxaca/">Oaxaca or CDMX</a>?
Let us know your favourite spots in Mexico <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-196-slow-and-scenic-italy-alternative-uk#comments">in the comments</a>, or by replying to this email.
Happy travels and safe landings,

It's Our Summer Sale!

Now is the best time&nbsp;to start planning your winter getaways. As a Premium member, you&rsquo;ll get access to&nbsp;all&nbsp;of our content: 8&ndash;10 flights&nbsp;per week, including error fares and business class.
Keep that summer feeling going long into the winter months with 3 months of Premium for &pound;1 - this is our biggest offer of the year!

Jack's Flight Club Promo

Now is the best time&nbsp;to start planning your winter getaways. As a Premium member, you&rsquo;ll get access to&nbsp;all&nbsp;of our content: 8&ndash;10 flights&nbsp;per week, including error fares and business class.
Keep that summer feeling going long into the winter months with 3 months of Premium for &euro;1 - this is our biggest offer of the year!

Now is the best time&nbsp;to start planning your winter getaways. As a Premium member, you&rsquo;ll get access to&nbsp;all&nbsp;of our content: 8&ndash;10 flights&nbsp;per week, including error fares and business class.
Keep that summer feeling going long into the winter months with 3 months of Premium for $1 - this is our biggest offer of the year!

Now is the best time&nbsp;to start planning your winter getaways. As a Premium member, you&rsquo;ll get access to&nbsp;all&nbsp;of our content: 8-10 flights&nbsp;per week, including error fares and business class.
Keep that summer feeling going long into the winter months with 3 months of Premium for $1 - this is our biggest offer of the year!

Larissa is an Aussie expat from Sydney who only sometimes misses the beach. Currently based in London, she&rsquo;s now working on ticking as many European cities off her travel list as possible, while checking for brunch spots along the way.

By Larissa

I&rsquo;ve just come back from a week in Puglia, and I didn&rsquo;t rent a car. That may surprise you, as the number one way to see southern Italy is from behind the wheel &mdash; and for good reason. Aside from the lax driving rules and how easy it is to pick up a vehicle at the airport, lots of the major visitor attractions are only accessible by car, like the best beaches in the area.&nbsp;
Despite knowing all that, I still decided to rely on trains and buses throughout my trip in June 2025. In fact, this is my second time travelling around the boot of Italy this way. You may be thinking, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t speak Italian, I&rsquo;m not adventurous enough to hop on and off public transportation across the country. Surely it&rsquo;s not worth the hassle!?&rdquo;
Well, neither do I! And you don&rsquo;t have to be as adventurous as you think; the south of Italy is surprisingly well-connected by trains and buses &mdash; we saw plenty of people using both as we navigated around, tourists and locals alike.

<h3 dir="ltr">Why take public transport in Southern Italy?&nbsp;</h3>
If you have the time and don&rsquo;t want the hassle of renting a car, buying petrol and figuring out your insurance, I&rsquo;d recommend ditching the car.&nbsp;&nbsp;
To give you a little background &ndash; I learned to drive as a teenager (as most do in Australia) around the suburbs of Sydney, have always enjoyed it, and still have a driver's licence. So far, so normal. That was, until I moved to London when I was 24. It&rsquo;s been 6 years since then, and that means 6 years since I&rsquo;ve been behind the wheel of a car.&nbsp;
When faced with the prospect of navigating tiny cobbled streets, Vespas and overeager European drivers, it struck me that I&rsquo;d maybe been off the roads for too long. So with that in mind, I decided to throw myself at the whim of bus and train schedules, while baking under the summer Puglian sun.&nbsp;
Before we go any further, a caveat: yes, trains and buses do get delayed, and the service can be infrequent (especially on weekends and the off season). This kind of travel will only work for you if you&rsquo;re happy to spend hours waiting around, and you allow yourself plenty of time to get where you want to go. For some people, it&rsquo;s always going to be easier to just hire a car and have the freedom to move around, which I totally respect!&nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">Catching public transport between Brindisi, Maglie, Ostuni, Lecce and Monopoli</h3>
We flew in and out of Brindisi airport, then (thanks to a very beautiful, but very remote wedding) had to make our way down to a little town called Maglie &mdash; it's located almost smack-bang in the middle of the boot, about 80 km from the airport. To get there, we took the airport bus into the centre of Brindisi, stayed overnight, and then spent the next day slowly winding our way down the country.&nbsp;
First, we caught a train from Brindisi to Lecce, &lsquo;the Florence of the South&rsquo;, and then hopped on a bus to Maglie from there. All in all, it took a couple of hours and two hops, whereas if we were to drive, we would have been there in just under an hour. Not the fastest way to go, but it was cheap (less than &euro;10 per person) and reliable (especially when compared to <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/1iagaf6/europes_best_and_worst_rail_operators/">other European rail networks</a>). The train and bus both came when they were scheduled.&nbsp;
We had to do it all again in reverse a couple of days later, which also went off without a hitch.&nbsp;
On separate day trips, we also travelled from Brindisi by train/bus to other spots on our list like <a href="https://www.alongdustyroads.com/posts/things-to-do-ostuni-puglia-guide">Ostuni</a> (the &lsquo;White City&rsquo;, full of boutique shops and has views of rolling hills for days), <a href="https://pugliaparadise.com/puglia-travel-guide/lecce/">Lecce</a> (the &lsquo;Florence of the South&rsquo;, with looming sandstone churches and baroque buildings) and <a href="https://www.bontraveler.com/monopoli-italy/">Monopoli</a> (easiest access to sandy beaches by foot, also a very pretty town in its own right).&nbsp;

<h3 dir="ltr">How to plan your own trip around Southern Italy on public transport</h3>
So, you&rsquo;re intrigued &mdash; how do you follow in my footsteps?&nbsp;
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/puglia-by-public-transport">Keep reading...</a>

Alternative UK City Breaks: Bonus Round

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.

Before we wrap up last week&rsquo;s roundup of alternative UK cities for a summer break, another entry just hit our inbox from JFC member Claire. Here&rsquo;s what she&rsquo;s got to say:

&ldquo;On the subject of UK cities worth exploring this summer, I'd love to make a case for Newcastle. A compact city centre boasts attractions old and new, particularly for those who love their art and culture. From world-class museums like <a href="https://baltic.art/">contemporary art gallery Baltic</a>, the fascinating <a href="https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/greatnorthmuseum">Great North Museum: Hancock</a>, to the interactive<a href="https://www.life.org.uk/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=19682308792&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADshYFo7ea6fKL-8Ebz43MQ3jWRfe&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwkILEBhDeARIsAL--pjykSj0YmybFRNnBaYYegg8cVyh9kdhWFEjI2NhAPT6tGpODMhP0mzYaAsubEALw_wcB"> Life Science Centre</a>&hellip;&rdquo;

And I have to agree! I spent a few days in Newcastle with my dad last year, and although it was just a quick stop en route to Edinburgh, the city really surprised me. More specifically, the people and their kindness surprised me (from the minute we arrived, the Geordie welcome hit full force), as well as the food!
Traveling with my father can be challenging; he&rsquo;s loud, he&rsquo;s curt, and he&rsquo;ll have no problem telling a waiter what he really thinks of the soup. But he is also a big foodie, which results in a Google Map transformed into a gastronomic guidebook before you&rsquo;ve even made it to the boarding gate.
No need for a tour guide, just follow Geoff. Give him 60 minutes, and he&rsquo;ll be on a first-name basis with the chef at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Restaurant_Review-g186394-d1773852-Reviews-Rani_Indian_Restaurant-Newcastle_upon_Tyne_Tyne_and_Wear_England.html">Rani Indian Restaurant</a>, tucking into a Punjabi feast that&rsquo;s normally reserved for Aunties and VIPs. By dessert, he&rsquo;ll have two staff members and two diners signed up for Jack&rsquo;s Flight Club &mdash; and an entire notes app full of places like Shimla, Sissu and Manali to visit if I ever make it to <a href="https://youtu.be/dHEVGuw5LCE?si=SJ-9Ox83AQs9RQVj&amp;t=40">Himachal Pradesh</a>.&nbsp;

So with that in mind, I followed Geoff through a whirlwind of some of the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/quayingredient/?hl=en">best English breakfasts</a> I&rsquo;ve ever tasted, and <a href="https://www.rio-steakhouse.co.uk/quayside">Churrasco comas</a> come sunset. Relinquishing any notion of gazing up at those museum ceilings.
Okay, that&rsquo;s not exactly fair &mdash; I did manage to peel him away from <a href="https://newcastlegateshead.com/business-directory/shopping/matthews-cheese-specialist">the cheese stall at Grainger market</a> to visit the city&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.newcastlecastle.co.uk/">Norman castle</a>, which I highly recommend. Besides the standard tours of the castle, they also occasionally run movie nights, historical reenactments and talks. &pound;8 to hear someone yak about witches and cholera? Sign me up!

&ldquo;There's also <a href="https://newcastlegateshead.com/events">a free programme</a> of city-wide activities like kayaking on the River Tyne, outdoor movie screenings, and fun activities throughout the summer. The city's music scene is thriving. Head to the trendy Ouseburn Valley for quirky venues, craft beer, interesting eats, and tons of live music.&rdquo;&nbsp;- Claire

I&rsquo;ve heard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stephaniefox.co.uk/enjoy-a-day-out-to-ouseburn-newcastle/">great things about Ouseburn</a>. Back in the day, it used to be an industrial hub. Now? It&rsquo;s more like what Shoreditch is to London. Quirky, gritty, cool.
By day, you can weave in and out of <a href="https://ouseburntrust.org.uk/events/tunnel-tours/">WWII tunnels</a>, art galleries like the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebiscuitfactorygallery/?hl=en">Biscuit Factory</a>, farm trails (yes, there&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.ouseburnfarm.org.uk/">an urban farm!</a>) or pass the time with a book and a gluten-free muffin <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegaragencl/?hl=en">in a garage-turned-caf&eacute;</a>. Think exposed pipes, vintage lights, and coffee so strong it could rotate your tyres. 
At night? You&rsquo;ve got Newcastle&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ouseburntrust.org.uk/explore-ouseburn-valley/where-to-visit/music-and-gigs-in-ouseburn/">best nightlife, live gigs and pubs</a> at your fingertips.

&ldquo;All this, and the stunning county of Northumberland on the doorstep, where you'll find coastal castles, networks of hiking and biking trails, ancient treasures like Hadrian's Wall, and friendly, welcoming people.&rdquo;

This is why I&rsquo;ve sworn to return to Newcastle solo next time (sorry, dad) &mdash; for the chance to see&nbsp;<a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/hadrians-wall/">Hadrian&rsquo;s Wall</a> poking up among dramatic moorlands and Roman ruins, windswept castles, golden beaches, and quaint coastal towns on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.visitnorthumberland.com/explore/destinations/towns-villages">Northumberland Coast</a>. Or maybe go northwest to be illuminated under the vastness of <a href="https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/things-to-do/discover-dark-skies/where-to-stargaze/">Northumberland Dark Skies Park</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Don&rsquo;t get me wrong, I wouldn&rsquo;t trade the memories for anything. But next time, I&rsquo;d love to see more of Northern England&rsquo;s natural scenery by venturing out into the wild between the fantastic feasts. Thanks so much for your tips, Claire! We love hearing everyone's destination recommendations, so if there's somewhere you absolutely need to tell The Detour readers about, <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-196-slow-and-scenic-italy-alternative-uk#comments">head to the comments</a> or hit 'Reply'!

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across web this week.
<ul>
<li>If all that talk of Mexican street food earlier on got your taste buds tingling, let <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/hubs/feast-2025">Gastro Obscura's 2025 Feast</a> help guide your upcoming travel plans. </li>
<li>Lusting after the most epic of all road trips?&nbsp;<a href="https://wild-places.com/">It's got to be Patagonia</a>. </li>
<li>First they stopped making us remove our shoes, and now they&nbsp;<a href="https://www.afar.com/magazine/tsa-tests-eliminating-bag-recheck-rule-on-connecting-flights">won't make us collect checked luggage</a> on international connections. Seems the TSA are in a good mood? </li>
<li>And finally, getting a slice of life abroad can sometimes be hard without taking a trip. But it turns out that all it takes for some authentic Colombian vibes is <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/reel/video/p0lqjgsz/the-secret-behind-colombia-s-blender-craze">a blender</a>. Time to get juicing!</li>
</ul>

United Kingdom

£53 rtn

London<>Europe in £70s-£90s/€50s-€100s

£52-£62 rtn

€30-€31 rtn

Shetland Islands, Stornoway, Jersey, and more in £80s-£190s rtn

£58-£62 rtn