North America

Amsterdam

Netherlands

Quebec

Canada

Vancouver

Calgary

Kelowna

Edmonton

Canada 🏞️ in €530s-€560s rtn

Tampa

United States

Montreal

Montréal 🥞 at $346 RT from Tampa

Trips in summer rarely come around and are guided by the midnight sun.

Chicago

Yellowknife

Boston

Los Angeles

Atlanta

Portland

Seattle

Canada's Northwest Territories 🏔️ in $310s-$360s RT

Short-notice? Yes. Worth booking? Absolutely!

Frankfurt

Germany

Winnipeg

Halifax

Toronto

Berlin

Hamburg

Munich

Nuremberg

Stuttgart

Paris

France

Canada 🌸 in €430s-€600s & *prem eco* in €690s-€950s rtn 

If you couldn't get enough of yesterday's Easter hunt, boy will you be pleased with us today!

Abbotsford

Victoria

Waterloo

Across Canada 🐣 in $120s-$330s RT

Looking to fly Easter, Wester, North-er, or “just get-me-somewhere-warmer"?

Liberia

Costa Rica

New York

Punta Cana

Dominican Republic

Montego Bay

Jamaica

Saskatoon

Whitehorse

Santa María Huatulco

Mexico

Sint Maarten

Ottawa

Cancún

St. John's

Antigua and Barbuda

Las Vegas

Puerto Vallarta

Caribbean, Costa Rica, Canada, and more!  🧳 in $350s-$550s RT

Thanks to the team, I got flights to visit Canada with my partner and meet her family for an event she would otherwise have possibly had to miss. Saved over £450 with Air Transat thanks to the team, and even got a cheeky upgrade to a pair seat rather than three for a mere £20. Immense!

Postcard from Andy

We’ve been wanting to visit Quebec  in the winter and now I have no excuse with these cheap flights from ORD. 

Postcard from Amanda

Thanks so much! I’ve been waiting for more Canada ones and super grateful for these amazing tips ✨

Postcard from Kez 

Thanks Jack and team. Booked Toronto from Heathrow in October just for a week to get away with a cheeky extra holiday. Our first booking with you. Hoping for many more. Thank you. 

Postcard from Andrew

Just back from a brilliant and freezing cold week in Banff, Canada, thanks to you sharing some bargain Air Canada flights to Calgary. We skied, skated, ice hiked and snowshoed and spent lots and lots of time in the hot tub to warm up from the -28°C weather! It was the perfect winter wonderland week so thank you so much!

Postcard from Alisse

Postcard from Elizabeth

From summer savings to Black Friday discounts, let us guide you through the world of Canadian Airline sales and when to expect them. We break down a few major carriers operating across the country and what time of year you might want to keep their homepages bookmarked.
For our European audience, we have a similar <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/heres-when-airlines-run-sales">UK &amp; EU guide to airline sales</a> for your neck of the woods (or read on for valuable advice on saving a few euros on your next skip across the pond). Our goal is to demystify the phoney 'sales' that get passed off as legit, hoping no one will realize. Now, let's filter out the good from the bad.
Psssst. BTW: the easiest way to cut through the noise is to<a href="https://jacksflightclub.com/us"> sign up for Jack&rsquo;s Flight Club</a>, and we'll do the investigating for you! *ahem* Anyway, read on for more info on when Canadian airlines release flight sales!
<hr>
Let&rsquo;s see a show of hands &mdash; how many of you have nearly lost it while booking a flight during an airline sale?
It&rsquo;s a dizzying, code-clicking whirlwind of upgrades, extras, and upsells that leaves you at the checkout wondering if the discount was worth the trouble. Worst of all, you might find that the &ldquo;sale&rdquo; wasn&rsquo;t a sale at all!
Thankfully, you have us to put the sweat (blood and tears too) in for you. Our goal? Break down the major carriers operating across Canada, let you know when to keep their homepages bookmarked, and help filter out the good from the bad.
Sounds simple enough, eh? Let&rsquo;s get to work.

Here's When Canadian Airlines Have Sales

Uzbekistan

China

South Korea

Japan

Vietnam

Kyrgyzstan

Kazakhstan

Hey there Travellers,
You'll all be glad to know that I made it back from Portugal last weekend without so much as a drop of wine spilled down my front.
However, it's safe to say that my jeans were feeling a little tighter after a few days of sampling the Portuguese cuisine. Nobody warned me that I'd still be dreaming of that mustardy <a href="https://tasteporto.com/pt/portuguese-francesinha-the-deconstructed-version/">pica-pau</a> sauce a week later!
And no sooner had I returned than, once again, the good old&nbsp;Pastel de Bel&eacute;m was named <a href="https://www.tasteatlas.com/best/foods-by-category">sweet pastry of the year</a> for 2025. But would you visit just for its custardy goodness?&nbsp;
A few weeks ago, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jacksflightclub/permalink/2654233541599157">we asked our Facebook Community</a> what food they'd travel abroad for time and time again. For me, it's an authentic&nbsp;<a href="https://polinachesnakova.com/blog/2020/3/29/imeruli-khachapuri">Imeruli khachapuri</a>, for others it's a Costa Rican breakfast, or Indian street food.
So tell me, dear readers, what's the tasty treat that you'd hop on a plane for right now? <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-216-island-life-bc-and-diy-pan-asian-adventure#comments">Let us know in the comments</a> (so we can organize a grand Jack's Food Club tour, obviously).
Happy travels and safe landings,

Katy - Editor of The Detour

Win 5 Nights in Dreamy Puglia

We&rsquo;ve teamed up with DAYMADE to give one lucky Jack's member an unforgettable 5-night escape for 2 to Puglia &mdash; flights, hotel, sunshine, all sorted.
It&rsquo;s totally free to enter. Just pop your details in, and you&rsquo;re in the draw.
Someone&rsquo;s going&hellip; why not you?

In Partnership with DAYMADE

A Taste of Island Life: Day Trips from the British Columbian Capital

A San Diego native, Olivia left home a few years ago to live on the road. Since then, she's had homebases everywhere from Quebec to England to New Orleans, but she always ends up back on the West Coast.&nbsp;

By Olivia

This week, Jack's released a new <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/jacks-guide-to-victoria">city guide to Victoria</a>: British Columbia's provincial capital, located at the southern end of Vancouver Island.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The island,&rdquo; as it's colloquially known, is truly the jewel of the Pacific Northwest. It's roughly the size of Belgium, and packed with seaside villages and lush woodlands. Everywhere you turn, there are rocky coastlines, moss-covered pine trees, and boardwalk caf&eacute;s.
While the charming capital city is worth a few days on its own, it'd be a shame to stay in town when there's so much beauty right in your backyard. And you don't have to look very far to catch views around here! Even a quick stopover in Victoria comes with some pretty lovely day trips.&nbsp;
So if you find yourself contemplating a visit to the island (and any cheap YYJ fares that you just so happen to see in your inbox), allow me to introduce you to some local sights...
<h3 dir="ltr" id="butchart-gardens">Butchart Gardens</h3>
This is THE day trip from Victoria &mdash; the one pretty much every visitor takes.&nbsp;

<p dir="ltr" id="its-not-hard-to-see-why-the-butchart-gardens-cover-55-acres-of-land-in-beautiful-floral-displays-descend-into-the-manicured-sunken-garden-meander-through-a-forest-of-japanese-maples-and-admire-fountain-after-bubbling-fountain-while-its-worth-seeing-at-any-time-of-year-springs-rose-blossoms-and-autumns-bright-red-foliage-make-for-especially-colorful-visits">It&rsquo;s not hard to see why!&nbsp;<a href="https://butchartgardens.com/">The Butchart Gardens</a> cover 55 acres of land in beautiful floral displays. Descend into the manicured Sunken Garden, meander through a forest of Japanese maples, and admire fountain after bubbling fountain. While it&rsquo;s worth seeing at any time of year, spring&rsquo;s rose blossoms and autumn&rsquo;s bright red foliage make for especially colorful visits.
You can reach the Butchart Gardens from downtown Victoria in about 30 minutes by car, or with a one-hour bus ride aboard the 75 or 30.
<h3 dir="ltr">Nanaimo</h3>
Pronounced nah-NYE-mo, this is the second-largest city on the island. It&rsquo;s got a much more small-town feel, with a cute downtown and Old City Quarter.

Other than whale-watching and ferry connections, its biggest claim to fame is the Nanaimo bar: a chocolatey, coconutty, custardy treat that just might ruin you for every other caf&eacute; dessert.
You can get to Nanaimo from Victoria by city bus or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.islandlinkbus.com/">Island Link</a>, but driving the full ~90 minutes yourself is much more fun. The highways will take you through several charming villages worth the stop &mdash; my favorites are Cowichan Bay, Duncan, Chemainus, and Ladysmith. Expect cozy shops, dockside restaurants, small local museums, and tons of gorgeous bay and island views.
<h3 dir="ltr">Provincial and Regional Parks</h3>
The island may only have one &mdash; difficult-to-reach &mdash; National Park, but it&rsquo;s covered in Provincial and Regional Parks. These protected areas include dense, mossy woodland, waterfalls, tons of lakes, and rocky coastlines.

I could fill an entire article just with outdoor day trips from Victoria, but a few highlights within a mere half-hour&rsquo;s drive include Thetis Lake (Canada&rsquo;s first nature sanctuary), Mount Wells (known for wildflowers and a challenging summit hike), and Goldstream (massive trees and a beautiful waterfall).
<h3 dir="ltr">Sidney</h3>
One of my favorite things about Vancouver Island is the abundance of lovely coastal towns, and Sidney is one of the coolest and most accessible from Victoria.
Unique highlights here include the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea (a small but very well-done aquarium), a fish market frequented by the local seals, and a pier that offers an excellent view of the Gulf. On clear days, you can even spot Washington&rsquo;s Mount Baker across the water.

It&rsquo;s also home to the Victoria airport, and the first big town you&rsquo;ll see if you arrive at Swartz Bay on the ferry. This means you&rsquo;ll likely pass through Sidney anyway, so take some time to look around!
<h3 dir="ltr">Salt Spring Island</h3>
If you only take one more ferry during your trip, it should be the one to Salt Spring! This island is around the size of Aruba, and it&rsquo;s become quite the artistic outpost on the Gulf. The main town, Ganges, is packed with galleries and nifty boutiques, plus there&rsquo;s a weekly street market each Saturday where local artists take to the sidewalks.
It&rsquo;s also one of the best hiking spots in the area &mdash; drive down to Ruckle Provincial Park and follow the trail along the coast for some gorgeous, peak Pacific Northwestern views.

To get there from downtown Victoria, either drive or take one of several direct buses up to Swartz Bay, then hop on the ferry to Fulford Harbour. You&rsquo;ll be much better off with a car on Salt Spring Island, but <a href="https://www.bctransit.com/salt-spring-island/schedules-and-maps/">buses do run every couple hours</a> and cover most of the highlights. 
Want to learn more about Victoria? <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/jacks-guide-to-victoria">Check out the guide</a>.

Travel Tips

Silk Road to Sakura: A Choose-Your-Own Adventure

&ldquo;I am looking into planning the itinerary for our big trip to Asia and it is a bit confusing where to start and what to do with visas (China). But we are planning to fly less and use rail and buses to enjoy the scenery. 
Our departure airport is Manchester and we&rsquo;re aiming to be gone from the last week of March to about June. We definitely want to include: Uzbekistan, China, South Korea, Japan, and maybe Vietnam. Rough budget around &pound;2000.&rdquo;&nbsp;- Nehla

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.

Answered by Akasha

Hi there, Nehla! Wow, what an adventure! Consider me officially jealous. Slow travel is by far one of the best ways to connect with the land and the people (and yourself!) on a deeper level. It&rsquo;s the anti-checklist trip.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;ve done some research and dug up your best options for traveling overland, and flying when necessary.
<h2 dir="ltr" id="stage-1-manchester-to-uzbekistan">Stage 1: Manchester to Uzbekistan</h2>
Currently, <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/flights/search?tfs=CBwQAho8EgoyMDI2LTAzLTI1KAFqDAgDEggvbS8wNTJid3IMCAISCC9tLzBkbDNncgwIAxIIL20vMGZzbXmQAY4CQAFIAXABggELCP___________wGYAQI&amp;tfu=EgoIABAAGAAgAigB&amp;gl=GB">one-way fares</a> from Manchester to Samarkand or Tashkent in March are pretty decent, in the &pound;240s&ndash;&pound;380s.
Uzbekistan is a firm bucket-lister at Jack&rsquo;s, with Detour Editor Katy the first of us to chart a course through its mesmerizing blue mosques and mausoleums.

&ldquo;In Samarkand, your journey will no doubt start at<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/mar/31/registan-samarkand-square-history-cities-buildings"> Registan Square</a>, the city's most iconic landmark. It is dominated by three ornately tiled madrasahs&mdash;Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor, and Tilla-Kari. Each one is a masterpiece, and pictures seriously do not do them justice.&nbsp;
There are hundreds of small alcoves and rooms to explore within the Madrasahs, not to mention handmade Uzbek crafts for sale. Needlework and embroidery are an integral part of the Uzbek culture, and you'll find gorgeous examples at shops all throughout the city.
If you look carefully, inside certain shops you&rsquo;ll spot narrow spiral staircases heading up. Follow them, and you&rsquo;ll emerge onto beautiful balconies overlooking the square, where you can grab a cuppa and watch the people go by.
Another highlight of Samarkand is <a href="https://www.baytalfann.com/post/the-beauty-history-of-shah-i-zinda">Shah-i-Zinda</a>, which is more or less a village of brightly-coloured mausoleums. To snap the best shots, plan to visit early in the day. The narrow pathways get pretty crowded, so a bit of patience is needed for unintentional photobombers.&rdquo; - Katy

<h2 dir="ltr">Stage 2: Uzbekistan to China</h2>
Option 1: Flying from Uzbekistan to China
Obviously, <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxopEgoyMDI2LTA0LTA4agwIAxIIL20vMGZzbXlyDQgEEgkvbS8wZDA1dzNAAUgBcAKCAQsI____________AZgBArIBBBgBIAE&amp;tfu=GioaKAoSCVmL8zotQUhAEXruTojanVpAEhIJfdK0362sN0AR9NydEDUQTUA&amp;gl=GB">flying from Uzbekistan to China</a> is the easiest and quickest option and will cost you around&nbsp; &pound;100-&pound;180. Flying non-stop, you can either fly to Urumqi (close to the border with Kazakhstan), Guangzhou, Xian or Beijing.&nbsp;

Option 2: Crossing overland into China&nbsp;
Alternatively, if you&rsquo;re up for an adventure, you can cross overland into China, either via <a href="https://caravanistan.com/border-crossings/kazakhstan/#kazakhstan-%e2%80%93-china-border-crossings">Khazakstan</a> or <a href="https://caravanistan.com/border-crossings/kyrgyzstan/">Kyrgyzstan</a>. It&rsquo;s more difficult to cross from Kyrgyzstan because the region that borders it is Xinjiang, which is <a href="https://caravanistan.com/east-turkestan/">quite tightly controlled</a>, and they don&rsquo;t usually let foreigners visit. You&rsquo;d have an easier time crossing from Khorgos (Horgos) in Kazakhstan. The road is better, and you can cross by bus.&nbsp;
While you&rsquo;re in Kazakhstan, you might want to consider crossing the steppes by train; this <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2021/oct/22/across-kazakhstan-by-rail-a-photo-essay?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawOmN9FleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF5czdqRWlPU21WOWlvYmtzc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHl-dy5BRK4EbERMEiciMj5sJvKtWQcnvqEoTDjGx1kX5jg-U2dvxJt_U0Kr4_aem_karr_pNUs9Emx9HVMjFJ1g">dreamy photo-journal</a> certainly entices me to!
From Tashkent, you can take <a href="https://www.railrussia.com/routes/tashkent-almaty">a train overland to Almaty</a> (Khazakstan) in about 17 hours, and then catch a bus from <a href="https://thetripgoeson.com/almaty-to-urumqi/">Almaty to Urumqi</a> (China). The bus takes about 19&ndash;20 hours and costs around &pound;30 on average. This is by far the easiest way and beats trains with changes or separate border buses.&nbsp;
From Urumqi Railway Station, direct connections span Xinjiang regionally, as well as east to central China via the <a href="https://www.chinadiscovery.com/china-trains/urumqi-high-speed-train.html">Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-Speed Railway</a> &mdash; no transfers needed for most.
This 12-hour train route follows the ancient Silk Road via the oasis town of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RR-hlrRZrs">Turpan</a>. From here, it travels through some of China&rsquo;s wildest terrain, whizzing past lunar landscapes like the rainbow mountains of Zhangye and <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/gansu/dunhuang/attractions/mogao-grottoes/a/poi-sig/1496278/355964">the caves of the thousand Buddhas in Mogao</a>. This is one of the most important collections of Buddhist architecture in the world.&nbsp;

<h2 dir="ltr">Stage 3: China to South Korea</h2>
Option 1: Flying from China to South Korea
It&rsquo;s very <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/explore?tfs=CBwQAxooEgoyMDI2LTA0LTA4agwIAhIIL20vMDE5MTRyDAgEEggvbS8wNnFkM0ABSAFwAoIBCwj___________8BmAECsgEEGAEgAQ&amp;tfu=GgA&amp;gl=GB">easy to fly</a> between the two countries &mdash; expect to pay around &pound;60 one-way.
Option 2: China to South Korea via ferry
I imagine you'll train-hop from Urumqi across China to the Beijing area. From Beijing, hop on a high-speed train to Qingdao (3&ndash;4 hours, around &pound;40 for economy seats), where you can take <a href="https://4corners7seas.com/asia/china/china-korea-ferries/">a ferry to Incheon, South Korea</a>. The Weidong ferry sails every Mon/Wed/Fri at 17:30 and takes about 17&ndash;18 hours, costing around &pound;85+.&nbsp; 
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/silk-road-to-sakura-a-choose-your-own-adventure">Continue reading...</a>

Reader's Corner

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across web this week.
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Storm Bram&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/storm-bram-flights-trains-ferries-cancelled-weather-warnings-b2881568.html">brought chaos to travellers</a> in the UK and Ireland this week, disrupting everything from flights to trains to ferries. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">No photo can truly do the Northern Lights justice, but these <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2025/12/08/25-award-winning-northern-lights-photos-to-inspire-your-next-adventure/">25 award-winning photographers</a> have gotten pretty close. </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Spirit&rsquo;s bankruptcy is <a href="https://simpleflying.com/is-american-spirit-merger-in-the-cards-new-court-filing-draws-speculation/">drawing rumours of an American Airlines buy-out</a>. Now, would their celebrity couple name be Spamerican or Amerit?&nbsp; </li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">After several shipping containers full of fruit were <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/cruise-ship-iona-delayed-fruit-overboard-b2879752.html">accidentally plunged into waters off the Isle of Wight</a>, officials have warned locals not to eat any loose bananas they find washed up on shore. Darn it, there goes our whole lunch plan! </li>
<li>And finally, let's&nbsp;paws on a warm and fuzzy note: From donuts to shrines, this entire neighborhood in Tokyo is <a href="https://japanjourneys.jp/tokyo/lifestyle/things-to-do/cat-lovers-need-to-visit-yanaka-right-now/">themed around its feline residents</a>. It's&nbsp;purr-fect!</li>
</ul>

Travel News

A Taste of Island Life in British Columbia & a DIY Pan-Asian Adventure

While big, bustling Vancouver might be British Columbia&rsquo;s most famous city, it&rsquo;s not actually the provincial capital. That honor goes to Victoria &mdash; the smaller, more 19th-century town at the tip of Vancouver Island.
&ldquo;The island,&rdquo; as it's colloquially known, is roughly the size of Belgium and packed with seaside villages and lush woodlands. It&rsquo;s truly the jewel of the Pacific Northwest, and charming Victoria is your entry point.&nbsp;
In this guide, we&rsquo;ll give you an overview of the many ferries into Victoria, tips for arriving by air, and a tasting menu of everything you can do around town. I&rsquo;ve spent a few months in the area myself, so you&rsquo;ll be getting firsthand info!

<h1 id="t">Things to Know Before You Go</h1>
<h2 id="visas">Visas</h2>
Most visitors to Canada will need either a visa or an eTA. The kind of documentation you need will depend both on the passport you hold, and how you enter Canada (land, sea, or air). The Canadian government has an <a href="https://ircc.canada.ca/english/visit/visas.asp">online questionnaire</a> to help figure out what you need for your trip.
US visitors are exempt and only require a passport, while most UK and European visitors will require the eTA.
<h2 dir="ltr">Cash &amp; Currency</h2>
Like any city in Canada, Victoria uses Canadian dollars. The conversion rate at the time of writing (November 2025) means you&rsquo;ll pay about &pound;0.54, &euro;0.64, or US$0.74 per Canadian dollar.&nbsp;
Both cash and card are accepted almost everywhere in the city.

<h1 id="g">Getting There</h1>
As a city on an island nestled between multiple metropolitan areas, there are several routes into Victoria&hellip;
<h2 dir="ltr">Arrival by Airplane</h2>
Victoria does have its own airport, so you can fly straight to the city. Here&rsquo;s what to expect if you fly into YYJ:
From Europe:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Expected average price range: &euro;400-&euro;500 RT</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How many cheap Flights we&rsquo;d expect in a year: 0-1</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Lowest price we&rsquo;ve ever seen: &euro;286 RT</li>
</ul>
From the UK:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Expected average price range: &pound;350-&pound;500 RT</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How many cheap Flights we&rsquo;d expect in a year: 1-2</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Lowest price we&rsquo;ve ever seen: &pound;303 RT</li>
</ul>
From the USA:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Expected average price range: US$250-$350 RT</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How many cheap Flights we&rsquo;d expect in a year: 1-5 for the West Coast, 0-2 for everywhere else.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Lowest price we&rsquo;ve ever seen: US$212 RT</li>
</ul>
From Canada:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Expected average price range: CA$150-$200 RT for Western Canada, CA$250-$350 RT for everywhere else.&nbsp;</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">How many cheap Flights we&rsquo;d expect in a year: 2-3</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Lowest price we&rsquo;ve ever seen: CA$112</li>
</ul>
Vancouver Island also has international airports in Nanaimo (YCD) and Comox (YQQ), but Victoria (YYJ) almost always has the cheapest airfare to the island.&nbsp;

<h2 dir="ltr">Arrival by Ferry</h2>
Alternatively, you could fly into Vancouver (YVR) or Seattle (SEA) and take a ferry to Victoria. Flights into those two cities are almost always way cheaper than flights into Victoria, so this will likely be your cheapest option.

<h3 dir="ltr">From Vancouver</h3>
There&rsquo;s a&nbsp;lot of need for boat-crossings in British Columbia, so the provincial government owns and operates a convenient network of ferries. If you fly into Vancouver and travel to the island from there, you&rsquo;ll be on boats that are part of the BC Ferries system.&nbsp;
The three mentioned here are larger boats that operate on strict daily schedules. Prices vary quite a bit depending on the type of ticket (walk-on or drive-on, round-trip or one-way, Saver or full-price, etc) but you can generally expect to pay around $50 CAD each way with a vehicle, and around $15 CAD if you walk on.
There are three direct routes you can take to reach the island from the Vancouver area:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay (north of Vancouver to Nanaimo)</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Tsawwassen to Duke Point (south of Vancouver to Nanaimo)</li>
<li dir="ltr">Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (south of Vancouver to the Sidney area)</li>
</ul>
For reference, Nanaimo is about one hour and forty-five minutes from Victoria, and Sidney is about 30&ndash;40 minutes. If you don&rsquo;t plan to drive on your trip, I recommend arriving through Sidney &mdash; there are multiple direct buses from the Swartz Bay terminal into downtown Victoria. Look for bus routes 70, 71, or 72.
For an even more scenic route, you can also take ferries from Vancouver to the smaller gulf islands, and island-hop your way to Victoria.

<h3 dir="ltr">From Seattle</h3>
International ferries are privatized and a lot more expensive, so they only really make sense if you&rsquo;re visiting from the US and want to skip the hassle of flying into Canada.&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s only one option for a direct boat ride from Seattle, and that&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.clippervacations.com/ca/">FRS Clipper</a>. The ride is just shy of three hours and takes you from the heart of Seattle to the heart of Victoria for about $130-$150 USD one way. This ferry is well-loved, but note that they don&rsquo;t allow vehicles, so you&rsquo;ll have to walk on. If you really need to bring your car, look into the <a href="https://cohoferry.com/seattle-to-victoria">Black Ball</a> ferry that leaves from Port Angeles.
Pro-Tip: If you really want to make an adventure out of your journey to the island, there are several seaplane companies that can hop you around the area.

<h1 dir="ltr">Getting Around Town</h1>
Once you&rsquo;ve completed the trek to Victoria, the hard part is over! The city itself is on the smaller side, and highly walkable. You can easily traverse all of downtown in a day, and attractions like the Royal BC Museum and Craigdarroch Castle are within a 30 minute walk of the city center.
For sights that are further afield, like Butchart Gardens, you can choose from rideshare or public transit. While scarce outside of Victoria, Uber and Lyft are both abundant in the metropolitan area. The city buses are surprisingly reliable for such a small city, but they don&rsquo;t accept contactless payment &mdash; you&rsquo;ll need&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bctransit.com/victoria/fares/how-fares-work/how-to-pay/">either cash or the Umo app</a>.
There are a few longer distance buses available (like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.islandlinkbus.com/">Island Link</a> that I mention below) but if you want to explore the island beyond those limited routes, you&rsquo;ll need to rent a car.

<h1 dir="ltr">Things to Do in Victoria</h1>

Now that you&rsquo;re ready to start enjoying the city, here are a few of its highlights:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Explore Downtown: Packed with boutiques, bars, and caf&eacute;s, plus beautiful harbor views and historic architecture, downtown Victoria is worth scheduling in some &ldquo;wander around&rdquo; time.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Royal BC Museum: The province&rsquo;s primary history museum, offering a look into the region&rsquo;s many cultures, as well as prehistoric flora and fauna.</li>
<li>Craigdarroch Castle: A stunning late 19th century estate, notable for its high-quality restoration and collection of stained-glass windows.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Beacon Hill Park: A 740k square meter city park with gardens, woodland, and seaside views, right outside downtown.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Parliament: British Columbia&rsquo;s provincial government buildings. Open to tours on weekdays, but worth admiring from the outside every day.</li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation">Empress Hotel: A historic ch&acirc;teau-esque hotel that hosts a very popular high tea.</li>
<li>Chinatown: The oldest Chinatown in Canada, and the second oldest in all of North America. Home to Fan Tan Alley.</li>
</ul>

<h1 dir="ltr">Day Trips From Victoria</h1>
Vancouver Island is surprisingly big, so it&rsquo;s no shock that there&rsquo;s plenty to see outside the city. The island is practically road trip heaven, with enough sights to fill up weeks of exploring.
For now, we&rsquo;ll assume you&rsquo;re using Victoria as your home base, so here are some options that are within a comfortable day trip distance from the city:
<h3 dir="ltr">Butchart Gardens</h3>
This is THE day trip from Victoria &mdash; the one pretty much every visitor takes.&nbsp;

It&rsquo;s not hard to see why! <a href="https://butchartgardens.com/">The Butchart Gardens</a> cover 55 acres of land in beautiful floral displays. Descend into the manicured Sunken Garden, meander through a forest of Japanese maples, and admire fountain after bubbling fountain. While it&rsquo;s worth seeing at any time of year, spring&rsquo;s rose blossoms and autumn&rsquo;s bright red foliage make for especially colorful visits.
You can reach the Butchart Gardens from downtown Victoria in about 30 minutes by car, or with a one-hour bus ride aboard the 75 or 30.

<h3 dir="ltr">Nanaimo</h3>
Pronounced nah-NYE-mo, this is the second-largest city on the island. It&rsquo;s got a much more small-town feel, with a cute downtown and Old City Quarter.

Other than whale-watching and ferry connections, its biggest claim to fame is the Nanaimo bar: a chocolatey, coconutty, custardy treat that just might ruin you for every other caf&eacute; dessert.
You can get to Nanaimo from Victoria by city bus or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.islandlinkbus.com/">Island Link</a>, but driving the full ~90 minutes yourself is much more fun. The highways will take you through several charming villages worth the stop &mdash; my favorites are Cowichan Bay, Duncan, Chemainus, and Ladysmith. Expect cozy shops, dockside restaurants, small local museums, and tons of gorgeous bay and island views.

<h3 dir="ltr">Provincial and Regional Parks</h3>
The island may only have one &mdash; difficult-to-reach &mdash; National Park, but it&rsquo;s covered in Provincial and Regional Parks. These protected areas include dense, mossy woodland, waterfalls, tons of lakes, and rocky coastlines.

I could fill an entire article just with outdoor day trips from Victoria, but a few highlights within a half-hour&rsquo;s drive include Thetis Lake (Canada&rsquo;s first nature sanctuary), Mount Wells (known for wildflowers and a challenging summit hike), and Goldstream (massive trees and a beautiful waterfall).

<h3 dir="ltr">Sidney</h3>
One of my favorite things about Vancouver Island is the abundance of lovely coastal towns, and Sidney is one of the coolest and most accessible from Victoria.
Unique highlights here include the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea (a small but very well-done aquarium), a fish market frequented by the local seals, and a pier that offers an excellent view of the Gulf. On clear days, you can even spot Washington&rsquo;s Mount Baker across the water.

It&rsquo;s also home to the Victoria airport, and the first big town you&rsquo;ll see if you arrive at Swartz Bay on the ferry. This means you&rsquo;ll likely pass through Sidney anyway, so take some time to look around!

<h3 dir="ltr">Salt Spring Island</h3>
If you only take one more ferry during your trip, it should be the one to Salt Spring! This island is around the size of Aruba, and it&rsquo;s become quite the artistic outpost on the Gulf. The main town, Ganges, is packed with galleries and nifty boutiques, plus there&rsquo;s a weekly street market each Saturday where local artists take to the sidewalks.
It&rsquo;s also one of the best hiking spots in the area &mdash; drive down to Ruckle Provincial Park and follow the trail along the coast for some gorgeous, peak Pacific Northwestern views.

To get there from downtown Victoria, either drive or take one of several direct buses up to Swartz Bay, then hop on the ferry to Fulford Harbour. You&rsquo;ll be much better off with a car on Salt Spring Island, but <a href="https://www.bctransit.com/salt-spring-island/schedules-and-maps/">buses do run every couple hours</a> and cover most of the highlights.

<h1 dir="ltr">Seasonality</h1>
Vancouver Island tends to follow the Pacific Northwest weather calendar, where there are basically two seasons: dry and sunny, or gray and damp.&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m a big defender of the PNW winter (hike through a mossy evergreen forest in the rain, and you will be too!) but the massive disparity in seasons means there&rsquo;s two very different sides to the region, so you&rsquo;ll need to plan accordingly.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">December&ndash;February</h3>
This is the peak winter season, but don&rsquo;t be scared off &mdash; temps are usually way milder in Victoria than in the rest of Canada (think 5&ndash;10 &ordm;C or 40&ndash;50 &ordm;F). The rain, while frequent, is typically just a drizzle. Snow is rarely more than a little slush.
If you don&rsquo;t mind cloudy skies and rainboots, this is still a good time to visit the city! A lot of tourism-based companies around the island (boat tours, gear rentals, etc.) shut down for the off-season, but Victoria itself never goes into hibernation. Plus, spots like Butchart Gardens and the Empress put on pretty lovely Christmas displays.
Visit later in winter, around February, and you might catch a &ldquo;fool&rsquo;s spring&rdquo; &mdash; breezy warm days start cropping up way before spring&nbsp;actually settles in for real.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">March&ndash;May</h3>
Once the weather&rsquo;s done with its fake-outs, skies start to clear and temps start to rise. March is still temperamental, clinging to winter, but April and May tend to offer a more genuine springtime experience.
And in Victoria, that means FLOWERS. Cherry blossoms kick off the season in late March, followed by tulips in April. Butchart Gardens is easily the best place to see floral displays, but the grounds outside Parliament offer some eye candy without leaving the city.

<h3 dir="ltr">June&ndash;August</h3>
Victoria really hit the jackpot in the climate department, because their summer is mild too! Temps stay around 18&ndash;28 &ordm;C, or about 64&ndash;82 &ordm;F, and rain is rare, leaving you with clear blue skies most days.
This is easily the best time to visit if you want to explore the island in all its green-and-blue glory. It&rsquo;s the season for boat tours, dining on caf&eacute; patios, and taking a dip in the (frankly insane) number of lakes and bays nearby.
Understandably, it&rsquo;s also peak travel season, so expect higher prices and bigger crowds.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">September&ndash;November</h3>
Like spring, fall is the transition between the dry and wet seasons. Visit in September, and you&rsquo;ll likely get the last breath of summer weather. October is a bit frenetic in terms of temperature, but the glowing fall foliage makes it worth the gamble.
By November, winter is settling in. You can still snag some sunshine, and that foliage doesn&rsquo;t disappear on Halloween night, but you'll definitely get a more drizzly experience as the month goes on.

<h1 dir="ltr">Travel Style</h1>
There are really two approaches to visiting Victoria: you can either stay in and around town, relaxing and meandering, or you can use it as a jumping off point to explore the island.&nbsp;
Choose the first option, and you&rsquo;ve got a laid-back city break that requires very little planning. You can easily get to all the main attractions in a 2&ndash;3 day trip without a strict schedule, making this a great town for the spontaneous traveler.
Choose the latter option, and you&rsquo;ll need to be a little more prepared, but it&rsquo;s nothing a casual road-tripper can&rsquo;t handle. The main roads on the island are well-traveled and won&rsquo;t present too much challenge, but start heading into the more remote regions (like Pacific Rim National Park, or the far north end of the island) and you&rsquo;ll start to really feel like an adventurer.

<h2 dir="ltr">Useful links</h2>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://www.bcferries.com/">BC Ferries</a></li>
<li dir="ltr" role="presentation"><a href="https://vancouverisland.com/things-to-do-and-see/parks-and-trails/">Parks and Trails Guide</a></li>
</ul>

Jack's Guide To: Victoria

United Kingdom

Ireland

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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<section id="southwest airlines">
<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.
<section id="united airlines">
<h2><img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/bb8231d8276f64dd3a212d3189f33458ffb83cfc" width="524" height="353" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></h2>
<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?
<section id="turkish airlines">
<section id="avianca">
<section id="spirit airlines">
<img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/3fdb1ccf7e4d05669598ec646a11fba1c0c8a9f6" width="523" height="392" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<section id="alaska airlines">
<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?
<section id="sas airlines">
<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>
</section>
</section>
</section>
</section>
</section>
</section>
</section>

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.
<img src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/9afb0063c1a1e892b7a2153c532345b47cafbf35" width="526" height="351" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<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;
<a id="alaska-airlines" style="position: relative; top: -100px; display: block;"></a>
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<a id="zip-tokyo" style="position: relative; top: -100px; display: block;"></a>
<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>
<img height="97" src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/d8eef101a99af4c166bf80dd14faa90f80031be9" width="518" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
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>
<img height="81" src="https://cdn.jacksflightclub.com/id/ac825bb482c6b11664c3733095f8ec020af8af09" width="518" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
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>

Travel Tales

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

Italy

Switzerland

Slovenia

Hey there, Travellers,
I hope you're all enjoying these quieter few weeks between seasonal fervour, when the vampires have returned to their coffins, but the turkeys are blissfully unaware of what is to come.&nbsp;
Here at Jack's, there's little rest for the wicked (or naughty, or nice), as the buzz is already building towards the B word&nbsp;(Black Friday). It's basically our version of Christmas, and we're currently trying to work out what to put on our lists.&nbsp;
For a little inspiration, I turned to <a href="https://www.wanderlustmagazine.com/about-us/our-awards/2025-award-winners/">Wanderlust's Reader Travel Awards</a>. The country named 'Most Desirable in the World' will hardly come as a surprise, and it's definitely on my "strong maybe" list for 2026. But there's one destination I think I'll find hard to ignore if Flight Santa drops a bargain in our laps&nbsp;&mdash; the world's 'Most Desirable Region', Alberta.
Our Canadian team happen to be experts in the area, and, quite frankly, won't shut up about it. Keep reading to see why, and get a taste of the great Canadian outdoors, courtesy of Marshall. Or if there's somewhere else you're hoping for a great Black Friday bargain to, <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-211-a-year-in-canadian-hikes-the-long-road-to-rome#comments">let us know in the comments</a>.
Happy travels and safe landings,

From Eh to Z: From the Trail - Marshall&rsquo;s Year in Hikes

This new series,&nbsp;From Eh to Zed,&nbsp;is your digital pass into Canada&rsquo;s hidden pockets and sweeping horizons. Brought to you by not just the team here at Jack's Flight Club, but by your fellow Jack's Travellers in every corner of the globe, too.
In this edition, Navigator Marshall is dragging you (willingly, we hope) across some of Canada&rsquo;s most underrated, jaw-dropping trails. Bring your sense of adventure &mdash; and maybe a change of socks. Things are about to get outdoorsy&hellip;&nbsp;
<hr>

One of our Canadian Crew, Marshall is equal parts adventurer and amateur naturalist &mdash; the kind of guy who&rsquo;ll chase a flight deal to the edge of the map, then stop midway to ID a mushroom. Be it on the trails or the high seas, he's happiest on an adventure.

By Marshall - Navigator

Howdy readers! This week, I&rsquo;ll be walking you through some of my top hikes I&rsquo;ve scratched off my list this year. While the cold snap may be imminent here in Alberta, and the luxury of lush, green forests soon to be a daydream, it&rsquo;s never too early to start prepping for next season.
These highlights are from backcountry trips (hikes where we camped overnight), day hikes, and nature walks. For those of you who aren&rsquo;t avid outdoor enthusiasts, feel free to reach out in the comments below with any questions, or if you&rsquo;ve got some worthy hikes to share :-)
So, grab your bear spray, a baggie of GORP (Good Ol&rsquo; Raisins and Peanuts), and let's get into it!
<h3 dir="ltr">May 18th - <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/cox-hill-ridge">Cox Hill, AB</a></h3>
To get our rusty legs warmed up, we chose a moderate, gradually inclining trail tucked along the Jumpingpound Ridge near The Dawson Day. Touted as a great winter hike, we figured it would be a safe choice.

Yet, spring kicked off with a SLIPPERY start this year. Feeling confident, we decided to tackle the hike anyway (bold move for someone in runners).&nbsp;
Everyone in the party had some slips, which was great comedic relief to distract us from the whiteout conditions.
Positives: No one on the trail
Negatives: No trail
Tip: AllTrails was our only way to be sure we stayed on track. I highly recommend this app if you&rsquo;re going out into the wilderness (or looking to brag about your stats). You can also download maps beforehand to track your progress even without service.
<h2>Taking on the Pinnacle of thru-hikes</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">Jul 6-9th - <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/british-columbia/the-rockwall">Rockwall Trail, BC</a></h3>
This is one of the premier through hikes in Canada. And with it right in my backyard, it's been a bucket list item for as long as I can remember. I&rsquo;ve made two separate attempts to take on this 55km beast, both kiboshed by inclement weather and forest fires.
This time, I was determined to see it through.

Day 1: Numa Creek
The mountains looked dauntingly high, but spirits were higher. After a breakfast of champions on the drive up (an A&amp;W bacon &amp; egger and a large dark roast), we strapped up our gear and tied our shoes. We took our time on the first stretch, anticipating the climb to come; we knew it would be pointless to exhaust ourselves early.
Day 2: Numa to Tumbling Creek
With over half of the total elevation gain completed on day one, we were acutely aware of just how much this hike would challenge us.&nbsp;
Sore would be an understatement here, but that&rsquo;s what they invented painkillers for. Climbing to the ridge felt like a battle for each step. While I&rsquo;m not exactly the specimen of human fitness, I pride myself on my ability to tackle most inclines, but this was truly on another level.

You don&rsquo;t need to zoom much to see that our backpacks were roughly the same size as the boulders we encountered... 
What you&nbsp;can&rsquo;t tell is that it felt like they weighed the same, too (the synthesizer and portable projector dangling off the side probably contributed to that).
Once we reached the plateau, it was smooth sailing. With strong winds pushing us forward, we bathed in the sunlight and absorbed the splendor of this colossal range. It felt bittersweet to reach this point; we knew this was the hike's apex, so we took our time coming down into Tumbling Creek.
Day 3: Tumbling Creek to Helmet Falls
Beautiful trail, check.
Sore feet, double check.

Just when we thought the dramatic landscapes were behind us. BOOM, another, arguably even more incredible row of mountains pierced the sky in front of us...
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/eh-to-z-from-the-trail-marshalls-year-in-hikes">Keep reading...</a>

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

&ldquo;Hi Jack's Flight Club,
I wonder if you could help me with a trip idea! My husband and I have tickets to the England Six Nations rugby game in Rome on 7 March.
Direct flights from London around the weekend are incredibly expensive. We are lucky enough to have some spare leave, so have been thinking about travelling to Roma more slowly during the week before.
Ideas so far have included travelling all the way by train from London with several stops along the way; or flying to Venice instead and getting a train to Rome from there instead.
Is there anything the team would recommend?
Kind regards,
Mel&rdquo;

Ciao, Mel! We&rsquo;re absolutely on the same page as you here &mdash; why pay over the odds for a trip lasting only a few days if you can make it into a longer and even more memorable excursion?
I&rsquo;d highly recommend travelling there by train if you&rsquo;re the kind of people who enjoy the journey as much as the destination. You might have already read our&nbsp;<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/trans-european-race-updates">mildly unhinged blog</a> from the time that nine of the Jack&rsquo;s team raced across Europe from London to Istanbul on public transport. Okay, you won&rsquo;t need to run for tight connections or hit certain checkpoints like we did, but much of the spirit remains.
Travelling by train gives you the chance to stop off in places you&rsquo;ve never heard of and gawk out windows at the towering, jagged Alps while sampling a local snack or two. Those mountain landscapes stretching from Switzerland to Slovenia have to be my favourite. Try to plan your route to include the&nbsp;<a href="https://kittymeetsworld.com/glacier-express-or-bernina-express-which-is-better/">Bernina Express and/or the Glacier Express</a> for a real tour of the region&rsquo;s epic snowy peaks.

Having spent a week during each of the last three summers gallivanting along the rails in Europe, I&rsquo;d recommend looking into <a href="https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/global-pass">Interrail passes</a>. You&rsquo;ll still need to account for seat reservation fees on certain routes, but the pass quickly becomes worthwhile if you stop off in a few spots along the way. Keep an eye on the Interrail site over the upcoming sale periods &mdash; I got a cracking discount last festive season.
On that note, we&rsquo;ve already had a few airline sales rolling in over the last week, and we&rsquo;re guaranteed to see more over the next month. Even if you take the train to Rome, a cheeky discount on those in-demand flights home won&rsquo;t do any harm. Alternatively, you could wait to see where else in the region goes on offer, and let the airline gods decide for you!
In case you&rsquo;re in need of a little more Italian inspo before you impulsively hit &lsquo;book&rsquo;,&nbsp;<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/italy">check out our Italy collection</a>, featuring articles and past editions of The Detour designed to make you crave a pizza and spritz. Sorry, not sorry.
How do&nbsp;you think Mel and her husband should make their way to the big match? Since all roads lead to Rome, there really are no wrong answers. <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-211-a-year-in-canadian-hikes-the-long-road-to-rome#comments">Share your wisdom</a> in the comments!

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across web this week.
<ul>
<li>&ldquo;Cheap&rdquo; and &ldquo;skiing&rdquo; don&rsquo;t really belong in the same sentence. But according to&nbsp;Euronews, <a href="https://www.euronews.com/travel/2025/11/05/bulgaria-georgia-andorra-where-are-europes-best-value-ski-destinations">here&rsquo;s your best</a> bet to get your&nbsp;woosh on without your bank balance doing a downhill run too. </li>
<li>British Airways just announced they're dropping 7 billion to get&nbsp;<a target="_blank" class="c-link" data-stringify-link="https://mediacentre.britishairways.com/pressrelease/details/24228" data-sk="tooltip_parent" href="https://mediacentre.britishairways.com/pressrelease/details/24228" rel="noopener noreferrer">Starlink Wi-Fi on board</a>. On one hand&nbsp;✨fast internet✨. On the other, RIP to the only place we could hide from our Slack messages. </li>
<li>Your &ldquo;just 5 more minutes&rdquo; wait at the gate might become &ldquo;just 10&hellip; 15&hellip;1122&rdquo; Here&rsquo;s what the longest USA government shutdown in history&nbsp;<a target="_blank" class="c-link" data-stringify-link="https://www.afar.com/magazine/will-flight-delays-mount-as-faa-warns-of-staffing-concerns?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=DailyWander_Actives_110625&amp;utm_term=Daily%20Wander%20Newsletter%20%28365%20Actives%29" data-sk="tooltip_parent" href="https://www.afar.com/magazine/will-flight-delays-mount-as-faa-warns-of-staffing-concerns?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=DailyWander_Actives_110625&amp;utm_term=Daily%20Wander%20Newsletter%20%28365%20Actives%29" rel="noopener noreferrer">means for your flights</a>. </li>
<li>Many people travel for concerts, others for jaw-dropping hikes. But for some, it&rsquo;s all about flying across the world to stare at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" class="c-link" data-stringify-link="https://uk.style.yahoo.com/most-beautiful-mosaics-world-160000315.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=YW5kcm9pZC1hcHA6Ly9jb20uZ29vZ2xlLmFuZHJvaWQuZ29vZ2xlcXVpY2tzZWFyY2hib3gv&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAF9vGIJvN-TwZv7T_e8RwxMxRlkIXBVsbUMRtJOsqWIccTEILFPdyPVXzP8tzLVg0M3KzwqJidUBd26qjh9EH4sbdBKv3CustYDEY1osrD2UhdM99ZfugcUNZyvpExgucGGH3KQqO8vTlqhm76xwbNN64LAoLJdENnnLCzDyR9GV" data-sk="tooltip_parent" href="https://uk.style.yahoo.com/most-beautiful-mosaics-world-160000315.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=YW5kcm9pZC1hcHA6Ly9jb20uZ29vZ2xlLmFuZHJvaWQuZ29vZ2xlcXVpY2tzZWFyY2hib3gv&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAF9vGIJvN-TwZv7T_e8RwxMxRlkIXBVsbUMRtJOsqWIccTEILFPdyPVXzP8tzLVg0M3KzwqJidUBd26qjh9EH4sbdBKv3CustYDEY1osrD2UhdM99ZfugcUNZyvpExgucGGH3KQqO8vTlqhm76xwbNN64LAoLJdENnnLCzDyR9GV" rel="noopener noreferrer">t</a><a target="_blank" class="c-link" data-stringify-link="https://uk.style.yahoo.com/most-beautiful-mosaics-world-160000315.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=YW5kcm9pZC1hcHA6Ly9jb20uZ29vZ2xlLmFuZHJvaWQuZ29vZ2xlcXVpY2tzZWFyY2hib3gv&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAF9vGIJvN-TwZv7T_e8RwxMxRlkIXBVsbUMRtJOsqWIccTEILFPdyPVXzP8tzLVg0M3KzwqJidUBd26qjh9EH4sbdBKv3CustYDEY1osrD2UhdM99ZfugcUNZyvpExgucGGH3KQqO8vTlqhm76xwbNN64LAoLJdENnnLCzDyR9GV" data-sk="tooltip_parent" href="https://uk.style.yahoo.com/most-beautiful-mosaics-world-160000315.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=YW5kcm9pZC1hcHA6Ly9jb20uZ29vZ2xlLmFuZHJvaWQuZ29vZ2xlcXVpY2tzZWFyY2hib3gv&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAF9vGIJvN-TwZv7T_e8RwxMxRlkIXBVsbUMRtJOsqWIccTEILFPdyPVXzP8tzLVg0M3KzwqJidUBd26qjh9EH4sbdBKv3CustYDEY1osrD2UhdM99ZfugcUNZyvpExgucGGH3KQqO8vTlqhm76xwbNN64LAoLJdENnnLCzDyR9GV" rel="noopener noreferrer">eeny tiny super old</a><a target="_blank" class="c-link" data-stringify-link="https://uk.style.yahoo.com/most-beautiful-mosaics-world-160000315.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=YW5kcm9pZC1hcHA6Ly9jb20uZ29vZ2xlLmFuZHJvaWQuZ29vZ2xlcXVpY2tzZWFyY2hib3gv&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAF9vGIJvN-TwZv7T_e8RwxMxRlkIXBVsbUMRtJOsqWIccTEILFPdyPVXzP8tzLVg0M3KzwqJidUBd26qjh9EH4sbdBKv3CustYDEY1osrD2UhdM99ZfugcUNZyvpExgucGGH3KQqO8vTlqhm76xwbNN64LAoLJdENnnLCzDyR9GV" data-sk="tooltip_parent" href="https://uk.style.yahoo.com/most-beautiful-mosaics-world-160000315.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=YW5kcm9pZC1hcHA6Ly9jb20uZ29vZ2xlLmFuZHJvaWQuZ29vZ2xlcXVpY2tzZWFyY2hib3gv&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAF9vGIJvN-TwZv7T_e8RwxMxRlkIXBVsbUMRtJOsqWIccTEILFPdyPVXzP8tzLVg0M3KzwqJidUBd26qjh9EH4sbdBKv3CustYDEY1osrD2UhdM99ZfugcUNZyvpExgucGGH3KQqO8vTlqhm76xwbNN64LAoLJdENnnLCzDyR9GV" rel="noopener noreferrer"> tiles</a>.&nbsp; </li>
<li>And finally, speaking of super old - Egypt has finally flung open the doors to the new&nbsp;<a target="_blank" class="c-link" data-stringify-link="https://aje.io/epqwu8" data-sk="tooltip_parent" href="https://aje.io/epqwu8" rel="noopener noreferrer">Grand Egyptian Museum</a>. The project that took so long to finish, we&rsquo;re pretty sure some of those mummies have become grandmummies in the meantime.</li>
</ul>

Pick of the Clicks

A Year in Canadian Hikes & The Long Road to Rome

Open Google Maps. Search &ldquo;Canada&rdquo;.
Really look this time, and you'll realize it's an unfathomable beast, dwarfing any neighbour to the south. Its lines of latitude pulled taut like a bowstring &mdash; until shattering into a sea of ice and stone, Canada unspooling into the Arctic.
So why, in a country this immense, do we keep circling the same few spots &mdash; Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal &mdash; when there&rsquo;s so much more to be seen and experienced?&nbsp;
This new segment, From Eh to Zed, is your digital pass into Canada&rsquo;s hidden pockets and sweeping horizons. Brought to you by not just the team here at Jack's Flight Club, but (hopefully!) by your fellow Jack's Travellers in every corner of the globe, too.
In this issue, Navigator Marshall is dragging you (willingly, we hope) across some of Canada&rsquo;s most underrated, jaw-dropping trails. Bring your sense of adventure &mdash; and maybe a change of socks. Things are about to get outdoorsy&hellip;&nbsp;
<hr>

Howdy readers! This week, I&rsquo;ll be walking you through some of my top hikes I&rsquo;ve scratched off my list this year. While the cold snap may be imminent here in Alberta, and the luxury of lush, green forests soon to be a daydream, it&rsquo;s never too early to start prepping for next season.
These highlights are from backcountry trips (hikes where we camped overnight), day hikes, and nature walks. For those of you who aren&rsquo;t avid outdoor enthusiasts, feel free to reach out in the comments below with any questions, or if you&rsquo;ve got some worthy hikes to share :-)
And like many of us here at Jack&rsquo;s, I plan on going abroad to visit some great international destinations. If you have recommendations for amazing treks anywhere in the world (especially Costa Rica), I'd love to hear them! I&rsquo;m already busy packing my itinerary to fit as much trail blazing and waterfall chasing as possible.
So, grab your bear spray, a baggie of GORP (Good Ol&rsquo; Raisins and Peanuts), and let's get into it!

<h3 dir="ltr">May 18th - <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/cox-hill-ridge">Cox Hill, AB</a></h3>
To get our rusty legs warmed up, we chose a moderate, gradually inclining trail tucked along the Jumpingpound Ridge near The Dawson Day. Touted as a great winter hike, we figured it would be a safe choice.

Yet, spring kicked off with a SLIPPERY start this year. Feeling confident, we decided to tackle the hike anyway (bold move for someone in runners).&nbsp;
Everyone in the party had some slips, which was great comedic relief to distract us from the whiteout conditions.
Positives: No one on the trail
Negatives: No trail
Tip: AllTrails was our only way to be sure we stayed on track. I highly recommend this app if you&rsquo;re going out into the wilderness (or looking to brag about your stats). You can also download maps beforehand to track your progress even without service.
<h3 dir="ltr">May 31st - <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/larry-s-camp-via-johnston-creek-trail">Larry&rsquo;s Camp and the Ink Pots, AB</a></h3>
This is a popular spot for day hikers and tourists who want to enjoy an easy yet very rewarding trail. The Ink Pots are a natural feature that draws a lot of attention, and for good reason. The small pools are an aesthetically stunning spot to hang out.

My first backcountry night of the year and in an incredible location!
Most noteworthy: The Ink Pots and their impressive hues! A collection of springs, each with a slightly different chemical composition, bubbling up from below ground to create pools in shades of deep emerald to bright blue!

Despite looking incredibly inviting, you can&rsquo;t disturb the sensitive ecosystem in these pools.
And just beyond this natural wonder is Larry&rsquo;s camp (don&rsquo;t ask me who Larry is). Other than one small group, we had the campsite to ourselves, meaning there was no need to share our audio synthesizer (think piano but make it EDM), see below for proof.

Yes, we carried that all the way up, yes, it was heavy, and yes, we will probably do it again.
Tip: I love keeping a spare bag of microwavable Kraft Dinner in my bag. It cooks fast on a backcountry stove and doesn&rsquo;t require draining out the water.

<h2 dir="ltr">My Saskatchewan Sidetrack (and the tick twitch)</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">Jun 28th - <a href="https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/blog/through-the-quappelle-valley">Qu'Appelle Valley, SK</a></h3>
I love Saskatchewan, and although its outdoor scene is often overshadowed by Alberta&rsquo;s world-famous spots like Lake Louise and Jasper, there are some truly spectacular sights to be found.&nbsp;
In my case, we only had to stick our heads out the car window to see how cool their coulees (wide valleys created by erosion in the prairies) can be.&nbsp;
I was fortunate enough to get the chance to see the Qu'Appelle Valley. As you drive in, all you see are open fields right up until you reach the cusp. From there on, it&rsquo;s a full panorama of the massive valley and its lakes.
We spent the day exploring Fort Qu'Appelle and relaxing by the sandy beach (with surprisingly warm water).&nbsp;
Our short hike here, colloquially known by locals as &lsquo;Pimple Hill,&rsquo; should have given us pause. Not only did I find TWO ticks crawling up my shirt, forcing me to whip out what I call tick twitch (flailing and frantically shaking out my clothes) dance moves to get them off before they bit me. But some in our group weren&rsquo;t so lucky and got&nbsp;multiple bites, not fun&hellip;
Maybe it wasn&rsquo;t a pimple after all&hellip;

<h3 dir="ltr">Jun 29th - The Mountain Bluebird</h3>
Just when I thought I dodged Lyme disease, I was invited to check some nearby <a href="https://bluebirdtrails.org/news/are-mountain-bluebird-populations-declining-2025">Mountain Bluebird nesting boxes</a> (a beautiful, but sadly declining species in the area) tucked away in a field of tall grass. My background in Wildlife Biology had me drooling over the opportunity to bushwhack.
After hoofing it between half a dozen nesting boxes, I had seen my share of cute hatchlings. Unfortunately, none of them were bluebirds.

These little puffballs were only a few weeks old!
There&rsquo;s something to be said about a Saskatchewan sky, too. Driving through the prairies might mean you might only take 2 turns in 5 hours, but it also means you&rsquo;ve got plenty of time to soak up views like this.

After getting back to our room and a few more tick checks, it was time to fly home.
<h2>Taking on the Pinnacle of thru-hikes</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">Jul 6-9th - <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/british-columbia/the-rockwall">Rockwall Trail, BC</a></h3>
This is one of the premier through hikes in Canada. And with it right in my backyard, it's been a bucket list item for as long as I can remember. I&rsquo;ve made two separate attempts to take on this 55km beast, both kiboshed by inclement weather and forest fires.
This time, I was determined to see it through.
Day 1: Numa Creek
The mountains looked dauntingly high, but spirits were higher. After a breakfast of champions on the drive up (an A&amp;W bacon &amp; egger and a large dark roast), we strapped up our gear and tied our shoes. We took our time on the first stretch, anticipating the climb to come; we knew it would be pointless to exhaust ourselves early.

Day 2: Numa to Tumbling Creek
With over half of the total elevation gain completed on day one, we were acutely aware of just how much this hike would challenge us.&nbsp;
Sore would be an understatement here, but that&rsquo;s what they invented painkillers for.

Climbing to the ridge felt like a battle for each step. While I&rsquo;m not exactly the specimen of human fitness, I pride myself on my ability to tackle most inclines, but this was truly on another level.

You don&rsquo;t need to zoom much to see that our backpacks were roughly the same size as the boulders we encountered... 
What you&nbsp;can&rsquo;t tell is that it felt like they weighed the same, too (the synthesizer and portable projector dangling off the side probably contributed to that).

Once we reached the plateau, it was smooth sailing. With strong winds pushing us forward, we bathed in the sunlight and absorbed the splendor of this colossal range. It felt bittersweet to reach this point; we knew this was the hike's apex, so we took our time coming down into Tumbling Creek.
Day 3: Tumbling Creek to Helmet Falls
Beautiful trail, check.
Sore feet, double check.

Just when we thought the dramatic landscapes were behind us. BOOM, another, arguably even more incredible row of mountains pierced the sky in front of us. We maintained an excellent pace, having completed almost all the altitude gains on the first two days.
Even with our impressive time, there were plenty of people at the site once we arrived. The camp sites had other people, but Helmet Falls in particular was the busiest. My guess is that&rsquo;s in part because most people start from the North via the Paint Pots trailhead rather than the route we chose.

Day 4: Helmet Falls to Home!
The weather had gone sour on us, it was so socked in with rain, we decided to pack up quickly in the morning to get the hell out of dodge.
Worst Part: Dreary overcast and a wet, muddy trail. Nothing worse than having to dry out a soggy tent (and everything else) in your living room the next day.
And besides the weather conditions, this final day solidified in my mind that we picked the right route. To reach the Paint Pots trailhead parking lot, you have to walk through the Paint Pots. Not to be mixed up with the Ink Pots from earlier, this section is much, much messier. The soil is a bright ochre that manages to get everywhere. By the time we reached the car, my boots were caked with crust (not how you would want to start a hike).
<h2 dir="ltr"><a href="https://watertontourism.com/">Waterton Lakes, AB</a></h2>
To round things out, I made my yearly retreat to Waterton Provincial Park in Southern Alberta. This park is definitely not my favorite place in the world, so whatever you do, don&rsquo;t tell anyone about this <s>magnificent</s> mediocre place, okay?&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">Aug 20th - <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/bears-hump">Bears hump, AB</a></h3>

I know we&rsquo;ve covered a lot already, and if nothing else sticks, you must remember to get a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rockymountain.popshop/p/CuII5alyAv1/?hl=en">dirty soda</a> next time you visit Waterton. And the most rewarding way to burn off the calories is to charge up Bear&rsquo;s Hump to see the lake, the townsite, and the iconic <a href="https://www.glacierparkcollection.com/lodging/prince-of-wales-hotel/">Prince of Wales</a> Hotel from a whole new perspective.
Tip: Extra brownie points if you grab a headlamp and make it a sunset summit for extra vibes.
<h3 dir="ltr">Aug 24th - <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/cameron-lake-trail">Cameron Lake, AB</a></h3>
Finally, a nice, easy walk!
When I heard of this breezy 3.5 km trail with virtually no elevation gain and world-class views, it was music to my ears. This one has got to be the pinnacle of maximum reward for minimal effort.
This was my first time visiting Cameron, and all I could say was &lsquo;WOW&rsquo;.
This has to be one of the most incredible viewpoints I&rsquo;ve seen in Waterton, if not all of Alberta! And the best part? The only photobombers were deer.

This is another brutally steep hike, so try to time it in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid being stuck on the exposed rock of the scramble in the heat of the day. We lucked out and had overcast skies, so overheating wasn't a concern. Packing out lots of water is essential here since there is nowhere to access water until you reach Goat Lake.&nbsp;
Unfortunately, the campsite was lackluster, with cramped tent pads. And lucky us, we picked the pad next to the man who snored louder than the bear hanging around outside our tent (I think in this scenario, I would pick the bear).
<h3 dir="ltr">Sep 6th - <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/rawson-lake--11">Rawson Lake,AB</a></h3>
Another great lake hike with a walk along the shoreline of Upper Kananaskis Lake at the start. The relatively flat trail eventually increased in steepness until we found ourselves out of breath trying to talk.

With some conveniently timed long hydration breaks, we were at the lake in no time. Getting to the top, the view opens to a beautiful alpine lake. Some hikers decided to stop and eat lunch immediately after reaching the water. We continued along the shore to find a quiet fishing spot. Not a single bite&hellip;

Marshall: 0
Alpine fish: 1
After inhaling my smooshed sandwich, we made our way back down, defeated but still satisfied.
<h2>The Final Boss</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">Sep 27 - <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/alberta/mount-smutwood">Mount Smutwood, AB</a></h3>
Truly a challenge even for well-versed hikers, Mount Smutwood, despite the funny name, is no cakewalk. With nearly a kilometer of elevation gain, there are numerous awesome lookout points on the way up. Some choose to turn around at the lake, as the final ascent beyond that is a challenging scramble; be prepared to take your time.
This section got particularly busy, so you may have to wait for your turn (or find a sneaky route around everyone) to get up to the peak.
By far the sketchiest hike I did this year, but at the perfect time to see the larch trees explode into golden veins stretching across the valleys!

Unfortunately, that&rsquo;s all I&rsquo;ve got to share for this year so far, but hey, there&rsquo;s still a couple of months left to squeeze a few more in. And thanks for coming along with me on this wild ride. 
I hope it gives you some confidence to try some adventures you&rsquo;ve been holding out on, or maybe just gives you a push to get outside and enjoy nature.&nbsp;

Got a hidden gem, a local legend, or a curious question about Canada?&nbsp;
Let us know in the comments section. Whether it&rsquo;s history, landscapes, personal stories, or recs&mdash;nothing&rsquo;s off limits (yes, even that well-trodden trek with a killer view)!

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Canada

Canada in €530s-€560s rtn

$346 RT

Canada's Northwest Territories in $310s-$360s RT

Canada in €430s-€600s & *prem eco* in €690s-€950s rtn

Across Canada in $120s-$330s RT

Caribbean, Costa Rica, Canada, and more! in $350s-$550s RT

Here's When Canadian Airlines Have Sales

A Taste of Island Life in British Columbia & a DIY Pan-Asian Adventure

Jack's Guide To: Victoria

Our 2025 Flight Sales Predictions & Biggest Travel Blunders

A Year in Canadian Hikes & The Long Road to Rome

From Eh to Z: From the Trail - Marshall’s Year in Hikes

Postcard from Andy

Postcard from Amanda

Postcard from Kez

Postcard from Andrew

Postcard from Alisse

Postcard from Elizabeth

Canada in €430s-€600s & prem eco in €690s-€950s rtn