South America

Think you’ve seen it all? Think again. From the otherworldly, mirror-like expanse of the Uyuni Salt Flats to the bustling, high-altitude streets of La Paz, Bolivia is the ultimate bucket-list destination that’s notoriously elusive...until now. We’re on a mission to dig up the best flight deals to Bolivia, whether you're chasing rainforest adventures in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, trekking through the Andes, or just looking to score a rare, cheap fare to South America’s best-kept secret. Stop overpaying for your next grand escape; keep your eyes peeled for our latest flight alerts and turn that "someday" dream into a "taking off next week" reality.

Welcome to the Black Friday party; we're so stoked to have you!

Miami

The United States is a travel heavyweight, packing everything from dazzling skylines and buzzing neon cities to natural wonders so epic they make your camera feel inadequate. It's the land of big ideas and even bigger distances—which is precisely where Jack’s Flight Club comes in. We’re here to help you skip the seriously long bus rides and the soul-crushing flight search by finding the cheap flights for you and proving you don't need to break the bank just to cross a few time zones.
Whether you're planning a swift weekend trip to the Big Apple, a surf session on the West Coast, or a grand tour of the national parks, we've got your back. Our Navigators love sprinkling in a generous helping of insider knowledge to make your trip count—because life’s too short to pay silly money for flights you can’t even brag about.

United States

The United States is a travel heavyweight, packing everything from dazzling skylines and buzzing neon cities to natural wonders so epic they make your camera feel inadequate. It's the land of big ideas and even bigger distances.

Belém

Brazil is a continent-sized playground that offers far more than just Carnival parades and postcard-perfect beaches in Rio, and it’s finally time you explored it without the massive price tag. We’re here to help you snag cheap flights to Brazil so you can spend your hard-earned cash on more caipirinhas, fresh feijoada, and unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re dreaming of pulsing city nights in São Paulo, trekking into the heart of the Amazon rainforest, or soaking up the iconic views from Christ the Redeemer, we’ve got the insider intel to get you there for less.

Brazil

Brazil is a continent-sized playground that offers far more than just Carnival parades and postcard-perfect beaches in Rio, and it’s finally time you explored it without the massive price tag

Guayaquil

If your bucket list is screaming for a mix of prehistoric tortoises and jungle-clad adventure, Ecuador is officially calling your name. Beyond the outstanding wildlife of the Galápagos Islands, this South American gem packs a serious punch. You have misty cloud forests, high-altitude Andean hikes, and the vibrant streets of Quito, all without the tourist stampedes. This page holds all you'll need to explore Ecuador, including the Flight, so prepare to tick a major adventure off your list.

Ecuador

If your bucket list is screaming for a mix of prehistoric tortoises and jungle-clad adventure, Ecuador is officially calling your name. Beyond the outstanding wildlife of the Galápagos Islands, this South American gem packs a serious punch

Montevideo

Uruguay tends to sit quietly in the shadow of its bigger, louder neighbours, which is exactly why it’s so good. Experience Montevideo mornings filled with café-lined streets, slow seaside strolls, and enough art deco charm to make you wonder why more people aren’t talking about it already. Then swing into Punta del Este for beaches, nightlife, and that “Monaco of South America” energy without the attitude. Between tango roots, seriously good beef, and a national obsession with yerba mate, this is a country that runs on flavour and rhythm in equal measure. You’ll find the latest articles, insider tips, and Flights that help you get there before everyone else realises what they’re missing.

Uruguay

Uruguay tends to sit quietly in the shadow of its bigger, louder neighbours, which is exactly why it’s so good. You’ll find the latest articles, insider tips, and Flights that help you get there before everyone else realises what they’re missing.

Manaus

Leticia

Colombia is a land of vivid contrasts, where you can experience the neon-bright streets of Medellín, the stunning Caribbean coast, and the lush mysteries of the Amazon. From extreme thrills to rare natural phenomena, it’s a country that defies expectations at every turn. Consider this page your ultimate Colombia travel guide, packed with savvy tips on South America’s most diverse landscapes—from extreme thrills to natural phenomena—and the kind of affordable trips that make your friends back home seriously jealous.

Colombia

Colombia is a land of vivid contrasts, where you can experience the neon-bright streets of Medellín, the stunning Caribbean coast, and the lush mysteries of the Amazon.

Bogota

San Cristóbal Island

Cali

Bucaramanga

Medellin

Georgetown

Guyana is the sort of place that makes seasoned travelers quietly rearrange their bucket lists. South America's only English-speaking country packs in vast rainforests, remarkable wildlife, remote eco-lodges, and the mighty Kaieteur Falls, one of the world's most powerful single-drop waterfalls. It's not a destination built around souvenir shops and sun loungers. It's for river journeys, canopy walks, wildlife spotting, and stories you'll still be telling long after you've unpacked. Whether you're looking for flights to Guyana, planning a Guyana rainforest adventure, or researching the best things to do in Guyana, you'll find our latest articles, travel inspiration, and flight opportunities right here.

Guyana

Guyana is the sort of place that makes seasoned travelers quietly rearrange their bucket lists. South America's only English-speaking country packs in vast rainforests, remarkable wildlife, remote eco-lodges, and the mighty Kaieteur Falls

Santa Marta

Barranquilla

Riohacha

Montería

Pereira

San Andrés

Managua

Nicaragua

San Jose, CR

Costa Rica

San Salvador

El Salvador

Fort Lauderdale

Cúcuta

Orlando

Guatemala City

Guatemala

Quito

Tampa

Cartagena

Lima

Peru isn’t just Machu Picchu and postcard llamas (though yes, they absolutely deliver on both). From Lima to Cusco and beyond, this is a country where ancient Incan history, high-altitude road trips, Amazon edge towns, and seriously underrated flight routes all collide. Whether you’re hunting for flights to Peru, planning your Machu Picchu tickets, or eyeing up quieter corners like Chiclayo in northern Peru—home to Moche tombs, pyramid valleys, and road trips into Huancabamba’s healing lakes—you’ll find plenty to get stuck into without following the usual backpacker script. Add in budget flight alerts, offbeat Peru travel guides, and tips for exploring Cusco, Lima, and the Sacred Valley, and you’ve got everything you need to plan a Peru trip.

Peru

Peru isn’t just Machu Picchu and postcard llamas (though yes, they absolutely deliver on both). From Lima to Cusco and beyond, this is a country where ancient Incan history, high-altitude road trips, Amazon edge towns, and seriously underrated flight routes all collide.

Washington DC

Santiago

Chile is basically nature’s way of showing off, squeezed into an impossibly skinny strip of land that refuses to settle for just one vibe. It’s the kind of place where you can spend your morning gasping at the jagged, snow-capped Andes, only to find yourself a few hours later leaning back in a sun-drenched wine valley near Santiago, debating if a second glass of Carménère counts as "cultural research." If the mainland’s mix of alpine peaks and lush vineyards isn't enough of a flex, there’s always the remote, wind-swept mystery of Easter Island. We’re here to help you supercharge your travel experience with insider tips, curated Flights, and everything you need to know to explore Chile’s stunning mountain scenery and vibrant culture for less.

Chile

Chile is basically nature’s way of showing off, squeezed into an impossibly skinny strip of land that refuses to settle for just one vibe.

New York

Boston

Chicago

Curaçao

If your definition of a “balanced diet” is a blue cocktail in one hand and a snorkel in the other, welcome to Curaçao! Beyond the iconic, pastel-perfect Dutch Colonial architecture of Willemstad—the island's iconic capital—you’ll find hidden coves with water so blue it honestly looks a bit photoshopped. Plus a local scene that doesn’t take itself too seriously; there’s even a “Williwood” sign if you’re looking for a laugh. Whether you’re here to snorkel through crystal-clear reefs or just soak up that laid-back island rhythm, this is a destination that stays with you long after the tan fades.

If your definition of a “balanced diet” is a blue cocktail in one hand and a snorkel in the other, welcome to Curaçao!

São Paulo

Dallas

Santa Cruz

Bolivia

Think you’ve seen it all? Think again. From the otherworldly, mirror-like expanse of the Uyuni Salt Flats to the bustling, high-altitude streets of La Paz, Bolivia is the ultimate bucket-list destination that’s notoriously elusive...until now.

Houston

San Pedro Sula

Honduras

Las Vegas

San Francisco

Los Angeles

South & Central America 🐍 at $170s-$510s RT

Welcome to the hipster favorite of South America!

La Paz

Bolivia 🌄 at $446 RT

Belo Horizonte

Asunción

Paraguay is what happens when an entire country slips under the tourist radar and seems perfectly happy about it. Tucked between Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia, it's a place of colonial history, riverfront cities, Jesuit ruins, national parks, and enough waterfalls to keep your camera roll working overtime. Spend a few days in Asunción, wander through colourful neighbourhoods, cool off at Saltos del Monday, or head into the countryside where you might have whole stretches of scenery to yourself.
Our Navigators have made it easier for you; find our latest Paraguay articles, Flights and tips right here.

Paraguay

Paraguay is what happens when an entire country slips under the tourist radar and seems perfectly happy about it. It's a place of colonial history, riverfront cities, Jesuit ruins, national parks, and enough waterfalls to keep your camera roll working overtime.

Curitiba

Salvador

Brasília

Recife

Brazil, Peru & more 🌴 in $390s-$480s RT

You may not think Bolivia and summer go together, but let us prove otherwise...

Paris

France isn't just about Eiffel Tower selfies; it’s a country that deserves a serious deep dive without the pretension—or the heavy price tag. We’re here to help you snag cheap flights to France so you can spend less on airfare and more on what actually matters: endless glasses of Bordeaux, buttery croissants, and authentic French food. Whether you’re planning a culture binge in the romantic streets of Paris, hunting for sunshine along the French Riviera, or wandering through the vineyard-lined hills of Provence, we’ve got the insider intelligence to get you there for less.

France

We’re here to help you snag cheap flights to France so you can spend less on airfare and more on what actually matters: endless glasses of Bordeaux, buttery croissants, and authentic French food.

Santa Cruz, Bolivia ☀️ in €6500s rtn

You'll probably want to take a peek at Navigator Lauren's recent tips for visiting Uyuni...

La Paz, Bolivia 🕶️ $395 RT 

London Heathrow

Forget the stereotype that England is nothing but endless gray drizzle, overpriced tourist traps in London, and people obsessing over the weather. We’re here to help you get past the postcard clichés and uncover the real magic, from the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and the moody peaks of the Lake District to the buzzing, eclectic streets of Manchester. We’re always hunting down the best England flight deals so you can save your cash for the actual essentials—like proper pub grub and a decent pint. This is your insider’s guide to booking cheap flights to England, and proving that the best of the UK is well within reach if you know how to search for it.

England

We’re here to help you get past the postcard clichés and uncover the real magic, from the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and the moody peaks of the Lake District to the buzzing, eclectic streets of Manchester.

La Paz, Bolivia ⛰️ in £1720s-£1800s rtn

Thanks team. Booked Glasgow - VVI last night for £540

Postcard from Mathew 

Haiti

Spain

Madagascar

Japan

Kazakhstan

Spooktacular greetings, Travellers,
I hope your pumpkins are carved, cobwebs are hung, and creepy movie marathon candidates selected.
Or, alternatively, your lights are off, curtains drawn, and there are no signs of life that'll give you away to those pesky trick-or-treaters!&nbsp;
Whichever way you plan to spend your weekend, make some time to scroll back through this year's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/geodesaurus/?hl=en">Spooky Lake Month</a> destinations and pick your next eerie lakeside getaway. My pick? Gotta be <a href="https://www.meganstarr.com/lake-kaindy-kazakhstan-sunken-forest/">Lake Kaindy</a> and its sunken forest.&nbsp;
Where's the spookiest place you've ever been? Or is there a spot you're dying to visit? Let us know <a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/detour-210-celebrating-souls-around-the-globe#comments">in the comments</a>!
Happy (broomstick) travels and safe landings,

Katy - Editor of The Detour

How the World Welcomes Home its Dead

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

Something shifts at this time of year. Can you feel it?&nbsp;
Candles burn slower. Dusk deceives us, casting silhouettes of illusion and ink. The air feels thinner&mdash;as if you could almost reach out and peel back the veil separating the living and the lost.&nbsp;
And in some corners of the world, that&rsquo;s precisely what they do.&nbsp;
From the highlands of Madagascar to the cemeteries of Port-au-Prince, the living draw back the curtain a little wider, welcoming those who linger just beyond&hellip;
<h2 dir="ltr">Famadihana in Madagascar</h2>

<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en">CC image</a> by Hery Zo Rakotondramanana on&nbsp;<a href="https://flic.kr/p/ai6McA">flickr</a> 
<blockquote>
&ldquo;One by one, the dead were brought out of the tomb. The band kept playing, people dancing around them. First, I climbed on top of the tomb to get a bird&rsquo;s eye view of the scene. Below, a colorful crowd circled the tomb, carrying the dead on top, wrapped in straw mats, before placing them in the sun. I didn&rsquo;t want to intrude, to get too close to where the dead were lying.&rdquo; - <a href="https://www.thecrowdedplanet.com/dancing-dead-famadihana/">The Crowded Planet</a> 
</blockquote>
 In Madagascar, the turning of the bones, known as&nbsp;Famadihana, only happens every few years during the dry winter months. The Malagasy believe that so long as the body remains, the spirit does too. It starts when the deceased appears to an elder in a dream, proclaiming that they are cold and need new garments. Then <a href="https://www.101lasttribes.com/tribes/antemoro.html">a traditional astrologer</a>, known as an Ombiasy, consults the stars for an auspicious day to open and close the tomb.&nbsp;
Loved ones and guests often travel days on foot across the highlands to reach their ancestral crypt. And for two days the ceremony commences. Graves are exhumed, bodies are cleaned and wrapped with silk and straw, and they are danced down the streets.&nbsp;
Relatives tell their troubles to their loved ones and ask for guidance and blessings. Just before the sun sets, the bodies are returned to their resting place but placed upside down. The crypt then closes for the next 5&ndash;7 years.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Fiesta de Santa Marta de Ribarteme, As Nieves, Spain</h2>
<blockquote>
&ldquo;One corpse smiles and waves. Another fans herself. They regularly re-hydrate. This is not your average funeral. &rdquo;It is 33 degrees in the Spanish shade, but much hotter inside a Spanish coffin.&rdquo; - <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/europe/grateful-dead-the-festival-celebrating-near-death-experiences-1.2760403">Kevin Pilley</a>, The Irish Times
</blockquote>

<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en">CC image</a> by Jose-Maria Moreno Garcia on <a href="https://flic.kr/p/vA9XDX">flickr</a>
Few international tourists venture off the Camino, into the lush interior of Spain&rsquo;s northwest, Galicia. But those who do might find themselves among&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-gP4_Jha28">a horde of Spaniards clambering into coffins</a>, eager to be carried by their families through the single-street hamlet of As Nieves every summer.&nbsp;
Those that willingly curl up in the comfort of a satin casket (sans lid) have had a brush with death and are here to give thanks to Santa Marta for sparing their lives. And if you&rsquo;re one of the unlucky souls that lacks a family, lugging your coffin down the road comes with a weight that&rsquo;s both literal and painfully metaphorical.
After the parade, the real fiesta begins with lively brass ensembles and patrons dishing out local delicacies like fresh octopus, white wine, and mountains of barbecued meat. By nightfall, the coffins and wine bottles are empty, and As Neves lives on. 
<h2 dir="ltr">D&iacute;a de las &Ntilde;atitas, La Paz, Bolivia</h2>

<blockquote>
&ldquo;Everyone has a personality, and in some cases it might not be a good fit between a person and a skull,&rdquo; Koudounaris says. &ldquo;People will say, &lsquo;I got this skull from my cousin who didn&rsquo;t get along with it, but I&rsquo;m getting along with it very well. I remember a couple of years ago all the skulls were given ham sandwiches. It was a bizarre touch.&rdquo;&nbsp; - <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/meet-celebrity-skulls-bolivias-fiesta-de-las-natitas-180957289/">Rachel Nuwer, The Smithsonian</a>
</blockquote>
 Drifting to La Paz, every year the living and the dead share cigarettes, flowers, and &mdash; occasionally &mdash;&nbsp;the odd sandwich or two. Long before Christianity, the Aymara believed that human skulls called &ntilde;atitas (translation: little pug-nosed) hold protective powers, acting as messengers between our world and the next. Families keep skulls in their homes, believing they have special powers.&nbsp;
Curiously, the collection of craniums are not often family members but heirlooms or obtained through questionable means from archeological sites, medical schools, and cemeteries. And once a year on November 8th, they&rsquo;re taken to La Paz&rsquo;s General Cemetery in glass boxes, adorned with sunglasses, flower crowns, cigarettes, and coca leaves to be blessed by a priest. Once the sun sets, parties known as prestas spill into the city&rsquo;s streets.
<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/parting-the-veil-how-the-world-welcomes-home-its-dead">Keep reading...</a>

Travel Tips

I Visited the "Most Haunted" Places in Barcelona and This is How it Went

Currently based in Barcelona, you&rsquo;ll likely find Lauren exploring all that Spain has to offer. When she&rsquo;s not falling off her skateboard, you&rsquo;ll catch her hunting for bargain flights.

By Lauren

Being a lover of all things macabre and having recently relocated to Barcelona, it only seemed appropriate that I tour the cities most haunted spots this spooky season. So, after many a late hour researching the dark corners of the web and listening to my local friends&rsquo; eerie tales, I&rsquo;ve compiled a list of 5 potentially paranormal places&hellip;
<h2 aria-level="1" style="margin: 0; margin-bottom: 16px;">1. Rocafort Metro Station</h2>
The backstory: Whether it&rsquo;s down to the unsettlingly high number of accidents on the tracks, or a rumoured mudslide during construction that supposedly claimed the life of a worker, it seems like everyone I speak to has a story about Rocafort. Allegedly, even the metro staff are afraid to stay after hours, with ghostly sounds filling the tunnels and suspicious figures appearing on the CCTV footage.

The station definitely has an older, more dilapidated feel than other more modern stops. The tiles adorning the floors have a scuffed cream and black finish, and the dim lights overhead dress everything in a slight sepia tone. Despite the midday rush of commuters when I visited, this station still felt pretty creepy, and I certainly wouldn&rsquo;t want to roam the platforms alone in the evening.
👻👻👻/5 spookies 
<h2 aria-level="1" style="margin: 0; margin-bottom: 16px;">2. Poblenou Cemetery</h2>
The backstory: Originally opened in the 18th century, it was briefly destroyed by Napoleon&rsquo;s troops in 1813, then reopened again in 1819. Aside from being the resting place for thousands of the deceased, it&rsquo;s the marvellously macabre statues that give this one its spooky points.

At the entrance of the cemetery, I snapped a pic of a large map to help guide my walk, since the place seemed pretty huge. I must say, as someone who appreciates the beauty of a time-worn tomb or two, I was thoroughly impressed. One statue in particular, called &lsquo;The Kiss of Death&rdquo; really took my breath away. If you ever happen to visit the city on a sunny autumnal day, I thoroughly recommend a peaceful stroll around the grounds. All in all, though, not overly scary.&nbsp;&nbsp;
👻👻/5 spookies&nbsp;

<a href="https://members.jacksflightclub.com/articles/investigating-haunted-barcelona">Keep reading...</a>

Travel Tales

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across web this week.
<ul>
<li>November 1st marks World Vegan Day, so what better way to celebrate than by planning a trip to <a href="https://www.wanderlustmagazine.com/inspiration/the-best-destinations-for-vegans/">plant-based foodie paradise</a>? </li>
<li>Fancy travelling between the USA and Tokyo <a href="https://parade.com/news/japan-travel-agency-reveals-rocket-that-could-connect-tokyo-us">in just an hour</a>... via&nbsp;space?! </li>
<li>If you go down to the Japanese woods today, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/27/bear-attack-survival-tips-released-in-japan-as-encounters-surge">prepare for a growly surprise</a>. </li>
<li>Bonus spookies: plan a <a href="https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/states/10-most-haunted-states-america-ranked-scare-level">terrifying US road trip</a> around the country's most haunted states. </li>
<li>And finally, I (Editor Katy) sat down with The Independent's <a href="https://shows.acast.com/green-list-travel-with-simon-calder-and-the-independent/episodes/october-30th-inside-the-world-of-jacks-flight-club">Simon Calder for a six-minute grilling</a> on what it is we do here at Jack's Flight Club &mdash; and thankfully, I came out unscathed!</li>
</ul>

Travel News

Celebrating Souls Around the Globe

South Africa

Happy new year, JFC-ers!
I hope you all had a lovely New Year's Eve, however you chose to spend it.
<a href="https://www.insightvacations.com/blog/hogmanay/">Hogmanay here in Scotland</a> had a bit of a dampener cast upon it, with extreme wind and rain cancelling Edinburgh&rsquo;s street celebrations days before they were even set to happen. Thankfully, we&rsquo;ve never needed a scheduled event up here to tell us when to have a dram and sing Auld Lang Syne!
This festive season wasn&rsquo;t great for aviation, with two major plane crashes that you&rsquo;ve no doubt seen all over the news, and <a href="https://simpleflying.com/217-fatalities-summary-major-aviation-incidents-accidents/">two further incidents</a> that you may not have. Thankfully, neither of the smaller incidents had such tragic consequences as those in Kazakhstan and South Korea.
With all the talk of bird strikes and landing gear failures, you&rsquo;d be forgiven for having doubts about rushing to get back on a plane. Is it really the safest mode of transport, like the experts say it is? <a href="https://www.rd.com/list/flying-facts/">These flying stats and facts</a> should help put your logical mind at ease for all your 2025 adventures.
Safe travels, and all the best for the year ahead,

Where We've Been and Where We're Going

As you&rsquo;ve probably gathered by now, we on the JFC team are all pretty nuts about travelling. Our 2024 trips took us far and wide, and 2025 has even more adventures to offer. So, before last year becomes a distant memory, we wanted to share with you their top trips from the year gone by, as well as where they&rsquo;re excited to go over the next 12 months. 
Lauren - Flight Finder
Top trip of 2024? Almost 10 years ago, I was gifted a huge Lonely Planet book listing the world's most beautiful places. And, right at the very start, was a huge glossy picture of the Bolivian <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/how-to-see-salar-de-uyuni-salt-flats-bolivia">salt flats in Uyuni</a>. The image looked completely unreal, and I knew some day I had to go and visit to see it with my own eyes.
Finally, after spotting some cheap flights to Lima in March and taking far too many overnight buses, I found myself in the town of Uyuni. As we drove into the salt flats, I watched in awe as the dusty landscapes melted away into a bright white vastness. To my amazement, it was even more unreal than the photo in my book. Thanks to some perfectly timed recent rain, there was a thin layer of reflective water on the salty surface, creating a heaven-like optical illusion.
Honestly, it was magical!

Where are you looking forward to in 2025? I've had Sri Lanka on my bucket list for years, and I've finally booked my flights for February 2025 &mdash; I can't wait! I'm planning for lots of hiking, surfing, whale watching and eating &lt;3
Anywhere you&rsquo;re hoping we find an error fare for? SVALBARD! This is the year, I'm manifesting it. 
Ian - Marketing
Top trip of 2024? Japan &mdash; it has to be the coolest country in the world. And I got engaged there too!
Where are you looking forward to in 2025? I&rsquo;m planning a trip to China to visit my family, but I also want to head to Thailand, Dubai, Serbia, Albania&hellip;
Anywhere you&rsquo;re hoping to see an error fare for?&nbsp;Somewhere in Africa would be amazing!

Kat - Member Experience
Top trip of 2024? Kruger National Park, South Africa. I have been going for the last 34 years, almost every year of my life. It's out in nature, an escape from the world, where each day is its own journey. I get to see animals in their own environment, and you never know what will be around the next corner!
This year was particularly special, as it was Blackjack's (my Service Dog) first time coming with me, and he absolutely loved it.
Where are you looking forward to in 2025? More Kruger National Park! I just always want to go back. I&rsquo;m mostly just travelling within South Africa (Gauteng and <a href="https://www.wanderlustmovement.org/things-to-do-in-kzn-south-africa/">KwaZulu Natal</a>) at the moment. It&rsquo;s great getting to see friends and family and spend time with them.

Anywhere you&rsquo;re hoping to see an error fare for? Scandinavia (or somewhere I can see the Aurora Borealis)!

Kruger takes the crown as the most popular and famous safari destination in South Africa, and rightly so &mdash; it is huge, well-connected, and has loads of accommodation options. But for smaller, more intimate experiences, or spots accessible from other cities, there are other options 👀

Fancy a safari in 2025?

Olivia - Flight Finder
Top trip(s) of 2024? I have a few!
1. Bombay Beach: I went for the weird art and the desert, and loved meeting all the people who lived out there. 2. New Orleans: Mardi Gras! I loved the culture and the people. 3. Prague: My friend was already going, and I enjoyed seeing all the architecture and learning about the history. 4. Scotland: Because I got to hang out with my awesome colleagues!

Where are you looking forward to in 2025? So far on the books is the US Virgin Islands and New Mexico, but not sure after that. I&rsquo;m excited about the USVI for the beaches, and NM for the desert hiking and artsy stuff.
Anywhere you&rsquo;re hoping to see an error fare for? Thailand, please!
 Pop back next week for more of the JFC team&rsquo;s travel tales and 2025 plans!

Travel Inspiration

Daytime Transatlantic Flights &mdash; Where Have They Gone?

&ldquo;One question: Air Canada and a couple of other airlines used to have a daytime flight to the UK - but now it&rsquo;s impossible to find an airline that has daytime flights to the UK - only night flights, which cause jet lag and is a pain. Do you know why the airlines have stopped day time flights? Thank you.&rdquo; - Frances

Flight Finding Team Lead Allan is your expert on&nbsp;the&nbsp;inner workings of&nbsp;the&nbsp;airline world. If you&rsquo;ve ever seen a debut deal on a brand spanking new route or a bonkers drop on an old classic, you've got him to thank!

Answered by Allan

Hey there! Flight Nerd Allan here telling you all about daytime flights from North American to Europe. I actually happened to fly on one of the few in 2023 from New York to London, and I really enjoyed getting in without having to deal with any kind of jet lag.
As far as I can see, London is really the only European city with daytime flights from North America. You can fly from DC or New York and that's just about it. Especially after Delta ended their day-time service to Paris this summer, the landscape remains relatively barren. And the answers are simpler than they might seem.
The first, and most obvious, is that it&rsquo;s harder for scheduling. If a plane leaves for Europe at 8:30 AM US Eastern Time, it&rsquo;ll land at 8:30 PM London time. That means the plane has to sit overnight at the airport until it can fly back the next morning. Turning around the plane in a few hours and flying back over the Atlantic at 11:30 PM doesn&rsquo;t really happen either.

The second is a lack of connectivity. That flight landing at 8:30 PM can&rsquo;t really have any onward traffic, as few flights take off after 9 PM. So any connections will have a 12 hour+ layover OR not happen at all, meaning that route has to be strong enough for point-to-point travel to sustain it entirely, which is rare for Europe.
So that&rsquo;s why you only have a handful of these daytime European flights. I know it&rsquo;s frustrating, as I love them too and will fly them whenever they make the most sense for my travel schedule. But that small amount of consumer appreciation doesn&rsquo;t make up for the economic losses airlines feel with these services. Maybe we just need to convince airlines to offer connections across Europe at 11 PM instead :-)
 Have you got a travel question you'd like us to answer in the Detour? Is there a destination you'd like to read more about? Let us know below 👇

Following Flight Finder Olivia's article on long-term stays using Airbnb, lots of you wrote in to share your experiences. Needless to say, it was a mixed bag!
One thing everyone seems to agree on, however, is that if you do decide to book your accommodation through Airbnb, you should read the listings very carefully, and maybe even do a little background research if there aren't many reviews...
Here are just a few of the messages we received.

"I haven&rsquo;t done Airbnb for a long-term stay (though that may change soon), but I have done lots of 1-3 day stints and plan to continue. Almost all stays were excellent. What has changed, however, it that when I started out, there was always some human contact with a host, even if that person was living somewhere else. Now, for many of my stays, I (we) check in, stay, check out, and never meet the person in whose home we are staying. That&rsquo;s just a &ldquo;rent-a-night&rdquo; deal and not what I think Airbnb should be about." -&nbsp;Bruce
<hr>
"I use AirBnBs regularly.&nbsp; I&rsquo;ve used them in several countries in Europe and Latin America.&nbsp; For a long-term stay, you can save hundreds in accommodations and dining.&nbsp; 
Earlier this year, I spent 4 weeks in Puebla, MX, 4 weeks in Medellin, CO, and about 5 weeks in Peru.&nbsp; I agree wholeheartedly that you have to go through the amenities list.&nbsp; I &nbsp;recommend reading the reviews thoroughly as well.&nbsp; Things like heat and hot water cannot be taken for granted.&nbsp; In fact, I picked the Airbnb in Cusco specifically because the listing mentioned a space heater (heating wasn&rsquo;t included on most listings).&nbsp; When I first got to my Airbnb in Cusco, I wasn&rsquo;t certain that I could spend a few weeks there because I had to go outside to get to my kitchen.&nbsp; I already knew this from the listing and although it wasn&rsquo;t ideal, the price was the deciding factor. &nbsp;
The problem was a dog that was frequently in the courtyard.&nbsp; The hostess saw my discomfort when I arrived and she spoke with me the next day and assured me that the dog wouldn&rsquo;t bother me.&nbsp; I encountered the dog a lot but it didn&rsquo;t bother me, especially after it realized I wasn&rsquo;t receptive to it.&nbsp; It was not the perfect situation but I got through it.&nbsp;
 I spent a weekend at an Airbnb in Cartagena right in the middle of the action in the older part of the city. &nbsp;As instructed, I picked the key up from a local hotel. The unit was in a multi-purpose building, which was not fully occupied. The unit was clean and provided everything listed, but the stairs and corridors of the building were dark and the place seemed empty.&nbsp; I felt like if something happened to me there, no one was there to help or even see that something was amiss.&nbsp; I didn&rsquo;t feel safe.&nbsp; If it had been my first experience with Airbnb, it probably would have been my last.&nbsp; 
One last note, I read or saw a news account of two parents suing Airbnb because their son rented a unit in Brazil and &nbsp;he died from carbon monoxide poisoning inside the unit.&nbsp; That&rsquo;s another reason to comb over the amenities list.&nbsp; Since CO is odorless, detectors are lifesaving.&nbsp; Most Airbnb units I&rsquo;ve rented have no detectors, smoke or CO. &nbsp;There&rsquo;s a solution to every problem though.&nbsp; I bought a detector and traveled with it just to be on the safe side.&nbsp; I plan to keep using Airbnb for long stays." - Francesca

"I was just reading your section on Airbnb and I have to say I have totally been put off using Airbnb after a really bad experience with them this year.
 We turned up to a listing that was on an abandoned building site, that was basically left in covid because they ran out of money - so we found out. The host listed it as having some &ldquo;cladding work&rdquo; which absolutely was not the case! I filmed a load of videos and after spending hours fighting with Airbnb I managed to get my money back. They gave me assurances that they would look into the host and the listing so other guests didn&rsquo;t have to suffer what I did.
 Then came the battle with reviews. Airbnb removed my very honest review, along with another disgruntled guest who had stayed the week before us and they allowed the host to leave a review on my profile which suggested I was out for free stay and that I didn&rsquo;t get a refund (I have recipes from Airbnb as proof).
 The listing still reads the same at the moment, with poor unsuspecting guests thinking they are getting an &ldquo;idyllic treetop stay near Disney Florida&hellip;&rdquo; when in fact it&rsquo;s an unsafe health and safety nightmare and Airbnb do nothing but send me copy and paste responses since I got my refund.
I personally will never be using Airbnb again after that experience! For anyone interested to see my clips of where we stayed, I put them together <a href="https://youtu.be/ynU3vgTdViU?feature=shared">on YouTube</a>.
I get that they can&rsquo;t check every listing, but when one is brought to their attention like this, it seems wild they don&rsquo;t do anything about it. 
On further research, I found out the host had listed the property before and taken it down when she got bad reviews and put it up as a &ldquo;new listing&rdquo; again, which is how we came across it. And with only photos of the inside, we were none the wiser until we arrived! 
Anyway, wishing you all a merry Christmas!" -&nbsp;Katie

As always, thanks so much for sharing your stories and opinions! We love hearing from the Detour community and appreciate all your feedback. Keep it coming!

Reader's Corner

All the important (or silly, or strange) travel news from across the web this week.
<ul>
<li>Aiming for superlative glory, China's new Dalian International Airport is set to win the title of&nbsp;<a href="https://metro.co.uk/2024/12/29/worlds-largest-artificial-island-airport-rising-up-sea-22258259/">largest airport in the world to be built on an artificial island</a> when it opens in 2035. </li>
<li>But being the biggest doesn't necessarily make you the most popular &mdash; just ask <a href="https://www.thetravel.com/largest-underwater-tunnel-in-the-world-unused/">Japan's Seikan Tunnel</a>, the world's longest underwater tunnel.&nbsp; </li>
<li>For a spot of island sunshine <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/africa/winter-sun-africa-holiday-principe-b2669170.html">somewhere altogether under-the-radar</a> this winter, consider looking to Africa instead of the Caribbean. </li>
<li>And finally, if picking your airlines more wisely is among your New Year's resolutions, you might want to take a look at <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/most-punctual-airlines-airports-2024-delta-b2672978.html">who can keep a schedule</a>! All I'll say is that, if this were a list of "ins and outs" for 2025, SkyTeam airlines would be "in", while those Canadian airlines&hellip; well&hellip;</li>
</ul>

Bolivia

South & Central America at $170s-$510s RT

Bolivia at $446 RT

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La Paz, Bolivia in £1720s-£1800s rtn

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Bolivia on the map