Japan? Great bang for the paper there. If it was warmer this time of year I would be considering it
2 Likes
Agree. Many of my friends rave about Thailand and Puerto Rico as well if we’re talking maximum value.
Well, going back April 28th-May 1st 
for the third time so far this year… WAIKIKI
March and February was a short 4 days trips too-lately I prefer these shorter trips just to #Chillax and don’t skip much off work anyway with only two days taken plus two days off !!
I booked Malia Waikiki Hotel with flights Total: $805 for 3 nights, and signed up for Expedia’s KEY CC offer for another $150 back on first spend etc… so a deal for sure, Malia on Costcotravel is $950+ without the flights for same room…
3 Likes
I was just looking at qatar to Thailand flights as its cheapest that way from Miami. It’s getting into rainy season only issue. I’ve only been to San Juan in PR a few times but it’s def not cheap at all. Similar to any city in USA. I’m sure vieques and those areas are cheaper
1 Like
Backyard ! Lol i mean Americas backyard ! Someone should try to hack a 15k mile 3 yr lease on a decent family hauler do a cross country Discover America road trip for whatever 25k miles can cover in a year and then swap out of it with 2 yrs /20k miles left.
@Russo gonna hit you up soon for locations of all those cool pics you share ! 
3 Likes
USD to JPY is down a lot though. It’s up against RMB and VND
I’m sure all the ME airlines (Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, etc) fly to BKK so pick the best value for the flights. Stopover should not be a deciding factor
1 Like
Down like 10% from all time highs like most currencies but still historically seems like a great value. Still 50% cheaper than 5 years ago. I think the dollar will rebound a bit next couple weeks against most currencies. Other central banks aren’t really in a great position either. I gave up trading on forex but some fortunes were prob made and lost last week on it. 5-10% swing in a week is insane
Shoulder season travel is the way to go. So much cheaper than booking in the summer. Last year I have before my kid starts school so I think a 20-25 hr flight is what we’re gonna have to do ha
1 Like
Kids are expensive lol I gotta go at peak times with peak rates. I’m crying in TCO right now lol
3 Likes
For the folks who have done Disneyworld, can you share your best tips?
We are going in mid-July with young kids (2, 3.5, 5). Seems like foreign travelers are cancelling so it might not be too crazy for this time of the year.
I would recommend Abu Dhabi too. I enjoyed the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Louvre Abu Dhabi.
I personally found Dubai boring – I am not into the glitz – but if you haven’t been it’s worth visiting! Just promise us to turn off LH while you are on vacation.
8 Likes
Whatever you do, don’t PM me. Happy to provide recs if anyone looks, having lived here for 4 yrs.
1 Like
Check your Amex Platinum/Centurion cards (and consider the downsides of booking flights through an OTA). Includes International Airline Program.
Details
Enroll by 4/25/2025. Earn a one-time $100 statement credit after using your enrolled eligible Platinum Card® or Centurion® Card to spend a minimum of $500 in one or more purchases for Delta marketed flights booked through Amex Travel™ only by 7/31/2025. See terms.
Offer Terms
Eligibility and Enrollment
Eligible Card Members must first add offer to Card by 4/25/2025 and then use same Card to redeem by 7/31/2025 for qualifying spend. Only US-issued American Express® Platinum and Centurion Cards are eligible.
Limit of 1 statement credit per eligible Card Member account. If the Card Account is canceled or past due, it may not qualify to receive a statement credit.
Qualifying Purchases
Offer valid only for Delta marketed flights booked directly with American Express Travel® online through AmexTravel.com, the Amex® App, or by calling the number on the back of your Card. The Offer is only valid for bookings paid for by 7/31/2025, however the airline travel can occur after the end date for the Offer, provided that the booking was made within the applicable Offer period. Includes Delta marketed flights purchased as part of the International Airline Program at AmexTravel.com. Delta marketed flights booked directly with Delta or through other third-party sites and apps, not listed as eligible, are excluded. Excludes all other types of American Express Travel® bookings or purchases not listed as eligible. Not valid for flight + hotel packages. Delta flights that are paid for before the promotion start date or after the promotion end date will not qualify. Qualifying purchases must total a minimum of $500 by 7/31/2025, in accordance with these terms, to be eligible for a one-time $100 statement credit. American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. is acting solely as a sales agent for travel suppliers and is not responsible for the actions or inactions of such suppliers. Certain suppliers pay us commission and other incentives for reaching sales targets or other goals and may provide incentives to our Travel Consultants. For more information visit www.americanexpress.com/travelterms. California CST#1022318, Washington UBI#600-469-694. American Express identifies qualifying transactions based on information provided by the participating merchant. Offer valid only on purchases made in US dollars.
Statement Credit
Please allow 90-days after 7/31/2025 for the statement credit(s) to be posted to the Account, provided that American Express receives information from the merchant about your qualifying purchase.
Participation in Amex Offers is subject to Amex Offers Program Terms.
4 Likes
Trigger warning: aside from creating the poll, this is a zero-effort post.
When my spouse attends a conference outside the continental US, I often show up at the end for some touristing.
This often means seeing places we’d never otherwise choose (like San Juan, Milan, Kuala Lumpur), which we always enjoy.
This July, it’s… Ottawa.
We mostly like to hit culturally and historically significant sites, and unique natural wonders… vs. dining, nightlife, shopping, strenuous activities (we’re lazy but we don’t like to just sit around).
I haven’t been to this part of Canada. If you have, what is your first instinct?
- ~2-3 days in Ottawa
- ~1 day in Ottawa and a few days in Montreal
- Skip Ottawa and meet in Montreal instead
- Sit it out entirely and hope for a better destination in 2026
0
voters
Is Thailand in late April/May a bad idea? Anyone been? I don’t care about heat and humidity really, we will be around beaches/pools most of the time. Was looking at krabi/phuket, prefer developed places to stay then do some day trips from there.
Still haven’t booked anything and we should be leaving this Tuesday-Thursday. I’m not a planner…
Definitely not a bad idea, been many times in practically every month out of the year.
If you’re leaving this week then I’ll see you there 
I’m also leaving on Tues for a long weekend in Bangkok plus 2 days in Tokyo. I go about 2-3x per year.
Late April into May can be the start of the “rainy” season but in reality IME you’re just as likely to have sun as rain. And it’s not that much different than Miami in that the rain you do get is tropical quick storms with lots of sun in between.
I used to avoid the summer in Thailand but the past 2 years I’ve been in August and out of 8 total days in Bangkok I think I had 1 evening of storms that only lasted about 2-3 hrs. Obviously YMMV.
1 Like
Exactly what I wanted to hear. I like the afternoon storms here bc it cools things down a little. Any recommendations on islands to visit and if the east or west coast is best? Touristy areas are fine, I imagine it’s much less busy there now also. I like good options for dining and walking around so prefer developed areas over remote places. Don’t want to waste too much time traveling after long flights. Might do Thailand for a week then Bali or somewhere else for another week.
1 Like
Was in Phuket last year, Bali a few years before that. Both places are nice, touristy, with lots of options to do stuff, or even do nothing. Most people speak English, and food is always great.
Rented a car in Phuket since we stayed in a Marriott a little off the beaten path. Bali has the beach areas or ubud, up in the mountains.
Like you said though, it’s blazing hot in the afternoons so maybe it’s a good time for the lil one’s nap. Exchange rates to the USD is pretty good too
1 Like
I was looking at private drivers in Phuket already and it was like $50/day. Seems very cheap so would prob go that route if so. Was also looking at krabi and soh samui as possible sports to do a few days.
Weather looks to be around 90 during the day which were used to anyway in the summer here so shouldn’t be too bad. I just want warm water, I really don’t love the ocean under 80 degrees, got too spoiled in the south
1 Like
The Japan (Tokyo, mostly) trip was surprisingly inexpensive. With Hyatt hotels on Chase points, tickets to Air Canada from the East Coast cost around $3.3k for a family of 4. Food and entertainment are not expensive.
1 Like