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Spring break is right around the corner. And even if you haven’t yet booked your vacation for some much-needed rest, relaxation and — hopefully — good weather, it’s not too late.
The spring break travel period is one of the best opportunities to grab a good deal on a vacation. That’s mostly thanks to the fact that spring break is spread out over the course of a few weeks.
Don’t fret if you’ve not booked — there are still plenty of deals to be had. If you feel comfortable traveling right now, keep in mind that Covid-19 restrictions could change at a moment’s notice. Be sure to do your research and ensure you have all of the required documentation and testing in place before heading off on your vacation — especially if you’re traveling internationally.
We found some of the best cheap spring break travel deals out there — including flight deals, hotel deals and vacation package deals. For the purpose of looking at these deals, we searched between Feb. 26 and March 20 — your spring break dates may fall outside that period. If you see a deal you like, try searching to see if it’s also available within your dates.
Ultimately, when it comes to finding deals, the best tip is to remain flexible. Be ready to tweak your dates of travel (as much as you can for a weeklong break), look for surrounding airports and keep in mind that points and miles can be extremely valuable in high-demand periods like this.
These spring break hotels deals include properties where you can extract a ton of value from your loyalty points and miles for a free stay rather than forking out potentially hundreds — or thousands — of dollars.
This adults-only property is one of our favorite uses of Hyatt points. That’s because you can get great value from your points and get an all-inclusive stay in return. Over the spring break period, you can redeem 40,000 World of Hyatt points per night for a standard suite room. So, a four-night stay would cost 160,000 Hyatt points for a completely free stay — and that’s for two people. If you were to pay cash on the same dates, it would cost $763 per night, or $3,052.
Hyatt points are extremely valuable because you can use them for a variety of redemptions, including those at all-inclusive properties. The quickest way to earn Hyatt points is via a credit card like the World of Hyatt Credit Card, That card currently comes with a sign-up bonus of up to 60,000 points — 30,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of opening the card, then up to 30,000 more points by earning 2 bonus points total for every dollar you spend in the first six months after you open the account, up to $15,000 in purchases.
This property located near downtown Miami offers easy access to all the city has to offer. The property features its own outdoor pool while also being located just a short walk away from Miami’s famous beaches. Cash rates around the spring break period tend to hover around $231 per night, meaning a seven-night stay would cost around $1,617.
But instead, you could redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points for a free stay. That same seven-night stay would require 175,000 Bonvoy points, as Marriott awards a fifth night free if you pay for five consecutive nights with points.
You can quickly earn Marriott points to use on redemptions like this in the future by considering one of the hotel chain’s American Express cards. For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card currently comes with a welcome offer of 75,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in the first three months after opening the account.
This property in Montego Bay, Jamaica, made our list of the best all-inclusive resorts where you can redeem points for a free stay. And that’s especially evident during spring break, where cash rates can be high. For a four-night stay during the spring break period, you can redeem 70,000 points for a free night, or 280,000 for a free stay. That’s as opposed to paying cash on the same dates, which would cost you $1,562.20.
Hilton credit cards are the quickest way to earn Hilton Honors points for great redemptions like this in the future. The Hilton Honors American Express Card, for example, comes with a welcome bonus of 70,000 Honors points, plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $1,000 in the first three months, putting a redemption like this within reach for the future.
This stunning 5-star property is now available for point redemptions, thanks to Hyatt’s partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The small property — which features just 26 suites, including seven casitas — also has two restaurants and a fitness center and spa on property, plus outdoor pools. For a sample seven-night stay over the spring break period, you can redeem 25,000 World of Hyatt points per night — 175,000 points in total for the stay. Alternatively, the hotel is charging $485 per night over the same dates — $3,395 in total.
A redemption like this will save you cash that you can spend elsewhere while you’re on spring break, and the World of Hyatt Credit Card will help you start working your way to a redemption like this. It currently comes with a sign-up bonus of up to 60,000 Hyatt points — 30,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of opening the card, then up to 30,000 more points by earning 2 bonus points total for every dollar you spend in the first six months on purchases, up to $15,000 spent
This is a terrific deal if you’re looking to splurge on a free hotel stay in the Bahamas for spring break. The Coral at Atlantis is charging 45,000 Marriott points per night over the spring break period. Plus, since Marriott gives members the fifth night free on award stays of five consecutive nights or longer, you’re only paying for six nights on a seven-night stay.
That seven-night stay with points during spring break will cost 270,000 Marriott points. If you were to pay cash on the same dates, it’d cost you a whopping $819 per night, or $5,735 for the seven-night stay. That’s more than 2 cents per points in value — more than double the 0.8 cents apiece frequent flyer website The Points Guy currently values Marriott Bonvoy points to be worth.
Marriott points are easy to earn en masse, thanks to welcome bonus offers across the hotel chain’s credit card portfolio. For example, the Marriott Brilliant Amex currently comes with a welcome offer of 75,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in the first three months after opening the account. That bonus, plus the points you’ll earn for your everyday spending, will put you on your way toward a free stay.
This property dubs itself as the only downtown Miami waterfront hotel with private dockside arrival. All rooms at the hotel have a private balcony, and there are multiple restaurants, a spa and a fitness center on-site. During a sample seven-night stay over the spring break period, you can find a room for 66,714 IHG Rewards points per night. On the same dates, nightly rates run $403, or $2,814 for the same length of stay. Ultimately, for a great property like this, saving the cash to spend on other parts of your spring break trip could be a great way to go.
The IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card is a good way to earn IHG points quickly for redemptions like this. It currently comes with a sign-up bonus of 125,000 points and a Free Night certificate after spending $3,000 in the first three months of opening the card. That sign-up bonus alone will put you well on your way toward redemptions like this in the future.
Getting to your destination can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some good deals we’ve found on airfare to popular spring break hot spots.
This fare will get you from the cold of New York to the sunshine of south Florida nonstop for less than $100 round trip per person.
This itinerary with United from Chicago to Cancun requires a stop on the way down to Mexico, but it’s nonstop on the way home.
Want to escape to Los Cabos for spring break? You can fly nonstop from LA to the hot spot for just over $200 round trip.
Head down to the Caribbean to the popular destination of Aruba for just $187.07 round trip per person from Miami.
This United Airlines itinerary requires a stop in each direction, but it will get you from Atlanta to Montego Bay for less than $350 round trip per person.
This nonstop itinerary is a great option if you’re looking to head from Dallas to Cancun for spring break.
If your mind is now set on the idea of heading on a spring break vacation, make sure you book your flight the right way in order to maximize what you’re getting for your purchase. For instance, there are a number of credit cards that earn extra rewards or perks when you book travel with them.
Widely considered the best card for booking flights is The Platinum Card® from American Express. You’ll earn 5 points for every dollar you spend on flights booked directly with an airline or via Amex Travel when you use the Amex Platinum. So if you book the $320.26 round-trip flight from Atlanta to Montego Bay directly with United Airlines, you’ll earn 1,600 points from Amex, plus miles in United’s MileagePlus program.
Alternatively, you could book these flights with a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which earns 3 points per dollar on travel, including flights, and 5 points total on air travel if you purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
And if you’re planning to book with an online travel agency like Priceline, remember to book your flights with a credit card that earns points on all travel, not just travel booked directly with airlines or via an issuer’s booking portal. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns a general 2 points per dollar on travel purchases.
For those looking for a package holiday, there are still deals to be had there as well. We’ve rounded up a few of the best ones we’re seeing, which include both round-trip flights and accommodation.
This package booked via Expedia includes round-trip airfare for two from New York’s JFK airport to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Additionally, it includes six nights at the Bahia Principe Grand Bavaro in a Junior Suite Superior room. The all-inclusive property is situated on a white sand beach and offers nine restaurants on-site.
This spring break stay includes seven nights at the Canopy by Hilton Cancun La Isla as well as round-trip flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Cancun (CUN) for two passengers. The total for the seven-night stay is $1,871 for dual occupancy. This Canopy by Hilton Cancun property is located in the Zona Hotelera neighborhood, offering access to a shopping center as well as a nearby beach.
This vacation package includes round-trip flights from Miami (MIA) to Aruba (AUA) for four people and a seven-night stay for everyone at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino, which features a full-service spa on the property as well as five restaurants.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they’re subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
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Milton Chan says that as a volunteer, he is exempt from party’s travel restrictions. Staffers of the financially strapped party cry ‘Nonsense!’
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The order came down before Christmas from Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca that anyone hoping to run as a candidate in the upcoming provincial election would be prohibited from travelling out of country for sunny winter getaways. No exceptions.
But some had already made plans to travel, and they were in a bind. One candidate said she called the Ontario Liberals’ chief returning officer, Milton Chan, in December, to explain that she had already purchased expensive non-refundable tickets. Unbeknownst to her at the time, Chan was on his own sunny vacation at the time. Still, he informed her that the edict was clear: forget about the vacation or forget about being a Liberal party candidate.
At the time, Chan was roughly a week into a six-week South American Christmas vacation that included stopovers in Colombia, sunny beaches in Rio de Janerio and Miami, and a week-long Caribbean cruise. He was not a candidate and the order didn’t apply to him.
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“I was told candidates would be removed if found travelling,” said the candidate, whom National Post agreed to grant anonymity to protect her from party retribution. “I lost $3,000 because my husband couldn’t go either.”
(The issue) has fuelled tensions … leading some to question Del Duca’s judgment
News of Chan sunning and partying down south while Liberal candidates were being made to stay home spread quickly through party ranks. It has fuelled tensions between certain party members and their leader, prompting some to question Del Duca’s judgment, just as the Liberals are preparing for a provincial election set to begin in the next few months.
Chan’s near-daily updates of his adventures posted to his publicly viewable Instagram account didn’t help.
Social media posts show he departed Toronto on Dec. 14 and returned home Jan. 26, just days after Del Duca called on Premier Doug Ford to take a stronger stand on the pandemic. Del Duca held a press conference calling not only for banning the unvaccinated from non-essential retail, including licensed cannabis shops and the LCBO, but also changing the criteria for fully vaccinated to three doses.
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Both Chan and the Ontario Liberal Party explained to National Post that his relationship to the party is as an “unpaid volunteer and supporter.” Party spokesperson Will Wuehr also said Chan has no role in advising Del Duca. He described Chan’s position as the chief returning officer as a “volunteer role that ensures meetings run by paid staff are done in accordance with the party’s constitution.”
“I am a private citizen and merely a volunteer for the party,” Chan wrote in an email to National Post. “I am neither seeking office nor employed by the party.”
But that isn’t consistent with how party insiders see his role. They described him as one of the Liberal leader’s closest advisers.
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Three long-time party staffers spoke to National Post under condition of anonymity to protect their jobs.
“Milton Chan may not be paid by the party, but he’s a top decision-maker,” said a party organizer. “He handles all nominations.”
Chan may not be paid by the party, but he’s a top decision-maker
The issue of paid-versus-unpaid is a moot point, two of them pointed out, since the party has little money to pay staffers.
“We’re a third-place party who were decimated in the last election,” said a second organizer. “We don’t have money to pay anyone; all of us are ‘volunteers’ at this stage.”
Chan is a long-time presence in the Ontario Liberals, having managed the party leadership campaigns of both Kathleen Wynne and Del Duca. He also served as chief-of-staff to then provincial indigenous affairs minister David Zimmer, and he was former premier Kathleen Wynne’s first chief strategist.
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Others in the party say Chan has set party policy — including Del Duca’s decision to ban candidates going away for Christmas. Two sources say Chan was on the call when the party leader informed candidates of the no-vacation rule.
And so, while candidates were spending winter at home, Chan was travelling, first to Bogota, Colombia and then to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with his posted photos showing him spending the lead-up to the new year lounging on the area’s white sandy beaches, dancing in packed nightclubs and mingling in crowded city streets.
One photo posted to Instagram by Chan that particularly rankled some was a selfie he took in front of a smorgasbord on Jan. 3 — the same day Ontario returned to lockdown as a response to skyrocketing Omicron case counts, shutting all restaurants and bars.
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“The irony of eating at a buffet restaurant today is not lost on me,” Chan wrote as the photo’s caption.
One party organizer said Chan’s highly public vacation has raised tough questions from donors and volunteers.
“I’m not going to be asking people for their money or their time when all of us are on lockdown — I’m on lockdown — and then you’ve got these photos,” he said.
“It’s the classic Liberal ‘let-them-eat-cake’ moment,” a long-time Liberal organizer said with a sigh.
Chan posted about an airport layover that was unpleasant without elite-status passenger lounge access. He later arrived in Miami Beach to embark on the final leg of his vacation: a week-long Caribbean cruise.
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The federal government continues to urge Canadians to avoid cruise ship travel outside the country due to the high risk of contracting COVID-19. On Dec. 30, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control raised the COVID-19 warning level for cruise ships to its highest level, regardless of a passenger’s vaccination status.
Chan has faced controversy before at Queen’s Park. In 2020, the publication Queen’s Park Today reported on calls to remove Chan from an internal party harassment investigation over allegations he discouraged racialized nominees for a key downtown riding in favour of the party’s preferred, white, male candidate. He was also accused of making anti-Black social media posts.
Facebook comments of Chan’s from 2016 expressed frustration at the Black Lives Matter sit-in that delayed that year’s Toronto Pride Parade, with Chan demanding organizers of the annual Caribbean festival “address homophobia in the Black community” and complaining of activist “out-of-town tourists” shouting homophobic slurs at members of Toronto’s LGBTQ community.
Chan told Queen’s Park Today that his 2016 post was made “imprudently with sarcasm,” and that an investigation by the Premier’s Office determined that “no further action was deemed necessary.”
Some party insiders say Del Duca has been made aware of their concerns about Chan. The leader’s continued loyalty to Chan has some questioning their confidence in his leadership.
“As an organizer, they are throwing as many unnecessary roadblocks in my way as possible, to the point where I feel like a hypocrite and a snake-oil salesman stumping for the party,” said one.
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