So low—can you believe starting at $349 round-trip base fare: Delta at $446 and American at $594
This has not been the weather-winter of our discontent—like last year. Still, the end of February somehow makes the mind start looking for an escape hatch.
The imagination tends to fly south, to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, and right now you can get on board because Business Class fares to these regions are unbelievably low.
From The “Cost-Per-Mile Perspective”
When considering so many different destination opportunities, a way of level-ing the playing field is necessary because the lowest fare may not actually be the “best deal”. That’s where doing a cost-per-mile comparison might pay off.
Simply divide the fare by the flight distance. That amount is how far a buck will fly you. The lower the cost-per-mile, the better the deal from this perspective.
Examples of Special Business Class Fares to the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico for under $800
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For example, a Los Angeles-San Jose, Costa Rica round-trip (via Miami) is about 6,900 flight miles. Right now, American is charging $650 (plus taxes) for a 28-day advance-purchase Business Class ticket. That yields a cost-per-mile of about 9¢. A trip to London from New York on American is also about 6,900 flight miles round-trip and costs $2,544 (plus taxes; 50-day advance-purchase required), resulting in a cost-per-mile of 37¢.
Going to San Jose is much less expensive in more ways than one. Taxes and fees on the London ticket are about $1,095, whereas they are only about $267 to San Jose.
Don’t Bother with Miles, Elite Status Upgrades, or 2-for-1 Premium Fares
With these low Business Class fares it’s smarter to pay cash and use the trip to earn miles for future travel on a route where premium fares are high.
Forget elite upgrades, too: They’re a lose-lose strategy on routes this low, though it’s often tempting to play that roulette. If you’re flying American, the cost (elite upgrade co-pay) could bring your outlay close to that of a paid Business Class fare—and you can’t confirm until too close to depar-ture for comfort. If you’re flying Continental or Delta, both of which offer free upgrades to elites, you’ll have a lot of competition. Why play elite-upgrade roulette when low fares are a sure bet?
Finally, don’t waste your money and a mileage-earning opportunity on a 2-for-1 ticket either. Only the paid ticket earns miles, and the “applicable fares” are often much higher than the lowest fares.
Another Reason to Like These Routes: Cheaper Luxury Hotels
The Ritz Carlton in Cancun starts at $199 per night, whereas the Ritz Carlton in Maui starts at $399 per night: That is like getting a free night for every paid night! The Four Seasons Resort in Costa Rica is offering the fifth night free, and there are many other such deals available.
Taxes and Fees to the Destinations
They can add as much as $350 round-trip to your ticket, so make sure to factor this into your calculation. Just look at the difference in taxes and fees round-trip from New York: to San Juan and Santo Domingo they are about $150, to Costa Rica about $267, and to Cozumel about $311.