Next Vacation - Ideas

[rileywiles23]

If going to mle for 4 nights, what are my best options to continue on too afterwards.
 I'll have another week to play with.
Also, I'd like to not have to stay in mle for shabbas, and spend Shabbos elsewhere.

[ual902]

If going to mle for 4 nights, what are my best options to continue on too afterwards.
 I'll have another week to play with.
Also, I'd like to not have to stay in mle for shabbas, and spend Shabbos elsewhere.

MLE SIN very cheap with tiger air.

[AJK]

MLE SIN very cheap with tiger air.

Yup, was going to recommend SIN.

[AROCKS1]

So this may be redundant (and boring) to those who frequently travel, but I don't, and I'm looking for help from those that do .
I'm looking to take advantage of the fact that I have a lot of time in advance (aprox vaca time - end of august begining of september) to plan a 5 day vacation with my wife and son (will be just under 2 imy"H). I only travel to places with a minyan and I have not yet decided if I want the trip to include shabbos.
So my conclusion thus far is MIA (We have never been, and i'm not neccesarily glued to this, but it just seemed sensible.) I'll preface also that I am not really a manufacture spend guy, I just open new cards from time to time and find ways to make threasholds - therefore I would like to be relatively conservative in my point usage, so I can conserve miles for future trips.
I currently have ~ 60K UR (2 CSP, 1 Freedom) and 35K SPG, and I'm not against using cash or selling points for revenue rates assuming that I can get decent rates booking so far in advance.
My questions given the above considerations are:
1)When would it be most sensible to use points vs cash ( a)30K BA for round trip airfare or wait on cheap revenue tickets b) open up another SPG to get to 48K to book the 4 points, or book a small chain with cheap rates (we like nice hotels though )
2)I do have the ability to open a few cards between now and the vaca, any suggestions what I should open with this vaca in mind? (Amex Gold, Hyatt, BA, Citi...)
3) Should I shoot for something a little more ambitious for us like LA given the amount of time I have to accrue the neccesary miles?

Thanks in advance!

[Ergel]

Miami in the summer is a no no. Couldn't pay me to go. LA definitely sounds like the logical choice

[CS91]

Miami in the summer is a no no. Couldn't pay me to go. LA definitely sounds like the logical choice

End of August/September is already the end of the summer. Starts to cool down a bit. And also depends on the activities that you're interested in. If you want to spend most of your time at the beach/pool, Miami during the summer isn't bad. If you want to be out and about doing things, then I agree with you.

[AROCKS1]

Miami in the summer is a no no. Couldn't pay me to go. LA definitely sounds like the logical choice

Yea I hear the humidity is something else..

End of August/September is already the end of the summer. Starts to cool down a bit. And also depends on the activities that you're interested in. If you want to spend most of your time at the beach/pool, Miami during the summer isn't bad. If you want to be out and about doing things, then I agree with you.

Haven't really decided..on the one hand having a 2 year old doesn't require too much entertaining and being out and about, on the other hand wouldn't be too much of a vaca to just sit at a pool all day...

Logistical help anyone?

[CS91]

Yea I hear the humidity is something else..

Haven't really decided..on the one hand having a 2 year old doesn't require too much entertaining and being out and about, on the other hand wouldn't be too much of a vaca to just sit at a pool all day...

Logistical help anyone?

I do agree with Ergel that LA is a good option. A lot to do there, good restaurants, and if you have SPG points, the W on Hollywood Blvd is really nice. You'd probably have to drive to Peco area for a minyan though, not sure if there is anything near the hotel. Drive isn't so far though.

[AROCKS1]

I do agree with Ergel that LA is a good option. A lot to do there, good restaurants, and if you have SPG points, the W on Hollywood Blvd is really nice. You'd probably have to drive to Peco area for a minyan though, not sure if there is anything near the hotel. Drive isn't so far though.

Sounds good! Any suggestions on which cards to open in order to accrue miles for the flight? BA, AA?

[CS91]

Sounds good! Any suggestions on which cards to open in order to accrue miles for the flight? BA, AA?

Even though a direct flight from NY area to LAX will be 12.5k with Saver whether you book using AA points or BA points, you're better off accruing AA for this trip in case you need to fly with a connection or are forced to book Anytime awards.

[AROCKS1]

Even though a direct flight from NY area to LAX will be 12.5k with Saver whether you book using AA points or BA points, you're better off accruing AA for this trip in case you need to fly with a connection or are forced to book Anytime awards.

Good datapoint! A stopover with 2 year old tho . Not so sure if that is good or bad idea. With the amount of time I have to prepare I wouldn't think it would be hard to find non stop availabilty. Then again, what do I know..

Also, any other airlines I should look into accruing miles with for this trip?

[CS91]

With the amount of time I have to prepare I wouldn't think it would be hard to find non stop availabilty. Then again, what do I know..

Also, any other airlines I should look into accruing miles with for this trip?

You'd be surprised. Very had to find Saver on NYC-LAX direct. If you look now, there is only one day that has Y Saver availability for the time that you're looking, and J/F is only available on Sundays and Mondays. The return situation is even worse...

I still think AA is the best option though.

[AROCKS1]

You'd be surprised. Very had to find Saver on NYC-LAX direct. If you look now, there is only one day that has Y Saver availability for the time that you're looking, and J/F is only available on Sundays and Mondays. The return situation is even worse...

I still think AA is the best option though.

Wow! Ok good to know! Thank you for putting in the time to check that out for me

[helpusout]

Was going to go to cancun next week but with all this Zika hype Im wondering if I should switch my plans.
Any other warm beach destinations within 4 hours flight from NYC not affected by the advisory aside from Florida and California?

[CS91]

Was going to go to cancun next week but with all this Zika hype Im wondering if I should switch my plans.
Any other warm beach destinations within 4 hours flight from NYC not affected by the advisory aside from Florida and California?

Could be things have since changed, but last I saw, the Caymans weren't affected.

[helpusout]

Could be things have since changed, but last I saw, the Caymans weren't affected.

You are right! Looks amazing, but I cant find any direct flights from EWR or PHL?

[CS91]

You are right! Looks amazing, but I cant find any direct flights from EWR or PHL?

I think there are direct flights from Philly, maybe just not available for when you're looking. Why don't you fly with a connection?

[helpusout]

I think there are direct flights from Philly, maybe just not available for when you're looking. Why don't you fly with a connection?

Pain in the neck lol

Which airline flies direct from Philly?

[CS91]

Pain in the neck lol

Which airline flies direct from Philly?

I believe AA.

[helpusout]

I believe AA.

Nope, any other ideas?