I just checked (not that I can go this year), but flights from Northwest Arkansas to MBJ for the time that I typically go are $1,071.03. Plus, both coming & going, the flights would take two days (!!!), so you'd have to spend the night in an Atlanta airport, which would add at least $160.00 (plus meals & the frustration of not being in Ja.). Count your blessings that you don't have to fly out of XNA!!

Lola-did the search and JetBlue came in the lowest at $395.12 with no "nice seat" perks...that jumped it up to $465.00.

I think I am going with American - I was able to get bulkhead seats on each flight. Also, I changed my departure from NY back to MBJ to a Thursday and more flights were available so the layovers are not too bad. Its coming in at $429.12 including tax. Threw in some requests for upgrades...bonus but with the good coach seat not a deal breaker. I gotta do it so I might as well "make" some miles on the thing and use my priviledges as a Premier flyer.

You guys don't know how good you have it. Try booking a flight from Saskatoon to MBJ. I haven't looked this year but $1000 is pretty much the norm. We paid over $900 to fly to Cuba in a few weeks on suck ass Air Canada and for that we have to spend about 6 hours in Toronto. There are a few charters cheaper but they don't start up until December.

Westjet will put out good deals once winter hits but they will generally be midweek flights which doesn't work out great when our trips need to be scheduled around my wife's teaching schedule.
Believe me, Air Canada is the last airline I would choose but they had the only flight that matched our time frame for this trip. We are attending the wedding of one of my cousins who is marrying a Cuban dude. Gonna be a hell of a party.

"And I always get upgraded to first class passenger status, I think because (now that my children don't accompany me) I fly alone and dress fairly yard/appropriate."

This made me smile....I get upgraded quite often and I don't exactly "dress" the part. Because I fly SO MUCH I have my "outfit" - loose fitting yoga pants, oversized t-shirt and a hoodie. Slip on shoes that come off the minute we take off. If I could wear a bag I would.

No one seems to mind, as a matter of fact, my fellow passengers are dressed somewhat the same in varying degrees. The days of dressing nicely to fly are long gone - its such a hassle and so uncomfortable a lot of those formalities were given up along with the "real" silverware, lol.