With below-zero afternoons gripping the Northland, one of our favorite pastimes is to fire up a browser tab with Google Flights and dream of warmer climes.
Whoa! Even with peak season underway in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America, some of the airfares we found — as of Wednesday — are as low as they get, even for departures this weekend, but often extending into March. How flexible are you?
Most are courtesy of Minnesota’s Sun Country Airlines and its fleet of reliable third-generation Boeing 737s. Remember: To avoid paying baggage fees on Sun Country, stuff your swimsuit and sandals into an under-seat bag measuring no more than 17 by 13 by 9 inches. You won’t need more.
San Juan: $296 on Sun Country, March 3-10. Coming in at rock bottom this season is America’s very own floating island of beauty, Puerto Rico. Leave the passport at home while you experience history and cuisine in Old San Juan, go ziplining or cave-tubing in the steep hills, and find great beaches from the west side to the “Spanish Virgin Islands” of Vieques and Culebra. Read Rachel Hutton’s travel story.
A guided boat tour around Grand Cayman included a stop at Starfish Point on the north side of the island. (Cayman Islands Department of Tourism/Cayman Islands Department of Tourism)
Aruba: $305 on Sun Country, Feb. 26-March 5. This cheap flight to the Dutch-Caribbean isle falls right over the island’s raucous Mardis Gras celebration, with the Grand Carnival Parade in downtown Oranjestad on March 2. Plus: white sand and turquoise waters.
St. Martin: $317 on Sun Country, Feb. 22-March 1; March 1-8. Whether you call it St. Martin, Saint-Martin or Sint Maarten, this 34-square-mile Antillean gem has a Dutch half and a French half, so you get two distinct cultures and languages in one jaunt.
Grand Cayman: $319 on Sun Country, Feb. 23-March 2. This island haven has both creature comforts and the chance to cavort with creatures, including stingrays, sea turtles and dolphins. See Katherine Lawless’ recent travel story here.
