2026 travel plans.

[drron]

Our first trip for 2026 already has most things booked. All the major flights are booked with combination of Velocity and AA awards. the AA awards are all on QR even though most of them were also available on Velocity. both release awards 330 days out but AA is far less points and a big drop in the cash costs. the trip begins at the st art of the second week in January.

So the outline. BNE-SIN x DEL On J awards from Velocity,
Then Agra and Mumbai.
The up market hotels in Mumbai as it is high season for travel have eye watering rates so have a points stay at the IC - real value for points.

Then our first Crystal Cruise, Mumbai - Mombasa with stops in Colombo, Male, Seychelles, Madagascar, Zanzibar.
Fly to NBO. Connect to QR NBO-DOH-JNB through AA. J awards costing 35000 miles + $US87.20.

4 nights in Lolozi for the leopards. Before and after the IC JNB.

Then AA awards on QR. JNB-DOH in J and DOH-BKK in F.

Staying 11 nights in BKK as missing out on Christmas there. Then J awards from Velocity on SQ BKK-SIN-BNE.
Back home at the end of February.

Planning underway to be in Edinburgh for the Tattoo in August 2026.

 

[Scash]

No firm plans yet but our son who lives in Edinburgh is starting to plan a March 2026 wedding in either Malta or Cyprus!

 

[Scash]

Our first trip for 2026 already has most things booked. All the major flights are booked with combination of Velocity and AA awards. the AA awards are all on QR even though most of them were also available on Velocity. both release awards 330 days out but AA is far less points and a big drop in the cash costs. the trip begins at the st art of the second week in January.

So the outline. BNE-SIN x DEL On J awards from Velocity,
Then Agra and Mumbai.
The up market hotels in Mumbai as it is high season for travel have eye watering rates so have a points stay at the IC - real value for points.

Then our first Crystal Cruise, Mumbai - Mombasa with stops in Colombo, Male, Seychelles, Madagascar, Zanzibar.
Fly to NBO. Connect to QR NBO-DOH-JNB through AA. J awards costing 35000 miles + $US87.20.

4 nights in Lolozi for the leopards. Before and after the IC JNB.

Then AA awards on QR. JNB-DOH in J and DOH-BKK in F.

Staying 11 nights in BKK as missing out on Christmas there. Then J awards from Velocity on SQ BKK-SIN-BNE.
Back home at the end of February.

Planning underway to be in Edinburgh for the Tattoo in August 2026.

Sounds like an awesome trip.

We were in Edinburgh for the Tattoo in 2023 and it was one of the best things I have seen. The whole town was abuzz as the Fringe was on and we saw a heap of shows. The place gets packed (population almost doubles I was told) and accommodation can be expensive. We were lucky we stayed with our son for free and could walk to everything.

Look to book tickets early as I believe it sells out quickly.

 

[rbjhan]

Still working on my Oct UK trip, no solid plans yet.
But the idea is to go in mid-late April (avoiding the Sakura crowds) to Shikoku/Chugoku. I want to cycle Shimanami Kaido.

 

[RooFlyer]

Locked in so far, in March/April, back-to back cruises on Ponant expedition vessels through the Canary Islands

Cruise The Canaries, lands of contrast from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands - March 2026 | Ponant

In the Canaries archipelago, the volcanic islands rise from the Atlantic Ocean like mirages. In these lands of a thousand contrasts, lunar landscapes with crimson and ashen reflections, valleys covered in lush vegetation, craggy coves and sand dunes blend

au.ponant.com

Followed by a food and wine cruise around Sicily

Cruise Epicurean Delights: The Food & Wine of Sicily from Valletta to Valletta - April 2026 | Ponant

This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT themed voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages inclu

au.ponant.com

Then in July, a cruise around the Greek islands, through to Sicily, Italy and ending in Nice also on a Ponant expedition vessel

Cruise Sweet Mediterranean Escape from Athens to Nice - July 2026 | Ponant

The mildness of summer on the waters of the Mediterranean Sea promises you an unforgettable 13-day journey between Greece, Corsica and Italy. Aboard Le Boréal, fall under the spell of the Mediterranean landscapes and the ancient vestiges that will tell yo

au.ponant.com

Flights will be on QR J ex CGK or SIN, with SIN awards to those points.

Any other trip if I can afford it will be to Saudi Arabia, particularly the north-west where another (smaller scale) Petra exists, remnants of the Nabataean empire (ElAlua/Hegra), but also Medina, which is now open to non-Muslins and of course Jeddah (been there before, for work). Incredibly cheap J airfares on Saudia Airlines from Jakarta, and easy SQ award to get to there.

 

[clifford]

I have no travel plans for 2026. That's not to say that I'm not expecting to travel next year, but, for me, it's far too early to think about it. And this year also is pretty full on.

I'w waiting until the travel landscape become a little clearer, for example when QF unveils its next round of (promised) enhancements before deciding where, when and how to jump.

 

[jase05]

Haven’t even started planning yet but World Cup in the US/Canada/Mexico is at the top of list

 

[Wanderlust_tim]

Haven’t even started planning yet but World Cup in the US/Canada/Mexico is at the top of list

Same, only scratching the US off the list. Will try and do it on points (even in Y)

 

[I love to travel]

LHR meet up in June which will also include Spain and Greece. Very much debating whether I include my 5 day US shopping trip - will decide that later when I have to book my seats. This is contingent on FF seats being released via SQ/Aeroplan- touch wood!!

 

[Human]

We have a Rhine river cruise booked on Avalon Waterways in April (Amsterdam to Basel). On the way we're planning stopovers in Istanbul and Paris, with a couple of days in Geneva at the end.

 

[bPeteb]

We'll be in Periyar National Park in southern India when we wake up on New Years Day.
Our usual out of the country for Jan 26. Next year Wellington.

Then nothing else, so far.

I'll be without employment and the world is out there waiting. Not sure bAlt is feeling the same with a few years of permanent work still to go for him

 

[oz_mark]

Nothing firm, but the Caucasus are high on the maybe list.

 

[RooFlyer]

Nothing firm, but the Caucasus are high on the maybe list.

Which side ?

 

[oz_mark]

Which side ?

I've taken a bit of a look at Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, but it's all a bit early planning.

 

[RooFlyer]

All fantastic, esp Georgia.

 

[Seat0B]

@RooFlyer - so many cruises!!!!!!

 

[RooFlyer]

@RooFlyer - so many cruises!!!!!!

Soooooo many bills

 

[Seat0B]

Still working on my Oct UK trip, no solid plans yet.
But the idea is to go in mid-late April (avoiding the Sakura crowds) to Shikoku/Chugoku. I want to cycle Shimanami Kaido.

You didn't even say go to Japan @rbjhan , but we knew it already!

 

[Seat0B]

We have a wedding in Capetown area on 28 Mar 2026 when Seat Son will marry his lovely fiancee. We will be doing some other travels in the area, after the wedding, but as yet no real ideas as to exactly what we will do/where we will go. In a bit, I will go over to the TR threads and re-read some of the fabulous trips people have taken, and probably post for suggestions in the destinations threads.

And we will almost certainly go to Japan to ski in Jan/Feb. Again nothing booked. I don't need the DSCs to retain WP and was too far off P1, already have LTG and will never make LTP, so I decided to wait for a better price before I book the flights.

This thread makes me feel like a total laggard though!

 

[rbjhan]

You didn't even say go to Japan @rbjhan , but we knew it already!

Ha I think I've written enough TRs people know where I go for holidays, most of the time!