[Travel] Toronto to San Juan this weekend for $281 ($322 from Montreal). Free bags!

[MonctonMan]

Want to go to Puerto Rico THIS weekend? From Toronto, you can do it for under C$281 with American Airlines (Saturday to Friday). (About C$322 from Montreal). Other dates are available.

Source: google.ca/flights .

From Buffalo or Burlington, Vermont, it is usually about $50 cheaper, depending on the dates. If you can sleep on a bus, consider an over-night bus trip to New York City. The 9 hour bus trip is compensated by flight flexibility, a short 4 hour direct flight, and, usually, lower prices. And you get to visit New York City, arguably and important part of Puerto Rican life.

If you book for this Winter, you might want to combine it with a cruise, as Puerto Rico hotels can be very expensive (not quite Miami prices, but close). You don't need a car for San Juan, but you will for the rest of the island (although there are pricey day tours available from San Juan). In San Juan, food can be had in all price ranges. American fast food chain lovers are also well served.

Food is definitely the advantage of Puerto Rico (over, say, Cuba). Unfortunately, in those food containers from the US mainland, there must be some American made guns (used to protect the lucrative cocaine transit business) as Puerto Rico can be quite violent. But unless you are there to buy or sell drugs, you should be safe.

Things to consider: All Puerto Ricans can legally move to Buffalo, Burlington or Maine tomorrow. So be nice. Hurricane season ends at the end of November. Despite the expensive hotels, average Puerto Ricans are among the poorest Americans. English language skills vary from mediocre to non-existent. Erosion on beaches can be quite serious. However, the loss of sand in one area is usually compensated with a net gain at an other. Dito for rip tides. So if you are prepared for a 20 minute walk for a better spot to swim or sun, you should be good.

[unbound_rider]

Perhaps more importantly to some like myself, SJU is the transfer point to many destinations in the Leeward Islands, including Tortola, St. Martin, St. Croix and St. John. Thanks for the deal!