What are the best flights for my trip to the American South?

Simon Calder answers your questions on the complexities of visiting the US, a 50th birthday bonanza, and whether it is possible to claim money back on railcards

High and mighty: Asheville is a city in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains (Corbis)

Q I have an unusual US trip planned for late March: a fairly quick journey through the American South from Louisville, Kentucky, via Knoxville and Asheville to Charleston. I imagine the best plan is to get a return flight from one of the London airports to New York, Washington or possibly Atlanta, and then book an onward domestic flight to Louisville and another from Charleston back to that hub? Which do you think would be best?

Kevin F

A I can understand your thinking. Some really cheap deals are available from Gatwick to New York on JetBlue. Being a relative newcomer, the airline does not have the visibility of other carriers and is therefore charging as little as £250 return through online travel agents. At those prices, I would be tempted. But when you look at the price of connecting flights, it becomes clear that it would be an expensive and risky proposition.

Onward fares from New York to Louisville and back from Charleston are around £200 one way, taking the total to £650 or more. You would also be indulging in “self-connection” and running the risk of missing the onward flight. If this happens when you are on a through fare (eg London-New York-Charleston) then your connection is protected: should the first flight arrive too late, you will be accommodated on the next available departure at no cost. But booking Gatwick-New York JFK and JFK-Charleston on separate tickets, even on the same airline, provides no such guarantee.

Instead, see which airline or combination offers the best timings and fares. United is very strong to these locations via its New York Newark and Washington DC hubs, and seems to have pretty flat fares at £676 (basic economy) in late March on a wide range of flights and dates. Basic economy does not allow you to check in a bag, but the US-standard cabin-baggage allowance of a roll-along case and small backpack should be generous enough.

The lowest fare I have found gives you six days away: £545 for a Delta journey from Heathrow via Atlanta to Louisville on 16 February, returning on 21 February from Charleston via New York JFK to Heathrow. This also has the advantage that the last leg is on a fabulous Virgin Atlantic A350 rather than Delta, which also enhances your passenger rights in the event of disruption. Should the New York-London flight be severely delayed or cancelled, a UK airline has a strict duty of care but a US carrier does not.

Thai island Phuket offers indulgence at a lower cost than other places in southeast Asia (Getty)

Q My sister and brother-in-law are looking for a special-occasion holiday to celebrate my sister’s 50th. They are looking for a bit of an adventure that isn’t just a beach holiday, so something that ticks the box on culture or experience. Distance is not a barrier, so anywhere in the world. Their budget is £6,000 for the two of them.

They looked at a safari but found it too expensive. (They were quoted £10,000.) They’re looking to travel around August-November this year. Destinations they are currently looking at are Bali and Costa Rica. Do you have any recommendations for a once-in-a-lifetime trip?

Ross

A Fly overnight to Singapore with a morning arrival in the city-state. Check into the Marina Bay Sands hotel, which will make quite a dent in your funds but will buy you the right to swim in the infinity pool hundreds of feet above the city – an amazing experience. Take a bus across the Malaysian border to Malacca to enjoy the Portuguese ambiance. Take another bus to Kuala Lumpur airport. Fly to the island of Penang (yes, avoiding KL itself; it is not quite on a par with the Asian capitals I recommend). Check in to a beach hotel on the north coast for a couple of days, building in a visit to George Town, the isle’s colonial hub.

Another flight takes you to my favourite Thai island, Phuket, for more indulgence at rather lower costs. After a couple more days, take a morning ferry to Koh Phi Phi – the idyllic island beloved of backpackers – and continue later in the day to Krabi, another lovely resort. One more hour in the air and you are in Bangkok, acclimatised to the Thai way of life and ready for the big city. It is worth two more days here ticking off the sights, in particular the Grand Palace with its amazing Buddha statues.

How are you doing? By now you could just fly back to the UK with plenty of stories to tell. But if you can, fly to Chiang Rai and travel overland (about three hours) to Chiang Khong on the Lao border. Cross into Laos and take a two-day slow boat down the Mekong to the blissful city of Luang Prabang – a marvellous place to finish. Fly back to Bangkok and home, possibly stopping off in a Gulf hub (Dubai or Doha) if you want to end your fling with some bling.

Travel in November when it is low season everywhere but the weather will be warm throughout southeast Asia.

The rail strikes began eight months ago and are set to continue at least until April (AFP)

Q Our “Two Together” railcard, which we bought last year, has got to be the worst ever value due to the strikes. We all need compensation. Do you agree?

Zara W

A Your question takes me straight back to the coronavirus pandemic. For long stretches in 2020-21, railcard holders were explicitly banned from using trains for leisure purposes. Anyone who had been unfortunate enough to buy a railcard valid for three years (which some of the age-specific cards are) in February 2020 probably lost about half of its value because of the Covid travel restrictions.

At the time, I challenged the rail industry and the government to extend the validity of railcards by, say, six months to reflect the lack of use. This is exactly what the long-distance coach company National Express did with its own Coachcard.

But the Department for Transport, which these days bankrolls the rail industry, ultimately decided against any kind of extension or refund for railcard holders. The argument was that a railcard can, in many circumstances, pay for itself in a single trip. For example, with a Super Off-Peak single from Leeds to London, you and your railcard partner will save over £43 by claiming the 34 per cent discount offered by the Two Together (and most other railcards). The card costs £30 for a year.

It is eight months today since national rail strikes began, and they are set to continue at least until April 2023. I calculate that about 6 per cent of days have seen services dramatically reduced across Great Britain, with “contagion” spreading to at least as many again as some services are cancelled before and after strike days.

On your behalf, I asked the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which runs the railcard schemes, whether you might be able to return your card and get a refund. A spokesperson told me: “We can only apologise to our customers who have had to endure 22 days of disruption over the past eight months due to industrial action.

“We understand that some railcard customers may not have made all the journeys they had planned, however as many customers can make back the £30 cost of a railcard in just one journey, railcards are non-refundable. We will continue to monitor the impact of industrial action, and we hope that our customers will continue to maximise their railcard discount on days not impacted by industrial action.”

The RDG says that the average railcard holder saves £140 annually. I hope you are able to use your card again soon, but note that strikes are set to take place on 16, 18 and 30 March, as well as 1 April.

Email your questions to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder