December 16, 2025

What Virgin Voyages’ Expanded Status Match Means for Travellers

December 16, 2025

Virgin Voyages is opening the door for millions of travellers to bring their airline, hotel or cruise loyalty perks with them on a first sailing.

Virgin Voyages has expanded its status match program, allowing travellers with existing elite status from a wide range of airlines, hotels and even other cruise lines to unlock onboard perks, without having sailed with Virgin before. It’s a small shift, but one that reflects how modern travellers actually move between brands.

Cruise loyalty programs typically reward repeat sailings over time, which can feel discouraging if you’re cruise-curious but already loyal to airlines or hotels. Status matching helps bridge that gap, letting travellers carry some of their past travel “credit” into a new experience.

If you hold status with a recognized loyalty program, you can apply to have that status matched to Virgin Voyages’ Sailing Club. Approved travellers receive a one-time access key that can be applied to a future cruise, unlocking a bundle of perks for that sailing. These extras aren’t flashy upgrades or suite guarantees, but they are the kinds of small comforts frequent travellers tend to appreciate, like daily specialty coffee, complimentary laundry, access to an onboard cocktail event and priority support from the Sailor Services team.

The matched perks apply to one sailing only, not permanently, and they don’t replace the usual loyalty tiers earned through repeat cruises. Still, for travellers who value convenience and recognition, it’s a meaningful nod.

Virgin Voyages’ expanded status match won’t change cruising overnight, but it does make it easier for airline and hotel loyalists to give cruising a try, with a few comforts baked in from the start.

AIRE Ancient Baths Just Opened in Toronto

December 16, 2025

The candlelit circuit of thermal pools offers a welcome antidote to the city’s winter chill and mid-season blues.

If there’s one thing Canadian winters are good at, it’s reminding you how tense your shoulders can get. Short days, icy sidewalks, endless layers. Enter AIRE Ancient Baths, the international wellness brand that has just opened its first Canadian location in Toronto, bringing with it a deeply soothing answer to cold weather fatigue.

Long a favourite ritual in cities like New York, London and Barcelona, AIRE has built a devoted following for its atmospheric approach to thermal bathing. Its first Canadian location brings that same slow, immersive experience into a restored 1912 heritage building downtown, just as the city enters its coldest stretch of the year.

Warm stone surfaces, low lighting and hundreds of flickering candles set the tone, while a series of thermal pools at different temperatures encourages you to move slowly, warming up, cooling down and repeating as your body dictates. Unlike a traditional day spa, AIRE centres on communal thermal bathing, inspired by ancient Roman, Greek and Ottoman traditions. Silence, or near silence, is part of the experience, and time becomes pleasantly vague. Optional massage rituals take place within the bathing space itself, which keeps the experience feeling continuous rather than segmented.

The experience tends to appeal to travellers and locals who enjoy slowing down. It’s well suited to solo visits, quiet dates or post-trip decompression. This isn’t a social spa or a quick in-and-out treatment — it’s a place to linger (and warm up).

Stopover in Copenhagen: A Design-Lover’s Guide to Denmark’s Creative Capital

December 16, 2025

Where to eat, stay and explore in the UNESCO Architecture Capital of the World.

By Phil Birnbaum

From the moment you land, Copenhagen’s devotion to design is on full display. Even the airport is outfitted with iconic pieces like Hans J. Wegner’s Airport Chair and Thomas Kastholm’s Daybed. From there, a quick 20-minute train ride gets you to Kongens Nytorv, the city centre, where colourful townhouses, cafés and restaurants line the postcard-perfect Nyhavn harbour. Whether you visit during the city’s annual 3daysofdesign festival (June 10-12, 2026) or any other time of year, Copenhagen’s effortless blend of culture, cuisine and creativity makes it a destination worth lingering in.

Where to Eat

Design influences every detail of Copenhagen’s dining scene, from the interiors to the plating. Start your morning at Andersen & Maillard, known for its flaky cheese buns (a staple) and expertly roasted coffee. For a stylish lunch, head to The Roe Bar at the Louise Roe Gallery, where the Danish designer’s furniture and tableware surround you as part of the experience.

For something casual but iconic, Gasoline Grill—which began in a former petrol station—serves one of the city’s best burgers across several sleek, design-forward locations. As night falls, Ruby is the place for cocktails, set inside a 19th-century townhouse on Nybrogade, blending old-world charm with new Nordic flair.

What to Do

Just an hour north of the city, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is a must for art and architecture lovers, with modernist galleries and sculpture gardens overlooking the Øresund coast. Back in town, Designmuseum Danmark traces the evolution of Danish Modernism, with exhibits featuring nearly 100 classic chairs by legends like Hans J. Wegner, Nanna Ditzel, Finn Juhl and Cecilie Manz. Refuel with coffee and a pastry on the café’s garden patio

For a dose of urban innovation, rent a bike and ride to CopenHill, a waste-to-energy plant turned year-round ski slope designed by Bjarke Ingels Group. It’s a perfect expression of Copenhagen’s sustainable spirit.

Where to Shop

Begin at Louis Poulsen’s flagship store in Kuglegården to see the brand’s renowned lighting designs—the PH, Artichoke and Panthella among them—and pick up a portable Rumee Lamp by Gabriel Tan to take home. Then browse Illums Bolighus, a multi-level department store filled with Scandinavian furniture, fashion and décor, housed in a landmark 1941 building.

Before you leave, pick up a Hoptimist, Hans Gustav Ehrenreich’s cheerful spring-figure toy, available in a rainbow of colours—a playful emblem of Danish joy.

Where to Stay

In Nordhavn, Audo House brings together design, hospitality and community under one roof. The 10-room boutique hotel, housed in a restored heritage building, is also home to a concept shop and café by the Danish furniture brand Audo, making it a hub for design enthusiasts.

For a central stay, Hotel Petra, which opened in partnership with &Tradition, features 40 rooms furnished entirely with the brand’s contemporary pieces. The inviting Petra Bar & Restaurant off the lobby serves as both neighbourhood café and stylish gathering place for coffee, lunch or a nightcap.

Porter Airlines is Launching Five New Sun Routes

December 16, 2025

Just in time for winter getaways, the airline is adding five direct routes from Ottawa to Mexico, the Caribbean and Costa Rica.

Winter travellers departing from Ottawa now have more direct options for escaping the cold, thanks to a new slate of nonstop sun routes launching this season. Beginning mid-December, Porter Airlines is rolling out five direct flights from Ottawa International Airport to popular warm-weather destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America, eliminating the need for connections through Toronto or Montreal.

The new routes link Ottawa with Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Nassau, Liberia (Costa Rica) and Grand Cayman, offering access to a mix of beach destinations, resort hubs and nature-focused escapes. For travellers in the National Capital Region, the expansion marks a notable shift: nonstop international leisure flights from Ottawa have historically been limited, often requiring a layover even for mainstream sun destinations.

Flights to Puerto Vallarta and Nassau begin December 13, followed by Cancun and Liberia on December 17, and Grand Cayman on December 19. Service frequencies range from weekly to daily, depending on the destination, allowing for both long-stay vacations and shorter winter breaks.

The addition of Liberia is particularly noteworthy for travellers drawn to Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, cloud forests and national parks, while Grand Cayman becomes accessible nonstop from Ottawa for the first time. Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, long-time Canadian favourites, offer a choice between laid-back coastal towns and large-scale resort infrastructure, while Nassau provides easy access to both Paradise Island resorts and the broader Out Islands.

A smoother winter travel experience

All five routes are operated using Porter’s Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, configured in a two-by-two seating layout with no middle seats. For travellers accustomed to crowded winter flights, that detail alone may be appealing. Complimentary beer and wine served in glassware, premium Canadian snacks and free Wi-Fi are also part of the onboard experience, though the real draw for most passengers will be the time saved by flying nonstop.

From a planning perspective, the new routes make Ottawa a more practical starting point for winter travel, especially for families or travellers who prefer to avoid early-morning connections or overnight airport stays. The expansion also aligns with a broader trend among Canadian airports to strengthen point-to-point international service rather than funnelling travellers exclusively through major hubs.

What this means for travellers

For residents of Ottawa and eastern Ontario — as well as parts of western Quebec — the new flights reduce travel friction at one of the busiest times of year. Instead of budgeting extra hours for connections or overnight layovers, travellers can head directly south, often arriving the same day with minimal disruption.

The routes also provide flexibility in travel style. A weeklong all-inclusive stay in Cancun or Nassau can be paired with shorter, more experience-driven trips to Costa Rica or Mexico’s Pacific coast, where eco-lodges, surf towns and boutique hotels dominate. Grand Cayman, meanwhile, appeals to travellers seeking calm beaches, excellent diving and a quieter Caribbean rhythm.

These new sun routes join Porter’s expanding winter schedule from Ottawa, which already includes nonstop service to several Florida cities. Additional destinations, including Miami and Phoenix, are expected to come online in 2026, further broadening Ottawa’s direct access to warm-weather travel during the colder months.

How to Find Flight Deals Using AI

December 16, 2025

By Reneé Morrison

Here's your sign to try Google's AI-powered Flight Deals feature.

I wasn’t even thinking about planning a mother-daughter getaway to Paris. I was just playing around with flight searches. I had opened Google Flights and decided to test out its AI Flight Deals feature to see the most heavily discounted nonstop flights from Montreal during the upcoming March spring break. I wasn’t searching for a specific destination, just the best value for direct routes to anywhere.

That’s when Paris appeared. A nonstop, round-trip flight for just over $600 Canadian, luggage included. A few clicks later, I had booked my first solo trip with my seven-year-old daughter. And mais oui, we’re squeezing in a day at Disneyland Paris between croissants and strolls in the Jardin de Luxembourg.

Why AI works so well for finding travel deals

Previously, my deal-hunting mania revolved around refreshing pages, tracking one route, locking in exact dates. AI works differently. so instead of asking for one specific outcome, your best bet is to give it a bit of flexibility and let it scan patterns at scale.

AI is especially good at:

Comparing huge amounts of pricing data quickly
Flagging unusual price drops or underpriced routes
Responding well to flexible, human-style requests

The trick is learning how to ask better questions.

Here’s a travel prompt you can steal

If you’re using an AI chatbot or planning tool, try something like:

“Find the best-value nonstop flights from Montreal during (insert dates). I’m flexible on destination, prefer flights under X hours, and want luggage included. Focus on routes with recent price drops.”

This works because it mixes clear limits with openness.

You can easily tweak it:

Add the length of your trip, with flexibility (sometimes, the prompt above will show you trips that are unreasonably short, so you can try specifying a range of how long you’d like to be away).
Add that you’re looking for warm weather, cultural cities or beach destinations

Where AI fits into trip planning

AI isn’t a booking engine, and it doesn’t need to be. Its real strength is helping you decide where to look before you decide what to book. Even if you prefer to use a travel agency for the actual booking of your trip, it can be useful for helping you spot which destinations will be accessible within your budget.

It’s especially helpful for:

Finding destinations you hadn’t considered
Comparing direct flights versus connections
Confirming what a good value is in terms of fare pricing
Narrowing options before heading to airline sites or your agent

Once a flight looks promising, it’s worth clicking through nearly to checkout to confirm the price is still valid. More than once, I’ve followed a deal only to discover the fare disappeared by the time I reached the booking page.

A few practical tips before you book

Flexibility matters (a lot). Even a one-day shift can change pricing.
Nonstop flights are not always the expensive option, especially on routes airlines want to fill.
Always check baggage rules before celebrating a low fare.
Think about value, not just price. Better timing or fewer connections can make a slightly higher fare worth it. You’ll end up spending that extra $100 on a mediocre airport lunch.

Happy deal-hunting!