Golf getaways

Dallas-based hop-on jet service tees up new route to famous West Texas golf resort

There's a new way to get to Lajitas Golf Resort.

Photo courtesy of Lajitas Golf Resort

A new gift idea for the golfer who has clubs, will travel: Hop-on jet service JSX will begin offering flights from Dallas to Lajitas Golf Resort in West Texas in early 2021.

According to a release, the Dallas-based air carrier and top-rated golf resort are teaming up to offer an "ultimate outdoor adventure," starting January 8, 2021. The package will include:

Roundtrip airfare from Dallas Love Field (or Houston Hobby) on JSX’s E145 jets with a unique all-single seating configuration
Two free bags, including golf clubs, complimentary snacks, drinks, and cocktails inflight
A five-minute shuttle service to and from the resort upon landing
Two nights’ deluxe accommodations at Lajitas Golf Resort
Three rounds of golf on the iconic Black Jack’s Crossing
Access to Lajitas Golf Resort’s activities and culinary programming at an additional cost, including the Agave Spa, Pool, Equestrian Center, Zip Lining, Clay Shooting, and meals at the resort’s four culinary outposts

Pricing will vary according to room type and time of year, they say. More information can be found on the Lajitas website.

“Lajitas Golf Resort is a bucket list experience for golfers in Texas and beyond," says JSX CEO Alex Wilcox in the release. "Coupling JSX’s crowd-free flights with this one-of-a-kind resort creates the ultimate socially distanced getaway during these uncertain times.

JSX debuted service from Love Field in June, with introductory flights to Las Vegas and North Carolina. On November 20, it launched daily roundtrip service between private terminals at Dallas Love Field and Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport, with flights at $99 each way. The Lajitas service is part of the company's continued expansion in Texas.

JSX calls itself a “hop-on jet service” because customers may arrive just 20 minutes before departure at private terminals and simply “hop on” a flight, avoiding the crowds and lines. At Love Field, travelers have access to valet parking, Wi-Fi lounges, and speedy baggage retrieval.

On board, passengers can relax in a business class-caliber seat and enjoy complimentary drinks, snacks, and cocktails. It also has a pet-friendly policy that allows small dogs and cats to fly for free. The company's goal is to provide a luxury travel experience at competitive prices, they say.

JSX's safety standards, dubbed "Simpli-Fly," include contactless temperature screenings, an advanced air circulation system, and no middle seating. Masks are required in lounges and on board flights. JSX is also now introducing a unique seating configuration whereby 30 single seats are arranged in a 1x1 layout, each offering at least 35 inches of legroom and no overhead bins to allow for comfortable social distancing in the air. Some seats offer a leather-covered cocktail table and work area.

Considered Texas’ top golf resort, Lajitas is nestled on 27,000 acres between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park, on the banks of the Rio Grande.

“The January 2021 (JSX) launch is perfectly timed," says Scott Beasley, president of Lajitas Golf Resort, in the release. "We fully believe that this new alliance and expansion of direct air travel service will provide the fuel for Lajitas to become the new premier golf and second home destination of the Southwest.”

Weekly service starts on January 8, 2021 with flight options that include weekends and weekday getaways. While flights can be booked directly through the JSX website, golf packages can be booked by contacting Lajitas Golf Resort by email at kakers@lajitasgolfresort.com or by calling 972-885-7215.

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Holiday News

American Airlines expects record-setting travel on Thanksgiving 2024

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

American Airlines ready for takeoff.

The holidays are looming and American Airlines is ramping up. Over the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend, the Fort Worth-based airline expects to process nearly 8.3 million customers across more than 77,000 flights.

According to a statement from American's COO David Seymour, the airline is having a good fall season and canceled fewer flights than its peers during October.

“Thanks to the hard work of our 130,000 team members, we canceled fewer flights than any of our major competitors this October and beat our own records for on-time departures and arrivals,” Seymour says.

That's surely good news. One hates to rain on their parade, but in June 2024, the only flight I booked this year, my flight was canceled less than 24 hours before take-off. I had made hotel reservations, scheduled a pet sitter, planned events, and arranged for a friend to pick me up at the destination airport. One employee speculated that it may have been "insufficient crew." Their only solution offered was: Feel free to reschedule your flight.

Thanksgiving facts and figures
The travel window runs from November 21 to December 3, and the airline expects to carry more than 500,000 more customers than it did last year.

The most-traveled day will be Sunday, December 1. The second most-traveled day will be Monday, December 2.

The peak of peak: 1,035 mainline and regional aircraft will be enroute at 10:45 am on Sunday, December 1 — the highest number of flights handled at any given time during American’s travel period.

The airline expects to serve more than 6.8 million Biscoff cookies on board from November 21 to December 3.

Travel tips
Download the American Airlines app and check in for your flight, noting added any bags to your trip. This will save you time at the airport.

If traveling internationally, download the Mobile Passport Control app, which can speed up your entry into the U.S. Global Entry members can download the Global Entry app, which allows you to submit your entry and go straight to the officer.

Upon arrival at the airport lobby, scan your mobile boarding pass to print bag tags quickly at a kiosk. If you’re not checking bags, go straight to TSA security with your mobile boarding pass.

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