I love credit cards so much! v7.0 - 2025 (see first page for add'l details)

[Sheree]

Are you looking as far out in the 2026 calendar as possible? AC website usually has a lot of availability for LOT, not sure if that helps you, but they are a transfer partner of Chase. About the only decent use of AP points now is for partner bookings since AC uses dynamic pricing (and their redemptions are sky high). In order to search AC availability you need an account (like BA and Singapore Air).

looking for March 2026
I have a BA account.
is AC air canada? are you saying possibly transfer points to AC and book LOT thru them? or would BA Avios work?

 

[becauseimnew]

yeah the comments say it ended 8/1 on reddit. Would you do the 80k? I have called 3 branches 3 days in a row no luck.

https://online.citi.com/US/ag/cards...836c2e711ebb84f1ea40ab0fd6e3766f4529c2f922bad

 

[becauseimnew]

looking for March 2026
I have a BA account.
is AC air canada? are you saying possibly transfer points to AC and book LOT thru them? or would BA Avios work?

Yes, you should be book through Air Canada, they are a Chase transfer.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

@calypso726 Thanks for the great trip report. It's really inspired me to look into safari more than the limited research I've already done. The camera comparison was so eye-opening! Thank you for sharing that.

The JW prices are around 900-950k for 5 nights (225k ea nt/5th nt free), so certainly an investment.

I have been looking at Mapito Safari Camp, Luxury Collection, opening this fall, in the Serengeti, Tanzania. Cash prices are around $1500-1800/nt or pts prices around 190k/nt outside of their first few months of opening. There is very limited info out there about this resort, but supposedly includes "park and concession fees, private vehicle, all-inclusive, camera rental program, possibly night safaris and retracting tent roofs", according to randos on the internet. Have you looked into this at all; any word on this camp?

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Thanks for sharing, I was planning to book a stay there for February/March 2026 and the rates went up shortly before the booking dates opened up so I started to look for other options as I wanted to go next year and would not have enough Bonvoy points for Masai Mara. I found Leopard Sands, Krueger Park which is in South Africa https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/szkak-leopard-sands-kruger-park/overview/ so I have a 5 night stay booked for May next year, it was 472,000 for the 5 nights with one night free. It doesn't look like it will be as luxurious as the JW Marriott (and they don't have cameras to borrow which looks like have given you some amazing pictures!) but the reviews I have found have been good (not a ton of information out there compared to Masai Mara). We will also visit Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park. I have Q-suites flights booked there and back from Chicago.

So excited to hear about your trip when you return! Congrats on Q-suites both ways!!!