If you want a week in the sun without a connection in Calgary or Toronto, the choice from Saskatchewan is simpler than most people think. From November to April there are non-stop flights from both Saskatoon and Regina to three places — Punta Cana, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta — and once a week from Regina to Los Cabos. Everything else means a change of plane, and after many winters of booking these trips I can tell you the direct flight is worth more than almost any other feature of the package.

From Saskatoon (YXE)

Punta Cana, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, non-stop, from November through April. These run as vacation packages — flight, transfers and resort together — which is why the direct flights exist at all: the airlines fill them with resort guests. You walk off the plane, onto a bus and into the lobby, usually before dinner.

From Regina (YQR)

The same three destinations, non-stop through the winter, plus a once-a-week flight to Los Cabos. Cabo is the drier, desert-and-ocean side of Mexico — a different feel from the Caribbean beaches of Cancun and Punta Cana, and a good fit for people who have done the Mayan Riviera a few times already. With one flight a week, the dates are fixed, so this one needs booking early.

Which destination?

  • Punta Cana — the Dominican Republic's long Caribbean beaches and big, all-in resorts. The easiest pick for a first all-inclusive and for families.
  • Cancun and the Riviera Maya — the widest choice of resorts in the three, from party-friendly to very quiet, plus day trips to Mayan ruins and cenotes if you want more than a beach.
  • Puerto Vallarta — Pacific coast, mountains behind the town, a real Mexican town to walk around in the evening. Our pick for couples who want a bit of culture with their sun.
  • Los Cabos — Regina only, one flight a week: dramatic scenery, calmer crowds, excellent food.

Which resort?

People ask for a "good resort" and mean three different things, so I sort them by what you are paying for:

  • Luxury: Secrets. Adults-only, quieter, better food and service. If this is an anniversary or a once-in-a-while treat, start here.
  • Mid-range: Riu. Dependable, well run, lots of choice of pools and restaurants. The right answer for most trips.
  • Budget: Meliá and Barceló. Solid, clean and fun without the frills. Families and groups get the most beach for the money here.

We book Sunwing and WestJet Vacations packages for all of these and know them well, so ask — we will tell you which room category is worth it and which is not.

When to book

The sweet spot is the summer before the winter you want to travel. Booking early does two things: it locks in the price before the inevitable increases closer to departure, and it gives you the full choice of dates, room types and resorts. By the time the first snow falls, the best rooms over Christmas and the February break are gone and what is left costs more.

The one thing not to skip

Travel insurance. Saskatchewan Health does not follow you out of the province, and a hospital in Mexico or the Dominican Republic bills in full. We are licensed to sell Manulife plans and will explain the options when you book — see our travel insurance page.

Ready to pick a week? Tell us your dates, who is travelling and roughly what you want to spend, and we will come back with two or three packages that fit, out of Saskatoon or Regina.