November 2025 Newsletter

Welcome, JGOOT Family Adventurers!

It's November! And that brings us to our new JGOOT Family travel theme: Giving Thanks by Giving Back: The Joy of Voluntourism

This Thanksgiving season, we’re trading souvenirs for service. Across the globe, families are discovering that the most meaningful trips aren’t about seeing the world — they’re about connecting with it. Whether it’s planting trees, teaching kids, or cleaning beaches, volunteering while you travel can make every mile matter more.

Service Trips That Still Feel Like Vacations:

🌴 Puerto Rico – Community Rebuilding & Reforestation + Rule #1 Flight Deal

Families can join Para la Naturaleza or All Hands and Hearts for short-term projects restoring trails and planting native trees. Base yourself near San Juan so you can balance service with sightseeing — hike El Yunque National Forest, explore Old San Juan, and soak up the island’s history.

✈️ Rule #1 Flight Strategy: Instead of using points, book ultra-low cash fares on Spirit Airlines, which flies non-stop to San Juan (SJU) from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Orlando (MCO), Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Atlanta (ATL), Chicago (ORD), Miami (MIA), and San Antonio (SAT). Sample fares often run $67 – $99 one-way, depending on season and city.

👝 Light-packing tip: Travel carry-on-only to avoid bag fees — a perfect Rule #1 play.

🏨 Stay on Points: Use Hyatt properties around San Juan or Condado when redemption value hits ≥ 2 ¢ per point. Keep points for lodging, not flights.

🐢 Costa Rica – Sea Turtle & Wildlife Conservation

Programs like Osa Conservation and Tortuguero Eco Volunteers let families help with turtle-nest monitoring and rainforest reforestation. Combine with a few days in La Fortuna or Manuel Antonio for waterfalls & wildlife.

🏡 Stay on Points: Andaz Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo — Hyatt Category 6, typically 25 K points/night.

💎 Rule #2 Sweet Spot: Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards points to United MileagePlus or Air Canada Aeroplan for flights into Liberia (LIR). We found seats from 9,700 – 20,000 points each way, returning 3 – 4 ¢ per point in value — double JGOOT’s target redemption rate.

Top examples:

- United EWR → LIR: 9,700 pts ≈ 4 ¢ ppp

- Aeroplan IAH / DEN / ORD → LIR: 15,000 pts ≈ 4 ¢ ppp

- United LAX → LIR: 14,000 pts ≈ 4 ¢ ppp

All are Chase/Amex transfer partners and provide excellent family-friendly routes into Guanacaste — perfect for combining adventure with service.

⛰️ U.S. National Parks – “Volunteers In Parks” (VIP) Program

Apply for weekend projects via the NPS Volunteers In Parks program — trail cleanup in Great Smoky Mountains or historic restoration in Gettysburg.

🚗 Rental Tip: Book through Rakuten for bonus points per dollar; pay with your Chase Sapphire Preferred for primary coverage.

🌟 Splurge Option – Luxury With a Purpose

Try Volunteering Journeys or Hands Up Holidays for five-star voluntourism — think building homes in Bali or teaching English in Thailand.

💡 Family Travel Tips

Not all volunteer programs are ethical or impactful.

Quick Checklist Before You Sign Up:

1. Local leadership: Programs should be run by locals.

2. Transparency: Clear fee breakdown = trust.

3. Skill fit: Pick projects your family can actually do.

4. Time investment: Avoid “photo-op” volunteering.

Pro Tip: If a program doesn’t train you first, that’s a red flag.

Industry Trends: Purpose-Driven Travel Is on the Rise

Over 60 % of travelers under 40 now prioritize giving back when they travel (source: Adventure Travel Trade Association). Major brands are responding with social-impact options like Hyatt’s World of Care, Expedia Group’s Travel as a Force for Good, and Airbnb’s Community Fund & Social Impact Experiences.

Takeaway: The new luxury is meaning — not marble lobbies.

📊 Educational Opportunities: At-Home Prep for Young Global Citizens

• Watch PBS Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

• Try UNICEF Kid Power — turn activity into impact.

• Start a family gratitude journal for acts of kindness.

• Read If the World Were a Village by David J. Smith to spark global thinking.

❓ Q&A Corner

Q: “How can we give back without committing to a full volunteer trip?”

A: Here are a few easy ways to travel with heart — no full-time volunteering required:

• Add a micro-volunteer day: Join a local beach cleanup, community garden, or animal shelter project.

• Pack to give: Use your carry-on to bring school supplies or gently used books for a local nonprofit.

• Donate unused miles: Programs like AA Miles for Social Good let you turn points into real-world help.

• Stay local: Book family-run lodging and dine at locally owned restaurants to keep your spending in the community.

And speaking of questions, don't forget - you get to ask us any questions you want on this month's LIVE Q&A session: Nov 11, 1pm PT/4pm ET. Click here to join the livestream.

This Thanksgiving, let’s measure our travels not in miles flown but in moments shared — and lives touched. The more we give, the richer the journey.

See you next month for our December issue — where we unwrap the best family holiday getaways for 2025!

Happy Travels!

Julie, Anthony, and Katie

JGOOT Family Experts

PS- Here's a bonus pic of your JGOOT Family coaches on the cruise conference last week!