July 2026 Newsletter

JGOOT FAMILY TRAVEL NEWSLETTER- July 2026

🎈 Lift Off for an Unforgettable Adventure

Discover Spain's European Balloon Festival 

This month we're taking you to one of Europe's most spectacular yet overlooked events—an international celebration where dozens of colorful hot air balloons fill the skies over a charming Catalonian city just outside Barcelona. 

As always, we'll show you how to maximize points, stretch your travel budget, and create unforgettable family memories.

✈️ Featured Family Travel Blueprint

European Balloon Festival

Igualada, Spain | July 8–12, 2026

Imagine stepping outside just after sunrise to watch more than 50 hot air balloons rise into the sky simultaneously. Giant character balloons. Competition balloons. Rainbow balloons drifting over medieval rooftops while cafés begin serving espresso and fresh pastries.

Welcome to the European Balloon Festival, Spain's largest hot air balloon festival and one of the premier ballooning events in Europe. Held each July in the Catalonian city of Igualada—less than an hour from Barcelona—this festival combines aviation, culture, incredible food, and family-friendly entertainment into one unforgettable experience.

Unlike many world-famous festivals that require months of planning and premium pricing, the European Balloon Festival often flies under the radar for North American travelers. That means fewer crowds, excellent value, and a unique opportunity to pair a bucket-list event with a broader Spanish vacation.

Why We Love It

✔️ Easy day trip from Barcelona

✔️ Family-friendly and stroller-friendly

✔️ Many festival activities are free

✔️ Incredible photography opportunities

✔️ Easy to combine with beaches, history, and mountain excursions

✔️ Fantastic food at prices significantly lower than many other Western European destinations

JGOOT Strategy

Instead of spending your entire vacation in Barcelona, consider using Igualada as the highlight of a broader Catalonia itinerary.

Suggested itinerary:

• 3 nights Barcelona

• 2 nights Igualada (during the festival)

• 2–3 nights Costa Brava or Montserrat

This creates a well-rounded trip that blends iconic attractions with an authentic local experience.

Getting There

The closest major airport is Barcelona-El Prat (BCN), which offers nonstop service from numerous U.S. gateways during the summer.

After arriving:

• Rent a car for maximum flexibility, or

• Take the R6 regional train from Barcelona to Igualada (approximately 90 minutes), making this one of the easiest European festivals to visit without a car.

Don't Miss

🎈 Morning Mass Ascensions

🎈 Evening balloon launches

🎈 Night Glow, when dozens of illuminated balloons light up the evening sky in synchronization with music

🎈 Children's activities

🎈 Local food vendors

🎈 Balloon rides (reserve well in advance if this is on your bucket list)

The festival takes place July 8–12, 2026, at Parc Central in Igualada, with morning and evening flying sessions, family activities, concerts, and the signature Night Glow event. If you want to not pull a last-minute trigger, this is one to put on the calendar for 2027! It’s pretty consistent in dates, always in the first half of July. 

🏨 Where to Stay

Whether you're planning to spend one night or several days in Igualada, staying close to the festival lets you fully experience the magic of the morning launches and evening Night Glow.

JGOOT Family Pick: Somiatruites

For families looking to immerse themselves in the festival, Somiatruites is our top recommendation. This modern boutique hotel is just minutes from the festival grounds and offers several features that make it a great fit for traveling families, including family rooms, a games room for kids, a beautiful 400 m² rooftop garden, and one of Igualada's most celebrated restaurants. The thoughtful room design, quiet atmosphere, and convenient location make it easy to enjoy both the early morning balloon launches and the evening festivities without a long commute.

Official Website:

Hotel Somiatruites

Great Budget-Friendly Alternative: Hotel América Igualada

Families looking to stretch their travel budget should also consider Hotel América Igualada. This traditional hotel offers a welcoming atmosphere, an outdoor swimming pool, free parking, and easy access to the European Balloon Festival, making it a practical choice for families planning to explore the surrounding Catalonia region by car.

JGOOT Tip 💡

If you're extending your vacation, consider splitting your stay between Barcelona and Igualada. Use World of Hyatt points for several nights in Barcelona, then spend one or two nights in Igualada during the festival. You'll maximize your points while enjoying the convenience of being just minutes from one of Europe's most spectacular hot air balloon events. If award space isn’t available, or isn’t a good redemption value, remember: The JGOOT method is to pivot to earning points on the stay instead of spending (wasting) them! 

🌍 Extend Your Adventure

Since you've already crossed the Atlantic, why not see a little more of Spain?

Here are a few destinations that pair perfectly with the European Balloon Festival:

🏖 Costa Brava

Beautiful beaches, charming fishing villages, coastal hiking trails, and crystal-clear Mediterranean water make Costa Brava a wonderful family getaway.

https://costabrava.org/en

⛰ Montserrat

Ride the funicular, hike scenic mountain trails, and visit the famous Benedictine monastery perched high above Catalonia.

🏛 Barcelona

No first visit is complete without exploring Antoni Gaudí's incredible architecture, strolling through colorful markets, relaxing on Barceloneta Beach, or wandering the Gothic Quarter.

https://www.barcelonaturisme.com

❤️ Why We Chose This Blueprint

At JGOOT, we're always looking for destinations that offer something extraordinary without requiring an extraordinary budget.

The European Balloon Festival checks every box:

🎈 A truly unique experience that most travelers have never considered.

🎈 Easy to combine with one of Europe's most exciting cities.

🎈 Affordable enough for families.

🎈 Flexible enough for a long weekend or an extended European vacation.

🎈 Filled with unforgettable photo opportunities and memories your family will talk about for years.

Sometimes the best vacations aren't the ones everyone else is taking—they're the ones that leave your friends asking, "How did you find that?"

That's the JGOOT difference.

💡 Family Travel Tips

One of the Easiest Ways to See More... Without Spending More

When planning a vacation, most travelers automatically search for a round-trip ticket—flying into and out of the same city.

But there's another option that can help you see more of a destination without backtracking: a multi-city itinerary, sometimes called an open-jaw ticket.

What does that mean?

Instead of flying:

✈️ Dallas → Barcelona
✈️ Barcelona → Dallas

You could book:

✈️ Dallas → Barcelona

...travel across Spain during your vacation...

✈️ Madrid → Dallas

By flying into one city and home from another, you eliminate the need to retrace your steps at the end of your trip. That means more time exploring and less time sitting on trains or driving back to where you started.

Why We Love This Strategy

For this month's European Balloon Festival itinerary, you could:

📍 Fly into Barcelona

🎈 Attend the European Balloon Festival in Igualada

🏖 Continue south through Spain, stopping in places like Valencia or Granada

✈️ Fly home from Madrid

Instead of spending an entire day returning to Barcelona just to catch your flight, your journey naturally moves forward.

JGOOT Tip

Don't assume a multi-city itinerary is more expensive. International airfare is priced using complex fare rules, and in many cases, flying into one city and home from another costs about the same as a traditional round-trip ticket.

The next time you're searching for flights, take an extra minute to compare Round Trip with Multi-City. You might be surprised how much time—and sometimes even money—you can save.

📈 Industry Trends

Spirit Is Gone. What Does That Mean for Budget Travelers?

For more than two decades, Spirit Airlines served an important role in the U.S. airline industry. Whether you loved flying them or avoided them altogether, Spirit's ultra-low-cost business model helped keep fares in check—even on competing airlines. Now that the airline has ceased operations, many industry experts expect travelers to feel the effects.

So...will airfare get more expensive?

Probably—but it depends on where you fly.

When a major low-cost carrier leaves a market, airlines have less incentive to match rock-bottom fares. Aviation economists expect some routes that relied heavily on Spirit's competition to see higher prices over the coming months, especially leisure routes in Florida, Las Vegas, and the Caribbean.

The good news? Budget travel isn't disappearing—it just requires a slight shift in strategy.

Where Should Budget Travelers Look Now?

Spirit may be gone, but several airlines continue to offer excellent value if you're willing to travel light and remain flexible.

✈️ Frontier Airlines

The closest replacement for Spirit's ultra-low-cost model. If you're comfortable paying only for the extras you need, Frontier will likely become the first stop for many former Spirit travelers.

✈️ Allegiant Air

Ideal for leisure travelers flying from smaller cities to vacation destinations. Allegiant often operates only a few days each week, so flexibility is key.

✈️ Avelo Airlines

One of the fastest-growing budget airlines in the U.S., Avelo focuses on underserved airports and nonstop leisure routes. If they serve your area, they can offer exceptional value.

✈️ Breeze Airways

While not a traditional ultra-low-cost carrier, Breeze has carved out a niche with affordable nonstop routes between smaller cities that previously required connections.

The JGOOT Take

The end of Spirit doesn't mean the end of affordable travel—it simply means we have to become more intentional.

Instead of automatically searching one airline, cast a wider net. Compare multiple carriers, be flexible with your departure airport, and remember that the cheapest trip isn't always found on the cheapest airline.

In fact, this change reinforces one of our core JGOOT philosophies:

Go where the deals are—not where you assume they'll be.

As the airline industry adjusts, we'll continue tracking new route announcements, fare trends, and emerging budget carriers so you can stay one step ahead.

🍓 Taste of Spain Family Night

Bring a little Spanish culture into your kitchen before your trip by preparing a simple family meal together.

Ideas include:

• Spanish Tortilla (potato omelet)

• Pan con Tomate

• Churros with chocolate

• Fresh fruit and Manchego cheese

Kid-friendly recipes:

https://www.spanishsabores.com

🗣️ Family Challenge

Before your trip, learn these five Spanish words together:

• Hola (Hello)

• Gracias (Thank you)

• Por favor (Please)

• Buenos días (Good morning)

• Adiós (Goodbye)

Challenge everyone in the family to use each word at least once every day this week. You'll be surprised how much more confident everyone feels when you arrive in Spain!

And speaking of questions, don't forget - you get to ask us any questions you want on this month's LIVE Q&A session: July 20, 10am PT/1pm ET. Click here to join the livestream.

Happy Travels!

Julie, Anthony, and Katie

JGOOT Family Experts