vacation 2015 - getting started

Hubby and I were trying to decide whether or not to vacation this year, considering all the other expenses we are about to have.

We figured, we should. What the heck, that's what we live for.

Brazil it is, but Should we travel to the Northeast (natal and its sand dunes, beaches, and the largest cashew tree in the world), or Southwest (Foz, and the waterfalls of iguassu and the largest hydroelectric plant in Brazil)?

I went on compare prices of flights.

HOW I DO MY FLIGHT SEARCH
I always try to keep my options open. My first try is always my closest airport. Then I move on to the next closest ones.

I let my dates flexible +-1 day so I can check a different flight in case the one we want leaves too early or arrives too late.

Kayak is a good overall search engine, but to go to Brazil, I also check BACC.


SEARCH RESULTS THIS YEAR.

Leaving from our closest airport this year is prohibitive. It's close to $1300 and we have a 12-hr layover in SP.

I moved on to the next option:

To Foz:  $1063
To Natal: $ 1130                      Foz wins with a difference of $67 a person.

Just for ha-has, I decided to try NYC. Whoa! Surprise, surprise:

NYC-Foz: $718
NYC-Natal: $ 802                           Foz wins again, this time with a difference of $84 a person.

However, this time both vacations just became so much more affordable!!!! Even with the cost of the ticket to get into NYC.