Hey there, Travellers,

It's time for the final newsletter of 2025, and this one is dedicated to you! When we had our first-ever Jack's company meet-up in March, we did some serious brainstorming about what we could do to make The Club even more valuable for our members. One topic came up time and time again: Community.

So, we set about developing new ways to foster the sense of community that we knew was already there. We've seen it on our social media and in The Detour inbox for years now, and we've had the pleasure to meet some of you IRL at events like travel shows and races across Europe. But we wanted to make sure that translated into everyday operations of The Club, too.

And so we developed the new homepage on the Members Lounge, where you'll see what curious Travellers like you are into. We added commenting on all our articles and Postcards, and gave your Postcards a wall of their own. And recently, we added the option for you to contribute travel stories and airline reviews, as well.

To celebrate all these exciting new features, we're running our first-ever travel story submission contest! All you need to do is share your story to be in with a chance of winning up to £500/€500/$500 towards flights you book or upgrades on a flight you’ve already booked. To help inspire you, here's a prompt:

Plot twist! This was not on the itinerary: Tell us the moment your trip took an unexpected turn — for better or worse.

The contest will close at 08:00 UTC on 23rd January. The Jack's team will then pick our fave submission and notify the winner by 31st January. Full T&Cs can be found here.

We can't wait to see what tales you have to share! 

If you have any suggestions for other Jack's Community features you'd like to see in the new year, jump into the comments and let us know!

Happy travels and safe landings for 2026,

Katy - Editor of The Detour

We’ve lined up an exclusive deal for anyone craving unconventional experiences in 2026!

In May, Lupine Racing is running the Shinkansen Scramble, a five-day public transport treasure hunt across Japan.

As with all Lupine races, competitors won’t know where they’re going until the race checkpoints are revealed on the starting line in Tokyo.

This race will follow a rogaining format, rewarding smart planning and navigation. Every checkpoint earns racers points, with tricky or remote destinations worth more. Some people will be chasing a high score to win a prize, while others will use the checkpoints as an unpredictable way to explore Japan.

Entry is priced at £295 with reduced rates for under-18s. You can secure your place for just £59 (£74 before discount) by choosing ‘pay less upfront’ at checkout (at no extra cost).

Use code JFCJAPAN20 to take 20% off the total price before 31st December!

Flights to Japan can cost an arm and a leg, or come with really long layovers. Here are a few suggestions from the Jack's team to get you started:

• London to Tokyo, 23rd May - 2nd June
• Dublin to Tokyo, 24th May - 4th June
• Copenhagen to Tokyo 23rd May - 3rd June
• Amsterdam to Tokyo, 24th May - 4th June
• Paris to Osaka, 23rd May - 3rd June
• New York to Tokyo, May 24th - June 3rd
• Los Angeles to Tokyo, May 24th - June 2nd
• Vancouver to Tokyo, 22nd May - 1st June
• Toronto to Tokyo, 23rd May - 1st June

We've loved seeing all your travels this year, from Colombia to Cambodia, Morocco to Malaysia. They truly make us grin from ear to ear! We've picked out a few of our 2025 faves below, but first:

A very special shout-out to Jack's Travellers Kate, Jacob and George, who just can't stop booking trips and sending us the evidence. We count 6 Postcards so far! They've clearly had a brilliant couple of years in travel, so here's to many more.

Getting Carried Hue in Vietnam...

"Not only did I bag a cheap flight, I’ve booked it whilst on a Hue to Hanoi train as I’m currently in Vietnam. I love it so much, I’ve already booked to come back.
Travel tip/interesting experience: I’ve had a great evening on the train learning Vietnamese songs, drinking beer and sharing food with the train guards in the restaurant car." - Jacqui

So Beautiful, It Belongs in a Museum...

"I saw this offer and immediately booked it. It was to Ouarzazate in Morocco and it was like WOW, I felt like I was in an Indiana Jones movie, then I Googled and found out it was actually made there!! So think beyond Marrakech, Morocco has some amazing cities to explore!" - Paul

Where Skyscrapers Meet the Sea

"Busan in South Korea is amazing. Would not have even heard of it if not for Jack and a deal with China Eastern. Skyscrapers meet the sea! Also fantastic, a cheap jump-off for Japan. Many thanks." - ZestyExpeditionist55000