

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have long been reserved for those looking to snag deals on gifts, gadgets, and gizmos just before the holidays. While most folks keep an eye out for insane deals on gaming systems, TVs, and home decor— what many often miss are the travel deals that come out around this time of year, too.
In 2024, we’re all looking to jet set a little more. Whether that means finally taking advantage of our PTO to go, lay on a beach, and let the soothing sounds of crystal blue waters carry us away, or booking a quick weekend escape with bae. Either way, a vacation is deserved, so why not save a few coins in the process?
If you’re ready to add some new destinations to the list, or you are just the type of person who loves a good sale, we’ve rounded up some of the best airline and hotel deals for you to check out this Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday Airline Deals
Since travel rebounded after the global pandemic, flight prices have increased. And, depending on your home airport, those prices could be borderline astronomical— hello, Charlotte. So, being able to lock in a discount fare for your trip is always a win.
Check out a few of the best airline deals we’ve come across for BFCM thus far.
TAP Air Portugal: Starting now until November 24, the Portugal-based airline carrier is advertising economy class flights starting at $379 for travel through May 31, 2024. Departure airports include Newark (EWR), Boston (BOS), Miami (MIA), Chicago O-Hare (ORD), and D.C. (IAD), with the lowest-priced flights heading to Rome, Italy, and Lisbon, Portugal.
Qatar Airways: Consistently voted one of the world’s best airlines, you can take advantage of up to $350 off in premium class and up to $150 off in economy to select destinations from all gateways across the US, Canada, and Brazil. This offer ends 11/24/2023.
French Bee: Deemed a budget airline with service to Paris and other popular international destinations, the carrier is taking things up a notch with flights to Paris and Tahiti from New York City, San Francisco, L.A., and Miami starting at as low as $387 roundtrip. The cheapest option is NYC to Paris for $387. The sale runs November 20 - 27, 2023, and it must be for travel between November 20, 2023, to March 31, 2024.
La Compagnie: The 100% smart business-class airline is bringing back its annual “Blue Friday” deal from November 17 to 21, 2023. Travelers can get roundtrip business class flights to Paris, Milan, or Nice, France, for $2,000. The sale only applies to flights between December 1, 2023, and May 31, 2024.
*Editor’s Note: Most US airline carriers typically announce any BFCM sales on the actual days, so be sure to look out for those as well.
John Lund/ Getty Images
BFCM Hotel Deals
You’ve purchased your flight, and now it’s time to lock in the last part standing between you and a vacay— the hotel. Long gone are the days of “staying anywhere because we’ll barely be in the room.” No, we want to be able to kick back and lap in luxury at the hotel, too. These deals will certainly help you achieve that.
Windjammer Resort - Saint Lucia: If you saw Chloë’s stunning beach shots from St. Lucia, they were taken along the sands of this resort. Save up to 60% on all room categories, plus get a $250 resort credit, daily breakfast, and complimentary access to world-class amenities for the entire family. The sale runs November 20 - 28, 2023.
Marriott Bonvoy: Current Bonvoy members can save 20% off bookings made through the app for stays between November 26, 2023, and January 15, 2024. The offer runs from November 21 - 28, 2023.
The Spectator Hotel - Charleston, SC: Receive 23% off bookings made from November 27, 2023, through December 3, 2023, for travel happening before December 31, 2024. Without the discount, the hotel’s rates start at $299/night.
Intercontinental Miami: From November 24, 2023, to November 28, 2023, get 40% off a second night when booking a two-night stay from November 24, 2023 - March 31, 2024. This also includes complimentary early check-in and late check-out based on availability.
Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort - Saint Lucia: Save up to 35% on bookings made for stays between January 4, 2024 - December 20, 2024. A 4-night minimum stay is required to receive this discount.
The Standard Hotels - worldwide: Between November 24, 2023, and November 28, 2023, The Standard Hotels are offering rooms across all its hotel properties at 35% off the best available rate for stays between November 14, 2023, and August 31, 2024. Some blackout dates do apply.
SLS South Beach: Get up to 50% off stays between December 12, 2023, to June 30, 2024, when you book between November 15, 2023, to November 19, 2023, and November 23, 2023, to November 27, 2023. For all other days between November 13, 2023, and November 28, 2023, the SLS South Beach is offering rooms up to 35% off for stays with a minimum length of two nights throughout 2024.
Royalton Resorts - worldwide: Available now, you can save up to 25% off your hotel booking. Resorts include Royalton Negril, Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun (Adults-only), Royalton Punta Cana, and more.
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Curio Collection by Hilton - Las Vegas: Get 40% off the best available rate when you book November 20 – December 5, 2023. Travel dates must be between November 20, 2023 – December 31, 2024.
Dimensions/ Getty Images
Hilton Los Cabos - Los Cabos, Mexico: Between November 20, 2023, and December 15, 2023, save up to 35% off accommodations and receive a $100 resort credit. Applies to travel between January 1 – September 30, 2024. Some blackout dates apply.
Karisma Hotels & Resorts - worldwide: Get savings of up to 70% off on stays and up to $1,000 in resort credits at world-class properties in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Belize. Book now through Dec. 7, 2023, and travel between November 16, 2023, to January 2, 2026, to take advantage.
General Saint Lucia BFCM Hotel Sale: Nearly two dozen hotels, villas, and resorts in Saint Lucia are offering discounts and perks up to 76% off for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Travel Tuesday 2023. Deals include discounts on room rates, upgrades, resort credits, spa discounts, and more.
General The Islands of the Bahamas Sale: If you’re ready for white sands and cerulean blue waters in 2024, the Bahamas has created an entire website of all the BFCM deals the islands are offering this week. From 40% off hotels to discounts on adrenaline-pumping excursions.
Freehand Hotels and Generator Hotels - across the US: For a limited time, this Black Friday flash sale features BOGO (buy one, get one) room rates, which allows you to stay two nights at any Freehand or Generator property for the price of one. This applies to travel dates between January 1, 2024, and March 31, 2024. This deal is available to book from November 21, 2023- November 27, 2023.
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Feature image by Xavier Lorenzo/ Getty Images
Laterras R. Whitfield On What He Wants In A 'Future Wifey' & Redefining Masculinity
In this week's episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker chopped it up with Laterras R. Whitfield, host of the Dear Future Wifey podcast, for a raw and revealing conversation about personal growth, faith, and the search for love in a way that resonates.
Laterras Whitfield Believes Men Should Pursue, Not Persuade
“Let me know you exist, and I’ll do the rest”
Whitfield is a big advocate of a man’s role in going confidently for the woman he wants. “Men should pursue, not persuade, and women should present, not pursue,” he said. He’s open to meeting women on social media but isn’t a fan of bold approaches. “Don’t shoot your shot at me. … Let me know you exist, and I’ll do the rest.”
His ideal woman?
“She has to be a woman of God… I judge a woman by how her friends see her… and most importantly, how she treats my kids.”
Infidelity, Redemption, and the Power of Self-Control
“Being disciplined is the most beautiful thing you can offer”
Once unfaithful in his previous marriage, Whitfield has since transformed his perspective on masculinity. “Being disciplined is the most beautiful thing you can offer. That’s what true masculinity is to me now.” He has also committed to abstinence, choosing self-control as a defining trait of manhood.
Whitfield’s journey is one of redemption, purpose, and faith—something that speaks to women who value emotional intelligence, accountability, and the power of transformation.
Rewriting the Narrative Around Black Masculinity
What masculinity, legacy, and healing mean to Whitfield today
“My dad taught me what not to be [as a man] and my mom taught me what she needed [in a man],” Whitfield said. While his father wasn’t abusive, he wasn’t emotionally or affectionately present. “Since I didn’t see it, I never got it either… I would look at my dad and say, ‘I want to be a better father.’ ”
Adoption had always been on his spirit, influenced by TV shows like Different Strokes and Punky Brewster. This mindset led him to take in his nephew as his son after a powerful dream confirmed what he already felt in his heart.
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
How I Found The Courage To Keep Chasing My Dreams And How You Can Too
"Don't die with your dreams."
It's a simple statement, but one I really needed to hear. After attending the live taping for The Hey, Girl Podcast's finale episode, I realized I'm not living my dream life. I have a decent job, my own place, and a great social life, but something is missing. That something? I'm doing what I'm supposed to, not what I want to do. However, shifting gears to have a more fulfilling life would require faith, taking risks, and being vulnerable—all things I struggle with. And I know I'm not the only one.
Some of us are settling for our life because we're afraid to try and fail. We're so scared to seem lost, directionless, or uncertain. We don't want to be judged or fear being misunderstood when we attempt to explain our lack of fulfillment to family and friends. We fear seeming "too old" to not have it "all together." We may also feel inclined to listen when the little voice in our head tells us we don't have what it takes to achieve our dreams or we don't deserve the joy and fulfillment that comes from walking in our purpose.
While these feelings and fears are valid, they don't reflect the reality of our situation. These feelings and fears are often rooted in stories that protect us from being vulnerable but keep us further away from our dreams.
We have to find the courage to tell ourselves a new story. One that affirms that we're exactly where we need to be and this part of life that feelings confusing, scary and uncertain is a necessary part of the journey.
Here's how we find the courage to do that:
Forgive yourself for not trying sooner.
As we get older, we may feel more pressured to settle down and play it safe when making big decisions. We may tell ourselves that we should have taken risks sooner and that it's too late in the game to attempt something new. It's hard to imagine new possibilities when we keep judging ourselves for choices we made in the past. We can wonder why the 25-year-old version of ourselves didn't make different decisions, but we can't change the past, and living with regret makes it hard for us to access our dreams. Forgiving yourself and being compassionate with yourself will allow you to access the confidence you need to be successful.
Stop comparing yourself to other people.
Reading and following the success stories of those we admire is a huge source of motivation. It can inspire us to dream big and imagine how different our lives could be if we took a risk. Unfortunately, it can also scare us into staying stuck because we'll fall into the comparison trap. We'll scroll through Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn and feel inadequate because people are further along than us. We may get discouraged when we discover people have access to funds, people, and opportunities that can help them excel faster than we can.
The truth is we don't know every detail of their story. We don't know what they've sacrificed or how scared they were when they started. What we do know is that they didn't give up. They found the courage to keep going despite their challenges, and we have the power to do the same.
Don't be controlled by what other people think.
It's natural to care about other people's thoughts because we're human. We thrive off being included and feeling connected. But we can't allow ourselves to be controlled by what other people think. Someone will always have thoughts about our decisions and desires. But we can't let the opinions of others keep us stuck and fearful. There is a difference between what we want and what others think we can, and should, have. Even people who love and care about us may attempt to limit us based on their fears and perceptions of who we're meant to be. But they don't have the final say over our lives, nor were they given our vision.
Have faith the pieces will come together.
One of my favorite lines in Paul Coelho's The Alchemist is, "when you want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you achieve it." When we begin pursuing our dreams and taking steps to walk in our purpose, opportunities and experiences will open up to help us on our journey. To notice these opportunities, we have to lean into abundance. Shifting to an abundance mindset is hard when you've become accustomed to living in scarcity. There is enough money, help, opportunities, time, and resources to make our dreams a reality.
Lean into the unknown.
When we don't know the answer or something seems uncertain, we sense that moving forward would put us in danger. We figure the more we know, the less daunting the process will be and the more successful we'll be in the end. But that's not true. We can't control or plan for everything. Where we've been conditioned to see danger, we could begin to see possibility. There is a lot of joy in the unknown. Sometimes we'll need to have faith in ourselves and trust that we have what it takes to be okay wherever we land.
You have to stick with it even when it sucks.
You can't skip the hard days. Sometimes we want to reach our dreams without struggling. As soon as something undesirable happens, we question the entire process and wonder if we've made a mistake. But experiencing lows is part of the journey. It won't always be easy, even when you want something and you're meant to have something. You can take a break, rest, and give yourself space to reassess the plan. But remember, "if the plan doesn't work, change the plan, not the goal."
Make time for your dreams.
Sometimes we're so busy using our time, energy, intellect, and creativity as conduits to other people's dreams that we forget to make time for our own. We'll feel productive, but we won't feel fulfilled. We have to stop hiding behind other people's happiness and make time to create our own.
Be vulnerable.
One of the hardest things to do is ask for help. But when you have big dreams, you need a big network. You need a community of people that loves, supports, and encourages you. You also need people that share similar interests and goals. Don't be afraid to share that you're struggling and need help. Asking for help can be scary because it creates opportunities for people to judge you and question your ability to succeed, but those people likely weren’t rooting for you to begin with. People who love and support you won’t view you asking for help as a sign of incompetence.
Finding the courage to chase your dreams when you feel like you’ve waited too long is hard. But telling yourself that you’ve “waited too long” is keeping you stuck and unfulfilled. The person you are in five years will thank you for starting today. The choice is yours. But remember, “don’t die with your dreams.”
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Featured image by Ben Masora on Unsplash
Originally published on June 14, 2023