BA - The Club - Five small American cities to get excited about this year

Anchorage, Alaska

Why now? This is the US’s most intrepid city, but that’s not to say you can’t find a time and a place to pamper yourself here – and that time is between September and May, when the northern lights come out to play. And the place to see them? The newly opened Alyeska Nordic Spa, about 40 minutes outside the city. Guests can follow an elevated boardwalk through snow-dusted pine forest, which branches off to hot and cold pools and saunas from which you can watch the sky come alive.

Best time to go? May. You’re still in with a chance of spotting the aurora borealis, while benefiting from warmer temperatures.

Get me there: fly non-stop from London to Dallas/Fort Worth with British Airways, before taking a connecting American Airlines flight on to Anchorage. This trip could earn you up to 62,352 Avios and 840 Tier Points.

Points are based on the Gold Executive Club Tier in First Flexible Class. Enter each flight separately, add the amounts together and multiply by two to return. Not Gold yet? Get an estimate of how many points you could collect, here.

Detroit, Michigan

Why now? It’s great to see that Motor City is getting its mojo back – and, next year, its motors, too. The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix (the American NTT IndyCar Series, not to be confused with Formula 1) is returning to the streets of downtown Detroit for the first time since 1991. Petrol heads will be free to line the streets in non-ticketed sections along the waterfront and watch as the souped-up race cars speed by. Blink and you’ll miss them.

Best time to go? Late spring or early autumn, when hotel prices are more competitive, and temperatures hover in the low 20s.

Get me there: take a direct British Airways flight from London to Philadelphia, then a connecting American Airlines flight to Detroit. You could earn up to 32,368 Avios and 540 Tier Points by taking this trip.

Points are based on the Gold Executive Club Tier in First Flexible Class. Enter each flight separately, add the amounts together and multiply by two to return. Not Gold yet? Get an estimate of how many points you could collect, here.

Photograph: Rikin Katyal/Unsplash

Honolulu, Hawaii

Why now? It may be small compared to some of the US’s mainland goliaths, but Honolulu is Hawaii’s urban hub. It’s also the island chain’s cultural melting pot, which has given rise to a kaleidoscopic calendar of cross-cultural events.

Best time to go? Arrive in January and you’ll be in time for the Polynesian Bowl – a super-charged game of American football, where two teams composed of the best young players in the country duke it out for honours. Arrive later in June, and you’ll have the chance to witness the riot of colour, food, dancing and cultural events that accompanies the Hawaii Kuauli Pacific & Asia Cultural Festival (9-11 June).

Get me there: fly non-stop with British Airways from London to Seattle, then take a connecting American Airlines flight from Seattle to Honolulu (via a stopover in Phoenix). You could earn up to 59,824 Avios and 840 Tier Points on this trip.

Salt Lake City, Utah

Why now? In wild and rugged Utah, flanked by the snow-covered Wasatch Mountains and the mirror-like Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City is an oasis of modern urbanity. And things don’t get much more urban than the upcoming opening of Electric Fish, a neon-lit den of relative iniquity in this Mormon-founded city. Opening early next year, this nightclub/restaurant/casino/Japanese sweet shop (yes, really) will be housed in The Gateway, and offer – among other things – fried chicken, sushi, vintage gaming systems, Japanese art, card trading and a cryptocurrency ATM.

Best time to go? September and October – temperatures are mild, the ski crowd is yet to arrive and hotel rates are competitive.

Get me there: fly non-stop from London to Chicago with British Airways, then take a connecting American Airlines flight to Salt Lake City. This trip could earn you up to 41,632 Avios and 540 Tier Points.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Why now? New Mexico might just be the last reserve of authentic southwestern charm – and art-filled Santa Fe is at the centre of that. This year is the centennial of the Santa Fe Indian Market, the largest Native American art show in the world – from ceramics to clothing, jewellery to basketry, it’s a city-wide celebration of the state’s cultural heritage. And next year, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum will enter an extensive redevelopment project, expanding its green spaces and facilities to meet visitor demand. The opening is slated for 2025, so mark your calendars.

Best time to go? September to November is ideal, as temperatures are cooling off, but the weather remains dry and bright.

Get me there: fly non-stop from London to Dallas/Fort Worth with British Airways, before taking a direct connecting flight with American Airlines to Santa Fe. You can earn up to 42,448 Avios and 540 Tier points by taking this journey.