Ready for takeoff: A luxurious weeklong escape to Cancun for 250k points

You don't have to venture far to enjoy stunning white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters. The Caribbean and Mexico are particularly popular choices for those in the U.S. seeking some sunshine. The weather is delightful almost year-round, and numerous flights connect the U.S. to various Caribbean locales. Plus, both Mexico and most Caribbean islands are welcoming to Americans.

While there are many ways to explore Mexico or the Caribbean using points, today we’re here to assist TPG readers Rosalyn Santos and Brian Sturgeon in planning their upcoming trip. Their email states:

My husband and I are in our early 30s, residing in NYC (JFK and LGA preferred), and we're looking to take a vacation to the Caribbean or Mexico in August/September. We are both fully vaccinated!

Here’s what we’re hoping for:

1. Direct flight, economy class is acceptable
2. Preferred 5-star accommodations with excellent dining options on-site or close to local restaurants
3. 5 to 7 nights stay

Here’s a breakdown of our points, but we’re open to paying cash if the point values aren’t beneficial (I’m all about maximizing points!)

1. 450,000 Bonvoy Points, plus 2 certificates worth 50,000 points each
2. 140,000 Ultimate Rewards Points
3. $300 travel voucher with JetBlue

Thank you!

Current points inventory

Rosalyn and Brian have a somewhat limited amount of points, and we want to encourage them to diversify their rewards in the future. For example, we suggest they accumulate more transferable point currencies like American Express Membership Rewards or Capital One miles. However, the points they currently possess should be sufficient to cover their airfare and accommodation.

• 450,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
• 140,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Additionally, they hold a $300 travel voucher with JetBlue and two Marriott Bonvoy 50,000-point free night certificates for eligible hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy network (note that some hotels may impose resort fees) which come with specific Marriott cobranded credit cards. They should prioritize using these rewards first, as both have expiration dates.

Airfare to Cancun

Considering Rosalyn and Brian's points totals and preferences, the ideal destination for them would be Cancun, Mexico. There are numerous nonstop flight choices from the New York City area, along with excellent Marriott Bonvoy properties available.

JetBlue provides three daily flights from New York-JFK to Cancun (CUN). Typically, round-trip fares on this route are around $300 per person, meaning Rosalyn and Brian's JetBlue credit should cover one of their tickets. Unfortunately, there is no Mint business class option available on this route, so they'll have to fly coach.

For their second ticket, I suggest they utilize the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal. Since we don't know which Ultimate Rewards card Rosalyn and Brian possess, we'll assume they have the Chase Sapphire Reserve. This would allow them to redeem their points on the travel portal for 1.5 cents each. For example, a $319 ticket would cost approximately 21,250 points—not too shabby. Meanwhile, those with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card can redeem at a rate of 1.25 cents each.

While JetBlue TrueBlue points can be transferred 1:1 from Chase, booking through the travel portal may provide better value. This is due to TrueBlue points having a fairly consistent value of 1.3 cents each. Additionally, unlike traditional awards, tickets booked through Chase's portal earn TrueBlue award points and contribute to Mosaic qualification.

How to book this award using points

Booking flights via the Chase Travel Portal is incredibly straightforward. The search engine, powered by Expedia (although not for long), should be intuitive for most users.

Begin by logging into your Chase account and navigating to your Ultimate Rewards dashboard. Click on "Travel" in the menu to reach the travel homepage. Enter your departure and destination (airport code CUN) along with your travel dates as you would typically do.

On the following page, you'll find all the available flight options. Rosalyn and Brian should filter the results to display only nonstop flights operated by JetBlue, enabling them to book the same flight for which they'll use the travel credit.

Once you’ve chosen your flights, a summary of your ticket price will appear, including options to upgrade to a higher fare. Unlike conventional award tickets, there are no taxes or fees to pay.

The last step is to enter the traveler information as you typically would. The system will default to using points for payment, but you have the option to pay with a combination of cash and points. Then, click the "Complete Booking" button and just like that, your flight will be booked, and a confirmation will be emailed to you — no need to transfer points to another program.

How to accumulate enough points for this reward

Rosalyn and Brian already possess more than enough Ultimate Rewards points to book this award. However, if you're aiming to recreate this itinerary and need additional points, you can easily achieve that with a welcome bonus from a new Chase card.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred provides 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account. Similarly, the more premium Chase Sapphire Reserve also grants 60,000 bonus points after the same spending requirement in the first three months.

Hotels in Cancun that you can book with points

The only hotel points Rosalyn and Brian hold are with Marriott Bonvoy, so that’s the focus of our discussion. Fortunately, Marriott has several properties available in Cancun.

Rosalyn and Brian expressed a desire for a five-star hotel experience, making The Ritz-Carlton Cancun and JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa their top two options. Both hotels are situated right on the beach in the Hotel Zone and fall under Category 6 in the Bonvoy program.

Award nights at either hotel require 40,000 points for off-peak dates, 50,000 for standard dates, and 60,000 for peak times. This is ideal because Rosalyn and Brian can redeem their up to 50,000-point free night certificates at either hotel. Additionally, when they redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for five consecutive nights, they’ll get one night free.

Although the Ritz-Carlton brand is typically seen as more prestigious, TPG's experiences indicate that the JW is the superior choice in Cancun. The JW resort has a more contemporary vibe, thanks to its recent renovation. It boasts three pools, three dining options, a full-service spa, and numerous activities, including tennis courts.

It’s important to note that Marriott is currently integrating several all-inclusive resorts into the Bonvoy program, such as the Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa and Royalton CHIC Suites Cancun Resort and Spa.

How to accumulate enough points for this reward

With two free night certificates and their points, Rosalyn and Brian should have no trouble covering their weeklong hotel stay. If you want to recreate this itinerary, you can earn Marriott points quickly through a cobranded credit card from American Express or Chase. In addition to the annual free night certificates, some cards provide free night awards as part of their welcome bonuses. Here’s a summary of the available cards and their current welcome offers:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: Earn three Free Night Awards (each valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 within the first three months of card membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 95,000 bonus points after using your new card for $6,000 in purchases within the first six months of membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn three bonus Free Night Awards (up to 150,000 total bonus points) after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months. Note that some hotels may have resort fees.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card: Earn 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months.

Conclusion

TPG readers Rosalyn and Brian have just enough points for their post-vaccination trip to Mexico. Although they’ll be flying in economy, they’ll enjoy a weeklong stay at a five-star resort. Plus, you can easily follow their itinerary if you’re in search of a beach vacation of your own.

If you have a specific destination in mind and need assistance with your points strategy, email us to be featured in the next edition of Cleared for Takeoff.