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Deal alert: Fly to Cozumel, Mexico, for less than $200

Caroline Tanner
Articles
Caroline Tanner covers news and travel for TPG. She is a journalism graduate of Mizzou and Northwestern.
Oct. 05, 2021
•
5 min read
Aerial View of San Miguel de Cozumel
Deal alert: Fly to Cozumel, Mexico, for less than $200
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Today's deal alert is for peak season fares to Cozumel, which Thrifty Traveler says is among the best diving spots in Mexico. Round-trip flights through summer 2022 are available from most U.S. cities, ranging from the high $100s to under $400.

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Plaza del Sol, the main town square in San Miguel de Cozumel, Mexico. (Photo by YangYin via Getty Images)

This wide-reaching deal, courtesy of Thrifty Traveler Premium, is unique in that it includes fares for travel booked as late as August 2022, meaning your window to take advantage of these fares is quite long.

Airline: American Airlines and United.
Routes: ORD/DEN/IND/LAX/MSY/PHL/DCA and others to CZM.
Cost: Starting at $166 round-trip for select routes.
Dates: November 2021-August 2022.
Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5x on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), the Citi Prestige® Card for 5x on airfare, the Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees) or Chase Sapphire Reserve for 3x on air travel, the American Express® Gold Card for 3x on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 2x on travel — which you could redeem for as little as 13,000 points.

The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Read more: Hilton announces 3 new hotels in Mexico — including 2 all-inclusives

Flights are departing from more than 60 U.S. cities as well as Toronto, so you're likely to find a fare to your liking regardless of where you live. Example round-trip flights included depart from:

  • Chicago (ORD) for as low as $166, nonstop.
  • Miami (MIA) for as low as $204, nonstop.
  • Indianapolis (IND) for as low as $219.
  • Austin, Texas (AUS), for as low as $221.
  • New York (JFK/LGA/EWR) for as low as $251.
  • Los Angeles (LAX) for as low as $263.
  • Washington, D.C. (DCA/IAD), for as low as $263.
  • Hartford, Connecticut (BDL), for as low as $269.
  • Denver (DEN) for as low as $303.
  • Houston (IAH) for as low as $308 nonstop.

The fare cabin varies between basic economy and main cabin, which will affect whether the sale fare includes a carry-on bag or seat assignment. The below flight on American is among the lowest-priced in the batch, departing from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) for just over $200 round-trip. It does stop briefly in Miami on the way to Cozumel (CZM), but it's only for an hour.

(Screenshot courtesy of Google Flights)

Note that the above fare is for American's main cabin, which includes free seat selection and a carry-on bag.

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Related:Go where you want, but wear a mask: The new rules for cruisers in Cozumel

(Screenshot courtesy of Google Flights)

For the same price, you could take a basic-economy flight also on American departing from Miami International Airport (MIA) the week before Thanksgiving.

(Screenshot courtesy of Google Flights)

Note that this fare would charge you for seat selection, but you would still be able to carry on one bag for free.

(Screenshot courtesy of Google Flights)

Unlike many international destinations, no COVID-19 related protocols, including testing, are required to visit Mexico. All travelers returning to the U.S. will need a pre-departure COVID-19 test taken within three days of scheduled departure to the U.S. If staying in a hotel, Thrifty Traveler suggests contacting them to arrange a return test for you.

Maximize your purchase

Don’t forget to use a card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on air travel), American Express Gold Card (3x on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel), Citi Premier Card (3x on air travel) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel purchases). Check out this guide for more on maximizing airfare purchases.

Read more: How to fly lie-flat to Mexico and the Caribbean with American and Delta award space

Featured image by Getty Images
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.