Deal Alert: Flights to Mexico From $176 Round-Trip
Quick summary
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Want to see the latest flight deals as soon as they're published? Follow The Points Guy on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to text message alerts from our deals feed, @tpg_alerts.
Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you're using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you'll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia's courtesy cancellation if you're unable to get the time away from work or family.
Starting to think about a winter getaway? Well now is a great time to book since flights to sunny Mexico are on sale for cheap.
You can fly from Los Angeles (LAX), San Diego (SAN), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Miami (MIA), Dallas (DFW), Houston (IAH), Orlando (MCO), Boston (BOS) and Chicago (ORD) to resort destinations like Cancun (CUN) and Cabo San Lucas (SJD) or the cosmopolitan Mexico City (MEX) for as little as $176 round-trip.
Note that the US State Department recently upped the travel warning in Cancun to a level 2, where it recommends visitors "exercise increased caution due to crime." But, keep in mind countries like Germany, Denmark and the Maldives are also placed at level 2.
While most itineraries include nonstop flights, be aware that some fares book into basic economy. However, airline co-brand credit cards can defeat these tickets' negative aspects. And, if you have a stash of Delta SkyMiles, remember that the airline is running deals on award flights to destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean until September 5.
Airlines: American, United, Alaska, JetBlue
Routes: LAX/SAN/JFK/EWR/MIA/MCO/BOS/ORD/IAH/DFW to CUN/MEX/SJD
Cost: $176+ round-trip in economy
Travel Dates: September through April 2019
Booking Link: Directly with the airline
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Prestige (5x on airfare plus excellent trip delay insurance) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
Dallas (DFW) to Cancun (CUN) for $176 round-trip nonstop on American in basic economy:
Miami (MIA) to Cancun (CUN) for $198 round-trip nonstop on American in basic economy:
Chicago (ORD) to Cancun (CUN) for $208 round-trip nonstop on United in basic economy:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Cabo San Lucas (SJD) for $218 round-trip nonstop on Alaska:
New York (JFK) to Mexico City (MEX) for $240 round-trip nonstop on Delta in basic economy:
Boston (BOS) to Mexico City (MEX) for $258 round-trip nonstop on Aeromexico:
Maximize Your Purchase
Don't forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, Citi Premier, Citi Prestige (5x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.