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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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How I took my dad to Mexico City with a winning combination of vouchers, credits and points
Ryan is a former TPG credit cards writer who has been around points and miles for several years and has published content at Miles to Memories, AwardWallet and The Points Guy. His wife joins him on many of his trips, and they enjoy snowboarding, diving, and seeing animals in the wild. When not traveling, Ryan is probably answering questions from his family about how he travels so much and whether this points & miles stuff is illegal.
December 21, 2022 • 8 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.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.
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Quick summary
A traveler used a combination of points, miles, hotel benefits and an expiring airline voucher to book a last-minute three-night trip to Mexico City for two people.
Strategic use of loyalty program points and hotel credits significantly reduced out-of-pocket costs, with the total spend amounting to $333.10 instead of the $1,646 cash price.
Hotel status perks provided complimentary daily breakfast, dinner and a $100 on-property credit, further lowering expenses.
The trip was planned and booked just 10 days in advance, demonstrating how flexible rewards and benefits can enable spontaneous travel.
What to consider
Some offers and credits used in this trip may no longer be available, as noted in the article.
Hotel loyalty status can unlock valuable perks like complimentary meals and lounge access, but benefits may vary by property and booking method.
Redemption values for points and miles fluctuate based on timing, availability and program rules; TPG’s valuations peg Hyatt points at 2 cents each as of June 2025.
What you'll miss from the article
A step-by-step breakdown of how to combine expiring vouchers, loyalty points and hotel benefits for maximum value on a last-minute international trip.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
I recently took an impromptu trip to Mexico City. Even better, I brought my dad along for a "meet in the middle" trip, since I live in California and he lives in Florida.
Using points, miles, credit card perks and an expiring airline voucher, I got the two of us to one of my favorite cities in the world for a long weekend. Here's how my dad and I spent three nights in Mexico City for just $333.10 — including daily breakfast and dinner.
The inspiration for a last-minute trip to Mexico
As the year ends, I am working on several outstanding credit card benefits that I need to "use or lose." This included up to $200 in hotel credits with The Platinum Card® from American Express. I also had a flight voucher with Aeromexico from a canceled flight last year, and this was set to expire Dec. 31.
I also needed three more nights with Hyatt to requalify for Globalist status this year. Thus, my ideal scenario included using my $200 in hotel credits at a Hyatt location served by Aeromexico, so it looked like I was heading to Mexico at some point in December.
As my wife and I started discussing this plan, I received an email from my mom saying she was booking a short-notice cruise with a friend. "Why don't you take your dad somewhere while your mom is on her trip?" my wife suggested. Perfect idea. My dad had never been to Mexico City, and we could spend a long weekend there to meet somewhere between Florida and California.
Sitting on the hop-on, hop-off bus with my dad. RYAN SMITH/THE POINTS GUY
What I had available for booking the trip
As mentioned, I had an Aeromexico voucher that would expire Dec. 31. After using this for round-trip flights between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Mexico City International Airport (MEX), I paid only an additional $26.91. I earned 135 Membership Rewards points by paying for this with my Amex Platinum Card.
AMERICANEXPRESS.COM
I found the Hyatt Regency Mexico City listed in The Hotel Collection for our hotel. These bookings require a minimum stay of two nights and offer benefits that vary by hotel. From my previous bookings, I have received on-property benefits like spending credits and free spa treatments.
The total price on this two-night reservation was $374, but I received a statement credit of $200 from American Express to bring the cost down to $174.
AMEXTRAVEL.COM
To minimize costs, I booked the third night of our stay using World of Hyatt points. The Hyatt Regency Mexico City is a Category 4 property but was using off-peak pricing during our trip. Thus, I could book a room for 9,000 points and get a redemption value of 2 cents per point.
While it's not guaranteed, I felt confident I would receive stay credit with World of Hyatt for all three nights of our stay. I've received stay credit on every stay from The Hotel Collection or Fine Hotels + Resorts when booking a property that participates in World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, and I did receive credit for this stay.
Since it was just a weekend trip, neither of us needed to check a bag. That made booking options easier and cheaper.
For the return flights, I used 18,000 Avios plus $93.19 for my dad to fly on American Airlines. Unfortunately, British Airways' website wasn't showing any flights for the outbound date of our trip.
BRITISHAIRWAYS.COM
Because of this, my dad flew to Mexico City on Delta Air Lines. I used 36,000 SkyMiles and paid $39 in taxes and fees.
DELTA.COM
If we had paid cash, the cheapest round-trip option for my father's flights would have cost $575. Instead, I paid 18,000 Avios, 36,000 SkyMiles and just $132.19 out of pocket.
Getting free meals along the way
The Hyatt Regency Mexico City recognized my Hyatt Globalist status and upgraded us to a room on the 36th floor with Regency Club lounge access. Here, we had access to a daily breakfast buffet, afternoon snacks and light bites at dinner time. These were available without cost, as were drinks throughout the day.
Additionally, the hotel provided a $100 on-property credit to use during the dates covered by our Hotel Collection booking. Since we didn't have a rental car or the need to pay for parking, we used our credit at the hotel's restaurants. We picked up daily lattes and sweets plus a Christmas ornament for my parents' tree from the Amado and Amado Market near the hotel lobby. One afternoon, we also had sushi and tempura at the Yoshimi Japanese restaurant near the hotel lobby. All of these were covered by our $100 spending credit, meaning we had nothing to pay at checkout.
Other dining options at the hotel include the Teppan Grill — providing teppanyaki-style Japanese cooking prepared right in front of you — and Rulfo, which cooks South American specialties like empanadas, ceviche and Argentinian churrasco.
Part of a mural by David Siqueiros in the Mexican History Museum in the Chapultepec Castle. RYAN SMITH/THE POINTS GUY
Bottom line
My dad and I spent the weekend visiting museums, riding the hop-on, hop-off bus and eating our weight in tacos. We didn't pay for breakfast or dinner during our stay, thanks to free food at the hotel, and we also had $100 to spend at the hotel, which we used to cover additional meals.
Taking two people from opposite sides of the U.S. to Mexico City for a long weekend might seem like a tall order. Instead, it lined up perfectly with the items I had available for a trip. I stacked an expiring flight voucher, hotel credits and frequent flyer miles to get my dad and I to another country for three nights. I did so by spending just $333.10 instead of $1,646, which was the cash cost for our hotel and flights on our dates of travel. And I booked all of this just 10 days before our trip.
It wasn't the most valuable points redemption I've ever made (in terms of cents-per-point value), but the memories make it one of the best redemptions I've ever made.
Feeling inspired to explore Mexico but not sure where to start, let Elsewhere travel experts plan your trip. (Elsewhere is owned by TPG's sister brand, Lonely Planet.)
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
