I got stranded abroad — here's how points and miles got me home

About a month ago, I woke up on a Sunday morning in my Airbnb in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to something unexpected: the smell of smoke.

My friends and I had left the windows open overnight, and within minutes of waking up, it became clear something was wrong. A gas truck had been set on fire just two blocks away, part of a wave of cartel-related violence unfolding across parts of Mexico in late February.

By later that day, the airport had closed. Flights wouldn't resume until Tuesday, and, even then, disruptions were expected to ripple for days.

At the time, I was midway through a longer trip. I'd spent a week in Austin, where I used to live, before heading to Puerto Vallarta with friends. After Mexico, I was supposed to fly to San Diego for a couple of days and then return to Spain, where I'm now based.

That plan quickly fell apart.

Cash fares surged almost immediately. Flights to the U.S. were pricing at over $500 one-way, while itineraries back to Madrid via the U.S. climbed past $1,200. My Alaska Airlines flight to San Diego, booked months earlier for 20,000 Atmos Rewards points plus $105, was officially canceled on Monday morning, with the next available departure not until Saturday.

By Sunday afternoon, before that cancellation even came through, I had already started building a backup plan.

Building a flexible backup plan with award bookings

I used Seats.aero to quickly search award availability for nonstop flights from Puerto Vallarta to the U.S., Canada and Mexico City. You can also set alerts through tools like this, which can be especially helpful in fast-moving situations.

Rather than committing to a single option, I booked multiple speculative itineraries across different programs and travel days, knowing I could cancel and redeposit the points and miles if needed. Here's what I booked:

In practice, this meant I wasn't relying on a single flight or airline. I had four potential ways out of Puerto Vallarta, depending on how the situation evolved.

All of these awards were fully flexible, so I could cancel and redeposit the points and miles without penalty and receive all taxes and fees back.

This approach was also much easier because I was traveling solo. (My four friends flew back to Austin on Tuesday without issue.) Finding a single award seat at the last minute is far more realistic than trying to secure multiple seats for a group.

The last-minute American Airlines AAdvantage award that got me out

By Tuesday night, I still hadn't committed to a final plan.

While out at dinner, I decided to check award availability from Puerto Vallarta to Madrid. I wasn't expecting to find anything, especially at the last minute. But there it was: one seat.

For 27,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles plus $110 in taxes and fees, I could fly from Puerto Vallarta to Dallas, overnight there and continue to Madrid the following evening.

I booked it immediately — and paid an extra $134 to select a Main Cabin Extra seat in the first row of the economy cabin for some much-needed extra legroom.

It was a reminder that award availability can change at any moment, especially during disruptions — sometimes in travelers' favor.

At that point, with the airport having just reopened, I finally had a confirmed way out and could turn my attention to making the journey as smooth as possible.

Using World of Hyatt points to turn an overnight layover into a comfortable stay

After booking my flight on Tuesday night, I checked availability at the Grand Hyatt DFW, located inside Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). Unfortunately, nothing was available.

I checked again the next morning before leaving for the airport. Still nothing.

Then, as we were taxiing for takeoff from Puerto Vallarta, I refreshed one more time. A room had opened up, and I booked it immediately for 23,000 World of Hyatt points.

Thanks to my Globalist status, I was upgraded to a larger room with runway views, received free breakfast the next day and secured a 4 p.m. late checkout (ahead of my 5:15 p.m. flight to Madrid).

Without that availability opening up, I likely would have used a free night certificate from Marriott, IHG or Hilton at an off-airport property. Free night certificates can be especially useful for one-night stays in situations like this.

In the end, I was actually grateful for the overnight layover. After a few stressful days, it gave me a chance to reset. I ordered room service for dinner, slept for 10 hours, woke up watching planes take off and land, had a proper breakfast, went to the gym and took my time getting ready the next day.

Why transferable points and miles are so valuable during travel disruptions

In total, I used:

• 27,000 AAdvantage miles
• 23,000 World of Hyatt points

I also paid:

• $110 in taxes and fees for the flight
• $134 for an extra-legroom seat

I canceled my other backup flights and received all the points, miles and cash (for taxes and fees) used for them back as well.

The real advantage wasn't just the final redemption; it was having multiple confirmed options at the same time. By holding points and miles across different programs, I was able to:

• Lock in backup flights across different days and routes
• Adjust my plans as the situation evolved
• Act quickly when a better option appeared

If I had relied on a single airline currency or a single booking, my options would have been far more limited.

How I'm looking ahead

In fact, I'm already putting a diversified strategy into practice for a trip over nine months away.

I have a Qatar Airways flight booked from Sydney to Madrid via Doha using British Airways Avios for a six-week visit home in January next year, but given the uncertainty around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, I've also secured a backup option.

I've booked a separate Vietnam Airlines flight from Sydney to London via Hanoi, Vietnam, using Delta SkyMiles to have an alternative routing if disruptions arise. Even though that trip is still many months away, having a second option in place gives me added peace of mind.

Related: Airfare impact: Will the Middle East conflict lead to higher flight prices?

1 gap I noticed in my points and miles strategy

My recent experience in Mexico also highlighted a limitation.

While I had access to award seats on Oneworld carriers (American Airlines and Alaska Airlines) and SkyTeam airlines (Aeromexico and Delta Air Lines), I didn't have easy access to Star Alliance redemptions at the time (to fly United Airlines or Air Canada).

I could have transferred points or miles from my American Express, Chase or Capital One accounts to partners such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca Lifemiles and United MileagePlus.

In hindsight, having at least one Star Alliance partner currency ready to go would have made my backup plan even stronger.

Related: Major flight cancellations: How Capital One miles saved my international trip home

How to use points and miles when your travel plans fall apart

Points and miles aren't just useful for aspirational trips. They can be incredibly valuable when things don't go to plan.

Here are six tips that can help if you find yourself in a similar situation.

Book multiple backup options when possible

Flexible award tickets let me book several flights at once and cancel the ones I didn't need.

Diversify your points and miles strategy

Having access to multiple airline programs increases your chances of finding availability.

Search broadly and repeatedly

Availability changes constantly. The flight I ultimately booked appeared at the last minute. Tools like Seats.aero can help, especially if you set alerts.

Be ready to book immediately

When you find a workable option, it's often best to lock it in rather than wait for something better.

Use hotel points strategically

Airport hotels can make overnight connections more comfortable, and free night certificates are especially useful for short one-night stays.

Enroll in STEP ahead of time

One important lesson: I should have enrolled in the U.S. Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program before the trip. It's a simple step that's worth doing in advance of any trip abroad.

Related: These 12 apps and websites make award redemptions easier to find

Bottom line

By the time I boarded my flight out of Puerto Vallarta, what had started as a chaotic, uncertain situation had turned into something far more manageable.

Three days earlier, I'd woken up to smoke in the air and no clear way out. Flights were canceled, prices were climbing and the timeline kept shifting. But by building a flexible backup plan with points and miles, I never felt completely stuck — I had options at every step.

In the end, I didn't just get back to Spain. I did it on a routing I hadn't expected to find — for a reasonable cost — with an overnight stop that gave me time to reset before landing in Madrid in time to celebrate a friend's birthday.

It reinforced something that's easy to overlook when everything is going smoothly: Points and miles aren't just about getting outsize value on a great redemption. They're about having a safety net when travel doesn't go as expected and the flexibility to adapt when it matters most.

Related: The best cards for trip cancellation and interruption insurance — and what it actually covers