How I Used 150K Points for Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rico Concert — And Saved $3,000+ in Travel

When Bad Bunny announced his historic 30-show residency, No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí, in his hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico, I knew I had to find a way to get my wife there.

She’s been a fan of his for years — not just because he is the biggest Latin artist on the planet, but for what he represents: unapologetic self-expression, Latino pride, and a voice that resonates across generations.

Her group chats immediately exploded, buzzing with excitement over the prospect of attending this once-in-a-lifetime event in person. I realized this wasn’t just another concert series — this was a cultural moment.

But here’s the thing: you don’t have to spend a fortune to be part of it. Using points and miles, I helped my wife get to San Juan for this historic residency. Here are tips and tricks on how you can, too.

Why Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rico Residency Is a Big Deal

Officially running from July 11 to September 14, 2025, No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí is a 30-show that will be performed by Bad Bunny at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, affectionately known as “El Choli.”

Bad Bunny’s concert series is the first time a Latin artist has done a residency of this scale entirely in Puerto Rico. And it’s not just a local event — the buzz around it has become global. While it’s not quite at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour levels, the Bad Bunny effect is real: fans are flying in from across the world, and hotel and flight prices have skyrocketed in response.

These performances are packed with symbolism and pride. Bad Bunny isn’t just performing in Puerto Rico — he’s reclaiming his island, telling its story through music, and keeping the spotlight on local identity and issues.

This residency has become both a cultural and economic force, with Puerto Rican officials estimating it could bring over $300 million to the island’s economy. Tens of thousands of fans are flooding San Juan, many without tickets, just to be part of the atmosphere.

Some fans are cashing in all their points just to make the trip possible. One of them is Melanie Ramirez, a friend of my wife’s who is flying in from Washington, D.C.

As soon as the residency dates dropped, I knew I had to be there — no matter what,” Godelis said. “I used the last 40,000 JetBlue points I had to book a round-trip flight, and I’m planning to split the cost of a hotel room for a few nights so a group of us girls can stay together. This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment for any real Bad Bunny fan.” -Melanie Ramirez

Booking Travel to Puerto Rico With Points and Miles

Once I started looking into the cash prices of flights and hotels, the prices were wild. Round-trip airfare from the mainland U.S. to San Juan had jumped 100% (or more) since the residency was announced, and hotel rooms were going for rates I typically see in New York City and Tokyo.

But that didn’t stop me. I saw this as the perfect chance to use my travel rewards savviness to offset those inflated prices.

Bad Bunny’s residency runs through September 14, 2025, but my wife chose to visit over Labor Day weekend — traditionally one of the busiest times of year for Puerto Rico, when tourists flock to the island regardless of any special events.

With the residency in full swing during that time, the crowds and demand for flights and hotels were especially high. Despite all that, I was able to use points and miles strategically to book her trip without paying peak prices.

Round-Trip Flights for 30,000 Miles

I booked her round-trip flight from Miami (MIA) to San Juan (SJU) in business class, redeeming Alaska Mileage Plan miles: just 15,000 miles each way. Sure, I could’ve booked her in economy for only 7,500 miles, but with the island buzzing and the trip being a big deal to her, I wanted her to get there in style.

I had so many miles at my disposal because I recently upgraded from the American Express^® Gold Card to The Platinum Card^® from American Express. Doing so allowed me to score an amazing upgrade offer: 125,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months.

Thanks to that bonus, I had more than enough points to transfer from Amex to Hawaiian Airlines and then on to Alaska Mileage Plan — using a transfer feature that’s no longer available, so it was a perfect time to capitalize on it. (You can also transfer Bilt Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio to Alaska Mileage Plan).

For the exact same American Airlines-operated flight to San Juan, American AAdvantage was charging more than double the miles in business class — and over 3 times as much for economy.

This sweet-spot redemption is exactly why Alaska miles are so valuable, especially on domestic partner flights like this one.

If you’re flexible with your travel dates or departure times, you can probably still find cash fares under $300 round-trip. But award redemptions are also worth exploring with programs like JetBlue TrueBlue, Air Canada Aeroplan, Delta SkyMiles, and Avianca LifeMiles.

2 Hotel Nights for Less than 120,000 Points

For lodging, I booked her a 2-night stay at the AC Hotel San Juan in Condado using Marriott Bonvoy points. The location is ideal — close to the venue, José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum (El Choli), and within walking distance of restaurants, nightlife, and the beach.

I redeemed 59,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night, which covered a stay that cost well over $1,000 cash for those nights. With hotel rates surging around the residency, using points offered major value.

Other strong options include World of Hyatt properties in Isla Verde and even some Hilton Honors beachfront resorts — if you can find award availability. Airbnb can also be a viable option, although dynamic pricing has significantly increased during this period.

How You Can Still Book a Trip Using Points and Miles

If you’re thinking of going before the final show on September 14, 2025, here are some more booking tips:

• Use flexible point currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards or Capital One Miles to transfer to airline partners for better flight deals.
• Search award flights using tools like Point.me, Seats.aero, or Roame.travel.
• Be flexible with dates and airports — consider flying into Ponce (PSE) or Aguadilla (BQN) and renting a car if flights and hotels in San Juan are astronomically priced or sold out.
• Check for hotel award availability ASAP — especially with Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, and IHG. Many programs let you book now and cancel later.
• Consider welcome bonuses — check out these elevated welcome bonus offers, which can earn you enough points and miles to get you a flight, hotel, or both.

Final Thoughts

Helping my wife get to Puerto Rico for this historic Bad Bunny residency — and doing it with points and miles — was a good reminder of why I value travel rewards in the first place.

It’s not always about saving money or flying up front. It’s about making meaningful trips like this possible, especially when demand (and prices) are through the roof.