How many air miles do you need to go to Mexico?

To fly in first/business class to Mexico, you can spend as little as 12,500 British Airways Avios on a short American Airlines flight. Alternatively, you can also use 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles for a United business/first class flight or even as little as 18,000 Delta SkyMiles for a Delta first class flight.

What is the best airline to fly to Mexico?

If you want a more comfortable flight, we recommend choosing a full-service carrier, such as Delta, American, United, or Aeromexico. All of these airlines can be booked using points!

Who flies to Cancún?

Virtually all of the U.S. carriers, plus a few Mexican airlines like Aeromexico and Volaris, fly to Cancún. Some U.S. airlines include American, Delta, United, and even Alaska Airlines.

How many points does it take to fly to Mexico with Alaska?

You can spend as little as 10,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles on a main cabin ticket for a trip less than 1,400 miles in length, as long as the award space is available. You can also spend as little as 30,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles for a first class flight, but the key will be finding award space.

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The Best Ways To Fly to Mexico With Points and Miles [Step-by-Step]

Updated: April 29, 2025, 2:35pm CDT

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Table of Contents

Key Takeaways
Best Programs To Use To Book Flights
Final Thoughts

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Key Takeaways

The 4 best airlines to fly to Mexico with points are United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Aeromexico.
The best programs to search for award flights include Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, United MileagePlus, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, The British Airways Club, American Airlines AAdvantage, and Delta SkyMiles.

Mexico is world-famous for being a colorful country with various landscapes, an incredible culture, delicious food, and impeccable beverages!

Whether you’re into beachside party culture, underwater adventures, natural exploration, or historical museums, Mexico has what you’ll like.

As one of the closest destinations to the U.S., it’s no wonder why Mexico is one of the easiest, most convenient places to access for those based in North America (not just the U.S.).

Surprisingly, flights to Mexico, particularly leisure destinations like Cancún (CUN), Cozumel (CZM), Puerto Vallarta (PVR), and Cabo (SJD) can get very pricey very quickly, despite some flights being just over an hour-long!

This paves the way for some amazing ways to use points and miles for flights to Mexico, saving you thousands of dollars in the process.

Best Programs To Use To Book Flights

Assuming you’re flying from the U.S. to Mexico, you’re in for a short-haul flight. In almost all cases, your best-case scenario is a wide, recliner-style seat on a full-service carrier.

Sure, there are flights on low-cost carriers like Volaris, Frontier, and Spirit, but why settle for that when you can enjoy a more comfortable flight for a few more points?

In general, the 4 best airlines you can book to Mexico are:

All of these airlines more or less offer a similar type of service (except rare widebody aircraft frequencies aboard American Airlines and Aeromexico), so the 2 factors you should use to make your decision are convenience (nonstop vs. connecting flights) and points price.

Chances are that there’s a nonstop flight to Mexico from the international airport near you, so just keep that in mind when searching for flights.

As far as award programs go, we’ve identified numerous programs that offer at least 1 of these benefits:

Rock-bottom region-based pricing (e.g. Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles)
Sweet spot distance-based pricing (e.g. The British Airways Club)
Enhanced award availability when redeeming a mileage premium (e.g. United MileagePlus)

So without further ado, here are our best ways to fly to Mexico using points and miles!

Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles

United First Class Seat with Laptop — United first class is a comfortable way to fly to Mexico. Image Credit: United Airlines

At first glance, you might be wondering what Turkish Airlines is doing in a guide on flying to Mexico.

However, Turkish Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, of which United Airlines is also a member. That means you can use Turkish Airlines miles for flights on United and vice-versa.

Interestingly, Turkish Airlines miles are incredibly valuable because you would pay just 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles for a one-way flight between the U.S. and Mexico aboard United Airlines business class (or 10,000 miles in economy).

Since Turkish Airlines’ award search engine is a bit clunky, we’d recommend following the steps below to search for award space:

Search for partner-level United award availability via a website like Air Canada
- If you’re familiar with partner-level award space, you can still use United’s website, but you’ll just need to specifically look for flights with availability in the Business Saver Award column
Visit Turkish Airlines’ website
Click Sign In in the top-right corner and log in using your Turkish Airlines account information
- If you haven’t created an account, click Sign up in the top-right corner
After logging in, you’ll be redirected to the homepage, where you’ll find a search box in the middle of the homepage
Click the checkbox that says Award ticket – Buy a ticket with Miles
Enter your departure and destination airport codes, departure date(s), cabin class, and the number of passengers; click the red search button
If your desired flights show up, simply confirm the reservation, redeem your miles, and use a credit card for taxes and fees
- If the desired flights don’t show up, call Turkish Airlines at 800-874-8875 to complete the reservation

Here are some amazing, high-value routes you can book:

Chicago (ORD) – Cozumel (CZM) one-way in United business class for 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles + ~$59 in taxes and fees
Houston (IAH) – Guadalajara (GDL) one-way in United business class for 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles + ~$59 in taxes and fees
Houston (IAH) – Heroica Veracruz (VER) one-way in United business class for 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles + ~$59 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Cozumel (CZM) one-way in United business class for 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles + ~$59 in taxes and fees
Newark (EWR) – Mexico City (MEX) one-way in United business class for 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles + ~$59 in taxes and fees
Newark (EWR) – San José del Cabo (SJD) one-way in United business class for 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles + ~$59 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in United business class for 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles + ~$59 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – San José del Cabo (SJD) one-way in United business class for 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles + ~$59 in taxes and fees
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in United business class for 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles + ~$59 in taxes and fees

Earning Turkish Airlines Miles

At the moment, Turkish Airlines’ frequent flyer program, Miles&Smiles, is only transfer partners with Citi ThankYou Rewards.

Luckily, you can transfer Citi ThankYou Points to Turkish Airlines at a 1:1 ratio. Transfers take around 1 to 2 days to process.

Here are our favorite ways to earn Citi ThankYou Points:

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Hot Tip: Need a hotel too? Check out these Mexico hotels to book with points including options in popular spots like Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, and Cancun.

United MileagePlus

United first class — Redeem United miles to enjoy greater award availability when booking United premium cabin flights to Mexico. Image Credit: United

United’s own frequent flyer program, MileagePlus, enjoys several advantages over other programs; namely, because of its dynamic award pricing system, only a small fraction of flights are bookable with partner awards.

On the other hand, United makes many times more flights available to those redeeming United miles.

We recommend using United MileagePlus if you’d like to have the easiest time searching for flights, thanks to the seamless online search engine, the abundance of availability (albeit probably more expensive mileage-wise), and the ease of earning United miles.

Remember, United uses variable award pricing, so you’ll notice mileage prices all over the board. In some cases, these flights are bookable for as little as 30,000 miles — on other dates, you’ll see prices as high as 90,000+ miles! To get around this, just adjust your flight dates (if possible).

Here’s how we would recommend booking a United flight to Mexico using United miles:

Visit United’s website
On the homepage, you’ll see a search box
Choose Roundtrip or One-way
Check off the box that says Book with miles
Enter the origin and destination cities
Select your departure date
Choose the number of travelers
Toggle the cabin class (business class)
Click Find flights
Your flight results will populate; choose the dates and flights that work the best for you and complete the booking by entering the traveler information and a credit card for taxes and fees

Here are some amazing nonstop routes you can book on United in business/first class:

Chicago (ORD) – Monterrey (MTY) one-way in United business class from 30,000 United miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Houston (IAH) – León (BJX) one-way in United business class from 30,000 United miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Ixtapa (ZIH) one-way in United business class from 32,500 United miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Newark (EWR) – Puerto Vallarta (PVR) one-way in United business class from 30,000 United miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Mexico City (MEX) one-way in United business class from 30,000 United miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees

Earning United MileagePlus Miles

Earning United miles is easy. In general, the 2 best ways to earn United miles are either via Chase Ultimate Rewards since the program is a Chase airline partner, or directly from United’s co-branded credit cards. Bilt Rewards is another United transfer partner.

Generally, it’s much easier to earn Chase points quickly; once your points are accumulated, you can transfer them at a 1:1 ratio to United, which process almost instantly!

Alternatively, you can make purchases on co-branded United cards, though you’ll probably rack up points slower.

Lastly, United is a transfer partner with Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio. If you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to United, you’ll earn a bonus of 10,000 miles for a total of 30,000 United miles earned.

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Annual Fee

APR

0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months; after that, 20.49% - 28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The New United Gateway℠ Card is a great option for those looking to earn more United miles without wanting to pay a credit card annual fee. Plus, the card offers other solid benefits like a 25% back on United inflight purchases, purchase protection, and rental car insurance.

Pros & Cons

Pros

2x miles per $1 on United purchases
2x miles per $1 at gas stations and on local transit and commuting, including rideshare services, taxicabs, train tickets, tolls, and mass transit
1x mile per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

If you are a frequent United flyer, other cards offer more perks
It does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Limited-Time Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus miles
0% intro APR for the first 12 months from account opening on purchases & no annual fee.
2x miles on United^® purchases
2x miles at gas stations, on local transit and commuting
1x mile on all other purchases
25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Gateway Card
Earn 2 checked bags after you spend $10,000 in a calendar year
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months; after that, 20.49% - 28.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

The New United Club℠ Business Card

U.P. Rating

The United Club Business card is a great option for frequent United flyers looking for United Club access.

The New United Club℠ Business Card

The United Club Business card is a great option for frequent United flyers looking for United Club access.

Welcome OfferEarn 80,000 bonus miles plus 2,000 PQP after spending $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months of opening an account.
80,000 miles + 2,000 PQP

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$960

Annual Fee

$695

APR

20.49%-28.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The New United Club℠ Business Card is a premium card option for dedicated United loyalists seeking a card that offers complimentary United Club access, helps them earn and retain status, and doesn’t skip on the benefits.

From free checked bags to upgrades on award tickets and the ability to earn Premier qualifying points, there is plenty to the United Club Business card that United flyers are sure to love.

Pros & Cons

Pros

2x miles per $1 spent on United purchases
1.5x miles per $1 spent on all other purchases
Complimentary United Club membership

Cons

$695 annual fee
Earning rate for United purchases is poor compared to other United cards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 80,000 bonus miles plus 2,000 PQP after spending $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months of opening an account
Earn 2x miles on United purchases
Earn 1.5x miles on all other purchases
Earn 5x miles on stays purchased through Renowned Hotels and Resorts for United^® Cardmembers
Employee cards at no additional cost
United Club℠ membership included – at least a $750 value per year – with the ability to unlock United Club All Access Membership
Earn 2 global Economy Plus^® seat upgrades each year
Free first and second checked bags for you and a companion, save up to $320 per round-trip
Up to $50 in credits on United FareLock purchases annually
Up to $200 in credits on Renowned Hotels and Resorts for United^® Cardmembers annually
Up to $150 in credits on rideshare purchases annually
Up to $100 in United travel credits on Avis or Budget purchases annually
Up to $200 in credits on JSX purchases annually
25% back on United inflight purchases
No foreign transaction fees
Complimentary Instacart+ Membership (terms apply)
Up to $240 in Instacart credits annually (terms apply)

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.49%-28.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: $0

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

United recliner first class — One of the handiest transfer partners for those looking to fly United to Mexico, especially with Amex points, is Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. Image Credit: United

Our favorite frequent flyer program for United flights, particularly for Amex Membership Rewards loyalists, is Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.

Most known for being the only loyalty program you can use to book Singapore Suites and Singapore Airlines’ long-haul business class, KrisFlyer is incredibly useful for flights on United.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles can also be redeemed for Alaska Airlines flights, but the premium cabin redemption rates aren’t as attractive, which is why we aren’t discussing Alaska Airlines redemptions.

Just like with Turkish Airlines, you’ll need to first locate partner-level availability. Follow these steps to set yourself up for success:

Search for availability on the Air Canada or LifeMiles websites; alternatively, you can visit United’s website and perform a search for Business Saver Award tickets
Call Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer at 312-843-5333
Feed the agent the flight information, including the airport codes, flight date(s), flight numbers, number of travelers, and cabin class
The agent should be able to see partner-level availability and confirm your ticket
Redeem your KrisFlyer miles, complete the reservation, and pay for any taxes and fees using a credit card

KrisFlyer charges 19,500 miles one-way in economy and 39,000 miles in business (round-trip is simply double the price).

Here are some fantastic routes you can book using KrisFlyer miles on United Airlines business class:

Chicago (ORD) – San José del Cabo (SJD) one-way in United business class for 39,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Houston (IAH) – Oaxaca (OAX) one-way in United business class for 39,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Manzanillo (ZLO) one-way in United business class for 39,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Newark (EWR) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in United business class for 39,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Puerto Vallarta (PVR) one-way in United business class for 39,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Mexico City (MEX) one-way in United business class for 39,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees

Earning Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles

Earning KrisFlyer miles is made easy by the numerous transfer partners available.

Singapore is an Amex transfer partner, Chase transfer partner, Citi transfer partners, and even Brex points at a 1:1 ratio. These transfers usually take 1 business day.

Our favorite transfer partner to leverage with this redemption is Amex Membership Rewards, simply because it’s so easy to earn tons of Amex points on everyday purchases.

You can also transfer Capital One miles at a 1:1 ratio and Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred.

Recommended Amex Cards

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome OfferYou may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
As High As 175,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:
Up to $3,850

Annual Fee

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

$695 annual fee (rates and fees)
Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel^® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel^®.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club^® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card^® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
$200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card^® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
$199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card^®.
Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
$695 annual fee.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome OfferYou may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:
Up to   $2,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

$325 annual fee (rates and fees)
No lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

See our list of recommended Amex business credit cards if you’re a business owner.

The British Airways Club

American Airlines business class meal — By booking American Airlines business class using BA Avios, you can take advantage of comfortable recliner seats at excellent prices. Image Credit: American Airlines

American Airlines, just like United, has plenty of ways to fly nonstop to Mexico. And although a couple of cities are serviced by both United and American Airlines, you’ll notice that each of them more or less have their own “territory.”

For example, United has a stronghold in San Francisco (SFO) while American Airlines has incredible power in Dallas (DFW).

So in this section, we’ll show you our favorite way to redeem points for American Airlines flights to Mexico: The British Airways Club.

Overall, using British Airways miles (known as BA Avios) is generally attractive for shorter-haul flights and exorbitant for long-haul flights.

Luckily, this falls into the short-haul category! British Airways only has access to American Airlines’ partner-level award space, so you wouldn’t want to search on American Airlines’ website as a general rule.

Here’s how American Airlines flights can be booked using British Airways Avios:

Visit British Airways’ website
Click Log in in the top-right corner and enter your British Airways Club information
Once you’ve been logged in and get redirected to the homepage, hover over the Book button in the top ribbon and click Book a flight with Avios
Enter your departure and destination cities, travel dates, cabin class, and the number of passengers; click Get flights
Choose the flight you’d like to book and click Continue
Confirm the ticket by redeeming your Avios, entering the traveler information, and using a credit card to pay for taxes and fees

If you can follow these steps, you could potentially get some incredible value regardless of which cabin class you end up booking. Here are some of our favorite routes you can book using BA Avios:

Boston (BOS) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in American Airlines business class for 22,000 BA Avios + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Dallas (DFW) – Acapulco (ACA) one-way in American Airlines business class for 16,500 BA Avios + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Dallas (DFW) – Chihuahua (CUU) one-way in American Airlines business class for 15,000 BA Avios + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – San José del Cabo (SJD) one-way in American Airlines business class for 12,500 BA Avios + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Miami (MIA) – Cozumel (CZM) one-way in American Airlines business class for 12,500 BA Avios + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Miami (MIA) – Mérida (MID) one-way in American Airlines business class for 16,500 BA Avios + ~$35 in taxes and fees
New York City (JFK) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in American Airlines business class for 22,000 BA Avios + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Phoenix (PHX) – Hermosillo (HMO) one-way in American Airlines business class for 12,500 BA Avios + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Phoenix (PHX) – Mazatlán (MZT) one-way in American Airlines business class for 16,500 BA Avios + ~$35 in taxes and fees

Earning British Airways Avios

We are big fans of British Airways Avios due to the outsized value you can get, particularly for shorter flights.

British Airways Avios can generally be earned through transfer partners or directly via the co-branded British Airways card.

Currently, The British Airways Club is transfer partners with Chase Ultimate Rewards (1:1), American Express Membership Rewards (1:1), Capital One Miles (1:1), and Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 with a 5,000-mile bonus after transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points).

In nearly all cases, British Airways Avios transfers should be processed almost instantly. Transfers from Marriott Bonvoy take around 3 business days.

Hot Tip: If you happen to have Iberia Avios or Aer Lingus Avios, you can actually transfer them at a 1:1 ratio to British Airways Avios, too!

Recommended British Airways Card

British Airways Visa Signature^® Card

U.P. Rating

This card is great for British Airways frequent flyers, and traveling couples will find great value in the Travel Together Ticket.

British Airways Visa Signature^® Card

This card is great for British Airways frequent flyers, and traveling couples will find great value in the Travel Together Ticket.

Welcome OfferEarn 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
75,000 Avios

UP's Offer Valuation*:
$937

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The British Airways Visa Signature^® Card is a stellar option for travelers who regularly travel with the airline. From all of the Avios the card helps you earn, to a 10% discount off cash tickets, and the award flight statement credits, you can get tons of value out of the card each year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

3x Avios per $1 on British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL purchases
2x Avios per $1 on hotel accommodations purchased directly through hotels
1x Avios per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

$95 annual fee
Does not earn transferable rewards

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL.
Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel.
10% off British Airways flights starting in the US when you book through the website provided in your welcome materials.
Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
Simply tap to pay with your contactless British Airways Visa Signature Card. Just look for the contactless symbol at checkout. It’s fast, easy and secure!
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.99% - 28.49% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

British Airways Executive Club

American Airlines AAdvantage

American Airlines 777 Flagship Business Class rear facing seat — American Airlines’ flights to Mexico are typically serviced with recliner-style business class seats. Image Credit: Chris Hassan

American Airlines AAdvantage is best utilized if you want to book an American Airlines flight but can’t locate any partner-level award space.

With AAdvantage miles, you can access a greater award inventory, but you might have to pay higher mileage prices. This is a great alternative if you have a bunch of American Airlines miles sitting around that you’d like to utilize.

To redeem AAdvantage miles for an American Airlines flight to Mexico, follow these steps:

Visit American Airlines’ website
On the homepage, you’ll see a search box
Click Round trip or One way
Click the box that says Redeem miles
Choose your origin and destination airports
Select the number of passengers and the departure and/or return dates
Click Search
Find the desired flights you’d like to book and use your AA miles to confirm your ticket

This straightforward process is probably the easiest way to book an American Airlines flight to Mexico. Here are some great routes to consider booking:

Chicago (ORD) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in American Airlines business class from 20,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Dallas (DFW) – La Paz (LAP) one-way in American Airlines business class from 23,500 AAdvantage miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Dallas (DFW) – Mazatlán (MZT) one-way in American Airlines business class from 20,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Mexico City (MEX) one-way in American Airlines business class from 22,500 AAdvantage miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Puerto Vallarta (PVR) one-way in American Airlines business class from 20,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Phoenix (PHX) – Ixtapa (ZIH) one-way in American Airlines business class from 20,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Phoenix (PHX) – Mexico City (MEX) one-way in American Airlines business class from 20,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Miami (MIA) – Mexico City (MEX) one-way in American Airlines business class from 20,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Miami (MIA) – Monterrey (MTY) one-way in American Airlines business class from 20,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
New York City (JFK) – San José del Cabo (SJD) one-way in American Airlines business class from 20,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Philadelphia (PHL) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in American Airlines business class from 20,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage Miles

AAdvantage miles are relatively easy to earn directly, thanks to co-branded products from Citi and Barclays.

However, since American Airlines’ only transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio, it’ll be a bit more difficult to earn AAdvantage miles on your daily spending.

Hot Tip: If you’re looking for a widebody business class product on American Airlines flights to Mexico, you might have some luck looking at Dallas (DFW) to Cancún (CUN).

Delta SkyMiles

Delta Airbus A220 First Class Cabin — Delta first class consists of recliner-style seats; you’ll often find incredible deals with Delta SkyMiles. Image Credit: Greg Stone

Delta offers one of the best in-flight products available, and it’s generally regarded higher than United and American, so if you happen to live near a Delta hub, you’ll want to pay attention to this section.

Delta SkyMiles, just like United and American, offers a variable award pricing system for its own flights.

So if you’re performing a search and notice drastically different prices than what’s quoted here, you should consider shopping around nearby dates.

To book Delta flights to Mexico using Delta SkyMiles, follow these steps:

Visit Delta’s website
At the top banner of the page, you’ll see a search ribbon
Enter your destination and origin airports
Choose Round Trip, One Way, or Multi-City
Check off the box that says Shop with Miles
Under Best Fares For, click First Class
Click the red arrow button to perform the search
Your search results will populate in a week-long view
Click your desired date and choose Continue
Find your favorite flight option, enter your traveler information, redeem your SkyMiles, and pay for taxes and fees using a credit card to complete the booking

Delta’s flights to Mexico are concentrated in its hub airports of Atlanta (ATL), Los Angeles (LAX), New York City (JFK), Salt Lake City (SLC), and Seattle (SEA).

Here are some terrific flight redemptions you can make:

Atlanta (ATL) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in Delta first class from 37,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Atlanta (ATL) – Mexico City (MEX) one-way in Delta first class from 28,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Atlanta (ATL) – Monterrey (MTY) one-way in Delta first class from 20,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Atlanta (ATL) – Puerto Vallarta (PVR) one-way in Delta first class from 37,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Atlanta (ATL) – San José del Cabo (SJD) one-way in Delta first class from 54,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Boston (BOS) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in Delta first class from 54,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in Delta first class from 29,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Mexico City (MEX) one-way in Delta first class from 20,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Puerto Vallarta (PVR) one-way in Delta first class from 29,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – San José del Cabo (SJD) one-way in Delta first class from 29,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
New York City (JFK) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in Delta first class from 35,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
New York City (JFK) – Mexico City (MEX) one-way in Delta first class from 29,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
New York City (JFK) – San José del Cabo (SJD) one-way in Delta first class from 62,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Salt Lake City (SLC) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in Delta first class from 43,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Salt Lake City (SLC) – Guadalajara (GDL) one-way in Delta first class from 22,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Salt Lake City (SLC) – Mexico City (MEX) one-way in Delta first class from 29,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Salt Lake City (SLC) – Puerto Vallarta (PVR) one-way in Delta first class from 28,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Seattle (SEA) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in Delta first class from 20,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Seattle (SEA) – Puerto Vallarta (PVR) one-way in Delta first class from 18,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees
Seattle (SEA) – San José del Cabo (SJD) one-way in Delta first class from 17,000 Delta SkyMiles + ~$36 in taxes and fees

Earning Delta SkyMiles

Delta SkyMiles are ridiculously easy to earn. With a wide variety of co-branded credit cards issued by American Express, you can accumulate Delta miles and enjoy certain perks, complimentary with your credit card.

Even better, Delta is also 1:1 transfer partners with American Express Membership Rewards and transfers are almost instant.

Lastly, Delta is a 3:1 transfer partner with Marriott Bonvoy. Transfers to Delta process within 1 business day.

Our guide offers a deep dive into the many Delta credit cards available.

Korean Air SKYPASS

Aeromexico recliner business class — Aeromexico’s route network focuses on Mexico City and Guadalajara — for a unique experience, try using Korean Air SKYPASS to book Aeromexico business class! Image Credit: Aeromexico

The very last way we suggest booking flights to Mexico with points and miles is with the Korean Air SKYPASS frequent flyer program.

Korean Air is a SkyTeam airline, which means you can book flights on Delta and the flag carrier of Mexico: Aeromexico.

Aeromexico focuses on flights to Mexico City (MEX) and Guadalajara (GDL), so you generally won’t see leisure routes represented in Aeromexico’s network.

If you are willing to book round-trip tickets, Korean Air SKYPASS offers attractive redemption prices. For a round-trip ticket in business class, you’ll spend 45,000 Korean Air miles (25,000 miles in economy).

There are 2 ways to book Aeromexico flights using Korean Air miles — online or over the phone. In general, we find the agents at SKYPASS to be very competent; sadly, the online search engine isn’t always the most reliable.

Here is the recommended plan of action to book Aeromexico flights using SKYPASS miles:

Find partner availability on Delta’s website
Write down the flight numbers, dates, and times
Call Korean Air SKYPASS at 800-438-5000
Request to make an award booking with the representative, and provide the travel information
Pay for taxes and fees and confirm the ticket by using SKYPASS miles

Here are most (if not all) of Aeromexico’s nonstop routes to the U.S., which are fantastic redemptions you can make using Korean Air miles:

Austin (AUS) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Chicago (ORD) – Guadalajara (GDL) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Chicago (ORD) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Dallas (DFW) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Denver (DEN) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Houston (IAH) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Las Vegas (LAS) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Guadalajara (GDL) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Miami (MIA) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
New York City (JFK) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Orlando (MCO) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
San Antonio (SAT) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Guadalajara (GDL) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
Seattle (SEA) – Mexico City (MEX) round-trip in Aeromexico business class for 45,000 Korean Air miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees

Earning Korean Air SKYPASS Miles

Earning Korean Air miles isn’t as straightforward as the other options listed above, but that should give you an idea of how valuable they can be!

The only transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy and points transfer at a 3:1 ratio.

Sure, there are co-branded cards from U.S. Bank, but we don’t find these cards to be as rewarding as Marriott credit cards.

We provide an in-depth analysis of the various Marriott credit cards available.

Hot Tip: Aeromexico’s lie-flat seats can generally only be found on select frequencies on the New York (JFK) – Mexico City (MEX) route, and once in a while, Los Angeles (LAX) – Mexico City (MEX).

Other Options To Fly to Mexico

There is a mind-boggling variety of other ways to fly to Mexico using points, but what we’ve done is show you our favorites.

Between using Turkish Airlines miles for United flights, BA Avios for American Airlines flights, and Delta SkyMiles for Delta flights, we’ve pretty much got all our bases covered.

However, there are other frequent flyer programs like Air Canada Aeroplan, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, as well as Etihad Guest, though they generally don’t have favorable award charts for flights between the U.S. and Mexico.

Final Thoughts

Well, there you have it!

If you’re flying on United to Mexico, we like redeeming miles from Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (Citi transfer partner), United MileagePlus (Chase transfer partner), or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer (Amex transfer partner).

If you’re flying on American Airlines to Mexico, we like redeeming British Airways Avios (Chase, Amex, and Capital One transfer partner) and American Airlines AAdvantage miles (Marriott transfer partner).

If you’re flying on Delta to Mexico, it’s hard to beat Delta SkyMiles on pricing and availability.

Lastly, if you want to try out Aeromexico, the best deal is to redeem Korean Air SKYPASS miles.

We hope you’ve found this guide of the best ways to fly to Mexico using points and miles useful!