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

Mexico
BY 
Stephen Au
- UPDATED:
  1. Travel

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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.

And 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.

In this complete guide, we’ll show you the best ways to fly to Mexico using points, step-by-step!

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. British Airways Executive 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:

  1. 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
  2. Visit Turkish Airlines’ website
  3. 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
  4. After logging in, you’ll be redirected to the homepage, where you’ll find a search box in the middle of the homepage
  5. Click the checkbox that says Award ticket – Buy a ticket with Miles
  6. Enter your departure and destination airport codes, departure date(s), cabin class, and the number of passengers; click the red search button
  7. 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:

Recommended Citi ThankYou Rewards Cards

CREDIT CARDCARD INFO
Citi Premier® Card

Citi Premier Card
Learn More
(at our partner's secure site)
  • Earn Earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
  • Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels.
  • Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
  • Annual Fee: $95
Citi Rewards+® Card

Citi Rewards+® Card
Learn More
(at our partner's secure site)
  • Earn 15,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $150 in gift cards at thankyou.com
  • 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, 13.49% - 23.49% variable APR. Balance transfer fee will apply.
  • Earn 2x ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
  • The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.49% - 23.49% variable. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.
  • Annual Fee: $0
Citi® Double Cash Card

Citi® Double Cash Card
Learn More
(at our partner's secure site)
  • Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
  • Annual Fee: $0

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:

  1. Visit United’s website
  2. On the homepage, you’ll see a search box
  3. Choose Roundtrip or One-way
  4. Check off the box that says Book with miles
  5. Enter the origin and destination cities
  6. Select your departure date
  7. Choose the number of travelers
  8.  Toggle the cabin class (business class)
  9. Click Find flights
  10. 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 transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards or directly from United’s co-branded credit cards.

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 3:1.1 ratio. If you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to United, you’ll earn a bonus of 5,500 miles for a total of 27,500 United miles earned.

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - This is our favorite beginners travel rewards card, which is currently offering Chase's best offer ever of 100,000 point bonus after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,250 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

The card earns 2x points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. With offering other travel benefits such as excellent travel insurance coverage, including car rental insurance and no foreign transaction fees, this card is a very rewarding card.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card - This premium card will get you access to 1,300+ airport lounges. as well as a number of other card benefits. The current sign up bonus is 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. You'll also get a $300 travel credit per year which wipes away a big chunk of the $550 annual fee. As an extra bonus, until 12/31/21, gas station & grocery store purchases will also count towards earning your Travel Credit.

Earn big with this card, earn 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit, earn 3X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out, then 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Chase Freedom Unlimited® card - A solid, no annual fee card that earns you a $200 bonus after you spend $500 in your first 3 months. Earn 5% cash-back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year, and 5% on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Then earn 3% cash-back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% cash-back on all other purchases, but you won't get any travel benefits with this card.

If you’re a business owner, there are a number of Chase business credit cards to choose from.

Recommended United Cards

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:

  1. 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
  2. Call Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer at 312-843-5333
  3. Feed the agent the flight information, including the airport codes, flight date(s), flight numbers, number of travelers, and cabin class
  4. The agent should be able to see partner-level availability and confirm your ticket
  5. Redeem your KrisFlyer miles, complete the reservation, and pay for any taxes and fees using a credit card

KrisFlyer charges 12,500 miles one-way in economy and 23,000 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 23,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
  • Houston (IAH) – Oaxaca (OAX) one-way in United business class for 23,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Manzanillo (ZLO) one-way in United business class for 23,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
  • Newark (EWR) – Cancún (CUN) one-way in United business class for 23,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Puerto Vallarta (PVR) one-way in United business class for 23,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Mexico City (MEX) one-way in United business class for 23,000 KrisFlyer miles + ~$35 in taxes and fees

Earning Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles

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

You can transfer Amex Membership Rewards points, Chase Ultimate Rewards points, Citi ThankYou Points, 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 reduced 2:1 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 (Personal)

The Platinum Card® from American Express - There's currently a new welcome bonus offer of 60,000 100,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $6,000 on purchases in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn 10x points on eligible purchases on the Card at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U.S., on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership.

This is our #1 card for accessing 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Priority Pass (enrollment required). We leverage ~$4,900+ in benefits and perks from the card every year. Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
American Express® Gold Card - This card has a new welcome bonus of 35,000 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $4,000 on purchases in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

We love using this card as it earns 4X Membership Rewards Points at restaurants, including takeout and delivery, and earns 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).

There's no better card in our opinion if you eat out and/or shop at supermarkets regularly; and you'll have access to many benefits and perks. Terms apply and for rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.

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

British Airways Executive 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: British Airways Executive 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:

  1. Visit British Airways’ website
  2. Click Log in in the top-right corner and enter your British Airways Executive Club information
  3. 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
  4.  Enter your departure and destination cities, travel dates, cabin class, and the number of passengers; click Get flights
  5. Choose the flight you’d like to book and click Continue
  6. 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, British Airways Executive Club is transfer partners with Chase Ultimate Rewards (1:1), American Express Membership Rewards (1:1), Capital One Miles (2:1.5), 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

American Airlines AAdvantage

American Airlines recliner business class
American Airlines’ flights to Mexico are typically serviced with recliner-style business class seats. Image Credit: American Airlines

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:

  1. Visit American Airlines’ website
  2. On the homepage, you’ll see a search box
  3. Click Round trip or One way
  4. Click the box that says Redeem miles
  5. Choose your origin and destination airports
  6. Select the number of passengers and the departure and/or return dates
  7. Click Search
  8. 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’ sole transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio and a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred, it’ll be a bit more difficult to earn AAdvantage miles on your daily spending.

Transferring to American Airlines from Marriott Bonvoy takes around 2 business days, so just remember to account for that.

Recommended American Airlines AAdvantage Cards

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 first class
Delta first class consists of recliner-style seats; you’ll often find incredible deals with Delta SkyMiles. Image Credit: Delta

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:

  1. Visit Delta’s website
  2. At the top banner of the page, you’ll see a search ribbon
  3. Enter your destination and origin airports
  4. Choose Round Trip, One Way, or Multi-City
  5. Check off the box that says Shop with Miles
  6. Under Best Fares For, click First Class
  7. Click the red arrow button to perform the search
  8. Your search results will populate in a week-long view
  9. Click your desired date and choose Continue
  10. 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. You’ll earn a bonus of 5,000 miles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred to Delta SkyMiles. Marriott transfers to Delta process within 1 business day.

Recommended Delta Personal Credit Cards

Recommended Delta Business Credit Cards

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:

  1. Find partner availability on Delta’s website
  2. Write down the flight numbers, dates, and times
  3. Call Korean Air SKYPASS at 800-438-5000
  4. Request to make an award booking with the representative, and provide the travel information
  5. 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!

For the vast majority of us, the best way to earn Korean Air miles is indirectly via Marriott Bonvoy.

Since Marriott transfers at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred to Korean Air SKYPASS, you can rack up points on your everyday spending this way.

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.

Recommended Marriott Bonvoy Cards

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card - Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases, plus 10x total points on eligible purchases in select categories. Get automatic silver elite status each account anniversary year; and a free night award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary. Plus, earn up to 17X points per $1 at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, and 2X points per $1 on all other purchases. Annual Fee is $95.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card - Earn 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. Earn up to 14X points per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, earn 2X on other travel purchases, then 1x on all other purchases. A solid card for Marriott loyalists looking for a no-annual-fee card offering Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card - Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to $200 in Statement Credits for eligible purchases at U.S. Restaurants within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 6x per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels plus 3x at U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines. Annual Fee is $450. Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here.
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card - Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 of eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn up to $150 back in statement credits on eligible purchases made on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.

This is a solid card for business owners who will get complimentary Marriott Bonvoy silver elite status. Annual fee is $125. Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card, click here.

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!

The information regarding the Citi Prestige® Card, Chase Freedom Unlimited® card, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®, CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. 

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, click here.

Featured Image Credit: Michelleraponi via Pixabay

Frequently asked questions

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.

Stephen Au

About Stephen Au

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Stephen has been privileged to enjoy many premium cabin products and 5-star hotels. A petroleum engineer by trade, Stephen caught the travel bug in college when he traveled to Asia several times. After 2 years of continual promotions, Stephen quit his safe and secure career path in favor of entrepreneurship.
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