How We Travel Cheap to Cancun for $200 Per Person! (plus a free $300 resort credit)

We are on our way back to Cancun for the third year in a row for CHEAP! We've figured out how to fly, stay at beach front condo resorts and plus get a $300 resort credit for all our meals, all for $200 per person for an entire week! This trip is cheaper than going to Yellowstone!  Checkout our 2011 and 2012 trips. 

I thought I would share some tips and the process for how we do it.  It's so easy!  You can be soaking in the sun sooner than you think and you'll be asking yourself 'why didn't I do this sooner?'

Step One - Get AAdvantage Miles
You need to get 25,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles per person.  We got our 50,000 miles through a AAdvantage CITI credit card offer.  Here are list of the most active AAdvantage CITI credit card offers.  Sometimes you can apply for two personal cards on the same day (like a AAdvantage CITI Visa and a AAdvantage CITI American Express and get approved for both cards).  It's also a good idea for your spouse to get a card too (just make sure you can meet the spend minimums for the credit card offers, otherwise stagger when you apply for the cards).  If you're anxious to start using your card to meet the minimum spend limit then after you are approved for the card online then call CITI and ask them to overnight your card. It can take 6-8 weeks to get your miles after you have fulfilled the card spending requirements.

Step Two - Search for Flights
After you get your 50,000 AAdvantage miles you're ready to begin searching for flights.  An off peak ticket from the US to Cancun is 12,500 miles one way (25,000 miles roundtrip).  Off peak time for Mexico is Sept. 7 - Nov. 14.  You can still travel during other times of the year but it will just cost more miles.  You can find out more about American Airlines award tickets here.  The best time to travel is in September and the next best time to travel is in October.  We have traveled during both months and the weather was fantastic.  Just be aware that the end of October is the beginning of hurricane season.  

How to Find the Best Flights
There are many flights available to Cancun for 25,000 miles roundtrip, but some of the flight schedules are more favorable than others.  We have always had good luck having only one layover in Dallas, but sometimes you might have two layovers or have to stay overnight somewhere.  With advanced planning and creativity can find some great flights.

1. Go to the American Airlines AAdvantage miles redemption website. 
2. Enter your flight information and travel dates (between Sept. 7 - Nov. 14).
3. Click on blue link at the top of the calendar that says 'Show Full Calendar' to see all the available dates.
4. Begin selecting dates and reviewing flight schedules until you find one you like.
5. If you find flights you like you can put them on hold for up to 5 days so you can think about it if you want before booking.  
6. You will book your flight using AAdvantage miles and you are still required to pay tax on the flight which is generally $70-$90 per person.

TIP: The great thing about redeeming AAdvantage miles is that you don't have to book roundtrip flights, you can book one way flights.  What is means if you don't find any flights to Cancun that work for you then you can search for flights to Cozumel, which is an island near Cancun.  If you fly in to Cozumel then you can take a 45 minute ($13) ferry ride to Playa Del Carmen and then a bus or taxi to your resort.  (That's what we are doing on our next trip.)  I would only recommend flying INTO Cozumel and flying OUT of Cancun.

Step Three: Staying Cheap at 5 Star Resorts!

This is my favorite part of this post.  I can't believe how cheap it is to stay an entire week at world-class 5 star resorts for less than $250!  We have booked these resorts with condo certificates (contact me if you are interested in how to get the certificate) at this Resort Rental website.  You can also preview the 3,000+ resorts around the world at that website.  At first I thought these resort deals were too good to be true, but I researched this Wyndham company and since then me and my family have used nine of these certificates in Mexico, Spain and the U.S.  We have been very pleased with the resorts and most of all the price!  These are also great because you DON'T have to go to a sales presentation.  Here is my post about the condo certificates. 

Below are are the resorts me and my family have stayed in Cancun.  If you stay at the first two resorts now through October 31, 2013 you will get a $300 resort credit that can be used on food and other resort amenities.  We stayed at the Mayan Palace last year and we were pleasantly surprised by our $300 resort voucher!  Check out my resort voucher post.  We ate like kings and ended up not even using the whole $300.  Here are more details about that offer. 

Condo Certificates: 

If you're interested in a $249 condo certificate or have please e-mail me at wetravelcheap1@gmail.com and I can get you more information.  You have one year to book them and then another year to actually travel with them.  There is more information on the Resort Rental website.

 Staying at the resort above in September 2013

Disclaimer: Ideas in this blog post are from my own personal experiences and actual results may vary based on offers available at the time.  This is not professional advice.

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We Stay Free at Marriott Near Disneyland!

We're off to Disneyland again at the end of the month.  This will be our third trip to Disneyland in seven months. We're able to take our family of four to Disneyland so often because we fly for less than $10 per person and we've stayed for FREE at the Marriott Fairfield Inn and Suites in Buena Park with our Marriott Rewards points.  

The Marriott Fairfield Inn and Suites in Buena Park is located about seven miles from Disneyland and it's great because they have a free shuttle to the park.  They also offer a free breakfast, which is great before spending all day at the parks.  There is a Target and Stater Brothers grocery store near the hotel so it's easy to pick up snacks to carry into the park.  

My favorite thing about this hotel:

It's only 10,000 Marriott Rewards points per night to stay at this hotel and we always get a room with two queen beds.  For some reason if you book four nights (4 X 10,000 pts) you get your fifth night free, so you're really staying for 8,000 Marriott Rewards points per night. 

How to get the Marriott Rewards points:

Right now you can sign up for the Chase Marriott Rewards Visa card and get 50,000 Marriott Rewards points when you charge $1,000 in your first three months.

WTC Card Review: 

Megan and I both have the Chase Marriott Rewards Visa card and we have stayed at a couple of Marriott hotels for free using points from this card.  It's our favorite card for staying near Disneyland.

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When Flying is Cheaper than Driving to Disneyland!

Every parent needs to take their children to Disneyland while they are young.  I'll never forget the looks on our boys faces when we took them to the most magical place on earth for the first time last year.  A day doesn't go by that there isn't some reference to Disneyland and the memories come flooding back!  

I know there are plenty of people who drive to Disneyland not because they like to drive, but because it's cheaper.  I think some people also enjoy 10-12 hours of quality time in close confines of a vehicle with their family.  What better way to start a vacation than with a tour of  gas station bathrooms and tired and hungry kids?  (I think you get a sense of my sarcasm.)  The worst part about driving to Disneyland is that I (dad) gets to do all or most of the driving and that's no fun!

I've crunched the numbers and below I outline how flying on Southwest Airlines using Rapid Rewards from an introductory credit card offer can actually get you to Disneyland cheaper, faster and safer than any minivan ever will.  

Flight:

From Salt Lake City to Los Angeles we fly for about 10,000 Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards per person, plus $10!  With a 50,000 mile credit card offer that is 5 roundtrip airline tickets for $50.  The great thing about flying on Southwest is that your bags fly free and you can use your miles on virtually any flight with no blackout dates. 

Hotel:

The past two times we've gone to Disneyland we've stayed at the Marriott Fairfield Inn in Buena Park, about 7 miles from Disneyland.  They offer a free shuttle to the park and a free hot breakfast.  It is 10,000 Marriott Reward points per night and if you book 4 nights you get the 5th night free.  Essentially you get 5 nights for 40,000 points.  The typical Marriott Rewards introductory credit card offer is for 50,000 Marriott Rewards points.

What you save by flying:

• Gas money
• Extra nights hotel stays for travel days
• Extra food for travel days
• Extra time off work for travel days
• Wear and tear on your car (oil and tires)

Disclaimer: Ideas in this blog post are from my personal experiences and actual results may vary based on offers available at the time.  This is not professional advice.

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Earning Airline Miles on the Ground

It's true that I earn most of my miles and points on the ground and not in the air.  I rarely travel out of state for work or rarely pay for an airline ticket (because I travel cheap) which can make it hard to rack up airline miles.  Introductory credit card offers are by far the best way to start earning miles and points.  

How it works:
Credit card companies buy miles from airlines and then offer great introductory offers with usually 50,000+ miles to consumers if they sign up for the credit card.  Most cards require an annual fee that is usually waived for the first year and these credit cards usually carry a higher interest rate.  

How to get the miles or points:
Some cards give you miles or points after your first purchase and other cards require you to charge a minimum of $3,000-$5,000 in usually 90 days to qualify for the introductory offer.  They key is to put ALL the purchases you can onto these cards including utilities, phone/internet/cable bills, groceries, entertainment, dining, etc.  Remember to ALWAYS pay off your monthly balance so you aren't charged interest.  

Cards with an annual fee:
Some credit cards require you to pay an annual fee upfront like the Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa Card.  I have paid the annual fee on this card because $69 or $99 is a small price to pay for 50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards (worth approximately $900 in Wanna Get Away Fares).  

What to do if you don't want to pay the annual fee after one year:
If you don't want to pay the annual fee that is sometimes required by these credit cards, then cancel the card.  I have cancelled several travel credit cards and it's amazing how persistent the credit card companies can be to keep you as a customer.  I have been offered several thousand miles for not canceling and I even received an offer to waive the annual fee for another year by just making a few purchases.  Sometimes you can also move to a card that doesn't have an annual fee. 

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below.  Feel free to follow me on Facebook and Twitter!

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40,000 Points Without Apply for a Credit Card!

If you're looking for a way to travel cheap and collect points without opening a credit card then this offer is for you.  I signed up for this offer last year, but it was for only 30,000 instead of 40,000.  I just signed Megan up for the Citigold Account Package because you can get 40,000 ThankYou Points, redeemable for up to $400 in gift cards and travel.  The other two options only give you 10,000 ThankYou Points.  

Here's what you have to do.

• Open a new Citibank checking account in The Citigold^®, Citibank^® or Basic Banking^® Account Package by 04/30/2013.
• Within 45 days after account opening, enroll the new checking account in Citi ThankYou^® Rewards AND
• Complete one direct deposit AND complete one qualifying bill payment for two consecutive months.

With the Citigold Account Package there may be monthly service fees for not keeping the minimum balance in the account, however I've had this account for almost six months and they've waived the fees for me.  I also want to remind you that the 'qualifying bill payment' must be for two consecutive months.  If the bill payments are not consecutive they will not give you your points.  Also direct deposits through Amazon or PayPal don't work, it must be through an employer.  

WTC Review

Megan and I both signed up for this offer and it is a little more work than just signing up for a credit card, however it's a small price to pay for the $400 worth of gift cards.  You can preview what 40,000 ThankYou Points can get you here.  I always recommend you book travel instead of buying gift cards or products because you'll get a better value for your points.  Citibank is a great company to work with and even though I didn't fulfill my requirements in the first 45 days they extended the offer so that I could still qualify and waived the monthly fees.  They want your business and have great customer service.  

Thank you MilesMamma for letting me know about this offer!

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