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Some Smart Purchases Could Save You Hundreds On Your Cancun Trip
As travel costs continue to soar, millions of tourists are doing what they can to lessen the financial burden of a long overdue vacation. Cancun and the rest of Quintana Roo are not immune to the price hikes, but we may have a few tips for clinging on to the pennies – at least for this week.
Skyrocketing energy costs are driving inflation across the world, and the travel industry is still struggling to fix lingering staff problems, combining to create a truly unpredictable time to get out of town.
Luckily, the United States Travel Association has brought back its Daily Getaways program. The annual incentive week is designed to spur travel in the US, but some of the promotions could be extremely useful for those hoping to head to the Mexican Caribbean soon.
The program is built around partnerships with some of the US’ biggest travel names like Hilton, Marriott, and IHG, as well as specific resorts, theme parks, and other relevant companies. Different deals are available on each day of the program, beginning on the 18th of July, but you’ll have to be quick if you want to make the most of them.
Here’s a round-up of how to use them to help keep the cost down on your next Cancun trip.
Buy Discounted Hotel Points
The most beneficial way to use the offers of buying points at discounted rates. For those uninitiated in points, buying these credits might some a bit strange. Why would you buy points that you’re supposed to earn and get free nights?
But there are situations where buying points can be massively beneficial and save you a lot of money. Here are some of the options for points in the Daily Getaways and how you could use them in Quintana Roo.
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors is accommodation giant Hilton’s honor program. You can use points accumulated in your membership to pay for free nights, upgrades, and other perks. Hilton is featured on the July 20th date of the Daily Getaways deals.
Hilton has three points deals that will go on offer (although, you can grab them quicker and without caps if you do it before the 18th). The biggest one available gives you 250 thousand points for $1250. That might seem steep for a hotel’s own currency, but the savings could be immense if used correctly.
Hotel point valuations fluctuate greatly depending on the time of year, and it’s often best to use them during the busier periods. If you enjoy a little sun at Christmas, check this out:
250 thousand points get you three nights at the brand new Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya over Christmas. How much would that cost if you paid in cash? $1067 a night. Suddenly, that $1250 looks like an excellent investment and saved you almost two thousand dollars.
Maybe a New Year trip to Playa del Carmen? The Hilton Playa del Carmen All-Inclusive runs for $613 a night from the end of December through the second of January. At 80,000 points a night, you’d keep ahold of about $600 on a three-night stay.
It’s going to help more with some hotels than others, but some research and patience can make those points go a long way. Just make sure you check Hilton’s own deals page to see if you can grab some early instead of competing with loads of travelers on the 20th.
IHG
IHG doesn’t have quite the same range that Hilton’s ever-expanding Mexican portfolio does, but if you’re a loyalist to some of their brands, there are still savings to be had.
Two nights in the wonderful Intercontinental in Cozumel in December could run you as much as $700. A $500 purchase of 100 thousand points could get you the same dates for about $200 less. It’s nowhere near in the same ballpark as some of the Hilton savings, but that’s $200 extra for Pina Coladas, right?
Marriott
Unfortunately, Marriott has slim pickings on the Daily Getaways this year. You can buy 80 thousand points for $960, but they only have eight of those packages available. The only people this would really be beneficial for are those who already have a good amount of World of Hyatt points in the bank and are just short of the required amount.
If you’re a points newbie, avoid these deals and just check on Marriott’s website.
Conclusion
Signing up for as many points programs as possible is a great idea. Smart use of credit cards, sign-up bonuses, and other incentives can be an amazing way to drop your Cancun travel costs. With proper planning, you could have flights and accommodation covered for your next trip.
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