March 7, 2025
Reader Success Story to Ziva Cancun
Pam
Once again, a reader shares her love of one of our favorite hotels in Mexico! Paige shares her reader success story to Hyatt Ziva Cancun with us. All made possible with credit card points and miles—and it was her first time not using a travel agent! Here is her story!
I have loved your courses, podcasts, and blogs. Like most people, I found the most challenging part was booking! But I took the leap and want to walk you through how we traveled to Mexico as a family of four for nearly nothing.
Earning the Points and Miles
Every other year, we take my two boys (8 and 5) on a trip for their birthdays since those happen right after Christmas. I started by getting a card_name and then got one of the business-card options from the same bank.
Then I switched to Two-Player Mode and got my husband’s referral, plus his welcome offers for a personal and business card. That was going to be enough for my transfer partners, Hyatt and Southwest®.
Bookings for a Hyatt Ziva Cancun Visit
Based on a story on your blog, I decided on the Hyatt Ziva Cancun. I booked the hotel suite for two people from 1/31/25 to 2/4/25. Based on your podcast, I knew I would pay cash for the boys’ stay when we arrived at Hyatt. I also bought four nonstop tickets to Cancun from Kansas City for the four of us.
I then opened and received the bonus for card_name and quickly got my TSA PreCheck®. In October, I started the process for my Southwest® Companion Pass. I hit both card minimums on January 2nd (thanks, quarterly taxes). I patiently waited until Jan 16th, when my second set of Southwest card points hit. I called Southwest® Airlines, and the customer service representative helped me cancel my husband’s ticket and made him my companion.
We live about three hours from the airport, so I booked a hotel for the night before our flight using my annual hotel credit from the card_name. [Talk about using all your different benefits, Paige! 🙌 –Pam]
Cancun Ziva Thoughts and Pictures
We went to Cancun and had the best time. I can’t recommend Hyatt Ziva enough! I paid for the boys’ stay with my Capital One card and used the purchase eraser to cover it.
These two happy smiles say it all!
In the end, I was out $30 for the hotel the night before our flight, $480 for the international taxes and fees on the Southwest award tickets, a $6 difference between what I paid for the boys’ stay and what I could cover with Capital One, and the $10 coconut drink I charged to our room 🙂
When I explain this to my friends, it sounds like I’m much smarter than I am, but with the basics and foundational knowledge you guys teach, I was able to do all of this, even though this was the first time I’d booked a trip without a travel agent.
The beautiful Hyatt Ziva Cancun!
Bottom Line
Well done, Paige. Your reader success story to Ziva Cancun was covered almost exclusively with credit card points and miles. Something tells us that you are going to crush it in this new hobby!
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Podcast 95: Southwest and Hyatt: The Beginner’s Guide to Nearly Free Vacations
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