Mexico on Points
Save thousands on a family trip to Mexico for March break — using points instead of cash.
March break is one of the most expensive times of year for Canadian families to travel to Mexico. Airfare for a family of 4 costs over $3000, round-trip that’s over $6,000.
I’m going to show you how you can save thousands of dollars on those same seats, and for only a fraction of the points.
Real March break examples for 2027
| Route | Cost / person | Aeroplan | WestJet | Flying Blue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YYZ → Cancun | $455–$808 | 55,000 | 45,500 | 14,500 |
| YYZ → Mexico City | $761–$806 | 52,800 | 76,100 | 12,000 |
| YVR → Cabo | $382–$808 | 55,000 | 38,200 | 17,500 |
| YVR → PVR | $323–$804 | 55,000 | 32,300 | 20,000 |
Real March break 2027 pricing examples — points required per person, round-trip.
Canadians tend to look only at Air Canada or WestJet flights, but there’s another alliance partner to consider that offers seats on the exact same plane for a fraction of the points – Flying Blue. If you have been using points and miles for a while, you have heard that Air France flies from Canada to Europe. They offer some good promotional rates on the transatlantic flights–sometimes as low as 24,000 points for Economy and 60,000 points for Business Class.
But here is what many people don’t fully appreciate:
Yes, Flying Blue is the loyalty program for Air France and KLM, but Flying Blue partners with airlines around the world–including WestJet. This means you can use Flying Blue points to book the exact same WestJet flight, often for far fewer points.
That’s why I love flexible points.
Instead of being locked into just Air Canada or just WestJet, the points I collect can be transferred to airlines that will give me the best options for my points.
How to earn Flying Blue points
AMERICAN EXPRESS MEMBERSHIP REWARDS
Flying Blue is a transfer partner with American Express Membership Rewards. That means you can earn Amex points in Canada and transfer them directly to Flying Blue when you’re ready to book.
My #1 pick:
Groceries are the biggest monthly expense for most Canadian families, so that 5x bump makes the Cobalt one of the fastest ways there is to earn points.
WHAT ABOUT WESTJET?
The WestJet World Elite Mastercard currently offers a welcome bonus of up to 70,000 WestJet Rewards. However, as the examples above show, Mexico flights often require significantly more WestJet Rewards points than Flying Blue miles.
If you have WestJet cards that give you companion vouchers, do the math to figure out if it’s worth it to pay that cash for the flights.
WHAT ABOUT AEROPLAN?
There are several Aeroplan credit cards available in Canada. Typical welcome bonuses range from 40,000 to 50,000 points.
Aeroplan is a great program and can offer excellent value. However, for the Mexico routes shown above, Aeroplan has the highest points cost.
This is why flexible points are so valuable. You can compare programs and transfer your points into whichever one offers the best deal.
WHY I LOVE THE AMEX COBALT FOR MEXICO
A family of four, travelling round-trip from Toronto to Cancun during March break, needs about 116,000 Flying Blue miles for their flights.
The Amex Cobalt can earn over 100,000 points per year from everyday grocery and restaurant spending, plus the welcome bonus.
Instead of paying more than $6,000 in airfare, you can dramatically reduce the cost simply by using the right card for purchases you’re already making. And the best part? You can do this year after year, and get free travel from just 1 credit card.
Your Action Plan
STEP 1: OPEN AN AMEX COBALT CARD
The Amex Cobalt is my favourite card for earning points toward Mexico flights, but you can use any American Express card that earns Membership Rewards.
STEP 2: CREATE A FREE FLYING BLUE ACCOUNT
Flying Blue is the loyalty program used by Air France and KLM. It’s free to join and you’ll need an account before transferring points. Create your account now so you’re ready when it’s time to book.
Join Flying Blue for free right HERE
STEP 3: START EARNING POINTS
Put your grocery and restaurant spending on your Amex Cobalt. Remember: $1,500 per month on groceries & restaurants can earn over 100,000 points per year. You’ll be on your way to Mexico in no time!
STEP 4: BOOK YOUR MARCH BREAK TIME OFF
The best award flights are usually available 10-12 months before departure.
If Mexico is your goal, start planning early.
Request your vacation time now and put a reminder in your calendar to begin searching for flights.
STEP 5: STICK TO THE FORMULA
One card. One welcome bonus. One trip. Repeat.
Your next family trip could be just one credit card away. For years, I believed family vacations cost thousands of dollars and that’s all there was to it. Today, I use the same grocery budget, the same household expenses, and the same spending I was already doing to earn points toward family travel.
The Amex Cobalt is my everyday spending card, and I earn over 100,000 points every year.
I didn’t change my spending–I changed how I pay. And, for me, that’s exactly what points and miles are all about: turning everyday spending into family vacations.
Key takeaways
You don’t need to be an expert to save money on travel.
Start by earning points on purchases you’re already making.
As you learn more, strategies like this can help you stretch those points even further.
Want help setting it up so it’s easy? Book a call!