Veda sent in her reader success story to the Dreams Jade Resort and Spa in Cancun. We love hearing from the squad, so keep sending these stories in! Hyatt has changed its redemption levels, so you may not find the same points cost that she found, although it is still a Category B for Hyatt’s all-inclusive resorts. Here is her story:

Hello! I am Veda—currently a mom of four, a non-profit executive director, a recovering people-pleaser, and a points and miles fanatic. I grew up in a family that prioritized road trips and experiences, so my love of travel began pretty early on in my life. In my teens, I began to dream of traveling abroad, but I was unsure how to make it happen, especially after I got married and started having children.

Three years ago, I came across Points Talk Squad. I was blown away by the idea that thousands of dollars in travel could be eliminated with credit card points. This was a big deal, and I knew I really, really, REALLY wanted to try it; this could be the answer to all of my traveling dreams! But, here’s the kicker—at 30 years old, I had never had a credit card. I was “credit invisible,” and would be (and was) denied any of the credit cards that I wanted to apply for.

 

How to Get a Credit History

So I had to get credit. I applied for a beginner credit card at my local credit union, and while I worked on building my credit history through that card, I convinced my highly skeptical husband to let me start by applying for a credit card in his name. I began with a Southwest personal card, aiming for the Southwest® Companion Pass, but I made a huge rookie mistake and finished the bonus on December 29th instead of in January of the next year (wah wah). So that was annoying. The next card I applied for (as my husband, lol), though, was the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. 

By this point, it had been six to eight months since I started building a credit history, and I applied for and got my very first travel credit card in my own name!! I felt very grown up and was very excited about it. We were in business, and I went for it. 

We doubled up between the two of us on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and several Chase business cards; I was also able to get a personal and a business Southwest card, earning me the Southwest® Companion Pass. 

 

Trip to Cancun

With all of this newfound travel potential (i.e., POINTS), I decided to take my husband to Cancun, Mexico! Early, early in the morning after Thanksgiving 2023, we flew from SLC to Cancun. We stayed at the Dreams Jade Resort and Spa. Most of our time was spent at the resort, eating good food, sleeping in (we have four kids, so this was seriously the best), and hanging out in the pool or by the beach. We did spend money out of pocket for a cenote tour for two, and the tour company sent us a shuttle (would highly, HIGHLY recommend!). Here is our price and points breakdown.

• 6 nights at the Hyatt Dreams Jade and Spa resort: 112,000 Chase to Hyatt points
• 2 SW flights from SLC to Cancun:  65,000 SW points + $220 for international flight fees
• $80 for airport shuttle to and from resort
• $500 for 2 people to do a 4-cenote tour

 

• Total: 177,000 points, $800 out-of-pocket for other
• Cost without points: $3,000 for flights + resort stay for 2. 

 

Bottom Line

I had never ever, EVER thought I would be able to afford to stay at an all-inclusive resort, and here we were! This points and miles thing WORKED!

Since then, my husband has become a convert, and we have used points for more than nine trips, both large and small—one of which will be eight days in Paris, France! This whole thing sounded too good to be true, but let me tell you, people: it’s a real thing that can seriously boost your ability to travel. I am so glad I came across Points Talk Squad and gave this a go, because it has made my literal dreams come true.

 

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