5 last-minute spring break trips to book with points and miles

With the holiday season over and summer still far ahead, spring break is the time for one of the most anticipated vacation periods of the year.

Thanks to the scattered scheduling of spring break recess nationwide, there are many opportunities to cash in your points and miles and save big on a beach getaway — even if you book at the last minute.

Check out some of our favorite flight and hotel award redemptions you can book for an unforgettable spring break getaway. (Note that some points and miles redemption rates may no longer be available.)

Related: The 12 best secret beaches in the Caribbean

Book a spring break trip to Miami using points and miles

Miami is the place to be for a quintessential action-packed spring break experience.

Although you’d typically never run out of things to do there, events like Miami Music Week and the Miami Beach Gay Pride festival make spring an especially exciting time to visit the city. There are fabulous points hotels right in the heart of South Beach, and finding award flights to get there isn’t too challenging.

American Airlines award flights to Miami

American Airlines offers flights from New York City airports to the southern tip of the Sunshine State from just 18,500 AAdvantage miles round-trip.

United Airlines award flights to Miami

United awards can be even cheaper, starting at around 8,200 points for a one-way flight from Newark and 9,600 points from Chicago. You may unlock additional award availability with MileagePlus Premier status or an eligible United MileagePlus credit card.

Though United eliminated its close-in cash booking fee, the airline may charge more miles for flights booked within 30 days.

You can transfer points to United’s MileagePlus loyalty program from Chase Ultimate Rewards if you carry the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.

Delta Air Lines award flights to Miami

Delta prices its awards more dynamically. The lowest fares out of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in March and April start at just 9,000 SkyMiles round-trip, which is a terrific deal but can cost four times this on other dates.

If you’re short on SkyMiles, Delta is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards.

Related: The best credit cards for Delta flyers

Hotels in Miami to book with points and miles

Staying at The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach offers amazing value from your Marriott Bonvoy points. The hotel is on the beach and offers beautiful rooms and delicious food and drink options. It’s available most of March, with redemption rates between 85,000 and 115,000 Bonvoy points per night.

If you want something swanky but with a more modern, minimalist design, you can stay at the Miami Beach Edition for 98,500 to 115,000 Bonvoy points per night.

If you prefer more of a party scene, there’s also the renovated W South Beach for 45,000 to 63,000 points per night.

Marriott also offers the Moxy Miami South Beach for those on a budget. Rooms range from 33,000 to 52,000 points per night in March and April. The hotel boasts two rooftop pools, and while not located directly on the beach, it still offers guests access to beach chairs.

If you prefer being downtown, you could spend around 85,000 IHG points per night at the Kimpton Epic Hotel. IHG also fields several Kimpton properties in South Beach, including the Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach, Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel and Kimpton Angler’s Hotel South Beach. For those looking to spend fewer points, consider the Hotel Indigo in Brickell, where rooms start at 44,000 points per night this spring.

Arguably, the best points redemption you can make in Miami is World of Hyatt’s newly renovated Andaz Miami Beach. Award nights will set you back just 29,000 points.

If you’re short on World of Hyatt points, you can instantly transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

Book a spring break trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, using points and miles

San Juan, the most popular tourist destination in Puerto Rico, has a variety of hotels you can book with points — and since Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, Americans don’t even need a passport to enter.

Related: A beginners guide to visiting Puerto Rico

Flights to San Juan using points and miles

Puerto Rico is a short flight away for U.S. visitors. Nonstop flights to San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín Airport (SJU) are available from many major cities, including New York, Chicago and Dallas.

Cash fares between the U.S. mainland and San Juan are fairly low, so you’ll likely get the best deal by booking your award with an airline that uses a dynamic award pricing scheme tied to the price of a cash fare like Delta, JetBlue or Southwest Airlines.

All three airlines have awards to San Juan from around 11,000 to 30,000 points round-trip throughout March, depending on travel dates.

Southwest is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, and JetBlue is a transfer partner of Chase, American Express Membership Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards.

Hotels to book in San Juan with points and miles

The La Concha Renaissance San Juan Resort sits on Condado Beach.

It boasts five restaurants, three swimming pools and an on-site casino. But you’ll want to make sure you also explore historic Old San Juan, which is not too far away. Award nights require 60,000 to 77,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

For a slightly less expensive option, check out the AC Hotel San Juan Condado, which features a stunning rooftop pool.

Nights in March and April cost 48,000 to 58,000 Bonvoy points per night.

Hilton Honors loyalists also have various options, including the Condado Plaza Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Juan, Embassy Suites by Hilton San Juan Hotel and Casino, and the Hampton Inn and Suites San Juan. These hotels have award availability in March and April from 60,000 points per night.

Caribe Hilton is probably the nicest Hilton option in San Juan, with award nights starting at 75,000 Hilton points.

Related: How to choose the best Hilton credit card for you

Book a spring break trip to Jamaica using points and miles

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Jamaica is for you if you want to indulge your senses with postcard-worthy beaches and not completely wipe out your stash of points and miles.

While most resorts are family-friendly, some focus on adults and relaxation. Most resorts offer various activities, so you won’t need to step off the property to keep yourself entertained.

American award flights to Jamaica

American offers the most availability to Jamaica among the three major U.S. carriers.

Round-trip award flights to Jamaica from many U.S. cities cost just 16,000 miles, though the fees and taxes are higher than a domestic award ticket.

JetBlue award flights to Jamaica

Depending on your departure city and dates, you may be able to book your flight with JetBlue for under 5,000 TrueBlue points one-way.

Hotels in Jamaica to book with points and miles

Jamaica is the perfect opportunity to redeem your points for a stay at an all-inclusive resort on the island. At least three all-inclusive points hotels on the island are available this spring.

Two of them belong to World of Hyatt. The chain offers both its family-oriented Ziva brand and its adults-only Zilara brand in Jamaica.

The two hotels are located on Montego Bay and are adjacent, allowing you to trek between the resorts for a greater selection of activities and dining outlets.

Across the two, guests can access over a dozen restaurants, bars, and room service, available 24 hours a day and for free. Rooms are available at the hotels throughout March and April for 45,000 points per night for double occupancy.

Related: ‘This is one of the best all-inclusives’: Jamaica’s Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall

Also, remember Hyatt’s all-inclusive offerings have increased with the addition of the Secrets, Dreams, Breathless, Sunscape, Alua and Zoetry brands. Jamaica has several Secrets and Breathless properties for 35,000 Hyatt points per night.

If you prefer to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points, Jamaica has various all-inclusive Royalton resort options, which are part of the Autograph Collection. Prices in March and April start from 72,000 Bonvoy points per night.

Related: The best ways to get to the Caribbean using points and miles

Book a spring break trip to Cancun using points and miles

From the beautiful white-sand beaches — perfect for swimming, snorkeling, diving and sunbathing — to the vibrant nightlife, Cancun has something for everyone.

Try diving into a cenote, a natural sinkhole with crystal-clear freshwater pools, or explore the archeological site of ancient Mayan ruins. Cancun is super easy to reach, with many cities across the United States offering nonstop flights. Flights have also commenced at the new Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport (TQO) for those interested in exploring Tulum.

American award flights to Cancun

American Airlines has round-trip flights from many U.S. cities from as low as 18,000 AAdvantage miles, depending on travel dates and origin.

United award flights to Cancun

If traveling from the West Coast, specifically Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), United offers round-trip flights from as low as 17,200 MileagePlus miles in March (or from 8,200 miles one-way).

Delta award flights to Cancun

SkyMiles members can redeem just 19,000 miles for nonstop flights from New York, with convenient weeklong Sunday to Sunday itineraries available at this price.

Hotels to book in Cancun using points and miles

Cancun offers many accommodation options, focusing on large, well-priced, all-inclusive resorts.

Marriott Bonvoy members have plenty of options, with the Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun all-inclusive available from 60,000 to 73,000 points per night. Many award nights in March are still available.

Or, try the massive 648-room Planet Hollywood, an all-inclusive Autograph Collection resort with rates from 76,000 to 88,000 Bonvoy points per night. It features excellent dining options, including an extensive breakfast buffet and ample restaurant options for dinner, with burgers being a highlight meal.

Related: 7 things to know before booking a stay at Marriott’s Planet Hollywood Cancun

Hyatt boasts a lengthy list of properties in the Cancun area, from Playa del Carmen to Playa Mujeres.

If you’re heading to Mexico on a budget, Hyatt Centric Playa del Carmen is available from just 18,000 World of Hyatt points per night. Or for something more luxurious, Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun is an all-inclusive, adults-only oasis for 35,000 Hyatt points per night over spring break dates, saving you $932 per night.

For Hilton Honors members, you can book the Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya All-Inclusive Resort from 76,000 Hilton points per night in March (though most nights are priced at 100,000 points per night). Enjoy a roving tequila cart and swing in hanging rattan chairs beside ornamental water features.

Related: 13 best all-inclusive resorts in Cancun

Book a spring break trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, using points and miles

Fancy getting away to a beautiful Caribbean island without breaking the bank?

The Dominican Republic has lush rainforests, breathtaking mountains and Instagrammable waterfalls without the eye-watering prices of some neighboring islands like Antigua or St. Barts.

Whether you want to lie by the pool or the beach sipping a cocktail or prefer something more active like mountain biking, horseback riding or scuba diving, spring break is an ideal time to visit the Dominican Republic and its main resort town, Punta Cana.

United award flights to Punta Cana

Depending on your preferred travel date, you can fly to Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) from New York using United MileagePlus miles from around 30,000 miles per person round-trip in March.

American award flights to Punta Cana

If you’re willing to travel midweek, American Airlines offers round-trip flights from Texas to this island paradise for only 16,000 AAdvantage miles.

JetBlue award flights to Punta Cana

Meanwhile, JetBlue offers flights from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) starting from under 12,000 points per person each way.

Hotels in Punta Cana to book with points and miles

We’re big fans of Hyatt’s spectacular adults-only, all-inclusive Zilara Cap Cana resort.

There are six incredible restaurants, seven bars, an on-site water park, and live music performances at the resort’s amphitheater. While 58,000 World of Hyatt points per night is steep, you’ll save $730 per night in March and April at what we believe is one of the best all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean.

If you have Hilton Honors points to redeem, you could book the Hilton La Romana, an all-inclusive adults-only resort, for 100,000 points per night on some dates in March.

The property features 356 guest rooms and suites, which include private balconies and views of Bayahibe Beach and the ocean.

Related: Best all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic

Try a Royalton property, which can be booked with Marriott Bonvoy points for something more economical but still packed with amenities.

Royalton Chic Punta Cana, an adults-only Autograph Collection all-inclusive resort, is available for 52,000 to 74,500 points per night and on most midweek dates in March (though sold out on weekends). This spring break paradise for adults resort features a foam pool party as an added perk.

Bottom line

It’s not too late to book a fantastic spring break getaway using points and miles. If you don’t find award availability for the hotel you’d like to stay at during your preliminary search, consider searching for award space night by night.

After all, you could book some nights with points and some with cash.

If you’re short on points and miles with any airline or hotel mentioned in this post, many travel credit cards let you transfer points to partners.

However, you should always compare the cost of using fixed-value points to transferring points to an airline or hotel program. You may come across a good last-minute cash booking option, so you’ll be better off redeeming your points at a fixed value through a travel portal.