All the Upgrades & Traveling With Kids Who Have Special Needs

In this episode, I chat with Special Education Intervention Specialist (and my wife/P2), Jessica Petrovic, about our recent trip to the Andaz Mayakoba in Mexico and how we navigated various obstacles.NEWS & ENHANCED OFFERSTips for Managing Credit Score - Know what goes into it - significantTips for Finding Partner Award Availability - what is it, why do I careShould the Ink Preferred be your preferred travel card - it still has a reduced 100K Bonus offer with reduced spendTRIP UPDATES? Joe - How I saved 12K Rapid Reward pointsWhat did I book for 19K AA milesJessica -1st Mommy/Daughter tripWHAT BONUSES DID WE GET? Jessica - Hilton Surpass arrived - what plans do we have?HIGHLIGHT (Main Feature) Andaz Mayakoba VacationThe perks - Sapphire Reserve (Priority Pass) Breakfast at Bar Symon saves $80-90 for the familyFlight over - Cancelled UA Award flight using 70K miles and rebooked $810 CashApplied 20 PlusPoints (upgrade instrument) per person for Jessie and NoahComplimentary Premier Upgrade (CPU) for P4 and meCUN Arrival - Passport Control - How was it?Transfer - USA Transfers - Experience?Andaz Mayakoba arrival - 155K Hyatt Points (6 nights off-peak for 21K per night, and 1 night at peak 29K)Used Suite Upgrade Award Milestone benefit (first earned at 50 nights and again at 60 nights) to upgrade to “Standard” suite. Choice of Lagoon or Oceanview. Chose Oceanview. Offered an upgrade to Ocean Front for $200 per night (really about $250 after taxes and fees), which included butler service. What is butler service, and is it worth it?Summer WeatherGlobalist BreakfastFree Bikes - 5-7 min ride from breakfast to La PlayaFree Golf cart rides - you want to walk?Free ecotour - boat rideActivities for kids 12 and underCost of service - pesos vs dollarsShould families consider this resort +/-My tour of Mayakoba, El Pueblito, Banyan Tree & Saffron (Thai)Flight Home - cancelled UA award flight home using 80K miles and rebooked $715 flight homeUsed 20 PP per person for Jessie and P3 - instant upgrades (PZ2) over a week outUsed 20 PP per person for P4 and me to get the #1 & 2 upgrade spots and cleared at check-inCLE arrival - backwards processhow was clearing customsUsed Amex Platinum and Business Platinum to pay for GE for both kids ($200) - how was the process?What about TSA?Overall thoughtsTiWhere To Find the Award Travel 101 Community For questions, you can join us in the free 100,000+ member Award Travel 101 Community. For more intermediate and advanced strategies, join Award Travel 201 community To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at contactawardtravel@gmail.com. Our next meetup is located in San Antonio, TX on April 26–28, 2024. If you want a waitlisted ticket, see this post in AT101. Support the AT101 Podcast/Community