If you’re a fan of unique art, neoclassical buildings and tequila, visiting San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, should be high on your list of travel destinations. A great new deal on airfare makes a trip to the charming town in Central Mexico even more appealing.
American Airlines and United Airlines both have a number of big discounts on flights to San Miguel de Allende for travel in the spring and even into the start of summer. San Miguel de Allende is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the architecture and colorful streets in its main town square. Once in danger of being abandoned, San Miguel de Allende became a haven for artists in the 20th century. It has since become a desired place for retirees to settle in to enjoy their golden years, thanks to its quality of life and relatively affordable nature.
Most of the fares in this deal are for flights between March and June of this year, departing from cities like Chicago, Dallas and Houston. A few routes are even on sale from August until January 2025, with Thanksgiving included. These are economy fares, so checking bags will cost extra.
Note that for most flights, you’ll be flying into Queretaro International Airport (QRO); the airport is in Santiago de Queretaro, the capital city of the state of Queretaro. From there, it’s about 41 miles to San Miguel de Allende. Some routes involve flying into Guanajuato International Airport (BJX) in Leon — a city in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, which is about 90 minutes from San Miguel de Allende.
American’s fares come with a free carry-on. If you want that privilege on United, you can upgrade to economy class for $30 to $35 each way. That also gets you seat selection and the ability to change your reservation for free.
Deal basics
Airline: American (Oneworld), United (Star Alliance)
Routes: Chicago, Dallas and Houston to San Miguel de Allende
How to book: Browse Google Flights, then book directly with the airline
Travel dates: Mainly for flights between March and June 2024, with some routes available from August 2024 through January 2025 (Thanksgiving included)
This deal was originally sent out by Going. Sign up for Going to get up to 90% off select flights via its Premium membership, which users can try for free for 14 days and then $69 per year. You can also upgrade to the Elite tier for $199 per year for all the Premium deals, plus premium economy, business-class and first-class alerts.
Related: Why San Miguel de Allende is a great family destination
Sample flights
We found lots of sub-$300 fares out of Chicago in this deal. You can fly round-trip from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to QRO for $299 in March. Remember, this is a basic economy ticket, but since it’s an American flight, you get a free carry-on.
United has itineraries from Chicago to Queretaro in April for $299 round trip as well. According to Google Flights, that’s almost $500 less than you would normally pay for this ticket.
For all three cities in this sale, ee found the best availability and the best prices during April. For example, you can book a flight from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) for only $238 round trip. Keep in mind that with United’s basic tier, you’ll have to pay to check a bag.
We also found lots of $238 round-trip fares on United out of Houston in May. That fare is less than half what it usually costs.
We found some absolute steals out of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), too. You can book a nonstop American flight from Dallas to Leon for just $234 round trip in April. That price is about as low as you’ll find for this route at this time of year. We found several available flight options at this great price.
We found a good one in December as well: You can fly nonstop from Dallas to Leon for $434 round trip in December — a perfect time to make an escape to Mexico. That price, according to Google Flights, is $700 cheaper than that itinerary usually costs.
Maximize your purchase
When you book this deal or any flights, be sure to use a credit card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: 2 points per dollar spent on travel
- American Express® Gold Card: 3 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through amextravel.com
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: 5 points per dollar spent on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
- Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees): 3 points per dollar spent on airfare
- Chase Sapphire Reserve: 3 points per dollar spent on travel
Bottom line
Take this opportunity to visit a unique Mexican city during 2024. There is widespread availability and the tickets are massively discounted from their normal prices. Just keep in mind that if you choose a United flight, the basic economy fare won’t include a carry-on bag. And, as always, remember the golden rule for getting the best possible fare price: Be flexible with your travel plans.
Tip: If you’re a fan of tequila, pay a visit to La Casa Dragones, the home of the popular tequila company. It’s a small, intimate experience that offers tastings and even mixology classes.
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