Ever since I shared that we booked Hotel Xcaret — a luxury all-inclusive on the Riviera Maya, my inbox has been full of one question: how?

So, in this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on my full trip planning process for the rest of 2026. Not just the Xcaret booking itself, but the thinking that happens before I ever search for award space — because that's what really happens.

I'm walking you through:

• The thought process behind the Hotel Xcaret redemption, from spotting the opportunity to confirming the booking at zero out of pocket
• How I map out a full year of travel around the points and business spend we already have — instead of chasing whatever's trendy
• Why I decide on the experience first and work backward to the currency (Capital One, Chase, Amex, hotel programs) that  ...