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Southwest Road Trip 2021: Trip costs and points we used
In July 2021, we set out on a month long road trip from our home in the Chicago suburbs to California and back. Check out my Google map below to see our route, our favorite attractions, and how much we paid at each stop! Click the brackets in the top right corner of the map to see it larger.
Total lodging and transportation costs
On this trip, we used a total of:
- 59,000 Hyatt points
- 18,000 IHG Points
- 2 IHG Free Night Certificates
- 8,000 Choice points
- 17,500 Marriott points
We paid:
- $884 for 5 nights at an Airbnb
- $15 resort fee at one hotel
- $90 total for 5 nights of camping
That brings our totals to 102,500 points, 2 free night certificates and $989 for a month-long trip. We also stayed with family for 3 nights.
We paid $664 for gas for the trip.
Hyatt Place gave us the best value across the US. We loved that the rooms had 2 queen beds and a sofa bed, as well as a decent breakfast included. Interested in earning Hyatt points? You can earn a big chunk by opening a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which allows you to transfer points to Hyatt.
Katie's Take
Why this card might (or might not) be right for you.
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Katie's Take
Why this card might (or might not) be right for you.
THE top beginner card I recommend for miles & points. The travel protections it provides are top tier, too!
Highlights
The key benefits and earning rates at a glance.
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Highlights
The key benefits and earning rates at a glance.
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Up to $120 Global Entry / TSA PreCheck® / NEXUS Statement Credit Statement credit of up to $120 every 4 years as reimbursement when you pay for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fee.
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$100 Annual Chase Travel℠ Hotel Credit Get up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠.
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One year of Apple TV Get one year of complimentary Apple TV after activation. Must activate by 12/31/2026. Or receive $7.50 per month off AppleOne bundle for 1 year.
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Complimentary DashPass + $10 Monthly DoorDash Credit (Through Dec 31, 2027) Activate your complimentary DashPass subscription for $0 delivery fees on eligible DoorDash and Caviar orders. Plus, receive up to $10 in promo credits each month to use on non-restaurant DoorDash orders.
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Comprehensive Travel & Purchase Protections Includes primary car rental coverage, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, emergency evacuation coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, purchase protection, and travel and emergency assistance.
Offer History
See past welcome bonuses to gauge whether the current offer is elevated.
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Offer History
See past welcome bonuses to gauge whether the current offer is elevated.
| Offer | Spend Req. | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000 PointsElevated | $5,000 in 3 months | Ended May 2025, Restarted June 17, 2026 |
| 75,000 Points | $5,000 in 3 months | Standard since June 23, 2025 |
| 60,000 Points + $300 Chase TravelElevated | $4,000 in 3 months | Sept - early Nov 2024 |
| 75,000 PointsElevated | $4,000 in 3 months | Early May - mid June 2024 |
| 80,000 PointsElevated | $4,000 in 3 months | Public online offer March 2023 - May 2023 |
| 80,000 PointsElevated | $4,000 in 3 months | Ended Fall 2022 |
| 100,000 PointsElevated | $4,000 in 3 months | Ended Fall 2021 |
| 60,000 Points | $4,000 in 3 months | Long-running historical standard (pre-June 2025) |
Another option for earning Hyatt points is the Hyatt credit card.
Katie's Take
Why this card might (or might not) be right for you.
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Katie's Take
Why this card might (or might not) be right for you.
Long term keeper card for the annual free night certificate alone!
Highlights
The key benefits and earning rates at a glance.
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Highlights
The key benefits and earning rates at a glance.
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Annual Free Night at Category 1-4 Hyatt (Cardmember Anniversary) Receive one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort every year after your cardmember anniversary.
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Bonus Free Night at Category 1-4 Hyatt After $15,000 Calendar Year Spend Earn an additional Cat 1-4 free night certificate after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year.
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World of Hyatt Discoverist Status (For Life of Account) Automatic Discoverist status for as long as your account is open. Benefits include: late checkout (when available), preferred rooms, premium internet, 10% bonus on base points earned, waived resort fees on award stays.
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Annual Elite Night Credits Receive 5 Elite Qualifying Night credits each year toward your next World of Hyatt status tier. Plus earn 2 additional credits every time you spend $5,000 on the card.
Offer History
See past welcome bonuses to gauge whether the current offer is elevated.
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Offer History
See past welcome bonuses to gauge whether the current offer is elevated.
| Offer | Spend Req. | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 60,000 Bonus Points (30K + up to 30K via 2x)Elevated | $3,000 in 3 months + 2x on $15K in 6 months | Ended Spring 2026 |
| 5 Cat 1-4 Free Night Awards (3 + 2 Tier)Elevated | $5K + $15K total in 6 months | Best-ever offer ran early 2026, ended Feb 2026 |
| 65,000 Bonus PointsElevated | Standard spend req | Highest bonus-points offer since 2024 |
| 35,000 Bonus Points | $3,000 in 3 months | Small jump in January 2025 |
| 30,000 Bonus Points | $3,000 in 3 months | Long-running standard offer |
| 25,000 Bonus Points | $3,000 in 3 months | Decreased July 2025 |
I also like the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, especially when it has a great welcome offer!
Katie's Take
Why this card might (or might not) be right for you.
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Katie's Take
Why this card might (or might not) be right for you.
I love the annual free night certificate on this one and 4th night free when you book with points.
Highlights
The key benefits and earning rates at a glance.
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Highlights
The key benefits and earning rates at a glance.
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Anniversary Free Night (up to 40,000 Points) Each cardmember anniversary, after paying the $99 annual fee, you receive a free night certificate worth up to 40,000 IHG points. You can top off the certificate with extra points to redeem at hotels charging more than 40,000 points.
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4th Reward Night Free on Consecutive 4-Night IHG Stays Enjoy a fourth reward night free when you redeem points for a consecutive four-night IHG hotel stay.
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Automatic IHG Platinum Elite Status Automatic IHG One Rewards Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a Premier cardmember. Includes welcome amenities at IHG hotels, space-available room upgrades, and the 26x total points earning rate at IHG properties.
Offer History
See past welcome bonuses to gauge whether the current offer is elevated.
Show
Hide
Offer History
See past welcome bonuses to gauge whether the current offer is elevated.
| Offer | Spend Req. | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 140,000 Bonus Points | $3,000 in 3 months | Standard offer |
| Up to 185,000 Bonus Points (150K + 35K)Elevated | $3,000 in 3 months, then $6,000 total in 6 months | Ended June 25, 2026 |
| 175,000 Bonus PointsElevated | $5,000 in 3 months | Limited-time elevated; ended March 18, 2026 |
| 165,000 Bonus PointsElevated | Standard spend req | Ended October 2025 |
| 5 Free Nights (up to 60K per night)Elevated | Standard spend req | Ended July 24, 2025 |
| 5 Free Nights (up to 60K per night)Elevated | Standard spend req | Ended September 2024 |
| 165,000 Bonus PointsElevated | Standard spend req | Ended April 3, 2024 |
| 175,000 Bonus PointsElevated | Standard spend req | Ended Spring 2023 |
Airbnb Income
Meanwhile, we were renting our house on Airbnb. We were paid out $4,095 after fees and rented our home for a total of 23 days. Check out my full write up on How to Airbnb Your House here.
After paying our cleaners and other monthly expenses (mortgage, property taxes, utilities), we were left with a profit of $2,200.
After subtracting our gas + lodging costs, that still left us with $547 to spend on food and activities!
We had other expenses throughout the month as well, like our health insurance and life insurance premiums which total about $820 per month.
Drop any questions about our trip (and how we got the points for it) below!
Share Your Points Success Story
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[…] our road trip to California and back, we stayed at 10 different Hyatt Place properties and came to love them! They typically sleep 6 (2 queen beds + sofa bed) and have a great free […]
Thanks for sharing your family with us. I noticed that you had Four Corners on the map, but your route didn’t go there. Just curious. Is this on your To Do list? Or did the route need to be adjusted? Thanks!
Oh you’re right! So we went though Tuba City up to 4 corners and then to Albuquerque. The route was created just using the places we slept and missed a side trips we took.