All content was accurate at the time of publication. Check issuer’s site for most up to date information.
Katiestraveltricks.com site has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Katiestraveltricks.com and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Reader Success Story: National Parks Family Road Trip Savings!
We absolutely love hearing from our readers about how they’re using points and miles to make their travel dreams a reality! Today, I’m thrilled to share a fantastic trip report from Kaley. She and her family of five embarked on an ambitious 11-day road trip through stunning National Parks, and thanks to smart credit card strategies, they saved over $4,500 on their accommodations and even an adventure activity!
A big thank you to Kaley for sharing her detailed journey and how opening credit cards for their welcome bonuses made this incredible family adventure possible. Let’s dive into her story!
Hitting the Road: Oregon to Idaho
Opening credit cards to earn sign up bonuses saved our family of five over $4,500 dollars on our 11-day road trip to visit Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks.
We started our journey from our home near Portland, OR, traveling six hours to stay at Hyatt Place Boise/Downtown. I transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards points to World of Hyatt to stay at a classic Hyatt Place. It was clean, had a small outdoor pool, standard breakfast buffet, and we loved its central location near the river, ice cream, and breweries.
Majestic Views in Grand Teton National Park
The next morning, we drove to Grand Teton National Park where we stayed two nights in a cabin at Colter Bay. I was able to book this stay eight months in advance using Ultimate Rewards points via Chase Travel℠. The cabins were very basic with no TV (which I secretly loved), but the setting was amazing. The scenery while we played, swam, and picnicked by the water was incredible!
Exploring Yellowstone: Geysers, Wildlife, and Point Redemptions
The morning of day number four, we headed into Yellowstone National Park. We took our time traveling toward West Yellowstone where we had booked one room and one suite at an IHG hotel that I booked through Chase Travel℠. This hotel did not have breakfast and had a very small and loud indoor pool, but the beds seemed clean, and we were thankful to stay close to a Yellowstone entrance.
We then spent another long day exploring Yellowstone, with the next night spent at a Super 8 in Cooke City, MT booked, again, with Ultimate Rewards points via Chase Travel℠. While Cooke City was an adorable little town near the Yellowstone entrance, the Super 8 was very dated and basic. The two rooms we booked would have cost $448, and I was oh, so thankful to use points rather than cash on such a mediocre stay.
A Quick Family Stop
The following day we took a break from playing tourist and had a lovely night spent with family in Billings, MT.
Montana Adventures: Glacier National Park and Lakeside Fun
From Billings, we headed out on the longest leg of our trip to Whitefish, MT. We transferred Citi ThankYou points to Wyndham Rewards and were able to book a small condo through Vacasa. The condo was dark and dated, but with a pool on site, beds for all the kiddos, and a deck with stairs that led right to Whitefish Lake’s shoreline, this was one of our favorite stays.
More on booking Vacasa via Wyndham here.
We enjoyed two days visiting Whitefish and Glacier National Park. We were even able to whitewater raft right outside of Glacier National Park, which was an experience we booked with Ultimate Rewards points via Chase Travel℠. I wasn’t sure how my kids would like this experience, but since we booked it with points instead of cash, it gave me the peace of mind to try something new. And spoiler, they loved it!
Wrapping Up in Coeur d’Alene and Silverwood Thrills
We then left Montana for our last stay in Coeur d’Alene, ID, where we booked two nights at Springhill Suites Marriott using two 50k Free Night Award certificates. Accommodations-wise, this was a great stay with a large pool, happy hour drinks and snacks at arrival, and a delicious buffet for breakfast. We celebrated the conclusion of our road trip with a day at Silverwood Theme Park. It was a blast!
Kaley’s Takeaway: Prioritizing Free Lodging
While some of our redemptions were not amazing in terms of cents per point, our personal goal was to have no out-of-pocket costs for lodging. Saving on accommodations provided us more money to budget for gas, meals, and fun! Redeeming points for travel has allowed me to dream and plan for traveling with my family in ways I never imagined possible.
How You Can Do It Too
Kaley leveraged several types of points for this trip, primarily earned through credit card welcome offers. Here’s a look at the types of points she used and some cards that can help you earn them:
Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Kaley used these points extensively, both by transferring to partners (Hyatt) and booking directly through the Chase Travel portal.
Dive into these strategies with these articles
Wyndham Rewards Points for Vacasa
Kaley transferred Citi ThankYou points to Wyndham Rewards and then used them to book via Vacasa.
You could also transfer Capital One miles to to Wyndham Rewards.
Wyndham Rewards® Earner℠ Cards (Earner, Earner Plus, Earner Business): These cards earn Wyndham points directly and offer various welcome bonuses and elite status perks, useful for stays at Wyndham properties or Vacasa vacation rentals. Here is one of the Wyndham Rewards cards that may be an option if you’re specifically looking for Wyndham points.
Marriott Bonvoy Points / Free Night Awards
Kaley used 50k Free Night Award certificates. These can often be earned through credit card welcome offers or as an annual card benefit.
Trip Summary: Estimated Savings
Kaley’s primary goal was covering lodging costs. Exact point values can change, but here’s an estimated breakdown of the savings Kaley achieved based on her report and typical costs for these locations/types of stays during peak season.
| Location / Item | Points Program Used | Est. Cost / Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Place Boise (1 Night) | Chase UR -> Hyatt | ~$250 |
| Colter Bay Cabins (2 Nights) | Chase UR (Portal) | ~$700 |
| West Yellowstone IHG (2 Rms/1 Nt) | Chase UR (Portal) | ~$600 |
| Cooke City Super 8 (2 Rms/1 Nt) | Chase UR (Portal) | $448 |
| Whitefish Vacasa Condo (2 Nights) | Citi TYP -> Wyndham | ~$1,000 |
| Springhill Suites CDA (2 Nights) | Marriott 50k Certs (x2) | ~$800 |
| Whitewater Rafting Activity | Chase UR (Portal) | ~$600 |
| Estimated Total Savings | ~$4,398+ | |
Note: Cash costs are estimates and can vary greatly based on booking time, season, and specific property pricing. Kaley reported saving over $4,500, which likely reflects the actual cash prices she would have paid.
Final Thoughts: Your Turn to Dream Big!
Kaley’s journey is a perfect example of how strategic credit card use can unlock incredible travel opportunities that might otherwise seem out of reach. By focusing on earning welcome bonuses, she covered nearly all accommodation costs for an 11-day trip across multiple states for her family of five!
Her story highlights a few key takeaways:
Flexibility is Key: Using transferable points like Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou points provided options, allowing her to book through a portal or transfer to hotel partners like Hyatt and Wyndham.
Define Your Goal: Kaley aimed for $0 lodging cost, not necessarily the highest cents-per-point redemption. This is a perfectly valid and often very rewarding strategy! It freed up budget for other trip expenses.
Points Reduce Risk: Booking the whitewater rafting trip with points made it easier to try a new activity without worrying about the cash outlay if the kids didn’t enjoy it (luckily, they did!).
I hope Kaley’s success inspires you! Think about your own travel goals – could points and miles help you achieve them? Start exploring the possibilities, learn about different programs, and you might be surprised at where points can take you. If you’re just getting started, I’d recommend checking out my free course!
Share Your Points Success Story
Do you have a points and miles success story? We would love to hear from you! Submit your story here.
Related Posts
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
