How to visit America's national parks for less - The Points Guy

How to save money on a national park trip this year with points and miles Editor's Note Whether your ideal vacation involves climbing mountains, snorkeling reefs, exploring caves or hiking through ancient forests, you can do it in a national park. With the recent weakening of the U.S. dollar, domestic travel is becoming a more affordable alternative to exploring abroad. The U.S. has no shortage of stunning sights, including 400-plus national parks, preserves, monuments and other protected areas. However, with parks feeling the effects of ever-increasing visitor numbers and the Trump administration's budget cuts, they could be even more crowded and short-staffed this summer. It's more important than ever to plan ahead and check for facility and trail closures. Here are our top tips for saving money (and dodging the crowds) on your national park trip this year, from cashing in your points and miles to cutting costs on park entry fees. Related: Things people misunderstand about traveling on a budget Travel during shoulder season An easy way to save money is to plan your trip outside peak travel periods. Spring and fall are considered shoulder seasons for most national parks, offering cheaper airfares and, in many cases, thinner crowds and milder temperatures. You might even consider visiting national parks in winter, when you'll see scenery and wildlife most visitors don't experience, such as snow in the Grand Canyon. Seats.aero is a handy tool to search for airline award availability to various airports near parks from your home base. You can filter by points cost and transfer partners, and nonstop flights will appear in green. Here are some deals I found this fall. See Olympic and Haleakala national parks with Alaska Airlines points If you'd like to explore the diverse ecosystems of Washington state's Olympic National Park, you can easily do so from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), a roughly two-hour drive from the park. Alaska Airlines offers nonstop flights starting at just 5,000 Atmos Rewards points one-way from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or 7,500 points from Denver International Airport (DEN) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), plus $6 each way, throughout August, September and October. If you're dreaming of visiting the volcanic slopes of Haleakala on Maui, I found nonstop Hawaiian Airlines flights from Bay Area airports to Kahului Airport (OGG) for as few as 12,500 Atmos Rewards points and $6 each way in economy. Bilt is Atmos Rewards' only current transfer partner; you can transfer Bilt Points to Atmos Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. Explore Mammoth Cave National Park with Southwest Airlines points Besides showcasing the world's longest known cave system, Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky is a great place to beat the heat. This fall, Southwest Airlines consistently offers nonstop flights from Chicago's Midway International Airport (MDW) to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) starting at just 8,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points and $5.60 one-way. The national park is just over an hour's drive south of SDF. You can transfer Bilt points and Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio. Related: 11 'coolest' vacation spots to escape the heat this summer Hike Colorado's mountains and sand dunes with United Airlines miles Since DEN is a United Airlines hub, you'll find plenty of United MileagePlus award flights to the Mile High City, which is only an hour and a half away from Rocky Mountain National Park and four hours from Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve. Fall foliage is spectacular in the Rockies, and September brings pleasant temperatures and calm weather to the Great Sand Dunes. This fall, United has nonstop flights from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to DEN starting at 11,900 MileagePlus miles and $5.60 one-way, while Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to DEN starts at 15,000 miles. You can save even more with a United credit card, thanks to the program's automatic discounts for cardholders. If you don't have enough United miles, MileagePlus is a 1:1 transfer partner of Bilt and Chase Ultimate Rewards. Related: 9 cool hotels for leaf peeping, from Central Park to the Rocky Mountains Visit Grand Canyon and Glacier national parks with American Airlines miles If you have tough-to-earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles, the program has ample availability this fall from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) for only 10,000 AAdvantage miles and $5.60 one-way. PHX is less than four hours from the Grand Canyon's South Rim by car. You can also find direct flights from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in Montana for 12,000 miles each way. Keep in mind that snow-induced road closures in Glacier typically start in mid- to late October; check the website before you go to see which roads are open. American currently only partners with Citi ThankYou Rewards, but there are plenty of other ways to earn AAdvantage miles. See Yellowstone's geysers with Delta Air Lines miles Delta Air Lines offers regular flights, including some direct options, to Montana's Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) from various hubs. For instance, you can fly from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) for just 13,200 SkyMiles — or 11,200 miles if you hold the right Delta credit card — one-way this fall. There are several ways to earn more Delta SkyMiles, including transferring American Express Membership Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio. Related: Why 'dead weeks' are the best time of year to travel Book lodging with points or miles After airfare, lodging tends to be the next most expensive part of a national park trip — and another opportunity to save with points. Here are some ideas to book your national park stay with hotel rewards and credit card points. Go glamping on points Glamping and cabin stays can be a great addition to a national park trip, as they let you experience the joy of the outdoors with the creature comforts of a hotel. Several major hotel chains have hopped on the outdoors trend in recent years. For example, you can book AutoCamp and Under Canvas glamping properties with Hilton Honors points and World of Hyatt points, respectively. You can also redeem Marriott Bonvoy points at Postcard Cabins and Trailborn nature lodges. I looked up prices for Under Canvas Moab, near Arches and Canyonlands national parks in Utah, for a weekend in September. A basic safari tent will set you back 24,250 World of Hyatt points or $277 per night before taxes. For the same September weekend, a basic Airstream suite at AutoCamp Zion starts at $315 or 75,000 Hilton Honors points per night. Since Amex points transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio, you could book this unique stay with only 37,500 Amex points. Remember that just because you can book a hotel with points doesn't mean you should. When cash rates are low and award prices are high, booking with cash and earning points toward a future stay can make more sense. For instance, at Trailborn Grand Canyon, rates start around $176 or 62,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night on weekends in September. That comes to under 0.3 cents per point, less than half of TPG's June 2026 valuation for Marriott points, so we recommend paying with cash in this case. Book other points hotels near national parks If you prefer a traditional hotel, there are plenty of points properties near national parks. Rooms.aero (the sister site of Seats.aero) can show you what's available in your destination. Here are some options I found and their starting rates this fall: - Hampton Inn Oakhurst-Yosemite in California: $117 or 42,000 Hilton Honors points per night - Holiday Inn Resort The Squire at Grand Canyon in Arizona: $214 or 41,000 IHG One Rewards points per night - Ridgeline Hotel at Yellowstone, an Ascend Collection Hotel in Montana: $151 o