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How to save money on a national park trip this year with points and miles
Rachel Craft is a travel writer at TPG. She's excited about introducing more people to the world of points & miles and helping fellow travel newbies make the most of their points.
June 18, 2026 • 13 min read
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Quick summary
National parks across the U.S. offer diverse landscapes and activities, making them an appealing alternative to international travel, especially with a weaker dollar.
Visiting during shoulder seasons like spring or fall can help travelers save on airfare and avoid peak crowds.
Award flights and hotel points can be used to reduce costs for both transportation and lodging near major parks, but comparing cash versus points value is recommended.
Additional savings can be found through free-entry days, annual passes and eligibility-based discounts for certain groups.
What to consider
Some parks may experience crowding and limited staffing due to increased visitors and budget constraints, so advance planning and checking for closures is essential.
Award availability and point transfer options vary by airline and hotel program, and resort or amenity fees may still apply to points bookings.
National Park Service fee-free days are popular and crowded, while annual and senior passes can offer substantial savings for frequent visitors.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed tips on maximizing points and miles for flights, lodging and car rentals, plus specific examples of award travel deals to top national parks.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
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.
Fall in Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park. J.J. RAIA/GETTY IMAGES
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.
SEATS.AERO
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.
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.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
You can transfer Bilt points and Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio.
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.
UNITED AIRLINES
If you don’t have enough United miles, MileagePlus is a 1:1 transfer partner of Bilt and Chase Ultimate Rewards.
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.
AMERICAN AIRLINESAMERICAN AIRLINES
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.
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.
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.
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.
HYATT
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.
HILTON
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.
MARRIOTT
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 or 20,000 Choice Privileges points per night
Best Western Acadia Park Inn in Maine: $276 or 40,000 Best Western Rewards points per night
Holiday Inn Estes Park, near Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado: $274 or 48,000 IHG One Rewards points per night
Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Strasburg Shenandoah Valley in Virginia: $111 or 18,500 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
Hyatt Place Moab in Utah: $171 or 20,000 World of Hyatt points per night
Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Kalispell — Glacier National Park Gateway in Montana: $55 or 12,000 Choice Privileges points per night
Again, we recommend calculating the value you’ll get per point at your desired property and comparing it to TPG’s valuations before you decide whether to book with points or cash.
Some of the more remote national parks may leave you with few to no points options for accommodations. That’s where credit card portals can come in handy.
If you have access to a portal such as Amex Travel, Capital One Travel, Chase Travel℠ or Citi Travel, search the area around your destination. You may find some great options to book with credit card points or miles, or ways to earn extra points or miles on cash bookings.
For instance, the nearest points hotel to Denali National Park & Preserve is in Fairbanks, Alaska, which is over a two-hour drive away. However, the Chase Travel portal lists several nonpoints hotels much closer.
CHASE
I can redeem my Chase Ultimate Rewards points for these hotels at a flat rate of 1 cent apiece (or better if I can find a Points Boost option). Or, since I hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), I can pay the cash rate with my card and earn 8 points per dollar spent by booking through Chase Travel.
Due to the isolated nature of most national parks, you’ll likely need a vehicle during your trip.
Credit card travel portals offer a way to book rental cars with points or miles at a flat rate, just like with hotels. You may also be able to use certain cards’ travel credits toward rental car bookings. For instance, the Chase Sapphire Reserve provides up to $300 in credits toward travel purchases each year, and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a similar credit for purchases made through Capital One Travel.
Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. TOMWACHS/GETTY IMAGES
National park entry fees may be a relatively small chunk of your trip budget compared to airfare and lodging, but they can add up quickly if you visit multiple parks. Here are some ways to save.
Get into national parks for free
The National Park Service offers several fee-free days each year when you can get into any park for free. In 2026, the remaining dates include July 3 to 5 (Independence Day weekend), Aug. 25 (the 110th birthday of the National Park Service), Sept. 17 (Constitution Day), Oct. 27 (former President Theodore Roosevelt's birthday) and Nov. 11 (Veterans Day).
The downside to fee-free days is that they’re among the most crowded times to visit national parks. Arrive early to find parking, and consider visiting less popular and more remote parks on these days.
If you don’t want to plan your vacation around fee-free days, you still have more options than you'd think — most sites managed by the National Park Service and related agencies don't charge a dime. For example, the nation's most-visited national park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is free to enter (but you’ll have to pay $5 to park).
Lastly, some visitors are eligible for free park access. These include current members of the military, veterans and Gold Star families. Fourth graders can also register for an "Every Kid Outdoors" pass, giving them and their families free access to hundreds of parks, lands and waters for an entire year.
Another easy way to save on national park visits is by purchasing an annual pass. The America the Beautiful Pass costs just $80 and gives you access to all federal recreational sites (including national parks) for a year. With some parks — such as Yosemite and Yellowstone — charging up to $35 per visit, you'll more than break even if you plan to visit a few sites in a year.
If you vacation with grandma and grandpa, you can save even more with a senior pass for travelers 62 and older. A one-year senior pass costs $20, while a lifetime senior pass costs only $80. Both provide park access to anyone in the car with the passholder.
National parks offer a huge variety of landscapes and activities so that you can plan your perfect trip — whether that’s a quiet solo retreat, a group trip with friends or anything in between.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
