Whether or not your very best trip includes climbing mountains, snorkeling reefs, exploring caves or mountaineering by means of historic forests, you are able to do it in a nationwide park.
With the latest weakening of the U.S. greenback, home journey is turning into a extra reasonably priced various to exploring overseas. The U.S. has no scarcity of gorgeous sights, together with 400-plus nationwide parks, preserves, monuments and extra. Nonetheless, with parks feeling the consequences of ever-increasing customer numbers and the Trump administration’s latest price range cuts, they might be much more crowded and short-staffed this summer time. It is extra essential than ever to plan forward and verify for facility and path closures.
Listed here are our high ideas for saving cash (and dodging the crowds) in your nationwide park journey this 12 months, from cashing in your factors and miles to slicing prices on park entry charges.
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Journey throughout shoulder season
A simple approach to economize is to plan your journey exterior peak journey durations. Spring and fall are thought of shoulder seasons for many nationwide parks, providing cheaper airfares and, in lots of circumstances, thinner crowds and milder temperatures. You would possibly even contemplate visiting nationwide parks in winter, if you’ll see surroundings and wildlife most guests do not expertise, similar to snow on the Grand Canyon.
Seats.aero is a useful device to seek for airline award availability to varied airports close to parks from your private home base. You possibly can filter by factors price, and nonstop flights will seem in inexperienced. Listed here are some offers we discovered this fall:
See Olympic and Haleakala nationwide parks with Alaska Airways miles
If you would like to discover the various ecosystems of Washington’s Olympic Nationwide Park, it is roughly a two-hour drive from Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA). Alaska Airways gives nonstop flights from varied Los Angeles airports to SEA beginning at 6,500 Alaska Airways Mileage Plan miles and $6 every approach on weekdays all through August, September and October.
For those who’re dreaming of visiting the volcanic slopes of Haleakala on Maui, we discovered nonstop Hawaiian Airways flights from San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) to Kahului Airport (OGG) for as little as 10,000 miles and $6 every approach in economic system in September.
Bilt Rewards is Alaska’s solely present switch companion. Nonetheless, till June 30, you possibly can nonetheless switch miles from Hawaiian Airways (an American Specific Membership Rewards switch companion) to Alaska Airways Mileage Plan.
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Discover Mammoth Cave Nationwide Park with Southwest Airways factors
Moreover showcasing the world’s longest identified cave system, Mammoth Cave Nationwide Park in Kentucky is a good place to beat the warmth.
This fall, Southwest Airways constantly gives nonstop flights from Chicago’s Halfway Worldwide Airport (MDW) to Louisville Muhammad Ali Worldwide Airport (SDF) for 8,500 Southwest Speedy Rewards factors and $5.60 one-way. Or, you possibly can ebook a connecting flight for less than 2,500 factors every approach. The nationwide park is simply over an hour’s drive south of SDF.
You possibly can switch Bilt Rewards Factors and Chase Final Rewards factors to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio.
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Hike Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park with United Airways miles
Since Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN) is a United Airways hub, you will discover loads of United MileagePlus award flights to the Mile Excessive Metropolis, solely an hour and a half away from Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park. Fall is a spectacular time to go to the Rockies, with the aspens sometimes turning purple and gold between mid-September and early October. Plus, you is likely to be fortunate sufficient to listen to the male elk’s mating bugle through the elk rut.
Nonstop flights from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL) to DEN in September begin at 8,700 United MileagePlus miles and $5.60 one-way, whereas Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) to DEN begins at 13,300 miles.
If you do not have sufficient United miles, you possibly can switch them at a 1:1 ratio from Bilt Rewards and Chase Final Rewards.
Go to Grand Canyon and Glacier nationwide parks with American Airways miles
You probably have tough-to-earn American Airways AAdvantage miles, you possibly can fly direct from Charlotte Douglas Worldwide Airport (CLT) to Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (PHX) close to the Grand Canyon for less than 5,000 AAdvantage miles and $5.60 one-way this September.
You can even discover direct flights from Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) to Glacier Park Worldwide Airport (FCA) in Montana for a similar worth. Needless to say snow-induced street closures in Glacier sometimes begin in mid- to late October; verify the web site earlier than you go to see which roads are open.
American not companions with any bank card currencies, however there are many different methods to earn AAdvantage miles.
See Yellowstone’s geysers with Delta Air Strains miles
Though not direct, Delta Air Strains gives common flights to Bozeman Yellowstone Worldwide Airport (BZN) from hubs like ORD, Dallas Fort Value Worldwide Airport (DFW) and New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) this fall for 9,100 SkyMiles — or 7,700 miles should you maintain the proper Delta bank card.
Delta may also launch direct winter service to BZN from New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) on Saturdays beginning this December, if you wish to see the park’s wildlife and geysers within the snow.
There are a number of methods to earn extra Delta SkyMiles, together with transferring Amex factors.
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Ebook lodging with factors
After airfare, lodging tends to be the subsequent most costly a part of a nationwide park journey — and one other alternative to avoid wasting with factors. Listed here are some concepts to ebook your nationwide park stick with lodge rewards and bank card factors.
Go glamping on factors
Glamping and cabin stays could be a welcome boost to a nationwide park journey, as they allow you to expertise the enjoyment of the outside with the creature comforts of a lodge.
A number of main lodge chains have hopped on the outside pattern lately. For instance, you possibly can ebook AutoCamp and Below Canvas glamping properties with Hilton Honors factors and World of Hyatt factors, respectively. Quickly, you will additionally be capable to redeem Marriott Bonvoy factors at Postcard Cabins and Trailborn nature lodges.
We appeared up costs for Below Canvas Moab, close to Arches and Canyonlands nationwide parks, for a weekend in September. A fundamental safari tent will set you again 24,250 World of Hyatt factors or $329 per evening earlier than taxes. For those who ebook with money utilizing a Hyatt bank card, you possibly can earn bonus factors in any respect 13 Below Canvas places between June 1 and Sept. 7.
For a similar September weekend, a fundamental Airstream Suite at AutoCamp Zion begins at $380 or 75,000 Hilton Honors factors per evening. Since Amex factors switch to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio, you might ebook this distinctive stick with solely 37,500 Amex factors.
Do not forget that simply since you can ebook a lodge with factors doesn’t suggest you need to. When money charges are low and award costs are excessive, reserving with money and incomes factors towards a future keep could make extra sense.
As an example, at Trailborn Grand Canyon, charges begin round $188 (refundable) or 55,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors per evening on weekends in September. That involves solely 0.34 cents per level, lower than half of TPG’s June 2025 valuation for Marriott factors, so we suggest paying with money.
Ebook different factors inns close to nationwide parks
For those who favor a conventional lodge, there are many factors properties close to nationwide parks. Rooms.aero (the sister web site of Seats.aero) can present you what is accessible in your vacation spot.
Listed here are some choices I discovered, and their charges for a weekend in mid-September:
- Hampton Inn Oakhurst-Yosemite: $267 or 60,000 Hilton factors per evening
- Vacation Inn Resort the Squire at Grand Canyon: $309 or 47,000 IHG One Rewards factors per evening
- Ridgeline Resort at Yellowstone: $343 or 20,000 Selection Privileges factors per evening
- Acadia Park Inn: $335 or 56,000 Greatest Western Rewards factors per evening
- Vacation Inn Estes Park, close to Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park: $323 or 55,500 IHG factors per evening
- Fairfield Inn & Suites Strasburg Shenandoah: $210 or 21,750 Marriott factors per evening
- Hyatt Place Moab: $434 or 23,000 Hyatt factors per evening
- Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Kalispell — Glacier Nationwide Park Gateway: $117 or 12,000 Selection factors per evening
Once more, we suggest calculating the worth you will get per level at your required property and evaluating it to TPG’s valuations earlier than you determine whether or not to ebook with factors or money.
For those who go the factors route, do not forget that some lodge chains cost resort or amenity charges on award bookings, and a few provide your fourth or fifth evening free.
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Ebook by means of bank card journey portals
A few of the extra distant nationwide parks might depart you with few to no factors lodge choices. That is the place bank card portals can come in useful.
You probably have entry to a portal similar to Amex Journey, Capital One Journey, Chase Journey℠ or Citi Journey, search the realm round your vacation spot. Chances are you’ll discover some nice choices to ebook with bank card factors or earn further factors on money bookings.
As an example, the closest factors lodge to Denali Nationwide Park is in Fairbanks, Alaska, over a two-hour drive away. Nonetheless, the Chase Journey portal lists a number of nonpoints inns a lot nearer.
Since I maintain the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs), I can redeem my Chase Final Rewards factors for these inns at a price of 1 to 1.5 cents apiece with Chase’s new Factors Enhance, relying on the precise redemption (see your rewards program settlement for full particulars). Or, I will pay the money price with my card and earn 5 factors per greenback reserving by means of Chase Journey.
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Ebook your rental automotive with factors
As a result of remoted nature of most nationwide parks, you will probably want a automobile throughout your journey.
Bank card journey portals provide a approach to ebook rental automobiles with factors at a flat price, similar to with inns. You may additionally be capable to use sure playing cards’ journey credit towards rental automotive bookings. As an example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) offers as much as $300 in credit towards journey purchases annually, and the Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card gives an identical credit score for purchases by means of Capital One Journey.
For those who pay with money, try our information to saving cash on rental automobiles. And do not forget, you possibly can typically save on insurance coverage through the use of a card that gives rental automotive protection.
Save on park entry charges
Nationwide park entry charges could also be a comparatively small chunk of your journey price range in comparison with airfare and lodging, however they’ll add up rapidly should you go to a number of parks. Listed here are some methods to avoid wasting.
Get into nationwide parks without spending a dime
The Nationwide Park Service gives a number of fee-free days annually when you will get into any park without spending a dime. In 2025, the remaining dates embody Aug. 4 (Nice American Open air Day), Sept. 27 (Nationwide Public Lands Day) and Nov. 11 (Veterans Day).
The draw back to fee-free days is that they are among the many most crowded occasions to go to nationwide parks. Arrive early to search out parking, and contemplate visiting much less well-liked and extra distant parks on today.
However should you do not wish to plan your trip round fee-free days, you continue to have extra choices than you’d suppose — most websites managed by the Nationwide Park Service and associated businesses do not cost a dime. For instance, the nation’s most visited nationwide park, Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park, is free to enter (however you will need to pay $5 to park).
Lastly, some guests are eligible without spending a dime park entry. These embody present navy, veterans and Gold Star households. Fourth graders can even register for an “Each Child Open air” cross, giving them and their households free entry to lots of of parks, lands, and waters for a complete 12 months.
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Save on an annual cross
One other simple approach to save on nationwide park visits is by buying an annual cross. The America the Stunning Move prices simply $80 and offers you entry to all federal leisure websites (together with nationwide parks) for a 12 months. With some parks — similar to Yosemite and Yellowstone — charging as much as $35 per go to, you will greater than break even should you plan to go to just a few websites in a 12 months.
For those who trip with grandma and grandpa, it can save you much more with a senior cross for vacationers aged 62-plus. A one-year senior cross prices $20, whereas a lifetime senior cross prices solely $80, and each present park entry to anybody within the automotive with the passholder.
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Backside line
Nationwide parks provide an enormous number of landscapes and actions so that you could plan your excellent journey — whether or not that is a quiet solo retreat, a group journey with mates or something in between.
For extra reasonably priced vacation spot concepts, try our roundups of the most cost-effective home flights by month and international locations the place your {dollars} will go additional.
