Whether your ideally suited trip entails climbing mountains, snorkeling reefs, exploring caves or mountain climbing by way of historic forests, you are able to do it in a national park.
With the current weakening of the U.S. greenback, home journey is changing into a extra reasonably priced various to exploring overseas. The U.S. has no scarcity of beautiful sights, together with 400-plus national parks, preserves, monuments and extra. However, with parks feeling the consequences of ever-increasing customer numbers and the Trump administration’s current funds cuts, they might be much more crowded and short-staffed this summer season. It’s extra essential than ever to plan forward and test for facility and path closures.
Here are our high ideas for saving cash (and dodging the crowds) in your national park journey this 12 months, from cashing in your factors and miles to reducing prices on park entry charges.
Related: Things individuals misunderstand about touring on a funds
Travel throughout shoulder season
An straightforward approach to lower your expenses is to plan your journey outdoors peak journey durations. Spring and fall are thought-about shoulder seasons for most national parks, providing cheaper airfares and, in lots of circumstances, thinner crowds and milder temperatures. You would possibly even take into account visiting national parks in winter, whenever you’ll see surroundings and wildlife most guests do not expertise, akin to snow on the Grand Canyon.
Seats.aero is a helpful software to search for airline award availability to varied airports close to parks from your property base. You can filter by factors price, and nonstop flights will seem in inexperienced. Here are some offers we discovered this fall:
See Olympic and Haleakala national parks with Alaska Airlines miles
If you want to discover the varied ecosystems of Washington’s Olympic National Park, it is roughly a two-hour drive from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Alaska Airlines provides nonstop flights from varied Los Angeles airports to SEA beginning at 6,500 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles and $6 every approach on weekdays all through August, September and October.
If you are dreaming of visiting the volcanic slopes of Haleakala on Maui, we discovered nonstop Hawaiian Airlines flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Kahului Airport (OGG) for as little as 10,000 miles and $6 every approach in financial system in September.
Bilt Rewards is Alaska’s solely present switch companion. However, till June 30, you possibly can nonetheless switch miles from Hawaiian Airlines (an American Express Membership Rewards switch companion) to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.
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Explore Mammoth Cave National Park with Southwest Airlines factors
Besides showcasing the world’s longest recognized cave system, Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky is a superb place to beat the warmth.
This fall, Southwest Airlines persistently provides nonstop flights from Chicago’s Midway International Airport (MDW) to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) for 8,500 Southwest Rapid Rewards factors and $5.60 one-way. Or, you possibly can e-book a connecting flight for solely 2,500 factors every approach. The national park is simply over an hour’s drive south of SDF.
You can switch Bilt Rewards Points and Chase Ultimate Rewards factors to Southwest at a 1:1 ratio.
Related: 11 ‘coolest’ trip spots to escape the warmth this summer season
Hike Rocky Mountain National Park with United Airlines miles
Since Denver International Airport (DEN) is a United Airlines hub, you will discover loads of United MileagePlus award flights to the Mile High City, solely an hour and a half away from Rocky Mountain National Park. Fall is a spectacular time to visit the Rockies, with the aspens usually turning crimson and gold between mid-September and early October. Plus, you may be fortunate sufficient to hear the male elk’s mating bugle in the course of the elk rut.
Nonstop flights from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to DEN in September begin at 8,700 United MileagePlus miles and $5.60 one-way, whereas Newark Liberty International 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 Ultimate Rewards.
Visit Grand Canyon and Glacier national parks with American Airlines miles
If you could have tough-to-earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles, you possibly can fly direct from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) close to the Grand Canyon for solely 5,000 AAdvantage miles and $5.60 one-way this September.
You also can discover direct flights from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in Montana for the identical worth. Keep in thoughts that snow-induced highway closures in Glacier usually begin in mid- to late October; test the web site earlier than you go to see which roads are open.
American now not companions with any bank card currencies, however there are many different methods to earn AAdvantage miles.
See Yellowstone’s geysers with Delta Air Lines miles
Although not direct, Delta Air Lines provides common flights to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) from hubs like ORD, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) this fall for 9,100 SkyMiles — or 7,700 miles for those who maintain the proper Delta bank card.
Delta will even launch direct winter service to BZN from New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) on Saturdays beginning this December, if you would like 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.
Related: Why ‘useless weeks’ are one of the best time of 12 months to journey
Book lodging with factors
After airfare, lodging tends to be the subsequent costliest a part of a national park journey — and one other alternative to save with factors. Here are some concepts to e-book your national park stick with lodge rewards and bank card factors.
Go glamping on factors
Glamping and cabin stays is usually a welcome boost to a national park journey, as they allow you to expertise the enjoyment of the outside with the creature comforts of a lodge.
Several main lodge chains have hopped on the outside development lately. For instance, you possibly can e-book AutoCamp and Under Canvas glamping properties with Hilton Honors factors and World of Hyatt factors, respectively. Soon, you will additionally have the option to redeem Marriott Bonvoy factors at Postcard Cabins and Trailborn nature lodges.
We appeared up costs for Under Canvas Moab, close to Arches and Canyonlands national 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. If you e-book with money utilizing a Hyatt bank card, you possibly can earn bonus factors in any respect 13 Under Canvas places between June 1 and Sept. 7.
For the identical 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 would e-book this distinctive stick with solely 37,500 Amex factors.
Remember that simply since you can e-book a lodge with factors doesn’t suggest it is best 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.
For occasion, at Trailborn Grand Canyon, charges begin round $188 (refundable) or 55,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors per evening on weekends in September. That comes to solely 0.34 cents per level, less than half of TPG’s June 2025 valuation for Marriott factors, so we advocate paying with money.
Book different factors lodges close to national parks
If you favor a conventional lodge, there are many factors properties close to national parks. Rooms.aero (the sister web site of Seats.aero) can present you what is accessible in your vacation spot.
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
- Holiday Inn Resort the Squire at Grand Canyon: $309 or 47,000 IHG One Rewards factors per evening
- Ridgeline Hotel at Yellowstone: $343 or 20,000 Choice Privileges factors per evening
- Acadia Park Inn: $335 or 56,000 Best Western Rewards factors per evening
- Holiday Inn Estes Park, close to Rocky Mountain National 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 National Park Gateway: $117 or 12,000 Choice factors per evening
Again, we advocate calculating the worth you will get per level at your required property and evaluating it to TPG’s valuations earlier than you resolve whether or not to e-book with factors or money.
If you go the factors route, remember that some lodge chains cost resort or amenity charges on award bookings, and a few provide your fourth or fifth evening free.
Related: Best national parks to visit together with your youngsters
Book by way of bank card journey portals
Some of the extra distant national parks could depart you with few to no factors lodge choices. That’s the place bank card portals can turn out to be useful.
If you could have entry to a portal akin to Amex Travel, Capital One Travel, Chase Travel℠ or Citi Travel, search the realm round your vacation spot. You could discover some nice choices to e-book with bank card factors or earn further factors on money bookings.
For occasion, the closest factors lodge to Denali National Park is in Fairbanks, Alaska, over a two-hour drive away. However, the Chase Travel portal lists a number of nonpoints lodges a lot nearer.
Since I maintain the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see charges and charges), I can redeem my Chase Ultimate Rewards factors for these lodges at a price of 1 to 1.5 cents apiece with Chase’s new Points Boost, relying on the precise redemption (see your rewards program settlement for full particulars). Or, I pays the money price with my card and earn 5 factors per greenback reserving by way of Chase Travel.
Related: Booking by way of The Edit by Chase Travel now enables you to earn lodge factors and elite advantages
Book your rental automotive with factors
Due to the remoted nature of most national parks, you will probably want a automobile throughout your journey.
Credit card journey portals provide a approach to e-book rental automobiles with factors at a flat price, identical to with lodges. You can also have the option to use sure playing cards’ journey credit towards rental automotive bookings. For occasion, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) offers up to $300 in credit towards journey purchases annually, and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card provides the same credit score for purchases by way of Capital One Travel.
If you pay with money, try our information to saving cash on rental automobiles. And remember, you possibly can typically save on insurance coverage by utilizing a card that gives rental automotive protection.
Save on park entry charges
National park entry charges could also be a comparatively small chunk of your journey funds in contrast to airfare and lodging, however they will add up rapidly for those who visit a number of parks. Here are some methods to save.
Get into national parks for free
The National Park Service provides a number of fee-free days annually when you may get into any park for free. In 2025, the remaining dates embody Aug. 4 (Great American Outdoors Day), Sept. 27 (National Public Lands Day) and Nov. 11 (Veterans Day).
The draw back to fee-free days is that they are among the many most crowded instances to visit national parks. Arrive early to discover parking, and take into account visiting less fashionable and extra distant parks on as of late.
But if you don’t need to plan your trip round fee-free days, you continue to have extra choices than you’d suppose — most websites managed by the National Park Service and associated businesses do not cost a dime. For instance, the nation’s most visited national park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is free to enter (however you will have to pay $5 to park).
Lastly, some guests are eligible for free park entry. These embody present army, veterans and Gold Star households. Fourth graders also can register for an “Every Kid Outdoors” go, giving them and their households free entry to a whole bunch of parks, lands, and waters for a whole 12 months.
Related: Giant sequoias and crimson rock canyons: 7 state parks with national park-worthy wonders and smaller crowds
Save on an annual go
Another straightforward approach to save on national park visits is by buying an annual go. The America the Beautiful Pass prices simply $80 and offers you entry to all federal leisure websites (together with national parks) for a 12 months. With some parks — akin to Yosemite and Yellowstone — charging up to $35 per visit, you will greater than break even for those who plan to visit a number of websites in a 12 months.
If you trip with grandma and grandpa, it can save you much more with a senior go for vacationers aged 62-plus. A one-year senior go prices $20, whereas a lifetime senior go prices solely $80, and each present park entry to anybody within the automotive with the passholder.
Related: 8 finest highway journeys for visiting national parks
Bottom line
National parks provide an enormous number of landscapes and actions with the intention to plan your good journey — whether or not that is a quiet solo retreat, a bunch journey with associates or something in between.
For extra reasonably priced vacation spot concepts, try our roundups of the most affordable home flights by month and nations the place your {dollars} will go additional.
