Melissa submitted this reader success story to Yellowstone National Park and also broke the news that the Denver Capital One Lounge no longer carries the chocolate-covered raisins I love so much. (No wonder I can’t find them anymore!🥲) Here’s Melissa’s story:

 

Where did we go: Bozeman, West Yellowstone, and Big Sky, Montana.

Who Went: My family of four, including myself, my husband, and my one- and three-year-olds.

Flight information: Four tickets from Boston to Bozeman via Denver on Southwest® Airlines, including one Companion Pass®. Going home, it took four tickets from Bozeman via Denver to Boston Logan using one Companion Pass® again.

Lodging: Two nights at the Residence Inn Downtown Bozeman, one night at Under Canvas West Yellowstone, two nights at the Holiday Inn West Yellowstone, and one night at the Residence Inn Big Sky – The Wilson Hotel.

When we started earning and using points: December 2024

 

Getting Started with Points and Miles

We just started our journey with points and miles in December 2024. I stumbled upon PTS on Instagram and dove right in. I listened to the entire podcast over a few weeks and read numerous posts in the Facebook group. Like Pam, I used to be an extreme couponer, so a lot of this made sense to me. My husband was more skeptical, and the more I explained, the more he thought it sounded illegal. I knew I had to do a trip that he would love to get him fully on board, and it worked! 

We earned a companion pass in December by opening the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card. I have a Chase Sapphire Reserve® and a Chase Freedom Flex℠ that I have had for several years. Before learning about points and miles, I used it as a cash-back card. (I kick myself now.) Since December, I have opened two Southwest business cards, a Business Platinum Card® from American Express, a Sapphire Reserve for Business℠, a World of Hyatt Credit Card, and a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Then I referred my husband for a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, and he also opened a World of Hyatt Credit Card.

 

Planning the Trip

We planned this trip at the very last minute, and it was perfect! We booked this trip in July and went in August.  

 

Flights

We flew from Boston to Bozeman, MT, with a connection in Denver, totaling 40,500 Rapid Rewards points for three passengers. We used one Companion Pass®. On the way home, we flew from Bozeman via Denver to Boston using one Companion Pass®, which was 42,000 Rapid Rewards points.  I have a Companion Pass® from opening the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card and Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card in December 2024. We got free checked bags and free in-flight internet. With taxes, these flights cost $44.80; without points, the cost would have been $1,774.44. 

In Boston, we stopped at the Chase Sapphire Lounge using my Chase Sapphire Reserve® card. In Denver, we stopped at the Capital One Lounge using my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. We spent no money on food at the airport! 

 

Hotels

We spent two nights at the Residence Inn Downtown Bozeman. I booked through American Express Travel® for 112,737 points.  I got these points by opening the Business Platinum Card® from American Express. This hotel would have cost $780 if we had paid with cash. I used Pam’s template to contact the hotel before our stay and included my Marriott Gold number, and we were upgraded to a two-bedroom suite. The two-bedroom suite was perfect with two king beds, two full bathrooms, and a full kitchen. While in Bozeman, we went to the Valley View Rodeo, which was awesome! Our tickets totaled around $60; the kids were free. We also went to the Museum of the Rockies. My son loves dinosaurs, and there were numerous dinosaurs on display. 

 

Under Canvas West Yellowstone

Next, we drove to West Yellowstone and stayed at Under Canvas West Yellowstone. This was 67k Hyatt points. I got these points from opening the personal Hyatt card.  We used Pam’s template, and we were upgraded to a bigger tent. This was our dream property. The property was beautiful, the food was great, and the staff were amazing. There were s’mores available for the kids at night, along with an activity area. We got a family tent, which included one big tent and one small tent. It was worth every Hyatt point. This hotel would have cost $769.

 

 

 

Holiday Inn West Yellowstone

Next, we drove approximately 15 minutes to the Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone. I booked this through Chase Travel℠ for 49,508 points using Points Boost. This hotel would have cost $897.60 if we had paid with cash. I got these points by referring my husband to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and using the points from his welcome offer. This hotel was nothing special, but it did the trick; it was conveniently located near the entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Kids also eat for free in the restaurant, and there are unlimited ice cream sandwiches and cookies in the lobby. There was also a game room that my kids enjoyed. 

 

 

 

 

A Night in Big Sky, Montana

Next, we drove one hour north to Big Sky and stayed at the Residence Inn Big Sky – The Wilson Hotel. We wanted to start making our way back toward the airport, and this hotel was perfect for a relaxing night. I booked this through Chase Travel℠ for 18,893 points using Points Boost. This hotel room would have cost $549 otherwise. We were upgraded to a two-bedroom suite because of my Marriott Gold status with the Business Platinum Card® from American Express. I used Pam‘s template before arrival to inquire about the upgrade. The pool at this hotel is outside and perfect for kids. It features a zero-entry point at one end of the pool. 

 

Other Expenses

Yellowstone Tour

We did a private tour of Yellowstone. The tours here are expensive; I found some priced at $2,000 to $3,000. We found Amy Beegel of Easy Tours Yellowstone National Park. She was absolutely amazing and made our trip. This tour was around $800. She accepts credit cards, so I put this on my Chase Freedom Unlimited® so I could earn 1.5 Chase Ultimate Rewards® per dollar. I highly recommend working with Amy. I texted and called her several times before our arrival, and she not only gave us a fantastic tour but also recommended restaurants and hotels in the area. She was amazing with my children. 

Rental Car
I booked our rental car through Costco Travel. I used my Chase Sapphire Reserve® $300 annual travel credit. The car cost $650, so we paid $350. We rented through Alamo and were given a complimentary upgrade to an SUV. 

Food

The Residence Inns in Bozeman and Big Sky had complimentary breakfasts. At the Holiday Inn West Yellowstone, my kids ate for free. For all other meals, we did eat out. Overall, food prices in Montana were pretty reasonable. 

 

Final Thoughts

This trip was unbelievable and would never have been possible without points. The total cost for our flights and hotels would have been $5,587.34 if we had paid in cash. Amazingly, because of points, we paid $94.80, which included $50 for parking at the Residence Inn Bozeman and $44.80 in taxes on our flights. My family loved Yellowstone, and we are already planning another trip out west, all thanks to Points Talk Squad!

 

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