Beyond Flights: Utilizing Points and Miles for Summer Road Trips

With soaring demand for summer air travel, many travelers are considering summer road trips instead of flying.

While points and miles are often best used for luxury travel bookings, they can also be redeemed for road trips, offering a great chance to earn more points for future getaways.

Today, we'll explore several strategies to make the most of your points and miles during a road trip.

Cut costs on your rental

Before hitting the road, the first step in your planning should be securing your car or RV rental. You can save on rental costs with AutoSlash, which alerts you when prices drop. For RVs, consider a relocation rental, which can be as low as $1.

If you book through a shopping portal and add your frequent flyer number, you might even earn airline miles on your rentals. For instance, American Airlines offers Loyalty Points that contribute toward elite status.

Maximize your rewards by choosing the right credit card

Selecting the right credit card is crucial when booking your rental. Opt for a card that offers primary car rental insurance and rewards you with bonus points on travel expenses. Notable options include the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

If you have an American Express card, you might pay extra to join Amex's Premium Car Rental Protection program. Just keep in mind that most cards offering car rental coverage do not extend this to RVs.

Regardless of whether you're driving your own vehicle or renting, maximize your points on fuel purchases. Some top credit cards for gas rewards are the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, and Citi Strata Premier℠ Card.

Reduce your spending on fuel

Often overlooked, numerous gas station and third-party loyalty programs can help you cut costs on fuel.

When you fill up at Shell stations, you can join the Fuel Rewards program to save at least five cents per gallon on each fill-up. Additional savings can be earned by using a linked credit card at partner locations. The program has previously offered 10 cents off per gallon when shopping through their online portal. You can also enhance your savings by connecting your Dunkin' Donuts rewards account for an extra 10 cents off per gallon, or opt to earn American Airlines miles and Loyalty Points instead of cash back through Fuel Rewards.

There are also programs like Pay with GasBuddy that aren't tied to any specific chain. You might even stack multiple programs to maximize your savings.

Reduce your lodging expenses

Accommodations can be a significant expense during road trips, making your points especially valuable here.

Most major hotel chains now implement dynamic pricing, which means that award rates can vary greatly depending on demand. However, if you prefer the stability of award charts, you can still find that option with World of Hyatt, albeit with peak and off-peak pricing.

During a road trip, you’re likely to stay at numerous hotels, which can differ from standard vacations. This can be advantageous if your points are distributed across various hotel loyalty programs.

Consider using your credit card's annual free night certificate while on the road. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card offer free night certificates that can be supplemented with additional points. Meanwhile, Hilton's free night certificates from cards like the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card can be redeemed at almost any Hilton property worldwide, subject to standard room availability.

The details for the Hilton Aspire Amex Card have been gathered independently by Dinogo. The information on this page has not been verified or provided by the card issuer.

For inspiration on which hotel points to use during your stay, check out TPG's guide to the best American road trips for families.

If you're paying out of pocket, opt for a credit card that provides additional points for hotel expenses. If you're booking an Airbnb, use a card that gives bonus points on general travel purchases. If cash rates are low, booking through your credit card's travel portal might be more beneficial than transferring points to the hotel loyalty program. Consider which approach suits your needs best.

Redeem points for activities

Using your points for activities can often yield a great value.

The Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal enables you to redeem points for various travel options, including car rentals and activities. If you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, each point is valued at 1.25 cents, meaning a $100 activity would require 8,000 points.

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve, your points are worth 1.5 cents each, making a $100 activity cost only about 6,700 points. This is significantly more favorable compared to most other credit card travel portals. The Chase Travel Portal is powered by Expedia, so any activity available on Expedia can also be booked through Chase at the same rate.

Typically, most credit card issuers do not classify sightseeing and tourist attractions as travel expenses. Therefore, if you're planning to pay cash rather than redeem points, consider using a card that offers a strong return on everyday purchases, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited®.

In summary

Points and miles aren't solely for first-class flights and luxury hotel stays. Even if the redemption doesn't seem optimal, your rewards can help create an exciting, adventure-filled summer road trip.

For the Capital One products mentioned on this page, some of the benefits listed are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may differ by product. Please refer to the relevant Guide to Benefits for specific details, as terms and exclusions apply.