VACATION LOW-COST MUCH QUALITY, WOW!

OK, here’s how to do what I’ve done and taken beach vacations every year, sometimes twice per year, without breaking the bank!

All it takes is three easy steps...and I’ll show you how on this page...

1 - Marriott BonVoy Bonus Points

2 - Southwest Rapid Rewards Points

3 - Costco Auto Rentals

Useful Sites and Cards

The Points Guy

The guy knows his stuff, and he tells it like it is with Marriott points. I’ve followed his advice for years to maximize the number of points that I have, to the point that for the last six years I’ve maintained my Gold or Platinum Elite (will be Platinum this year) status and have stayed at least one week per year somewhere for free.

Last year it was Myrtle Beach. This year I got 5-free certificates worth up to 50,000 points per night. Add in my annual free night, and my wife and I will be staying at the St Petersburg Tierra Verde property for six nights...for nothing. Yep, the flight cost us nothing as well with our accumulated Southwest points.

How? Simple, we use our Southwest and Marriott credit cards for EVERY purchase, big or small. Then pay the balance off monthly. The points add up quickly, and with promotional and bonus points they continue to add up. There hasn’t been one year for the past six years where we can’t take a no cost trip.

Extra bonus points: For trips where we do spend money, we use the respective cards to earn extra bonus points. Last year we stayed at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas for 10-days in a corner unit wraparound suite, for our honeymoon. So a once in a lifetime trip. That property participates with Marriott, so we used our BonVoy card to pay for the room. If you guessed that we got a ridiculous amount of points for that trip, you’d be correct. Additionally, we paid for that flight on Southwest using our Southwest credit card. Again, ridiculous points.

EXTRA BONUSES: Other savings for the Vegas trip came to us through the use of the MyVEGAS apps — look them up in the App Store, and research the MGM reward program. Essentially, we played (for free) on the app enough to get one free-night’s stay at the Aria, no hidden tricks, no BS. That program, again run through MGM properties, also afforded us two free meals, two free cocktails, four free buffets! (before they closed on us), $50 free play, and free transit passes for the week. Ridiculous. Just ridiculous.

Caesar’s has an excellent reward program as well.

FINAL PRO TIP: Rent a car. The money is always well spent, and by using Costco Travel you will always get the best rates for the best vehicle class available. For our Vegas trip for example, we took several day trips off of and away from The Strip and got to really see the surrounding area. Old Vegas, Zak Bagan’s, awesome restaurants, and Red Rock canyon is, well, just beautiful.

Chase Marriott BonVoy Sign-up points

Click to Apply

Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card

Click to Apply

Costco Travel - Use them for the best car rental rates, bar none.

Costco Membership - Get the basic membership, your first car rental will pay for the membership. Their travel program is also fairly decent.

AAA Membership and Discounts - Use them for additional room discounts whenever you are paying for a room, best non-rack/non-veteran rates available.

PRO TIPS:

The night before the airport hotel stay...

Early 6AM flight? Book a room at the Marriott with points, earns a night stay towards Gold, and saves time while reducing stress.

TSA Pre-check - Get it. This has saved us so many hours at the airport. No time? Get it at the airport when you’re early for your next flight. It’s that easy. Yes, they make it that easy.

Passport - Highly recommended, this can be used instead of your driver’s license, it’s good everywhere, and when you need it, you’ll have it! Go get one, now.

Fast Pass/Easy Pass - we live in Pennsylvania, and our turnpike Easy Pass has agreements with many states. Bring it along to save on tolls!

Credit card pro tip - Alternate between each card to continuously re-fill the points every other year. This is key. One year we take driving trips and exclusively use our Southwest card to build up flight points. The next year we fly somewhere, we’re using our Marriott card to build up BonVoy reward points. Just remember, always use the BonVoy card to pay for your Marriott properties, and use your Southwest card to pay for your Southwest flights.

OK, so where have we been for all of this effort you ask?

Glad you asked, my wife and I have enjoyed the following trips and vacations (with pictures) on a modest budget and/or with heavy discounts:

Myrtle Beach (3 times)