Memorial Day Weekend 2024 is fast approaching and, if you haven’t already booked, prices will already be creeping higher. Fear not; there is another way to make the most of your weekend without dropping an arm and a leg on sky-high rates—hotel points.
While availability may start dwindling in the next week or two, there’s still plenty of award space across the country (and beyond) waiting to be snapped up.
To help, we’ve found some of the best Memorial Day Weekend 2024 hotels to book with points. Combine these with a solid flight redemption and you’re looking at a cheap getaway.
Hyatt Place – St Petersburg, Florida
Location: St Petersburg, FL
Price: 15,000 points/ $270+
Vibe: Great value, greater location
The rundown: St. Petersburg is a classic Memorial Day getaway. The Florida staple is the quintessential beach town paradise—less rowdy college kids, but still plenty of fun to be had. Luckily, its popularity means there are a ton of excellent hotels you can stay at for nothing using points.
The pick of the bunch for a free stay during Memorial Day Weekend 2024 is the Hyatt Place in downtown. World of Hyatt’s value is unparalleled in most markets and it’s not different in this case. It’ll only set you back 15,000 points a night for a standard room, saving you anywhere from $810 for a three-night stay. It’s without a doubt one of the best Memorial Day hotels to book with points.
You can grab that bonus comfortably with a card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 60,000 bonus points
after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is the ultimate all-around travel credit card—it fits perfectly into almost any points-earner’s wallet. Points novices can enjoy a significant intro bonus and easy to grasp spending categories with an approachable annual fee. The more experienced can utilize its high value earning potential as a secondary card and also gain access to Chase’s strong travel booking portal.
PROS
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals, and cruises through Chase Travel℠.
- The $50 dollar hotel credit for stays purchased on the Chase Travel Portal already cuts the already approachable $95 annual fee significantly.
- A 10% annual points bonus is tacked on every year, adding a little more value.
- A free year-long Doordash DashPass membership is also thrown in, which gives you free delivery and some extra discounts. It’s a solid perk if you order food delivery at least semi-frequently (Activate by 12/31/2027).
- Along with all of the above, cardholders also have access to a string of travel protections like rental coverage, cancellation insurance, and purchase protection.
CONS
- Maximizing the value of Chase points can still be complicated for complete novices.
Competing cards like the Capital One Venture have a better earning rate for non-bonused spend.
It’s subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule. So, if you’ve opened five cards in the last two years, you’re most likely not going to be accepted.
Annual Fee: $95 | Terms Apply | Rates & Fees
Sierra Sky Ranch, Yosemite National Park
Location: Oakhurst, CA
Price: 30,000 points/ $280+
Vibe: Rustic retreat
The rundown: Memorial Day is for remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States, so what better way to celebrate that freedom than enjoying the country at its most spectacular? A trip to one of the American National Parks, like the ever-wondrous Yosemite, can make for a tremendous Memorial Day Weekend 2024 getaway—especially if you’ve got some kids in tow.
There’s a tremendous historic hotel just a short drive from the entrance to the national park named Sierra Sky Ranch, bookable for just 30,000 points a night with Choice Privileges. Built on a cattle ranch that operated in the late 1800s, it’s retained its serene character and boasts remarkable views of the surrounding countryside. You might be tempted to skip Yosemite altogether. Amex, Capital One, and Citi all transfer to Choice Privileges, so opt to open one of those cards to grab your stay.
Spring Hill Suites, Colorado Springs
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Price: 38,000 points/ $200+
Vibe: Simple city center stay
The rundown: With the same concept in mind, Colorado Springs is a hub of activity during Memorial Day Weekend. The area is home to five military bases, so you know the atmosphere will be arguably the most sincere it can be anywhere in the country. It helps that the region is breathtaking too.
Spring Hill Suites are nothing to go crazy over, but you’re not in Colorado Springs to sit in your hotel all day—especially on Memorial Day Weekend 2024. Instead, it’s your bed to fall back on after a long day exploring the surrounding landscapes or soaking up the atmosphere in town later on in the day. For just 38,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you’ve got yourself one of the best Memorial Day hotels to book with points.
Hyatt Regency, Merida
Location: Merida, Yucutan, Mexico
Price: 5,000 points/$119
Vibe: Cultural bargain
The rundown: Sometimes an escape is more than warranted, and where better than the Yucatan Peninsula? Instead of opting for the resort-burdened towns of Cancun and Tulum, head a little further afield to Merida and get a more authentic taste of Mexico. The city is one of the best places to understand Mexico’s past and is within striking distance of World Wonder, Chichen Itza.
Just 5,000 points are needed for a night in the Hyatt Regency, Merida. It’s a Category 1 hotel, putting it in the lowest redemption bracket. For the same price as one night in many other hotels on this list, you could stay for an entire week here. Why not do just that? Weekends are just a social construct—take a week, take two.
Hilton Quebec City
Location: Quebec City, Canada
Price: $250+
Vibe: The French Connection
The rundown: A transatlantic jaunt might be a little far for a weekend break (or maybe not?), but just across the northern border, you’ll find Quebec, arguably the most European-influenced city on the North American continent. Of course, its locals speak French, but the architecture and city planning echoes its origins across the pond in a fashion incomparable to anywhere in the US.
For one of the best Memorial Day Weekend 2024 hotels to book with points in Canada, opt for the Hilton Quebec City. At 38,000 Honors points, you can grab a weekend stay comfortably with a strong intro bonus like that of The Platinum Card® from American Express. If you can grab a high floor, you’ll be welcomed by stunning views of the city, priming you for exploration.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
80,000 Membership Rewards® Points
after you spend $8,000 on purchases in your first 6 months of card membership
The Amex Platinum was once the sole dominating force in the luxury credit card space. While it now faces some stiff competition, it still offers unbeatable perks like unprecedented airport lounge access, elite status at Hilton and Marriott, and some outstanding statement credits making the mammoth $695 worth it for some.
PROS
- The Amex Platinum’s typical intro bonus of 80,000 points is massive in itself. It’s worth $800 when spent directly through Amex’s travel portal on flights and hotels, which is already stellar. But when transferred to a partner, it’s very possible to squeeze over $1,600 or more in value.
- The Platinum has a slew of top-tier benefits, like Priority Pass, which gives the cardholder access to thousands of airport lounges and restaurants around the world, as well as Amex’s own Centurion lounges which are known for the high-quality (and free) food and cocktails. Other perks include up to $200 in Uber credits (to receive this benefit, you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express card must be a method of payment in your Uber account, and this Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States), up to $200 in airline fee credits (given in statement credits), up to $240 in digital streaming credits, up to $200 towards hotel bookings (given in statement credits) with Amex’s Fine Hotels and Resorts (2 night minimum stay required), and more. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
- A number of statement credits spanning multiple industries can build even more value into the card, including free stays when applied strategically.
- The Amex concierge is an underutilized benefit that can transform a trip by helping book hard-to-find dinner reservations or show tickets.
CONS
- The $695 annual fee is brutally high. Too high for many that can’t, or don’t want to take full advantage of its benefits.
- Points-earning rates are low unless spending directly on flights or with the Amex Portal.
- Some of the benefits, like travel credits, are more limited and are harder to use than competing cards’ offerings.
Annual Fee: $695 | Terms Apply | Rates & Fees
Hyatt Place East End,The Hamptons
Location: Riverhead, NY
Price: 15,000 points/ $200+
Vibe: Waterside delight
The rundown: Another classic getaway, The Hamptons flood with New York’s finest at every hint of a national holiday. While you might not be able to stretch to one of its iconic beach houses, you’re not out of options thanks to the presence of some of the biggest names in the hotel industry.
The hard part is grabbing a high-value place on the beach. If that proves too tough, opt for a hotel a little back from the main Southampton area and grab a room at Hyatt Place East End for just 15,000 points a night. It’s a stunning Category 4 hotel facing the harbor (seriously check out the outdoor communal area),– and puts you as close to everything as you’d need to be. It’s one of the best Memorial Day Weekend 2024 hotels to book with points.
by your friends at The Daily Navigator
