NFR Las Vegas Trip Recap: Rio Hotel Review, Points Travel & the Chaos We Didn't Expect 🎰

Vegas always delivers… just not always how you expect. 😅

In this episode, we’re recapping our latest Las Vegas trip for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR)—from staying at the Rio on points, to navigating crowds, chaos, and a little unexpected drama along the way.

We’re sharing the real behind-the-scenes of traveling during one of Vegas’s busiest weeks, what worked, what we’d do differently, and why using points made this trip possible (and way less stressful on the budget).

If you’ve ever wondered:

• What Vegas is really like during NFR
• Whether the Rio is worth it on points
• Or why “what happens in Vegas” isn’t always glamorous

…this episode is for you.


What We Cover in This Episode:

✨ Our experience traveling to Las Vegas during NFR
🏨 Staying at the Rio on points – the good, the bad, and the honest truth
🎟️ NFR vibes, crowds, and what surprised us most
🎭 The chaos we didn’t plan for
🤍 Full breakdown of our trip to Las Vegas - where we ate and what we did.

Listener Takeaway:

Vegas will always be loud, bright, and chaotic—but traveling on points gives you flexibility, freedom, and way less financial stress, even when things don’t go perfectly.

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Let’s Connect:
📲 Follow us on Instagram & Facebook: @PointMetoVacay

💌 Share your wins, questions, or dream trips—we’d love to feature you on a future episode! DM our social links!

📸. Family trip? Couple getaway? Don’t settle for selfies or awkward shots. 😅 We’re now Flytographer Affiliates! Local photographers capture beautiful, stress-free vacation memories—so everyone’s in the photos, even the parents.

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This week’s episode is a little different than usual — we just got back from Vegas and Tom had to head straight back to work on the railroad, so our full Vegas + NFR + Cowboy Christmas breakdown is coming next week.

For today, we’re sharing a quick mini episode focused on exactly how to travel hack Vegas — because this is one of the easiest cities in the U.S. to book using points and miles.

In this episode, we cover:

✈️ How to Hack Flights to Vegas with Southwest

• How easy it is to earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points
• Why the Companion Pass is a total game-changer
• Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards → Southwest (1:1)

🏨 How We Booked the Rio on Points

• Option 1: Booking the Rio through Hyatt using Chase points
• Option 2: Booking the Caesar's properties by transferring from Wyndham using Citi points
• How transfer partners unlock multiple hotel options

🔮 Coming Next Week

• Our full Vegas spending vs. points breakdown
• Where we saved, where we splurged, and what we’d do differently — including Cowboy Christmas damage

If you’ve ever thought, “I want to go to Vegas but the prices are insane,” this episode shows you how to do it smarter using points.

🔗 Ready to Start Travel Hacking?

If you’re brand new, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of our favorite beginner cards for:

• Southwest transfers
• Hyatt hotel stays
• Everyday flexible points

👉 APPLY HERE

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Send us a text

Support the show

Let’s Connect:
📲 Follow us on Instagram & Facebook: @PointMetoVacay

💌 Share your wins, questions, or dream trips—we’d love to feature you on a future episode! DM our social links!

📸. Family trip? Couple getaway? Don’t settle for selfies or awkward shots. 😅 We’re now Flytographer Affiliates! Local photographers capture beautiful, stress-free vacation memories—so everyone’s in the photos, even the parents.

- Book your session: https://flytog.co/POINTMETOVACAY

✈️ Thanks for listening to Point Me to Vacay! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more families can learn how to turn everyday spending into unforgettable travel.

Katie Spills the Travel Tea: Our 2026 Travel Plans & Card Strategy

In this mini episode, I’m spilling all the travel tea on what our 2026 calendar actually looks like—from a bucket-list Hawaii trip with our kids, to a big multigenerational Outer Banks vacation, a moms-only Disneyland week, and Tom’s 40th birthday trip at the end of the year.

But the real behind-the-scenes magic?
Planning and strategizing...

This episode is a real-life look:

• Our 2026 Travel Plans
• The 2026 card strategy that will help us achieve our 2027 travel goals
• The framework of our strategy so you can do it too
• A 2026 timeline for nearly free travel in 2027

✈️ Our 2026 Travel Plans

Here’s what’s officially on the calendar:

• 🌴 Hawaii with our kids – March 2026
• 🏖 Outer Banks multigenerational family trip – June 2026
• 🎢 Moms-only Disneyland week with my best friends
• 🎂 Tom’s 40th birthday trip – December 2026 (destination TBD - but probably Las Vegas)

🧠 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How to copy this framework in your own life—without copying our destinations

💳 Our Favorite Flexible Beginner Card

If you’re building your own 2026 → 2027 strategy and want a strong flexible foundation, this is one of our go-to cards for beginners:

👉 Chase Sapphire Preferred
🔗 Apply Now

Why we love it:

• Flexible airline & hotel transfer partners
• Excellent beginner travel protections
• Easy redemptions
• Strong long-term points value

⚠️ FTC Disclosure

Some of the links in this episode may be referral links. This means we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only share cards and tools we personally use and genuinely recommend.


🪜 How to Use This Strategy in Your Own Life

1. Pick your 2027 Trips
2. Open cards (Intentionally)
3. Earn the SUB
4. Let normal spending do the work

You don’t need more money. You just need earlier timing.


🎁 Free Resources

✨ Free Beginner Travel Hacking Guide
Learn exactly how to earn your first points and book your first nearly-free trip.
🔗 Start Now

Send us a text

Support the show

Let’s Connect:
📲 Follow us on Instagram & Facebook: @PointMetoVacay

💌 Share your wins, questions, or dream trips—we’d love to feature you on a future episode! DM our social links!

📸. Family trip? Couple getaway? Don’t settle for selfies or awkward shots. 😅 We’re now Flytographer Affiliates! Local photographers capture beautiful, stress-free vacation memories—so everyone’s in the photos, even the parents.

- Book your session: https://flytog.co/POINTMETOVACAY

✈️ Thanks for listening to Point Me to Vacay! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more families can learn how to turn everyday spending into unforgettable travel.

✨ Viva Las Vegas: Rodeo Nights, Neon Lights… and a Haunted Surprise? 🎰👻

We’re taking you behind the scenes of our adult-only Vegas trips — from the glitz of neon lights to rodeo thrills, and yes… a spooky hotel experience we won’t forget.

💥 Spoiler: Vegas isn’t just slots and shows — there’s a little haunted chaos in the mix.

🎯 What We Cover

• The best (and worst) restaurants we tried — where to eat and what to skip
• Iconic Vegas sights you can’t miss
• Our favorite things to do in Sin City
• A haunted hotel story from The Horseshoe
• Tips for planning your own adult-only Vegas trip
• Travel Hacking tips to get your Vegas trip for nearly free

🗒️ Our Vegas Highlights

Neon Lights

• Classic Vegas Strip experiences
• Hidden gems off the main strip

Haunted Surprise

• A spooky encounter at The Horseshoe hotel

💡 Key Takeaway

Vegas is more than the glitz and glam — with a little planning, you can have the perfect mix of food, fun, and unexpected thrills.

🗣️ Homework

• Rate & review the show ⭐
• Share this episode with a friend who loves travel, rodeos, or spooky stories
• Follow us on Instagram → [@pointmetovacay]

Send us a text

Make every vacation memory count! Flytographer pairs you with local photographers so everyone is in the shot, smiling and stress-free. Grab our affiliate link for a special deal and help support the show!

Flytographer: Stress-free vacay photos
Book a local professional photographer with Flytographer—perfect vacay photos, zero awkwardness.

Support the show

Let’s Connect:
📲 Follow us on Instagram & Facebook: @PointMetoVacay

💌 Share your wins, questions, or dream trips—we’d love to feature you on a future episode! DM our social links!

📸. Family trip? Couple getaway? Don’t settle for selfies or awkward shots. 😅 We’re now Flytographer Affiliates! Local photographers capture beautiful, stress-free vacation memories—so everyone’s in the photos, even the parents.

- Book your session: https://flytog.co/POINTMETOVACAY

✈️ Thanks for listening to Point Me to Vacay! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more families can learn how to turn everyday spending into unforgettable travel.

✨ Katie Spills the Travel Tea: Real Trip Cost Breakdowns — Points VS Cash 💳

Ever wonder how much our “free” family trips actually cost? In this mini episode, it just me, Katie, flying solo spilling the travel tea on two of our real vacations — the full cash price vs. what we paid using points — and how we saved thousands along the way.

Spoiler: this is why we’ll never go back to paying full price for travel again.

🎯 What I Cover

• Two of real family trips: full cash vs. points cost breakdowns
• How we earned those points from everyday spending
• What transferable points actually are (and why they matter)
• Our favorite beginner-friendly cards for families
• How you can start saving thousands on your next trip

🧾 Real Trip Breakdown

Trip #1: Disneyland

• Cash price: $ 3,800
• Points price: 122,000 points + $56 taxes + $1050 park tickets
• Savings: $2,694 🎉

Trip #2: Hawaii

• Cash price: $6,494.20
• Points price: 325,000 points + 1 Hyatt FNC + $56 taxes
• Savings: $6,438.20🙌

TOTAL SAVINGS FOR BOTH TRIPS: $9,132.20 🤯🥳🙌🎉

These are real numbers from our family trips — not theoretical math!

💡 Takeaway

You don’t need to be rich or fly business class to make points work for your family.
You just need the right cards and a strategy that fits your everyday spending.

💳 Our Favorite Beginner Cards

These are the exact cards we started with — and the ones we still use today 👇

👉 Chase Sapphire Preferred®
Great all-around beginner card with flexible transferable points
Apply here: Referral Link

👉 Amex Gold® Card
Perfect for families — big bonuses on groceries & dining
Apply here: Referral Link

🗒️ FTC Disclosure

Some links in these show notes are referral or affiliate links. We may earn a bonus, commission, or points when you use them — at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we personally use and love.

🗣️ Homework

Rate & review the show ⭐
Share this episode with a friend who wants to travel more — and spend less.
Follow us on Instagram → [@pointmetovacay]

Send us a text

Support the show

Let’s Connect:
📲 Follow us on Instagram & Facebook: @PointMetoVacay

💌 Share your wins, questions, or dream trips—we’d love to feature you on a future episode! DM our social links!

📸. Family trip? Couple getaway? Don’t settle for selfies or awkward shots. 😅 We’re now Flytographer Affiliates! Local photographers capture beautiful, stress-free vacation memories—so everyone’s in the photos, even the parents.

- Book your session: https://flytog.co/POINTMETOVACAY

✈️ Thanks for listening to Point Me to Vacay! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more families can learn how to turn everyday spending into unforgettable travel.

🎙️ Black Hills Bound: Buffaloes to Brothel Tours

Two trips. Same destination. Totally different vibes.

In this episode, we’re heading to the Black Hills of South Dakota — but not just once! We’re comparing our two very different adventures:
🐃 A small, laid-back family getaway complete with a water park, some car trouble, and great family time around Rapid City.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 And a big, multigenerational trip where we stayed at a cabin with extended family and checked out the area around Deadwood and Lead.

🌄 What you’ll hear:

• Our favorite stops and can’t-miss sights in the Black Hills
• How trips were both great but totally different
• The unexpected highlights that made both trips special

💬 Whether you’re planning a quiet family adventure or wrangling a full caravan of relatives, this episode is packed with stories, laughs, and lessons learned from the land of buffaloes, badlands, and brothel tours.

🎧 Tune in and see which trip style fits your travel crew best!

Send us a text

Make every vacation memory count! Flytographer pairs you with local photographers so everyone is in the shot, smiling and stress-free. Grab our affiliate link for a special deal and help support the show!

Flytographer: Stress-free vacay photos
Book a local professional photographer with Flytographer—perfect vacay photos, zero awkwardness.

Support the show

Let’s Connect:
📲 Follow us on Instagram & Facebook: @PointMetoVacay

💌 Share your wins, questions, or dream trips—we’d love to feature you on a future episode! DM our social links!

📸. Family trip? Couple getaway? Don’t settle for selfies or awkward shots. 😅 We’re now Flytographer Affiliates! Local photographers capture beautiful, stress-free vacation memories—so everyone’s in the photos, even the parents.

- Book your session: https://flytog.co/POINTMETOVACAY

✈️ Thanks for listening to Point Me to Vacay! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more families can learn how to turn everyday spending into unforgettable travel.

Think business credit cards are only for corporations? Nope. In this mini episode, I'll break down who actually qualifies (hint: probably you), how to apply without an LLC, and which beginner business cards can unlock huge points and miles.


🎯 What I Cover

• Do you really need an LLC?
• What qualifies as a “business”
• What to enter on the application
• Red flags that cause denials
• Best beginner business cards

💼 Do You Qualify?

If you’ve ever earned (or intended to earn) income outside a W-2, you may already qualify as a sole proprietor 👇

Examples:

• Facebook Marketplace flips
• Etsy/crafts
• Tutoring/babysitting
• DoorDash, Uber, Rover
• Photography
• Content creation
• Airbnb/Turo

Profit is not required — intent counts.


🧾 Application Tips

• Business Type: Sole Proprietor
• Legal business name: Your Name
• Use SSN (EIN optional)
• Estimate revenue honestly
• Years in business: 0–1 is fine
• Don’t overcomplicate it!

🧠 Why Business Cards Matter

• Bigger welcome bonuses
• Often don’t report to personal credit (Key to staying under 5/24)
• Keeps utilization on personal cards low
• New bonus categories + ecosystems

🚫 Common Mistakes

Avoid:

• Inflating revenue
• Applying for too many cards

🔥 Our Favorite Beginner Business Cards

(These are referral links — thank you for supporting the show!)

🗒️ FTC Disclosure

Some links in these show notes are referral or affiliate links. We may earn a bonus, commission, or points when you use them — at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we personally use and love.

👉 Chase Ink Business Cash®
Huge welcome bonus + great everyday spend categories
Apply here: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/21w/IG4FULE41A

👉 Chase Ink Business Unlimited®
Flat earning rate & big intro bonus
Apply here: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/21w/IG4FULE41A

👉 Amex Blue Business® Plus
2x on everyday purchases, no annual fee
Apply here: Referral Link

🗣️ Homework

Rate/ Review the show! We'd love to hear from you!

Send us a text

Support the show

Let’s Connect:
📲 Follow us on Instagram & Facebook: @PointMetoVacay

💌 Share your wins, questions, or dream trips—we’d love to feature you on a future episode! DM our social links!

📸. Family trip? Couple getaway? Don’t settle for selfies or awkward shots. 😅 We’re now Flytographer Affiliates! Local photographers capture beautiful, stress-free vacation memories—so everyone’s in the photos, even the parents.

- Book your session: https://flytog.co/POINTMETOVACAY

✈️ Thanks for listening to Point Me to Vacay! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more families can learn how to turn everyday spending into unforgettable travel.

🎙️ Tacky or Hacky? The Travel Hack Debate

Is that “travel hack” actually genius… or just plain tacky? 🤔

In this episode, we’re putting some travel hacks to the test! From money-saving tricks to questionable etiquette moves — we’re deciding once and for all what’s hacky (smart!) and what’s just tacky (please don’t).

✈️ What you’ll hear:

• The travel hacks we actually use and swear by
• The ones that make us cringe 😬
• Surprising gray areas — when “it depends” really does apply

💬 Play along and tell us: Which hacks are your travel must-dos, and which ones should stay on TikTok? DM our social media @PointMetoVacay

🎧 Listen now and join the great travel hack debate — you might just learn a few clever (and classy) ways to upgrade your next trip!

Send us a text

Make every vacation memory count! Flytographer pairs you with local photographers so everyone is in the shot, smiling and stress-free. Grab our affiliate link for a special deal and help support the show!

Flytographer: Stress-free vacay photos
Book a local professional photographer with Flytographer—perfect vacay photos, zero awkwardness.

Support the show

Let’s Connect:
📲 Follow us on Instagram & Facebook: @PointMetoVacay

💌 Share your wins, questions, or dream trips—we’d love to feature you on a future episode! DM our social links!

📸. Family trip? Couple getaway? Don’t settle for selfies or awkward shots. 😅 We’re now Flytographer Affiliates! Local photographers capture beautiful, stress-free vacation memories—so everyone’s in the photos, even the parents.

- Book your session: https://flytog.co/POINTMETOVACAY

✈️ Thanks for listening to Point Me to Vacay! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more families can learn how to turn everyday spending into unforgettable travel.