Family Trip to New Mexico for $391 Out of Pocket
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Every December, instead of swapping presents, our family swaps places. It’s one of my favorite traditions — a built‑in reset button at the end of the year, a chance to be together somewhere beautiful, and a reminder that memories beat stuff every single time.
Two years ago we wandered through Death Valley. Last year we explored Zion. We’ve done Hoover Dam, national parks, desert drives, and all the weird little roadside stops that make December feel like us.
This year? We’re heading to New Mexico — specifically White Sands National Park in Alamogordo — and of course, we booked it the Lazy Girl way: simple systems, smart redemptions, and saving thousands without trying too hard.
Before we get into the itinerary, if you’re new to points and miles and want to understand exactly how we book trips like this every December, start with my Beginner Points & Miles Guide — it’s the foundation of everything we do.
✈️ Flights: American Airlines Roundtrip to Albuquerque — Booked on Miles
We’re flying into Albuquerque (ABQ), the easiest airport for this itinerary. Roundtrip on American Airlines, booked entirely on miles. No cash, no drama, no holiday‑season sticker shock.
If you’re new to points, this is exactly the kind of redemption that makes the whole system worth it — simple, high‑value, and repeatable. You can learn the basics in my Beginner Credit Cards Guide.
🏨 Night 1: Hyatt Place Albuquerque Airport — $6 Out of Pocket
This is where our new Amex Delta Business Gold card came in clutch.
The card comes with a $150 prepaid hotel credit, and we used it for our first night at the Hyatt Place Airport. I originally booked this room on Hyatt points (6,000 points), but those points are far more valuable at properties like Tamaya — and the cash rate here was only $156.
So we used the $150 credit, paid $6 out of pocket, and saved our Hyatt points for a better redemption later in the trip.
Lazy Girl logic: Use points where they matter, cash where they doesn’t.
🌄 Nights 2 & 3: Alamogordo — Holiday Inn Using IHG Credit
For our White Sands days, we’re staying in Alamogordo — the perfect base for sunrise dunes, sunset photos, and slow mornings.
We booked two nights at the Holiday Inn using the IHG credit from the Chase Sapphire card. Brandon just got this card and hit the spend thanks to a business trip (link magic).
We originally had two rooms booked at a Hyatt for $500, but we canceled that and instead grabbed a suite for $126 out of pocket.
That’s the kind of pivot that makes me giddy — same trip, same comfort, dramatically less money.
If you’re building your own Chase strategy, here’s where to start: Chase Beginner Guide
🏜️ White Sands National Park — The Main Event
White Sands is one of those places that doesn’t feel real until you’re standing in it.
It looks like snow… but it’s warm. It looks like a beach… but it’s a desert. It looks like a movie set… but it’s real.
We’re planning:
Dune hikes
Sand sledding
Sunset photos
Slow mornings
Zero rushing
Exactly the kind of December energy we crave.
🌿 Final Night: Hyatt Regency Tamaya — Points + Free Night Certificate
Our last night is at Hyatt Regency Tamaya, one of my favorite properties in the Southwest. Brandon and I stayed here a few years ago, and I’ve been dreaming of bringing the boys back ever since.
We booked two rooms:
One on points
One using a free night certificate (Brandon’s Brand Explorer win)
It’s the perfect “exhale” ending to the trip — coffee outside, wandering the grounds, maybe a petroglyph trail if time allows.
If you’re building a Hyatt strategy, here’s your next step: Hyatt Points Guide
🚗 Rental Car: $259 for the Trip
We grabbed an SUV for the week — easy, comfortable, and perfect for desert drives. Nothing fancy, just functional.
💸 Total Savings
Between flights, hotels, and strategic redemptions, this trip saved us thousands compared to paying cash.
And that’s the heart of Lazy Girl travel: Not spreadsheets. Not gatekeeping. Not perfection.
Just simple systems that make travel easier, cheaper, and way more fun.
🌸 Why This Trip Works
This itinerary is everything I love:
Easy flights booked on miles
One simple cash night where points don’t matter
Two nights in nature without crowds
A scenic drive with a fun stop
A final night at a resort that feels like a reward
It’s simple. It’s beautiful. It’s doable. And it’s exactly why we choose experiences over presents every December.
If you want more trips like this, browse my How I Booked It Series.
If you want to learn how to book trips like this yourself, join my Travel Hacking Moms Group.
If you want to see the exact luggage and travel gear I use on repeat — the real carry‑on system I rely on for 12–15 trips a year — you can shop my curated list here: Carry‑On Travel System. These are my actual bags, cubes, and accessories I’ve tested across dozens of flights, cruises, and national park trips.
About the Author
Julie Davis is a travel writer, cruise‑focused content creator, and the founder of NoPointLeftBehind.net. She’s a Mariner 2 on Holland America, a carry‑on‑only queen (except for ski trips), and the creator of the Lazy Girl Travel series — helping busy women travel smarter, cheaper, and easier using points and simple systems. She lives in Tennessee with her husband Brandon and their boys, and spends her days writing, cruising, and teaching families how to travel for less.
