When I first started learning about points and miles, my husband was skeptical.
Honestly, I don’t blame him.
I was talking about free flights, free hotel stays, and taking trips that simply weren’t in our budget at the time.
To him, it sounded too good to be true.
He agreed to open a few credit cards to get us started, including a Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the cards needed to earn the Southwest Companion Pass. But after that, he made his position clear:
“That’s it.”
He wasn’t interested in turning points and miles into a hobby.
He certainly wasn’t convinced that it could actually change the way our family traveled.
At that point, I wasn’t entirely sure either.
I understood the strategy on paper. I had read the blogs, listened to the podcasts, and learned how transferable points worked.
But we still hadn’t taken our first trip.
And until we actually experienced it ourselves, it all felt a little theoretical.
The Opportunity
That summer, my parents offered to keep the kids for a week.
I immediately saw an opportunity.
After a lot of discussion (and perhaps a little convincing), my husband agreed to take a couples getaway with me to a destination we had both always wanted to visit: Lake Tahoe.
Using points we had earned from our credit card welcome bonuses, we booked:
- Four nights at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino
- Roundtrip flights to Reno on Southwest Airlines
Because we had earned the Southwest Companion Pass, we only needed points for one airline ticket.
The second ticket was essentially free, aside from the required taxes and fees.
For our flights, we paid just $5.60 per person each way in taxes.
For our hotel, we paid $0.
No cash for the room.
No resort fees.
Nothing.
At the time, it felt almost impossible that this was actually going to work.
Arriving at Lake Tahoe
The Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe exceeded every expectation we had.
Nestled along the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tahoe, the resort offered its own private beach, beautiful grounds, multiple restaurants, a large pool and hot tub, and endless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.
One of my favorite things about the property was how easy everything felt.
Many activities were included with our stay, and the activities desk in the lobby helped coordinate everything.
During our trip, we enjoyed:
- Archery
- Axe Throwing
- Yoga on the Beach
- An Aqua Movement Class
- Stand Up Paddle Boarding
- Kayaking
All included as part of our stay.
We spent our days exploring the lake, relaxing on the beach, and taking advantage of activities we probably wouldn’t have considered booking if we had already spent thousands of dollars on flights and accommodations.
The Little Details that Made it Special
One thing that surprised us was how convenient the resort made everything.
We could walk to many nearby attractions and restaurants.
When we needed transportation around town, the hotel offered complimentary rides.
One afternoon, after making a grocery run for drinks and snacks, we simply called the hotel and they sent a car to pick us up.
We also rented bikes and spent a day riding to nearby Sand Harbor State Park.
We happened to visit over Independence Day, which meant the lake was alive with celebrations, events, and festive activities.
It felt like the perfect summer getaway.
Trip Snapshot
Destination: Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Hotel: Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino
Stay: 4 Nights
Flights: Southwest Airlines
Companion Pass Used: Yes
Hotel Cost: $0
Flight Taxes & Fees: $5.60 per person each way
The Moment Everything Clicked
As wonderful as the destination was, that’s not what I remember most.
What I remember most was checkout.
After four nights at a beautiful lakeside resort, we walked to the front desk expecting to settle our bill.
And then we realized there really wasn’t one.
The room had been covered with points.
There were no resort fees.
No surprise charges.
No catch.
It was real.
That was the moment everything clicked for my husband.
The flights were real.
The hotel was real.
The vacation was real.
And the savings were real.
The skepticism disappeared almost overnight.
The Trip That Changed Everything
To this day, my husband says our Lake Tahoe trip was the turning point.
Before that trip, points and miles felt like an experiment.
After that trip, it became part of how we travel.
Suddenly, we weren’t talking about whether this strategy worked.
We were talking about where to go next.
As our plane lifted off from Reno to head home, our conversations weren’t about work or responsibilities waiting for us back home.
Instead, we were dreaming.
Could we take the kids somewhere like this?
Could we visit Hawaii?
Could we travel internationally?
Could we make family travel a bigger part of our lives?
The answer, as we’ve learned over the years, was yes.
What Lake Tahoe Really Bought Us
Looking back, the Hyatt stay and Southwest flights weren’t the biggest gift points and miles gave us.
What they really gave us was confidence.
Confidence that this wasn’t a gimmick.
Confidence that we could travel more often.
Confidence that we could create experiences for our family that had previously felt out of reach.
Lake Tahoe was the first trip we booked on points.
But more importantly, it was the trip that changed how we thought about travel forever.
Why This Trip Still Matters
We’ve taken many incredible trips since Lake Tahoe.
We’ve traveled throughout the United States, visited Europe, enjoyed beach vacations, ski trips, and family adventures we never would have imagined years ago.
But this trip will always be special.
Not because it was the most luxurious.
Not because it was the most expensive.
Not because it was the farthest from home.
It was special because it was the trip that showed us what was possible.
It transformed points and miles from a theory into a reality.
And it changed the way our family travels forever.