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.

- 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.

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.

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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.