🚗 4th of July road trip on points

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Estimated read time: 6 minutes and 40 seconds

👋 Welcome back Roadtrippers,

Happy first day of July, y’all. Hope it’s been a good week since we last caught up!

If you’re new here, welcome to the Roadtripper, our weekly Wednesday roadmap of all things ground travel — think road trips, RVs, trains, and everything in between.

We stop into your inbox once a week with recommended routes, tips for earning and redeeming points and miles while on the road, and detours worth going out of your way for.

Rearview Recap

Last week, we talked all about how to use a card’s new perks on a road trip and detailed some stops along Highway 1.

We also touched on how some road trips are more of a necessity than an adventure down an iconic stretch of scenic highway.

Road Ahead

So, this week we’re headed on one such trip.

Buckle up and let’s run through the itinerary:

⛽ The (roadside) assist: 5x cash back on gas
🗺️ The route report: 4th of July
🚗 The detour: historic Route 66
🛑The Pit Stop Poll: Driving Time

Full speed ahead, friends!

⛽ The (roadside) assist: 5x cash back on gas

Before we hit the road, we have to talk about the best way to earn road trip points this summer, which goes into effect today.

I’m talking about the quarterly rotating categories offered by the Chase Freedom Flex® (a $0 annual fee card).

I know… I juuuust talked about a different card last week that was great for roadtripping. And it 100% still plays a role here, I promise – it’s just taking a back seat for a minute. Stay with me, y’all.

When you hold the Freedom Flex, you can earn 5x cash back on rotating quarterly categories (on up to $1,500 in combined spending).

The 5x cash categories for July - September are gas stations and EV charging, public transit, select live entertainment, and United Way.

So, if you hold the Freedom Flex, make sure to activate your categories (online, in the app, or by phone), and get ready to earn 5x cash back on every single gas purchase you make through September (up to $1,500, which translates to $75 cash back).

Or EV charging if you have one of those cool, futuristic, silent cars.

Now… I mentioned cash back. This is technically a cash back card. Buuuuut… if you hold the travel card we talked about last week (which has just a $95 annual fee), you can turn the cash back you earn with the Freedom Flex into UR points.

So the $75 cash back can actually be turned into 7,500 UR points. 😎 

See, I told you I wasn’t throwing random cards at you. They very much work together here and are actually what we might call a credit card power duo.

By keeping both cards in your wallet, you can earn 5x cash back on rotating quarterly categories and turn it into super useful transferable points for travel — for just one $95 annual fee.

These two cards have just been positioned as the best summer road trip tools in your wallet, friends.

🗺️ The route report: 4th of July

If you’ve lived in Texas in the summer, you know it gets pretty toasty. 🥵 

So, when it starts to heat up, many Texans retreat to the mountains of New Mexico and Colorado to cool off.

My family is no exception. For as long as I can remember, we’ve been making an annual road trip across the great state of Texas to our favorite summer getaway spot in Red River, New Mexico.

The issue is that, while my family only lived 4 hours away in the 1980s when they first started going, these days I live about 13 hours away.

So the annual 4th of July trip has become quite the major road trip.

But here’s how I make it work for me. 💁‍♀️ 

First up, the fuel up

All road trips should start with a full tank of gas, and fortunately, I live near one of the coolest gas stations known to man.

If you haven’t heard of a Buc-ee’s, I’m about to blow your mind.

Think of a gas station, a grocery store, a clothing store, and a home goods store all in one… where you could also buy a smoker and take a picture with someone dressed as a beaver. 🦫 

It’s a lot, in the best way. 😂 

I’m talking literally 100 gas pumps, just as many bathroom stalls (that are always clean), hot foods made-to-order, and more snacks than anyone could consume in a lifetime spent on the road — and zero big rigs to fuss with in the parking lot.

Anyway, I’m stopping there to fill up on gas — using the Freedom Flex to get 5x cash back at the pump — and snagging a Hippo breakfast burrito for the road.

Buc-ee’s has 55 locations across the country, and while predominantly in Texas, they’re quickly expanding.

Find one near you on this map for your next road trip and snag a brisket sandwich and maybe a swimsuit patterned with their beaver mascot while you fill up.

The overnight save

We used to make this trip in one long haul, 13+ hours in one day.

But I’ve got a 1-year-old in the backseat these days, and as cute as she is, my confidence in her ability to ride it out in a car seat for an entire day is loooow.

So we’re breaking this trip up into two days. ✌️ 

Luckily, there’s a Hyatt Place in Amarillo, which is a category 2 property, meaning the lowest rate will run only 6,000 World of Hyatt points a night.

I’ve got a stash of UR points that will transfer to World of Hyatt and make booking this a breeze — though you could also transfer points from Bilt at a 1:1 ratio to book this as well.

Using your points to book hotels is a super easy way to save money while roadtripping, and might help you feel better about breaking up those long drives.

Plus, there’s a Buc-ee’s on the east side of Amarillo where I can fill up again as I come into town — more 5x cash back on gas, more tasty gas station treats, and more weird beaver-themed goodness.

🚗 The detour: historic Route 66

Historic Route 66 runs straight through the heart of Amarillo, so we could turn this overnight into a quick birthday party for Route 66, which turns 100 this year.

Grab a breakfast taco or go full tilt and grab a celebratory cupcake — we can call it a party muffin. Then, head just 6 minutes down the road from our hotel to a Route 66 must-see — Cadillac Ranch.

A famous art installation created in 1974, Cadillac Ranch was a star attraction on Route 66, drawing visitors from all over as they road tripped cross-country.

It’s since been moved 2 miles from its original location, but it’s still just as iconic — and fun to interact with.

Visitors are encouraged to get out and take pictures with the cars, and their appearance changes regularly as the graffiti is seen as a way for the art to continually evolve.

Wrapping up the drive

After our detour, the remaining 5 hours to our final destination are largely uneventful, though the final hour or so heading into the mountains always perks me up.

Watching the temperature drop as we wind through Cimarron Canyon is my favorite way to end this long drive — though I’ve learned to keep a steady eye out the front window so I don’t get car sick. 🤢 

The first glimpse of town is a welcome sight, as the road trip has come to its (temporary) conclusion and mountain time begins. ⛰️ 

🛑The Pit Stop Poll

Hope y’all get some mileage out of the 5x cash back on gas this summer and enjoyed the peek into a Texan’s idea of road trips — and gas stations.

Catch y’all next week!

29.7604° N, 95.3698° W

With contributions by Sam Anthony.

Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.