Alex and I recently spent a weekend in Park City on points and used credit card benefits. Nope, we weren’t there to do some of those magnificent winter sports that Park City, Utah boasts of. Instead, we met for a work meeting. Happily, our little business is growing and we needed to make plans. We’ve tried to work with her cute little boys around but decided that we needed a mom/daughter getaway this time. One of the fun things about this trip was just noticing how many credit card benefits I could use to make travel easier.

 

Credit Card Benefits Before Arriving in Park City

I flew on a cheap United flight that cost me all of $64. I was not wasting miles on that flight. Because I have a United Credit card, though, my luggage was free, saving me $30, and I got priority boarding. I am also in Premier Gold Status. That lets me check in at the Premier Access counter, saving time by not having to stand in a long line. I like to pay for cheap flights on United to keep that elite status.

I then was able to use Clear and TSA PreCheck due to my credit card benefits to zip through security. Clear is normally $179, but I get a statement credit on my American Express Platinum Credit Card to pay for that! My TSA PreCheck is a statement on several of my credit cards, including my United Quest Card. It would normally cost me $85. Having both of these benefits lets me fly through security lines at almost any airport.

My next benefit was thanks to my American Express Platinum Card also. Airport lounge access is one of my favorite perks. The American Express Centurion Lounge in Denver is especially gorgeous, with amazing food. I look forward to going there before every flight from Denver. Most people value this lounge visit at $50. That’s a little steep, but it is certainly worth $30 to me. I probably go in it about 12 times a year, so that reduces my annual fee on the platinum card.

 

Lodging in Park City

We stayed at the Marriott AC Hotel Park City, a new hotel. We used two 35K annual night certificates for our stay that would have cost $205/night. Because I am a Platinum Elite member with Marriott, we got a nice breakfast each morning. Actually, it was a $10 credit for 2, and the breakfast was $12, so it cost us $2.

 

 

I really like the Marriott AC brand. I stayed at one recently in Venice on my Italy trip too. They are modern, streamlined, and have a cool vibe. The staff here was very welcoming and helpful.

 

 

 

This would be a great place to stay during the winter snow season. It is close to eating establishments, outlets, Olympic Park, and ski lifts.

 

Eating in Park City

We had big plans to try some fun places in Park City, but we either got on a roll with working and didn’t want to stop or weren’t hungry for a meal. We only had one real meal out, but it was a good one! We highly recommend Five5eeds. We went for brunch, and it was delicious. Try the berry pancake-I’m still dreaming about it!

 

 

The other two meals we had were at Mod Pizza and Slapfish. Not gourmet by any means. They were right across from our hotel, so it was all about convenience. However, we did take advantage of credit card benefits and used four of my credit cards with dining benefits to reduce the cost of 3 meals to virtually nothing. We used two $20 credits on Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Credit Cards, a Uber Eats $15 credit from my American Express Platinum card (I’ve used credits from this one card 3 times on this one trip), and a $10 credit from my American Express Delta Gold Card.

Credit Card Benefits Going Home

On my way home, I also used some credit card benefits. Firstly, I went through Clear and TSA Precheck again. I then used my American Express Platinum Credit Card to get me into the Salt Lake City Delta Sky Club Lounge. I love this lounge also. Huge area with great food and a nice spot to relax in. I always book my return ticket from Salt Lake to Denver on Delta to use this lounge with my Platinum Card.

I can usually get a flight for about $49 on Delta from Salt Lake City to Denver, and when I use my Platinum Card to pay for it, it ends up being a credit for me because I picked United as my airline incidental credit. I get $200 credit with this, and although a plane ticket would usually not count, ones that are $49 or under seem to count anyway. Once again, my American Express Platinum Card is used as a benefit! Just another reason it is worth paying a high annual fee!  Park City on points just got cheaper with this statement credit!

Bottom Line

A work meeting in Park City probably isn’t as exciting as a winter snowboarding trip to most of you. Luckily, you can use some of the tips we used on our trip for your winter sports trip. And honestly, Park City on points and miles is fun any time of year, for any purpose!