How to Travel to Scottsdale With Points and Miles for a Bachelor/ette Party

This Arizona oasis is an increasingly popular destination for group getaways — and can be visited on a budget.
Alisha McDarris
By Alisha McDarris 
Updated
Edited by Meghan Coyle

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

Whether you’re looking to celebrate pre-nuptials with a raucous good time or a relaxed, classy weekend, bachelor or bachelorette parties in Scottsdale, Arizona, may be just the ticket. From spas to golf to live entertainment, there’s plenty to keep a cadre of revelers entertained for a weekend of fun.

And much of it can be booked in points and miles. Here’s how to make a budget-friendly bachelor or bachelorette party happen in Scottsdale.

Flights to Scottsdale

Nearest airports

Your best bet when it comes to flying into Scottsdale is to arrive at Phoenix Sky Harbor, or PHX. Not even 15 miles away, it’s the most convenient airport.

Flying to Scottsdale on points and miles

All the major domestic airlines (and some international airlines) fly into Phoenix, so your chances are good for finding an award flight, no matter where you’re coming from. These airlines use Phoenix as a hub or at least a focus airport:

  • American Airlines.

  • Southwest Airlines.

  • JSX.

American Airlines

American Airlines uses dynamic award pricing, so how many miles you need to book will depend on demand.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest also offers an abundance of inexpensive award flights. One search for flights from Seattle to Phoenix showed one-way tickets priced as low as 4,446 points for a Wanna Get Away fare.

Prices fluctuate based on day, time, and distance. Even from Orlando, we found award flights for as few as 8,476 Rapid Rewards points. Overall, it seems like Southwest is often the better deal compared to American when it comes to booking award flights to Phoenix.

JSX

JSX is a hop-on jet service that offers air travel from private terminals between a handful of destinations, including Reno-Tahoe, Concord, Oakland, Monterey, Burbank, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Las Vegas, Dallas, Austin and Houston. You can even earn a flat rate of up to 250 TrueBlue Points for JSX flights (150 for Hop On Fares). However, you can’t use TrueBlue points to book award travel on JSX.

» Learn more: Is JSX worth the cost?

In-town transit

Of course, flying into Phoenix is only the first step. If you’re planning bachelor/ette parties in Scottsdale, you'll also need to know how to get around once you arrive.

Naturally, there are numerous rideshare options, plus taxis and shuttles. You can also take public transportation that will likely involve Valley Metro’s PHX SkyTrain, rail or bus, or a combination of those.

Hotels in town

Here are some of the best hotels in Scottsdale for bachelor or bachelorette parties, broken down by relative cost and type.

Budget hotel options

Check out The Hyatt Place or Hyatt House in Scottsdale/Old Town if you're looking for a good deal in points and miles. You’ll be right in the middle of all the action and can get a room for as few as 15,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

If you need Hyatt points, you can transfer them from Chase Ultimate Rewards® or earn the sign-up bonus on the World of Hyatt Credit Card: Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.

Higher-end hotels

If you’d prefer to splurge, book a suite for the whole crew at the W Scottsdale using Marriott Bonvoy points. A suite could cost you in the ballpark of 360,000 points per night, but the suite has a private full kitchen, 2.5 bathrooms and floor-to-ceiling windows. Plus, this upscale hotel offers plenty of amenities to make it worth it.

To give your current points balance a boost, apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. The welcome bonus offer is: Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Other accommodation options

You can also earn United miles on Airbnb stays. Simply purchase a digital gift card via the United MileagePlus X app, then use it to pay for your stay. If you have a United MileagePlus credit card, you’ll get a 25% bonus on miles.

» Learn more: Airbnb versus VRBO

Bachelor/ette group activities

There’s plenty to do in Scottsdale during a bachelor or bachelorette weekend.

For an intimate and upscale experience, check out The Beverly for a gastropub menu and a full cocktail bar. Prefer live music and a more electric atmosphere? Visit the Wasted Grain.

Get active by taking a strenuous hike up Camelback Mountain or scheduling a bicycle tour, then refuel (or recover after a wild night out) at Hash Public House or Clever Koi for dumplings, ramen and steamed buns.

To round out the weekend, relax for an afternoon at Inspire Day Spa or lounge by the pool — or play a quick round of nine holes at one of Scottsdale's famous golf courses. TPC Scottsdale, Grayhawk Golf Club or Legend Trail Golf Club are all nearby, among others.

Video preview image

Earning points on a bachelor/ette party

Want to earn more points as you celebrate?

  • Book and pay for the whole group’s hotel rooms using a travel credit card that earns bonus points and miles on hotels.

  • Pay for the group’s dinner using your rewards card. Earn even more miles for every dollar spent by registering it on a dining rewards program, like AAdvantage Dining, and eating at a participating restaurant.

  • Reserve rental cars, tee times, tours and more with your rewards card.

Final thoughts on budget group travel to Scottsdale

Planning bachelor/ette parties in Scottsdale doesn't have to eat up your entire budget. There’s plenty to do in the area, including low-cost activities like the always free Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

It’s easy to book travel and accommodations using the points and miles you've already got, and you can keep the party going by earning even more rewards on group expenses during the trip.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:

Travel Cards from Our Partners
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-5x

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Points
Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Freedom Unlimited®
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1.5%-6.5%

Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Cashback

Intro offer

$300

Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

on Capital One's website

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
4.7
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

2x-5x

Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

Miles

Intro offer

75,000

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Miles
See more travel cards
Get more smart money moves – straight to your inbox
Sign up and we’ll send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money.