I had set myself a goal this year to be able to add at least one more state to my list of US States visited and unfortunately I had left it pretty late to get to that point. Without it I would go one short on some of my goals and that could not be so. But I didn’t want to spend all that much money really. It’s the end of the year, travel is expensive in the holiday season so it was time to use up some of those points that are just floating around.

I had enough points in my Alaska account for a round trip economy or enough in my american for a one way in first. So I figured round trip economy would be perfectly fine but if i took some out of each I could get away with a bit more choice. But where to? The two easiest places for me to get to were either Kansas City or Anchorage. Both would add points off my list, both had interests to keep me going for at least 24 hours if required. The issue was picking which one to visit. Yes Alaska at this time of year is freezing cold, but then where isn’t. But the time of year it would not be all that much light during the day, so that would be cool I guess. Getting some plane spotting in for a day and seeing Alaska would be nice. But then there is Kansas City where I can knock two states off for the price of one, as the Airport is technically in Kansas City Missouri a few miles from the Kansas City in Kansas… I like this idea. A friend out there tempted me further by offering to show me around and take me for some good BBQ as well. It wouldn’t be the first time I had flown across the country for BBQ, might as well do it again right?

Flights booked and thanks to using points and times etc it was going to be my most boring trip of the year almost with tickets on the Alaska direct flights in each direction, the price in cash outlay $5 total, points was down a good 25,000 all up with half from each of my Alaska & AA accounts. Not a big deal there. Next came picking a hotel, this was probably going to be the most expensive part of it. But the day after I booked the flights, IHG released their points break list where they offer accommodation for 5000 points, well under what they normally offer. Funnily enough a hotel in Kansas City Kansas was on the list. I snatched it up instantly. Hell I could now justify both states as I was flying into one and staying in the other. It may of been a little bit out of the main downtown core but who cares. Total cost to me $0 cash, 5000 points.

So car hire was booked on the usual last minute specials that National offers and I was looking at a damn cheap trip, what with a cost of less than $45 in cash outlay on the three essentials I was look pretty good, it was just time to wait for the day to arrive.