How we traveled to Glacier National Park for less than 500 USD per person?

Ever since I started following travel bloggers on Instagram, Glacier National park has always been a dream place for me to visit. The stunning mountains, glaciers, alpine lakes, waterfalls, lush greenery and the incredible variety of wildlife cannot be missed by anyone who loves nature and outdoors. We did some of the most stunning hikes of our lives here. Summers are the best time to visit Glacier National Park but it can also get expensive.

I want to share how we spent less than 500 USD per person on flights, accommodation and rental car in Glacier National Park for a 6 day/ 5 night trip so that you can plan your amazing trip. Please note that these methods worked for us, they may or may not work for you but I definitely recommend planning your trip well ahead of time to get the best deals. This would mean keeping an eye out for price changes 8+ months in advance.

Best time to visit Glacier National Park

The best time to visit Glacier National Park is mid-June to mid-September. Park lodges, campgrounds, roads and hiking trails are all open during the summer which also means that the park can get crowded, making the trip more expensive.

We decided to visit towards the end of August and we got to enjoy many parts of the park without much crowds. The weather was absolutely perfect.

How to fly to Glacier National Park for free?

The nearest airport to Glacier National Park is the Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell. This is a small airport but in the month of March, when we decided to visit Glacier National Park, there was a small window of dates when the flight tickets were affordable. I started tracking the flights from San Jose and San Francisco airports to Kalispell from January to understand how much variation happens with flight prices. This is how I found out that a flight in the lower 300 USD range is a pretty good deal.

We booked flights from San Jose to Kalispell 5+ months in advance. This is how we got free flights.

• Chose mix and match fares from United and Delta which brought down the overall cost of our short layover roundtrip flights to 320 USD.
• Flew out of SJC and returned on weekday mornings. Weekend flights will always be more expensive.
• Used Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book the cheapest flights possible using the lowest amount of points. I did not transfer my points to United and Delta this time (recommended way of booking) because it cost more in points that way than booking directly from the Ultimate Rewards portal.
• Flew in Basic Economy. You can purchase checked bags for 30 USD each way in advance. Paying for bags at the airport counter is always pricier.

The Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of the most flexible credit card point systems that transfers to various different partners. You can use this referral link if you are thinking about applying for the Sapphire Preferred card which has a lower annual fee.

How to find cheap accommodations?

I know what you might be thinking. No we did not camp in a tent or sleep in our car. We wanted a little more comfort, so we stayed at this place called Timber Wolf Resort at Hungry Horse. We chose a cabin without electricity but it had a lot of comforts that a campground did not.

• Enough room for 3 to 4 people. We were only 2 of us so we had lots of space.
• Shared restrooms with electricity and private stalls for hot pay showers that get deep cleaned every day.
• Access to a sink and a microwave in a shared kitchenette which helped us make some food.
• Gazebos with electricity and gas grills.
• Bed frames and mattresses. No linens were provided so we used our sleeping bags.
• Only 9 miles away from the West Glacier National Park Entrance.

We had a peaceful and safe stay. The hosts were very responsive and helpful. We spent most of our time on long hikes so we did not want an accommodation that is too expensive and one where we can’t spend enough time to justify the cost of stay.

This place cost us around USD 600 for 5 nights (300 USD per person) with taxes which is USD 120 per night . Depending on the dates that you choose, the pricing can vary a little bit but not too much. I suggest that you book accommodations directly from websites so that you can save more. But keep in mind that the additional security that Airbnb offers or free cancellations etc might not apply.

Glacier National Park has more lodging options on the West Side than on the East side. Keep in mind that driving to East entrance can take up to 2 hours. We decided to stay near the West Entrance since we drove to the East side of the park only on one day. If not you will have to book separate accommodations on the West and East side.

How to find cheap rental cars?

Rental cars will be the most expensive part of your trip to Glacier National Park if you do not book in advance. My pro tip is to not leave this to the end when booking the trip but rather make it the first thing that you optimize for before booking your flights and accommodation.

You are in luck if you are a corporate employee and if your company offers discounted rental car rates. Most companies do, so please check your company benefits portal. Many car rental companies have corporate discounts and it is better to stay loyal to one of them to build history over time. If you don’t find good rates, then compare among different rental car companies before booking.

Always call the car rental company before your trip to add your membership number to the rental booking. By doing this you can avoid frustrating surprises such as not getting a car by the time you arrive at the pickup location, which happens way too frequently when you get great deals online.

By being proactive in rental car booking, using corporate discounts and linking our membership number to the booking, we got a rental car for USD 280 for 5 nights which is a steal!!! We booked this 5+ months in advance as well. Don’t pay for the booking until you take the car so that you can cancel it in case plans change.

Total cost < 500 USD per person

Adding all the main expenses, we spent less than 500 USD per person on this trip on flights, accommodation and rental car. There were other minor expenses such as food and hiking equipment but those will be different for different people. I highly recommend picking up some Backpackers Pantry meals from REI in Kalispell which only needs hot water for a great meal and some non-perishable groceries from Costco or Walmart.

I hope you enjoyed reading this transparent post on how to travel to Glacier National Park in Montana at an amazingly low-cost way without having to camp. If you like this post, don’t forget to support this blog by hitting subscribe below for more such useful posts. Share this post with a friend with whom you would love to make this trip happen 🙂 If you have any feedback, questions or topics that you want me to write about, share your comments below.