I suppose you are wondering whether it makes sense to buy points in Daily Getaways. In 2019 the points price at Bryce Canyon was favorable but availability was tight. At Zion availability was nil.

13 months ago there was a great value at Hibiscus in Key West where the cash rate was around $100 so I spent money rather than points. It's now $520 or 70k points per night. Call it $500 after I apply my gift card. How times have changed.

Radical price changes have reduced my interest in accumulating BW points. Hotwire will be simpler and more cost effective. However BW points have a safety net of sorts. You can transfer them to Southwest at a loss of about half their value.

I feel lucky to have completed many of my travel goals in the last 24 months when prices were still low. Zion/Bryce/Monument Valley/Arches in October 2019. New Zealand in February 2020, leaving a month after Chinese were banned from entering. Flying nonstop to Yellowstone a year ago. Hawaii in December 2020 and again in February 2021. France all summer. Plus some shorter road trips. Lesson: If you wait until pandemic fears are over the prices will be insane. Get there as soon as you can. Take those safety measures which fit your vacation rather than vice versa.

Back on topic, the ratio of savings to brain energy expended is getting too low in the points and miles game. I am focusing on experiences that my family will value and remember: Premium class international and 5 star resorts, plus the occasional gem like (BW points or cash) Hotel Donjon in Carcassonne or (cash, not BW) Bluff Dwellings Resort in southeastern Utah or (cash) the View Hotel at Monument Valley or (Choice points) Ridgeline Hotel north of Yellowstone. Hyatt points have taken family members and me to Ventana Big Sur for at least 6 weekends since last summer. A mostly empty Maui was magical too. I doubt I will ever again see the travel values I experienced in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Carpe diem.