The Best Summer Vacation Package Deals of 2024

Summer is approaching, and for many, it's time to get the family together and explore the outdoors. The summer vacation deals below offer excellent savings and bonus perks on your next big trip.

Remember to include loyalty numbers when booking to maximize benefits and savings. When it makes sense, pay with a hotel-affiliate credit card to accelerate earnings toward a future vacation.

» Learn more: A beginner’s guide to traveling on points and miles

Here are some of our favorite summer vacation family packages to create awesome memories with your loved ones.

Planning a summer vacation to Disneyland or Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California? Here's a deal to save on Disneyland hotels and theme park tickets.

Stays on certain nights that span four nights or longer at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the Disneyland Hotel or The Villas at Disneyland Hotel are on sale for 25% off. The deal is valid for most nights between June 10 and Sept. 26, 2024.

The deal gets even sweeter if you're traveling on weekdays and want to visit the Disney theme parks. Disneyland's 2024 summer ticket deal means big discounts on 3-day, 1-park tickets for visits starting June 10 through Sept. 26, 2024. Under the deal, 3-day tickets start at $149 for children and $249 for adults. That breaks down to as little as $50 per child and $83 per adult.

The late summer is one of the best times to visit Disneyland. That's because Halloween Time, which is one of the most popular Disneyland events, kicks off on Aug. 23.

The catch? The discounted tickets are only for visits on Monday through Thursdays.

Boutique cruise line operator Celestyal has launched new Arabian Gulf voyages — and they're ringing them in with a huge sale.

Though it's technically for bookings made during summer 2024, you don't have to scramble to actually take the trip. Here's the deal. Bookings made through Aug. 31, 2024 are on sale for up to 50% off. Eligible sailings run as far out as 2027, so you can really plan ahead. Certain trips might even net more than 50% savings once you take advantage of further deals, like putting more than two guests in a cabin.

For example, the seven-night “Desert Days” cruise, which departs from Doha starting in 2024 on Celestyal Journey, now starts at $609 per person (down from $1280 per person).

So what do the cruises actually entail? Itineraries var by sailing, but stops include Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Bahrain, as well as hidden gems such as Sir Bani Yas Island, Fujairah, Muscat and Khasab. Ships are small, only accommodating up to about 1,000 passengers.

For travelers seeking to vacation with their pets, multiple Kimpton hotels are running deals that involve pets. And yes, Kimpton ranks No. 1 in NerdWallet's annual ranking of most pet-friendly hotels. Some highlights:

Kimpton Shane Hotel (Atlanta, Georgia): The Shane’s Pampered Pooch package includes amenities like dog treats upon arrival, plush pet beds, food and water bowls, mats and a bottle of bubbly for the human.

Kimpton The Forum Hotel (Charlottesville, Virginia): The Adventure With Us package includes valet parking, a picnic backpack filled with wine, a blanket, two sandwiches, bottled waters, chips and a map highlighting nearby hikes and picnic spots around town.

Hyatt Centric Downtown Nashville is running a hotel package deal designed specifically for visitors attending the Kenney Chesney, Zac Brown Band and Chris Stapleton concerts on August 3 and 9.

Dubbed the Honky Tonk Escape package, guests receive goodies including a copy of the renowned The Good Stuff country artist’s album “Born," a Jack Daniel’s whiskey bottle and Coca-Cola in-room and a voucher for two complimentary Rum Negroni cocktails from Ella’s.

And to account for what might potentially be a late night, guests booking with this package deal aren't required to check out until 1 p.m.

Family summer vacations can get expensive quickly, but these tips will help you reduce costs, so you can focus on creating lifelong memories.

Free night when redeeming points

Create your own summer vacation package by taking advantage of special redemption rules for hotel points.

Hilton offers the fifth night free on award reservations for Hilton Honors members with Silver status or higher. When you redeem Marriott Bonvoy points, you'll get the fifth night free, no matter what level of status you have.

IHG offers the fourth night free to all members who have one of the IHG's co-branded credit cards.

» Learn more: The best hotel credit cards right now

Use companion tickets for flights

Summer travel deals can save money, but you still have to get to the destination. Using an airline's companion ticket gets you there for a fraction of the cost.

The Southwest Companion Pass can be used an unlimited number of times, and you can change your companion up to three times per year.

Other airlines, like Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, offer this benefit once per year through their credit cards. However, some credit cards require meeting spending requirements to earn the companion ticket.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

Bonus points for travel purchases

When paying for your summer vacation package, use a credit card that offers bonus points on travel purchases.

While this won't save money on this reservation, you'll earn extra rewards toward your next vacation.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Compare flexible points options

Travelers often get the most value when transferring flexible points (like American Express Membership Points, Chase Ultimate Rewards® or Citi ThankYou Points) to airlines and hotels, but that isn't always the best option.

Compare the cost of an award reservation versus using your points like cash. Some cards, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, offer high redemption values when booking travel through the bank's travel portal.

When traveling with the whole family, vacation packages can help you make the most of your summer trip and save cash while racking up perks.

It’s not just about hotel points and elite status benefits. These packages are great add-ons to your existing loyalty program benefits and credit card perks to enhance any trip.