points available
Baseline travel value≈ $478
Possible Points Boostup to ≈ $717
NYC → Sedona · No rental car
Your booking
game plan.
A points-aware plan for getting from JFK to the red rocks with Delta, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and door-to-door ground transportation.
JFKNew York
PHXPhoenix
SEDSedona
Trip readiness
0 of 6 essentials locked.
Next best action
Compare Delta miles and cash pricing
Go to booking plan →
The shape of the trip
City departure.
Desert arrival.
Four nights, three open red-rock days, and no rental-car logistics. The plan keeps the hard connections contained so the middle of the trip can feel expansive.
01Fly + transferWednesday
02–04Roam SedonaThu–Sat
05Return eastSunday
01
Book in this order
Make the points
do the heavy lifting.
miles available
Useful target value≈ $438–$548
Best likely use1 round trip
Best first move
Price the same Delta flights three ways before spending anything.
Compare Delta’s award price, Delta’s cash price, and the Chase Travel points price. Most likely, SkyMiles cover one traveler and Chase points cover most or all of the matching ticket for traveler two.
1Delta first
Search JFK ⇄ PHX
Dates: Wednesday, Sept. 16 through Sunday, Sept. 20. Filter for nonstop flights and display prices in miles.
Book one round trip if≤ 36,537 miles
Open Delta ↗
2Compare Chase
Match the itinerary
Search the identical flight numbers in Chase Travel. Look for a Points Boost badge before using all 47,796 points.
Your redemption range$478–$717
Open Chase Travel ↗
3Then ground transfer
Reserve Groome
Book only after the flights are confirmed. Current fares start around $69 per person, each way, plus the temporary surcharge.
Estimated round trip for two≈ $284+
Open Groome ↗
$
Two-person estimate
What this trip
may actually cost.
A planning range for two adults, four nights, and five days. Hotel, airfare, taxes, and tips can move the total; the fixed tour and shuttle prices are shown separately.
Tier 1 · Lean getawayLowest practical
$1,650–$2,500About $825–$1,250 each
- Flights mostly covered by points
- Simple West Sedona room or strong refundable deal
- Groceries + counter-service meals
- Free hikes, galleries, and shuttle days
Tradeoff: no paid tours and less hotel flexibility.
Tier 2 · Best valueRecommended cheaper plan
$2,350–$3,450About $1,175–$1,725 each
- Flights mostly covered by points
- Central or West Sedona hotel
- One paid experience: 4×4 or stargazing
- One special dinner, casual meals otherwise
Tradeoff: choose one headline tour instead of both.
Tier 3 · Full itineraryEverything planned
$3,300–$5,100About $1,650–$2,550 each
- Flights mostly covered by points
- Higher-comfort central hotel
- Broken Arrow + private stargazing
- Restaurant-forward meal plan
Tradeoff: the hotel and two tours drive the increase.
Tier 4 · Cash-airfare fallbackPoints unavailable
$4,200–$6,500About $2,100–$3,250 each
- Both JFK–PHX tickets bought mostly with cash
- Same hotel and activities as Tier 3
- Largest buffer for fare movement
Tradeoff: reprice Tier 2 before accepting this total.
How to lower the total
Build the cheaper version without losing Sedona.
Choose one paid tour
Keep either Broken Arrow or private stargazing, then use the illustrated map and free trail shuttles for the other day.
Make the hotel the lever
Compare refundable West Sedona rooms first. Keep the location inside the Connect service area so a cheaper room does not create rideshare costs.
Mix groceries with restaurants
Plan breakfast supplies, trail snacks, and two casual dinners; preserve one special dinner instead of cutting every memorable meal.
Planning ranges, not live quotes. The low tiers assume points cover most airfare. Sedona’s official trailhead shuttles are free; Connect is currently $2 per ride, and Groome lists Sedona airport service from $69 per traveler each way.
Planning worksheet
For 2 peopleRecommended trip, by category
Flights after pointsDelta miles + Chase points applied first
$0–$500Hotel · 4 nightsCentral Sedona planning range, including room for taxes/fees
$1,500–$2,200Groome · round tripFour one-way adult seats from $69 + current $2 fuel surcharge
From $284Local transportationConnect rides, transit contingency, and one short backup rideshare
$40–$120Broken Arrow 4×4$157 per adult before tax
$314+Private stargazing$179 per person + 6.35% sales tax
About $381Meals + drinksFive days, including one special dinner
$650–$1,000Tips + trip bufferTour gratuities, snacks, small purchases, and price movement
$150–$300Recommended working budgetRounded range; not a live quote
$3,300–$5,10002
At a glance
Five days,
clearly mapped.
Wed16September
Travel west
NYC → Phoenix → Sedona
- Target a Delta nonstop departure from JFK.
- Land at PHX, collect bags, and walk to the Groome pickup island.
- Baseline Groome departure → West Sedona around 2:00 p.m.
- Hotel check-in and an easy Uptown walk.
- Arrival dinner at SaltRock; keep the night low-key.
Thu17September
Cathedral + stars
First red-rock day
- Request Connect to North SR 179 Park & Ride.
- Take Route 15 toward Cathedral Rock.
- Cathedral Rock hike and return shuttle.
- Lunch, pool, and a deliberate midday reset.
- Early dinner at Creekside.
- Private stargazing pickup; operator confirms the exact time.
Fri18September
Art + adventure
Easy morning, bolder afternoon
- Slow breakfast in Uptown.
- Tlaquepaque galleries and a creekside walk.
- Lunch, then return to the hotel to reset.
- Walk to the tour meeting point and check in.
- Broken Arrow 4×4 tour.
- Relaxed dinner at Hideaway House.
Sat19September
Bridge + recovery
Early hike, open afternoon
- Request Connect to West SR 89A Park & Ride.
- Take Route 11 to Dry Creek Vista.
- Devil’s Bridge hike and shuttle return.
- Lunch in West Sedona.
- Pool, nap, shopping, or weather makeup window.
- Special dinner at Mariposa.
Sun20September
Travel east
Sedona → Phoenix → NYC
- Groome check-in at the Sedona pickup point.
- Groome shuttle to PHX.
- Airport buffer, bags, security, and lunch.
- Delta nonstop departure window for JFK.
- Target New York arrival window.
03
No-car plan
Every connection,
accounted for.
Delta nonstop
JFK to PHX takes roughly 5½–6 hours. Favor the earliest outbound and an inbound departure after 1 p.m.
Groome shuttle
Allow roughly 2¾ hours between PHX and Sedona. Reserve at least 24 hours ahead; hotel pickup and drop-off are available for an added fee.
Sedona Connect
On-demand rides within most of Sedona are currently $2 per rider and generally operate Thursday through Sunday.
Free trail shuttles
Thursday–Sunday service currently runs around 7 a.m.–5:30 p.m. to five major trailheads.
Outbound targetArrive PHX by noon
Leaves room for an afternoon shuttle and relaxed check-in.
Return targetDepart PHX after 1 p.m.
A 7:30 a.m. Sedona shuttle currently reaches PHX around 10 a.m.
Book this first
PHX ↔ Sedona transportation
For two people without a car, Groome is the clear value choice. Private transfers are useful only when your flight timing or desired door-to-door service makes the shared schedule impractical.
Groome shared shuttle
From about $69 pp each wayFrequent scheduled PHX departures, a Sedona stop, and select hotel or home service for an added fee. Reserve both directions after the Delta flights are ticketed.
Western Express
Quote requiredPrivate PHX–Sedona car service on your schedule. Better for a late arrival, very early return, or direct resort drop-off.
Sedona Livery
Quote requiredChauffeured airport transfer serving Sedona hotels and resorts. Expect a substantially higher total than two Groome seats.
At PHXTerminal 3: Door 9 · Terminal 4: Door 5
Cross to the center island and wait at the blue Inter-City Shuttle sign. Check in 15 minutes early.
When bookingUse your actual flight times
Choose a shuttle with delay margin, confirm the Sedona stop, and add hotel/home service if Amara is offered.
Not recommendedUber for PHX ↔ Sedona
The trip is roughly two hours and local driver availability can vary. Keep rideshare for short, flexible trips in town.
04
Lodging strategy
Stay central.
Walk more.
Recommended area
Uptown or the Tlaquepaque / Arabella corridor
These areas make the no-car plan easier: more restaurants on foot, central tour meeting points, and access to Groome-listed hotels.
Best Western Plus Arroyo RobleBest for Uptown convenience
Arabella Hotel SedonaBest for nearby trails + Tlaquepaque
Los Abrigados ResortBest central dining location
Amara ResortBest upscale central option
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Booking checklist
Check items off as reservations are confirmed. Your progress stays on this device.
06
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What to bring,
without overpacking.
Built around two early hikes, shared transportation, pool resets, a 4×4 tour, stargazing, and one special dinner.
Packing progress0 of 15 packed
01
Trail bag
Red-rock essentials
02
In transit
No-car toolkit
03
Hotel + evenings