Demystifying Travel Points: How to Vacation for Less with a Big Family

In this episode, I’m tackling one of the questions I get asked the most: How do you afford to travel so much with a family of five? The secret weapon is travel points and miles.

Travel with a family is expensive: more plane tickets, larger hotel rooms, and food costs that seem to climb every day. Today, I’m sharing the absolute basics of travel points so you can start dabbling in this hobby, bring down your vacation costs, and get out the door on your next family adventure without adding a ton of extra mental energy to your plate.

Tips for Travel Points Earning

  • The Sign-Up Bonus Strategy: The fastest way to earn points isn't everyday spending—it’s hitting sign-up bonuses. Look for cards that offer a large chunk of points (like 75,000 points) after spending a set amount in the first three months.
  • Leverage Family Expenses: Since family life comes with higher everyday costs (groceries, extracurriculars, summer camps), it’s incredibly easy to hit these spending thresholds naturally without buying things you wouldn't otherwise.
  • The Caveat: This strategy only works if you have the funds to pay off your credit card balance in full every single month. If you are currently working through debt, focus on getting a handle on that first!

Flexible Points vs. Airline & Hotel Cards

If you want maximum flexibility, focus on transferable points. These allow you to earn a single bank currency and transfer it directly to various airline and hotel partners depending on who has the best deal for your specific trip.

  • Avoid Portal-Only Traps: Some bank cards lock you into using only their travel portal, which usually offers lower redemption values and fewer options for families.

This post contains personal credit card referral links. If you choose to apply for a card through these links, I may earn a points or miles bonus from the bank at no extra cost to you. I only recommend cards we actually use to travel as a family! Thank you so much for supporting the show.

Arielle's Starter Card Kit

If you want to start simply without turning point maximization into a second job, here are my top everyday recommendations:

  • Chase Sapphire Preferred: My favorite starter card. It features a low $95 annual fee, transfers to family favorites like United and Hyatt, and includes a $50 annual statement credit for hotel bookings made through the Chase portal.
  • Capital One Venture: A fantastic catch-all card that earns 2x miles on every single purchase. It’s perfect for daily family spending and has a user-friendly travel portal.
  • American Express Gold: If your biggest monthly expense is food, this card is excellent because it earns 4x points on groceries (note: it carries a $325 annual fee, so check the perks to ensure it makes sense for your budget!).
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited: A great option for rounding out your daily spending because it earns 3x points at drugstores (perfect for cold season and regular family prescriptions).

Case Study: How We Took a Family of 5 to Hawaii for under $2,000

To prove what is possible, I'm sharing the exact point breakdown of how we funded our dream trip to Maui for a family wedding:

  • The Flights: Flew United out of Milwaukee connecting in Denver for 37,000 points per person. Returned on American Airlines for 28,000 points per person plus a small cash co-pay. Using points allowed us to pick civilized, kid-friendly flight times instead of 5:00 AM departures!
  • The Lodging: 1 night at a beautiful Marriott for 63,000 points, 3 cash nights at a beach glamping site in Olowalu for the wedding, and a 4-night grand finale at the gorgeous Hyatt Regency Maui for 116,000 points.
  • The Savings: All-in, we spent $1,989 out of pocket for a 9-day Hawaiian vacation for five people. Paying entirely in cash easily would have cost us an additional $7,500!

Work With Me: Curated Adventures

Love the idea of using points to save thousands on family travel, but feel totally overwhelmed by transfer partners, sign-up bonuses, and point logistics? I can help! Visit the Curated Adventures tab on my website for custom itinerary design and travel consulting. I don’t book your flights, but I do provide the expert logistical research, transition planning, and specific recommendations for using your points and miles through the unique lens of a mom and an SLP.

Listen to the Full Episode!

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Head over to Instagram to see photos of our adventures! @AdventuresWithKidsPod