The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Points and Miles for Families
Family travel is full of memory-making moments, but unfortunately, it is also very expensive! I get it! Flights for the whole family, lodging, rental car, food, and activities. The cost truly seems daunting before you have even left. How do you not blow the budget but also travel with your family? Here is the good news! With points and miles, your family vacations can be within budget. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on family vacations!
In reality, my family has saved over $60,000 in travel costs. We flew our family of four to Hawaii for $44.80 round-trip, and this wasn’t a one-time trip. We have done it twice now! We have stayed at luxury all-inclusive resorts for free, and we have even covered tickets to Disney World, Disneyland, SeaWorld, and Legoland with points.
This guide is destined to be your one-stop beginner’s guide to help you get started. You can also grab my free beginner starter tool-kit that has worksheets and tools to help you stay organized and with a peace of mind, so don’t forget to grab that free resource. I’m going to show you how points and miles work, how families can earn them responsibly without overspending, and use them for nearly free travel. If you have ever wondered if your family can actually learn how to travel for nearly free? The answer is YES! I can’t wait to show you how.
When you use my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This support helps me keep Travel Momma Co. running and allows me to keep creating free resources to help families like yours travel more affordably. I’m so grateful when you choose to use my links — it’s truly like buying me a cup of coffee for free while I cheer you on in your travel journey!
What are Points and Miles?
Points and miles are simply described as the travel currency. Hotels, airlines, and banks all have different names for their points or miles that they use in their travel award system. You can earn this travel currency through a variety of ways, from sign-up bonuses on credit cards, booking flights or hotels with a certain brand, or using shopping portals. When it comes time to book travel, instead of paying cash, you can use your points and miles to cover your hotels, flights, and other travel costs. This is the biggest way to make travel more affordable! Use points and miles to cover your high vacation costs.
3 Kinds of Points and Miles Beginners Can Earn
- Airline Miles– These points are tied to a specific airline. Examples are United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, Delta Skymiles, etc.
- Hotel Points– These points are tied to a specific hotel brand. Examples are World of Hyatt, Hilton Honors, and Marriott Bonvoy.
- Flexible Points– These points and miles are earned through banks and their specific reward systems. Chase Bank has Ultimate Rewards. Capital One has Miles. American Express has Membership Rewards. They are all points and miles for travel, just named different things.
Here is the best news for families! You don’t have to be wealthy or travel consistently all year to earn points and save money on travel. Normal everyday families like you and me can earn points by strategically using credit cards responsibly to pay for groceries, gas, utilities, and kids’ activities.
A Real Life Example of Using Points and Miles for Families
We were able to fly our family of four from Denver to Hawaii for less than $50 round-trip! You can read more about how we accomplished that with points in this post called How Award Travel For Families Works.
Why Points and Miles Work for Families
Family travel doesn’t look the same as a couple getaway or solo adventures. When you are booking for multiple people, we all know how fast the cost can add up. When you learn the strategies I teach about points and miles, like in my Points and Miles 101 toolkit, the savings add up fast when you are able to use points to cover high-ticket items like flights and lodging. Learning about points and miles is a game-changer for the family that wants to travel more affordably, no matter how frequently.
Travel Costs Add Up Quickly with Kids
Flights alone can run $300-$800+, depending on where you are going and the time of year you are traveling. Now multiply by 4 or more, then add lodging, food, activities, and rental cars. Families can easily spend $5,000 before they have even left their house on their future travels. Here is the GREAT NEWS!
With points and miles, you can learn how to cover those high-ticket travel items like flights, rental cars, hotels, and resorts. Making your next vacation a fraction of the cost just by learning a new strategy. Yes, there is a learning curve, but all great things take time and investment to learn. You can start today by grabbing my FREE Starter Kit.
Flexibility for Different Types of Travel
The beauty of using points and miles is that there is flexibility in how you use them. It is not a one-size-fits-all. You can use them in a way that fits your family’s vacation needs and dreams. Families can use their travel rewards for:
- Flights– Domestic flights to visit friends or international dream vacations. I offer a free Southwest guide on how to earn the companion pass for almost 2 years, maximizing your award miles.
- Hotels and Resorts– Whether you want to stay at budget-friendly hotels or save up for an all-inclusive resort vacation, you can use points to cover your stay.
- Theme Parks– Yes, you can learn how to use points to cover Disney World tickets or Universal Studios. Learn how in my free Ticket Slasher guide.
- Rental cars and Airbnbs– Giving you more savings for your family budget.
Real-Life Family Savings Examples
- Hawaii– $3,380 in flights turned into $44.80 for a family of four round-trip
- Jamaica-$3,000 all-inclusive stay covered entirely by points, so the cost was $0
- Disney World Theme Park Tickets– $1,000 in ticket prices were covered by points
These savings aren’t just for my family. They are possible for any family willing to make small changes in how they use credit cards responsibly for everyday spending.
5 Misconceptions about Award Travel (And Why They’re Wrong)
When I talk to other parents about award travel and why my family is able to travel so budget-friendly, I tend to get this response: “That sounds amazing, but…” Then come all the reasons and excuses why it won’t work for them. I totally get it, and I also realize this isn’t for everyone.
I definitely thought some of these misconceptions were true when I first started diving into points and miles as a beginner, so I thought we should hit some of the top ones I hear. I hope clearing up these misconceptions will help you see that, as a beginner, learning about points and miles is more doable than you think.
Misconception #1- “Award travel is only for people who travel a lot for business or are wealthy.”
Nope! You don’t have to travel a ton for work or make a six-figure salary to travel on points and miles. We started this journey as an average single-income family. The key is for families to use their expenses and things they are already buying to earn those points and miles. It’s about being smart with the money you’re already spending, not spending more.
Misconception #2- “It takes years to earn enough points for a trip.”
This one may surprise you, but I have been able to help families take their dream family vacation, and they usually can earn those points in a year. I can’t give an exact timeline because every trip is different in terms of cost of points, but my husband and I were able to do a long beach weekend getaway with one welcome bonus from a single credit card. We wanted to see if these points and miles were really true, so we started with one card and tried it out. After that first getaway, we knew we had found a new budget-friendly way to travel.
Misconception #3: “It’s too complicated to figure out.”
I promise you it doesn’t have to be overwhelming! I am here to help you along the way, answer your questions, create resources to help you learn more, and you don’t have to do it alone because you are part of the Travel Momma Community. By signing up for my weekly newsletter or joining the Travel Momma Co private Facebook group, you can learn small tips, tricks, and advice along the way.
New things to take time to learn, like riding a bike, learning a new sport, and the same with points and miles as a beginner. It will be worth the time investment, and you can start with my free starter guide to get your feet wet. Or if you are ready for a deep dive, then you can check out Points and Miles 101 for all the beginner’s information in one place.
Misconception #4: “Using credit cards will ruin my credit score.”
I hear this one a lot from people, and they just don’t know how your credit score is compiled. The key here is to use your credit cards responsibly. In fact, we see many of our families actually raise their credit scores during this process. They are utilizing their credit, not carrying debt on their credit cards, paying them off in full every month, and showing responsible credit card habits. The key is to ALWAYS pay off your balance on your credit card every month. I don’t encourage people to learn this if they are going to end up in debt because that is not the point. We encourage swiping when you know you can cover the expense.
Misconception #5: “Award travel only works for flights.”
This myth is a fun one to bust because you can use points and miles for so many things. Yes, airfare is one of the ways to use points. You can also use points for hotels and all-inclusive vacations. My hubby and I did a luxury all-inclusive in Jamaica, and the total trip cost us $378! You can use points to cover theme park tickets. We have used points to go to Disney World, Disneyland, SeaWorld, and Legoland. We use points to cover the cost of tickets. There is a lot of flexibility in how you can use your points. You are going to earn these points and miles, so use them however you want to get that affordable travel.
If you have been holding back on diving in because of one of these misconceptions, please know this: families like yours are already traveling more often for less money because of points. You don’t have to do everything at once. Start small, learn the basics, ask questions, watch your points accumulate, and eventually try out a trip on points. You can do this!
How Families Earn Points Without Overspending
One common question I get at the beginning from people wanting to jump into points and miles is, “How much more money am I going to have to spend to do this? The good news is that you won’t!
The foundation of points and miles for beginners is simple: use your everyday spending that you are going to do in your normal life, and earn travel rewards. You don’t have to buy things you don’t need and spend money on pointless things. My key rule is never going into debt and carrying a balance. You are just learning a smarter way to have your normal spending work for you every day.
Here are some of the ways families like yours are earning points fast:
Welcome Bonuses (The Fastest Way to Earn Points)
When you open a new travel rewards credit card, you will see a welcome offer. This is going to be the quickest way to kickstart your points and miles journey. This offer has a minimum spend that needs to be met in a certain time period. Remember, you are using your normal spending to meet that minimum; no required extra spending. Once you complete the spending minimum, you earn the welcome bonus.
Example: One welcome bonus gave us enough points to book our Hawaii hotel for 4 nights, saving us lodging costs! Our hotel was also on the beach!
If you’re ready to start with your first card, I keep a list of the best current offers on my site. When you use my affiliate links, it’s a free way to support Travel Momma Co. — and it means the world to me! Thank you for trusting me to guide your family through this journey.
Everyday Spending (Your Bills=Points)
Think about all your bills that you pay for every month: groceries, gas, utilities, sports fees, haircuts, doctor visits, and your cell phone bill. All of these bills are in your budget already, but you can start earning points towards your next vacation. By putting those bills on your travel credit card and then paying them off in full every month, you will earn points and raise your credit score.
Need help seeing what your monthly budget is and organizing all your bills and logins in one place? My free starter kit offers you organizational tools to help you build your monthly budget so you can see how much you are spending each month. I also offer you an organizer to put all your logins for those bills in one place.
Player 2 Strategy (Team Up with Your Spouse)
This strategy was definitely new to me as a beginner learning points and miles, and I had no idea I could easily double my points by doing this! Here is how it works:
- Step 1: Player 1 will apply for the travel credit card (Best Offers Page). You will use Player 1’s credit card to meet the minimum spend using your everyday spending costs.
- Step 2: Player 1 will then use their referral link to refer their spouse, whom we will call Player 2. Now, some cards give a referral bonus, so you may get extra points for doing just that.
- Step 3: Player 2 works on their credit card using the same method. You have now doubled your points!
This Player 2 approach is one of the easiest ways to double your points without any extra spending. By taking turns opening cards, you are also giving your credit a break, which will help keep that score high.
Shopping Portals and Referrals
These are two ways that you can give your points a boost and keep earning those points between welcome bonuses.
- Shopping Portals: Many airlines and banks have free online shopping portals. By going to the shopping portal first before you do your online shopping, it activates point offers, so as you spend online, you can earn extra points through the portal. You will still be earning points on your credit card at checkout, so we call this stacking. You are earning points from the portal and the credit card!
- Referrals-Once you have your credit card, many of the banks will have a referral link you can use for others to apply. Tell your family and friends and share your referral link to get more points. I am truly thankful when you use my links to grab your credit card, but there is also enough for all of us, so please share your links with your community.
The key takeaway with these strategies is that you don’t need to spend more money to earn travel reward points. You simply need to change a few things in how you are spending every day to make it work for you. I teach you how to use the right cards in the right ways and maximize your points along the way.
Maybe you want to take the plunge and dive into learning all about points and miles so you can start earning those nearly free vacations. Then grab Points and Miles 101, this is all your basic information compiled into one place that you can go back to again and again, and learn at your own pace, all you need to earn points and miles for travel.
What Can You Use Points and Miles For?
This is the exciting part because you get to use those hard-earned travel points and decide how you want to use them to save you money while making memories with your family! A lot of people have the idea that travel points are only good for flights, but this is not true. There are a variety of ways you can use your points to save money on travel.
Here are the main ways we use our points and miles:
Flights (For the Whole Family)
Flights are one of the biggest expenses for families when booking travel, and that is why so many people use their points towards award travel on airlines. When domestic flights can range from $200-$800 round-trip, that can add up fast! When using points on flights, it can cut that cost in a huge way. The points will cover the flight, and you will still have to pay taxes and fees on tickets, but the flight is a fraction of the cost. Domestic flight fees are around $5.60 each way.
When my family of four flies domestically, it will cost us $44.80, which is nothing compared to paying the per-ticket price! We have used this strategy, saving us thousands of dollars a year in flights alone.
Here is a travel tip that makes flying with kids even more affordable!
With the Southwest Companion pass, one person in your family gets to bring a buddy to fly for free every time they fly; you simply cover the taxes and fees. This perk could last you almost 2 full years, depending on when you earn the pass through Southwest. This travel pass could save you more points or money on your flights!
I put together a Free Southwest Companion Guide for you. This guide will cover all about the companion pass and how it can save you money on travel. I also teach you the strategy on how to maximize this pass for almost 2 years.
Example: My husband and I have both earned the Southwest Companion pass, so our kids fly for free, and we just pay taxes and fees. Since we use points to pay for our flights, we only need enough points for 2 flights, not 4! This has allowed us to fly so much more because our points go farther!
Hotels and Resorts (Family Vacations without the Price Tag)
From budget value hotels to luxury all-inclusive resorts. You can use points to cover your stay! When traveling with the family, you may want more than one room or kid-friendly amenities. You can find a variety of places that fit your family’s needs while using points to cover those costs.
Looking for some inspiration? Check out my blog, 6 Family-Friendly All-Inclusive Vacations You Can Book on Points.
Example: Our family stayed at the Wild Dunes Beach Resort in Charleston, South Carolina, and instead of paying $2,700 for our room, we paid $0! We stayed at an amazing resort that had several pools, on the beach, restaurants on site, and was close to historical Charleston.
Theme Parks (Yes, Even Disney and Universal)
Theme Parks are loaded with lots of fun, and usually spending a few days is the preference for many families. With the high ticket prices, though, going to a theme park can be a huge expense, especially when buying theme park tickets. The good news is that with points and miles, you can make those magical moments even more affordable for your family!
Not only can you use your points to cover the hotel stay next to your theme park adventure, but with the right credit cards, you can earn points that will cover the cost of theme park tickets. That means fewer out-of-pocket costs for you and your family, which means if you want to enjoy a churro, or my personal favorite, a pineapple Dole whip, you can!
Want to know more about this strategy and which cards allow you to cover these expenses? That is exactly why I created a specific guide to teach you this strategy for FREE! Grab the Ticket Slasher guide and get a step-by-step guide to help you save big on your next theme park vacation! Thanks again for using my links within my guide!
Rental Cars and Other Travel Costs
From getting around your vacation destination to booking extra tours and excursions, we’ve got you covered. There are specific cards that you can use that allow you to use your points to cover travel costs. We have used these in Europe when booking trains from city to city or when we decide to book a fun excursion for the family.
The Big Takeaway: With points and miles, it isn’t just taking care of one expense on your trip. You can cover as much or as little as you want with points. You have options and points that allow you to make this vacation affordable for any family budget.
Ready to start earning points for your family’s first nearly free trip? Grab my free starter kit or dive into the full Points and Miles 101 ebook to get all the information you need in one place.
Beginner FAQs About Points and Miles
When families want to start learning about points and miles, there are a lot of similar questions that pop up. Let’s go through some of the most common questions to give you a boost of confidence and let you know you are not alone.
Will Using Credit Cards Hurt My Credit Score?
Not when you are using them responsibly. There are some guidelines I follow to help keep your credit score high while still earning points and miles. Quite the opposite happens when families start using credit cards to earn travel rewards. Since they are paying off their cards in full every month and showing responsibility with their credit, their scores go up. My husband and I both have seen our credit scores rise as well.
Responsibility with credit cards builds your credit history, and always paying in full leaves you out of debt, which is the goal. Just remember to always pay off your credit in full every single month and don’t carry a balance.
Do I Need to Spend Thousands of Dollars to Make this Work?
Nope! You don’t have to spend more money than you already do. The goal is to use your existing family expenses on the credit card, pay in full, and earn the points each month. With the right travel credit card, every dollar is working harder for you.
Should I Book Flights or Hotels First?
It depends on the travel destination and on your family’s vacation. For international trips, finding a good flight deal is one that you want to jump on first because those are harder to find and lock in. Domestic flights typically have more flexibility. If there is a specific resort or hotel your family wants to stay at, then you may need to book the reward stay first because hotels only allow so many nights booked on points before those dates are blocked out. The good news is that with a little planning, you can figure out what is the best move for your family.
Do I have to travel all the time to make this worth it?
Absolutely not! You can travel as much or as little as you want. If you are consistently earning points and miles when you are ready to book a trip, you will have points available. Most of your points come from welcome bonuses and everyday spending, not from traveling more.
Is It Too Complicated for Busy Parents?
No, not if you keep it simple and slow at the start. You don’t need to know all the advanced strategies. In Points and Miles 101, I teach you the basic, simple strategies for booking hotels and flights, making it doable for busy families. For beginners, all you need is the first right card and a plan on how you would like to use those points. I am here to help you along the way. Join the Travel Momma Co group on Facebook to ask your questions and learn from others.
If these questions have been holding you back, I totally get it! I was there once, too, and didn’t understand how this could really help my family save money on travel. You are not alone; everyone starts here. Once you get your first award travel trip under your belt, you will wonder why you didn’t start sooner!
How to Get Started with Award Travel As a Beginner Family
Now you can see the power that points and miles can make for families when it comes to saving money on travel. The only thing left is to start taking that next step. Here are a few options to help you get started with your beginner steps into points and miles.
- Download my free Points and Miles Starter Kit– This guide will give you a strong foundation, help get you organized, and give you the tools needed to start off right.
- Apply for your First Travel Rewards Credit Card– I recommend most families start with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, also called My Favorite Beginner Card. Thank you again for using my links if you decide to grab this offer.
- Grab Your All-in-One Beginner Resource with Points and Miles 101– Learn all the beginner basics in one easy-to-find place. Learn easy redemption strategies, the fastest ways to earn points and miles, and all the beginner tips to help you feel confident to start this new hobby.
- Join the Travel Momma. Co Facebook Community– Join this award travel community where you can ask questions, celebrate each other’s wins, and learn new tips from others. Learning points and miles is fun when you have a community cheering for you and sharing in your wins.
You’ve Got This
Traveling as a family doesn’t have to break the bank. With points and miles, you can save thousands of dollars on your memorable trips. You can achieve those bucket list vacations you have dreamed of. You can create those precious memories with your family without having to stress about how to afford the family vacation. My hope is that this allows your family freedom to make memories and have it fit your budget more easily.
I can’t wait to hear about your family adventures and how points and miles have changed your family like it has changed mine.
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