Family Travel on Points and Miles: Free Checked Bags, Companion Passes, and Miles Pooling

Summary

Podcast Summary: Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

Episode: Family Travel on Points and Miles — Free Checked Bags, Companion Passes, and Miles Pooling

Date: April 15, 2026
Hosts: Megan Coyle (MC) and Tess Viglund (TV, filling in for Sally French)
Guest: Erin Hurd, Director of Travel at NerdWallet

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Episode Theme Overview

This episode explores actionable strategies for making family travel more affordable and less stressful using airline points, miles, credit card perks, and smart travel tools. The hosts and guest dive deep into maximizing checked baggage perks, utilizing companion passes, pooling miles, flexible planning for peak dates, the pros and cons of different accommodation options, and the importance of prioritizing meaningful family experiences over perfection.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Major Travel Fee Updates and Trends (03:32–13:00)

• Checked Baggage Fee Increases

  • Most US airlines (American, Delta, United, Southwest) have raised first checked bag fees to $45 for domestic economy flyers (03:40).
  • Free checked bag perks via airline credit cards (with annual fees as low as $95) can offset these rising costs, especially valuable for families.

• Baggage Fee Workarounds

  • General travel cards (e.g., Amex Platinum, BofA Premium Rewards) can offer annual credits covering baggage fees (05:01).
  • Southwest allows travelers to check a case of wine for free from select West Coast airports (from April 24), a unique value-add for travelers (05:27).

• Elite Status and Basic Economy Clamping Down

  • American Airlines will soon restrict elite perks (like upgrades and seat selection) on Basic Economy fares (06:07).
  • Quick tip: If you have elite status and fly Basic, book soon, as changes are effective May 18.

• Points and Transfer Partner News

  • Rove Miles recently added Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red as transfer partners. Virgin Points can be highly valuable for flights (e.g., LA to Italy for 11,000 points) but beware of high fees out of London (07:51).

2. The Value and Challenges of Family Travel (14:40–19:00)

• Why Family Travel is Worth It

  • Erin shares that travel fosters family bonding and teaches flexibility. She notes it's not always easy but highly rewarding long-term.
  • Quote (Erin, 15:02):
    “Traveling with kids is very different than traveling without them. I often say it's a trip, sometimes not a vacation. So setting realistic expectations and slowing down the pace has been really helpful for us.”
  • Favorite trips: Japan (Tokyo’s video game and vending machine culture), Jordan (Wadi Rum desert and Petra), and Yellowstone for US-based adventures.

• Planning for All Interests

  • As kids age, Erin’s family increasingly tailors trips but often blends adult and child-centric activities.
  • Points and miles make repeat visits possible, which removes the pressure for each trip to be “once in a lifetime.”

3. Practical Tips for Saving on Family Flights (19:10–29:00)

• Flying with Young Kids Under Two

  • Domestic flights: Kids under 2 can fly free as lap infants; caveats apply for international flights (cost is ~10% of ticket price, even if using miles).
  • Tip: Add lap infants early to tickets, especially internationally, to avoid increased cost (20:59).
  • Programs like Air Canada’s Aeroplan and Virgin Atlantic offer flat-rate or low-mile options for lap infants.

• Earning Points for Kids

  • Children can earn their own miles if a full ticket is purchased for them, so set up loyalty accounts for your kids (22:45).
    • Most airlines have non-expiration or extended expiration for kids’ miles.

• Pooling Miles Across Family and Friends

  • Programs like Air Canada Aeroplan, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, and KLM/Air France Flying Blue allow families (and sometimes friends) to pool miles, making redemptions for multiple travelers easier (24:27).
  • New: United, JetBlue, and Alaska (Atmos Rewards Summit card required) offer similar pooling perks domestically (25:32).

• Credit Cards and Free Checked Bags

  • Having the airline’s co-branded credit card can unlock free bag perks for your whole party and, in some cases, let kids earn miles at the same rate as parents (26:30).

4. Handling Peak Travel Dates and Points Availability (27:29–38:11)

• Flexibility and Planning Ahead

  • For families limited to fixed school breaks, Erin recommends prioritizing what’s most important (dates, nonstop flights, or a specific property) and being flexible with other trip elements.
    • Quote (Erin, 27:29):
      “You can have anything you want, but you can’t have everything.”

• Booking Strategy

  • Booking as early as 11–12 months in advance gives the best shot at finding multiple award seats.
  • Often, Erin books flights first and then hotels, unless a specific “aspirational” hotel is the trip’s main draw.

• Splitting Bookings and Using Award Tools

  • Consider booking one-way tickets using different programs or splitting award seats across multiple loyalty accounts (e.g., two seats on AA, two on Alaska).
  • Third-party award search tools make finding available award space easier (e.g., Seats.Aero, Point.Me, PointsYeah).

5. Maximizing Companion Passes (30:15–34:56)

• Southwest Companion Pass

  • Easiest and most generous: Once earned (via 125k points with card, 135k without), unlimited use for over a year, can change the designated companion up to three times a year.
    • Quote (Erin, 30:55):
      “…with the Southwest Companion Pass… you can earn an unlimited Companion pass for the rest of the calendar year in which you earn it and the entire next calendar year. And it’s unlimited.”

• Other Companion Passes

  • Alaska, Delta (Platinum/Reserve), and American’s new Globe card offer one-use annual companion passes for about $99 + taxes/fees, but with more restrictions and possible blackout dates.

• Ease of Use

  • Southwest’s pass is exceptionally user-friendly: Any available seat = eligible for companion; others, like Delta, may have eligibility based on fare class.

6. Booking Family-Friendly Accommodations (40:57–46:15)

• Hotels vs. Vacation Rentals

  • Erin prefers hotels for amenities and vacation feeling, but will opt for rentals when traveling with other families.
  • In the US, hotel rooms easily accommodate families of four; internationally, strict occupancy rules often necessitate two rooms.

• Booking Large or Connecting Rooms with Points

  • Hyatt offers a “family rate” (50% off a second room; must call, not always available).
  • Guaranteeing connecting rooms is tricky in most chains; Hilton allows confirmed booking of connecting rooms via online checkout but isn’t 100% foolproof.

• Suites with Points

  • Hyatt is praised for allowing all members (not just elites) to book standard suites using points, making extra space easier to secure.

• Marriott

  • Occasionally offers family/connecting room discounts; search for timely promotions.

7. Mindset: Focus on Enjoyment, Not Perfection (46:22–48:25)

• Hot Take:

  • Quote (Erin, 46:31):
    “You should travel because you want to travel and the kids are just kind of along on your ride… Every minute of every trip does not have to revolve around kid-oriented activities… Travel is never going to be perfect. You know, something will go wrong… and you’ll create these funny, great stories and core family memories for years to come.”

• Letting Go of Perfection

  • Don’t stress about perfect itineraries. Sometimes the smallest, unexpected moments (like seeing a naked mole rat at the museum) are the most memorable for kids.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On traveling with kids:
  “I often say it's a trip, sometimes not a vacation.” — Erin Hurd (15:02)

• On planning for peak dates:
  “You can have anything you want, but you can’t have everything.” — Erin Hurd (27:29)

• On the Southwest Companion Pass:
  “You can add your companion right up to almost boarding time, pay that fee and you’re good to go.” — Erin Hurd (34:31)

• On family travel mindset:
  “It will not be perfect… the more that you’re just kind of prepared for that…the more that you will laugh at all the hiccups along the way and you’ll create these funny, great stories and core family memories for years to come.” — Erin Hurd (47:35)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:32: Baggage fee increases and airline card perks
• 05:27: Southwest’s free case of wine for checked baggage
• 06:07: Restrictions on elite perks for Basic Economy and booking strategies
• 07:12: Rove/Virgin partnership and value of Virgin points
• 14:40: Interview with Erin Hurd begins; value and realities of family travel
• 19:10: Tips for flying with kids, lap infants, earning points for children
• 24:27: Points pooling programs and family pooling tools
• 27:29: Travel during peak dates, prioritization and flexibility advice
• 30:15: Maximizing and understanding companion passes; Southwest, Alaska, Delta, AA
• 38:11: Searching for award availability and using points for multiple travelers
• 40:57: Booking hotels vs. vacation rentals for families, handling room occupancy
• 42:57: Tips for booking connecting rooms and suites on points
• 46:22: Erin’s “hot take” — Kids are along for the ride
• 47:35: Don’t stress about perfect family memories

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Useful Tools & Resources Mentioned

• Award search tools: Seats.Aero, Point.Me, PointsYeah
• Points pooling: Aeroplan (Air Canada), Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Flying Blue (Air France/KLM), United, JetBlue, Alaska (with Summit card)
• Credit cards for bags and companion passes: Delta SkyMiles Gold, Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus, Amex Platinum, Alaska Atmos Rewards, others
• Booking advice: Book flights as early as 11 months out, set up loyalty accounts for kids, contact hotels for connecting rooms, check for discounted second-room rates

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Final Takeaway

Family travel using points and miles is challenging but absolutely doable — with creative strategies, flexibility, and realistic expectations, families can build meaningful travel traditions without breaking the bank. Focus on what matters most, leverage every tool available, and remember: the best family travel moments aren’t always the ones you meticulously planned.

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Transcript

[A]

The following is a paid sponsorship, not an endorsement by NerdWallet's editorial team. Today's episode is sponsored by Bilt. You've heard me talk about Bilt as the loyalty program that lets you earn points on rent wherever you live. And they've just leveled up even more. As of 2026, renters and homeowners can earn up to 1.25x points on their housing payments. This is thanks to Bilt's three new credit cards, the Palladium Card, Obsidian Card and Blue Card. All three can turn your housing payments, rent or mortgage into flexible rewards so you can choose the card that fits your lifestyle without missing out on points and exclusive benefits. Bill points can be redeemed at top airlines and hotels, Amazon.com purchases, future rent payments and more. Bill points have also been ranked by top publications as the industry's most valuable point currency. Your housing payment is most likely your biggest expense. Make it your most rewarding. Find the card that fits your lifestyle and apply today at joinbuilt.com smarttravel that's J-O-I-N-B-I-L-T.com smarttravel make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. Terms and limitations apply subject to approval and eligibility. Bill cards are issued by column NA member FDIC pursuant to license from MasterCard International, Inc.

[B]

This episode is sponsored by fora. You already know how to find which neighborhoods to stay in, which hotels are

[A]

worth the splurge, and how to piece together an itinerary.

[B]

You've been thinking like a travel advisor

[A]

for years, so why not get paid for it?

[B]

Fora is a modern travel agency built

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for people who love to plan travel. Their platform, training and community give you everything you need to turn that passion into a flexible, meaningful stream of income.

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As a Fora advisor, you'll get access

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[B]

Every hotel, cruise or activity you book

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[B]

It's hard enough finding one airplane ticket that you can afford with miles, much less four for an entire family, but

[C]

today's guest does it all the time.

[B]

One of my guests today. We'll get to them later. But first, in today's headlines, bag fees are up across the board. American is cracking down on basic economy. And Tess has a personal update about

[A]

fighting for a canceled flight refund.

[B]

That one has a twist. Thanks for filling in for Sally, by the way.

[C]

It's always a pleasure. And, yeah, sometimes it pays literally to be persistent. Megan. So all of that, plus NerdWallet's residence points pro Erin Hurd on how families can travel on points without losing their minds.

[B]

Welcome to Smart Travel, a deep dive

[A]

into the tips, tools and tactics to

[B]

maximize your travel dollars. I'm Megan Coyle.

[C]

And I'm Tess Viglund, in for Sally French.

[B]

And. And we're the travel nerds ready to help you plan your next big trip.

[C]

First, our disclaimer, and that's that we'll talk about a few credit card companies that are nerd wallet partners in this episode, but that doesn't influence how we discuss them. The benefits, terms and fees mentioned were accurate at the time of posting, but things can change. Some offers may have expired by the time you're listening. For the latest details, follow the links in the episode description.

[B]

All right, Tess, let's start with something that's going to affect tons of travelers, and it's going to hit them in the wallet. Checked bag fees are going up.

[C]

Of course they are.

[B]

In just the last couple of weeks, the big four US Airlines, American, Delta, United, and Southwest have all raised their first checked bag fees to $45 for

[A]

most economy flyers on domestic routes.

[B]

And other airlines are making similar moves.

[C]

Yeah, for the big four airlines, it's a $10 jump, which doesn't sound like a lot until you're traveling with a family or honestly, just someone with overpacking tendencies. Okay. Yes. Me.

[B]

It's me, Tess. You're an overpacker.

[C]

Y. Oh, no.

[A]

Well, okay.

[B]

One thing you have to make sure you do is at least pay for your checked bag before you get to the airport. On airlines like American and United, if

[A]

you wait and pay at the airport,

[B]

it'll cost even more.

[C]

Yeah, and this is all happening, of course, as fuel prices spike, largely driven by the Iran war, airlines are passing those costs right along to passengers, which

[B]

means airline credit cards are Suddenly looking a lot more appealing.

[A]

A lot of them include free first checked bags and and with annual fees

[B]

in the $95 to $150 range, that

[A]

means you could offset the annual fee if you check a bag on three one way flights.

[C]

Yeah, and you have examples like the Delta SkyMiles Gold Card or the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card, you can get the first check bag for yourself and up to eight companions on the same reservation.

[B]

And if you don't want to commit to one airline, I get it. There are general travel cards that can help offset these fees as well. Some offer annual credits for airline incidentals, which cover baggage fees and other similar expenses, including the Platinum card from American Express, which has an $895 annual fee. And on the lower annual fee range, the bank of America Premium Rewards credit card, which has a $95 annual fee.

[C]

Got to love a good workaround.

[B]

Also, one small bright spot here, Southwest is letting travelers check a case of wine for free from select west coast airports starting April 24th. They haven't announced exactly which airports those are yet, but the good thing is at least the souvenirs from your Napa trip aren't going to cost you $45 to check it.

[C]

Yeah, baggage policy I can definitely get behind. And Megan, I'll add that Alaska has been doing this for years. A case of wine flies free from Oregon, California, Washington and Idaho. Ask me how I know.

[B]

Love that. Okay, so speaking of airlines tightening the screws, American Airlines is now pulling back elite status perks on Basic economy tickets.

[C]

Yeah, and this is kind of a big deal because previously if you had elite status, you could still get benefits even if you booked on the cheapest fare.

[B]

Exactly. Things like seat selection to maybe extra legroom or even free upgrades to business. Or first, those used to still apply even if you bought Basic Economy and you had Elite status. But now if you book Basic Economy, you're going to the back in a middle seat like everyone else who bought Basic.

[C]

These changes are going to apply apply to tickets booked starting May 18, so you have a little bit of time to lock in some low Basic economy fares.

[B]

Under the current rules, United and Delta already do this where basic economy tickets are ineligible for upgrades. I don't think a ton of people with elite status book Basic Economy because those types of fares earn 0 miles now on American, Delta and United. But if you are one of the few, you might want to rethink your booking strategy.

[C]

Let's switch to some better news in the points world. Rove Miles just added Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red as transfer partners. Rove is a shopping and travel booking platform that lets you earn Rove miles and then you can transfer those to all sorts of partners.

[B]

We have a guide to Rove on the NerdWallet website that we'll link to in the episode description. Virgin points can be super valuable with Virgin, the airline, or with any of the SkyTeam airlines. Those are their partners. I use Virgin Points to fly to Europe all the time. Last year I got an 11,000 point flight from LA to Italy. I'm doing 9,000 points next month to fly from London back to LA. So the number of points required for these kinds of redemptions can be really low. And just be careful, the fees flying in and out of London can be really, really expensive. Like hundreds of dollars, especially for premium cabins.

[C]

Yes, I am aware of this for a flight that I'm taking in one week.

[B]

Oh, no,

[C]

Virgin Red is the other transfer partner. Virgin Red is the loyalty program for all of the companies within the Virgin brand. And it adds even more flexibility since you can redeem for things beyond flights. So you have experiences, safaris, even cruises with Virgin Voyages.

[B]

Speaking of Virgin Voyages, the Brilliant lady, it's a ship, has officially arrived.

[C]

Oh, I thought you were talking about me.

[B]

Yes, you're on the West Coast, Tess. The Brilliant lady has officially arrived in Los Angeles. And this is the first time Virgin Voyages is sailing from the West Coast. So right now it's doing a bunch of itineraries between LA and Mexico, and then later in the summer, it's heading to Alaska.

[C]

This is interesting because Virgin Voyages is not your typical cruise line. It is adults only. Yay. There are no buffets and all the dining is included. And there are no specialty restaurants that you have to pay extra for.

[A]

Tess.

[B]

I just got to tour the ship last week and my favorite thing about it actually is that they have an onboard Korean barbecue restaurant with a little grill in the center. Oh, it was so fun. And the design of the entire ship

[A]

is very modern, very playful.

[B]

I really like that. Virgin Voyages and all of their different brands, including like Virgin Clubhouses, their airplanes, like, they all have so much personality. You know, they're not afraid to use the color red to have really bold design. And that's what I love about it, honestly.

[C]

Korean barbecue, that might be the thing that gets me onto my first cruise ever. All right, Megan, what else makes this cruise ship different?

[B]

I do want to point out that this is one of the newer ships sailing to Alaska. So Brilliant lady started sailing last summer on the East Coast. And meanwhile, Royal Caribbean is sailing these two ships to Alaska this summer. Ovation of the Seas, which launched in 2016. So 10 years ago. And Voyager of the Seas, which actually launched in 1998. So it was refurbished in 2019, but you get the idea. Some of the other cruise lines are cruising with much older ships, and if you want to be on a kind of brand new ship, the Brilliant lady, you might want to book with Virgin.

[C]

All right, so if your cruise curious like me, but turned off by the traditional experience like me, this might be your entry point.

[B]

Perfect. Okay, Tess, we need an update. A couple of months ago, you were on the show and you were dealing with a canceled flight and trying to get a refund.

[A]

Remind us what happened.

[C]

Yeah, I spent six hours in the airport in Seville, Spain, with delay after delay after delay on Iberia Airlines, and I do have a bit of a follow up.

[B]

Okay, tell me.

[C]

Well, so after multiple rounds of effort and some light persistence. Okay, Heavy persistence. I did finally get the refund.

[B]

Yes. Oh, my gosh. A success story. We love to hear about people getting refunds. Okay, you said you were persistent. How exactly did you do it?

[C]

Well, first of all, it wasn't automatic. I had to specifically request it, and then I had to follow up. And the complicating factor here, at least for me, that made it take so long, is that my bank? Well, actually, the two banks I use, Schwab and usaa, neither of them is able to handle an international wire trans without using an intermediary bank.

[B]

What? What is that?

[C]

I know. I didn't know myself, but Iberia said that I had to have a bank account that directly accepted the wire transfer. So I ended up using my mom's bank account. Oh, my gosh.

[B]

Mom coming to the rescue.

[C]

Always. Mom always come to the rescue. That's right. But that was after waiting a period of 30 days and then realizing what the problem was. Anyway, it was a bit of a pain, but I ended up getting more back than I'd spent on the flight. So there's that. And a reminder that a rule put in place by the Biden administration would have required US Airlines to do the same kind of compensation as you get in the eu. The Trump Department of Transportation nixed it late last year.

[B]

So this is an important reminder that

[A]

at least if you're in the EU and if your flight is canceled or

[B]

significantly changed, you are legally entitled to a refund.

[C]

It is worth the homework. All right, let's hear from you and Sally and Erin about all the ways Points can help you travel with a family without breaking the bank.

[B]

This episode is sponsored by Rakuten. Rakuten opens up a world of rewards. You can earn cash back on fashion,

[A]

beauty, electronics, pet supplies, kid stuff, groceries. But what I'm here to tell you

[B]

is with Rakuten, you can get cash

[A]

back on travel too. Join and save on your next trip. You'll get cash back on the flight, the hotel and the car rental book on your favorite travel sites like Expedia, booking.com viator, vrbo, hotels.com, iHG and more. Save on cruises, vacation packages and experiences as well. And don't worry, cash back can be earned on top of your credit card points and with many loyalty programs because

[B]

we know you're saving every way you can.

[A]

So go ahead, take a trip. Find that perfect hotel. Book an artisan cheese experience inside a cave in Spain. Wherever you want to go, go with Rakuten. Join today for free. Go to rakuten.com or get the app that's R a K u T E N the following is a paid sponsorship, not an endorsement by NerdWallet's editorial team. Today's episode is sponsored by Build. You've heard me talk about Build as the loyalty program that lets you earn points on rent wherever you live, and they've just leveled up even more. As of 2026, renters and homeowners can earn up to 1.25x points on their housing payments. This is thanks to Bilt's three new credit cards, the Palladium Card, Obsidian card and Blue Card. All three can turn your housing payments, rent or mortgage into flexible rewards, so you can choose the card that fits your lifestyle without missing out on points and exclusive benefits. Bill points can be redeemed at top airlines and hotels, Amazon.com purchases, future rent payments and more. Bill points have also been ranked by top publications as the industry's most valuable point currency. Your housing payment is most likely your biggest expense. Make it your most rewarding. Find the card that fits your lifestyle and apply today at joinbuilt.com smarttravel that's J-O-I-N-B-I-L-T.com smarttravel make sure to use our URL so they know we sent you. Terms and limitations apply, subject to approval and eligibility. Bill cards are issued by column NA member FDIC pursuant to license from MasterCard International Incorporated.

[B]

All right, we have a Smart Travel regular back on the show today. It's Erin Hurd, the director of travel

[D]

at Nerdwallet she's bringing the points, wisdom, and smart travel tips to today's topic, how to save on family travel.

[B]

I know how she does it, but I also don't know how she does it. Like most things that moms do, I

[D]

am still waiting for her to adopt me. Let's play your conversation.

[B]

Hi, Erin. Welcome back to smart Travel.

[E]

Hey, Megan. Good to be here.

[B]

So we're talking all about family travel today, and I think the biggest concern that families have is that traveling with kids is really exhausting or stressful or like, what is the point of spending all that money if the parents can't enjoy the trip? Why do you think travel is still worth it for families?

[E]

Definitely valid concerns there. I will not argue with that. But you know, for us and for my husband and I, we really loved travel before we had kids, and we really prioritize it, and we decided that it was still something that was going to be very important to us, and we wanted to prioritize. And I really think that these unique shared experiences are helping create a really special bond for our family. I really believe that it's helping shape our kids in many wonderful ways, even though, I mean, let's. They don't remember every moment of a lot of these trips, but, you know, the experience of playing at a playground with kids from different places, speaking different language. They learn a lot from seeing us try to navigate what goes wrong with traveling. You know, learning to think on your feet and be flexible if your flight gets canceled or your plans change or figuring out how to use the subway system. I won't sugarcoat it. It's not all sunshine and rainbows. A magic travel fairy doesn't whip up some Instagram magic that follow us around. But we travel because it's important to us and we work really hard to make it happen because we want to. And I think people just need to set their expectations and know that traveling with kids is very different than traveling without them. I often say it's a trip, sometimes not a vacation. So setting realistic expectations and really slowing down the pace has been really helpful for us.

[B]

And are there any meaningful family trips that you've taken that are just so memorable they stick out to you?

[E]

Oh, my gosh, so many. We've been so fortunate. Japan was one that was super fascinating to all of us. My kids were obsessed with Tokyo and the video game culture and all the lights and sounds and the vending machines of toys. Another one that comes to mind is we did a trip to Jordan a few years ago, and that one was Incredibly cool. We got to visit Petra, we got to take a jeep ride through the Wadi Rum desert. My kids got to ride on top of the jeep in this red sand desert. And that was a really, really special place. But then another one closer to home that we really love was Yellowstone. Like that place is just so cool. You could spend so much time there and not see it all. All the wildlife, all the ground, exploding geysers everywhere. And so I think we have lots of special memories from literally many places all over the world.

[B]

I also love a good national parks family trip. We also had a very memorable one to Yellowstone. Are your kids like history kids or nature? Do you try to tailor the trips to those interests?

[E]

They like a little bit of everything. I think as they're getting older. So our kids are 8 and 10 now. And so we are putting more thought into the things that will be interesting to them. But, but honestly, for a long time it was really like, you know, we're going on the trip and so we build in some things for them. But we also like to, you know, have them along for the ride for a lot of the museums and everything else that we get to see in a destination. But I really think that the amazing thing about points and miles for, for us is that they have helped us put a lot less pressure on making every moment of a trip count as much. And what I mean by that is that it doesn't have to be a once in a lifetime bucket trip if we don't want it to be. Because of the magic of points and miles. We know that if we really love somewhere, we can make it happen to go back to that place and do it again. And points and miles have really helped us open up that door of possibilities for us that wouldn't probably be there without them.

[B]

I remember loving travel as sort of a lifestyle, like a thing that my family did growing up. I don't necessarily remember like, oh my gosh, this trip that my mom and I took to Paris and London had to be like this epic senior year trip or anything like that. I remember a lot of the small trips too, like going to the beach with my family in Ocean City, Maryland, going to national parks, hanging out with family like all over the U.S. i think those trips are very special. Even if you did not use a ton of points or miles, it just takes a lot of the pressure off to know that, oh, okay, this is just part of our life that we do this every summer.

[E]

Absolutely. I love that.

[B]

Now cost is a big worry for a lot of families. What are some of the ways you recommend families save on these trips?

[E]

Oh, my gosh. The costs can be astronomical. And I'll say again, like, that these trips are possible for us because of the points and miles. If we were paying rack rate cash prices, we would not have traveled to most of these places that we've been able to go to. So a few tips. My first one is flying when kids are under two. Most people know that kids are free domestically under the age of two for them to sit on your lap, you can just add the lap infant for your ticket. And so people give a lot of pause with this. And they're like, but, Erin, I don't want to fly with babies. Like, this is when it's scary. You know, I want to wait until they're older.

[B]

Right.

[E]

I say just do it now because the more that you do it, the more natural and regular it is, and it's not such a big deal. Whereas if you wait until the kids are a lot older to get on the plane for the first time, it's a whole different experience. But starting for us, starting from when they're little, it just. It made it regular habit for them. And especially with babies, the plane is actually like the paradise for a baby because it's moving, it's rocking, and it's full of white noise. And so, you know, our kids definitely had their meltdowns in the sky at times, but for the most part, the little babies are just conking out because they're in heaven.

[B]

I remember talking to a traveler who said her favorite time to travel with kids is when they're six months old because they're so small. And like you said, they're okay as long as they're near their family and are getting fed and, you know, having a little nap if they can. So I thought that was really interesting. But occasionally she was like, you know, the one meltdown where the baby is crying and there's nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. That's kind of tough.

[E]

Agreed. We did a lot of international trips when our kids were under two as well to take advantage of this pricing. But I wanted to let everyone know, because a lot of people don't know this, that kids under 2 are not free on international tickets.

[B]

Oh, I didn't know that you will

[E]

pay a highly discounted rate depending on the airline. But I wanted to put that out there because it's a common misconception, like, oh, all kids under 2 are free on all flights. And it's just not true. It's true domestically. If you're flying internationally and you want to add a lap infant, it can cost around 10% of the cash price of your ticket, even if you're paying with miles. And so if you forget to add your child to your lap ticket until very close in, they are pricing it based on the cash price at that moment, which if it's very. If it's an international flight and it's very close in, it can be really expensive. So remember to add them very quickly to your ticket if you're going to fly internationally with an infant.

[B]

And do people do this online or how do people do this?

[E]

Some of the airlines can do it via chat or like a Twitter direct message. And then some you have to call. It really varies by airline.

[B]

And then are there ways to save on that child fare?

[E]

Definitely. So there are a couple of programs that I wanted to highlight that have kind of the best deals out there for flying with a lap infant internationally. Air Canada is one of them. They have a loyalty program called Aeroplan, and they will only charge you 25 Canadian dollars each way to add your baby, no matter how much your ticket costs, either in cash or miles. If you want to use your airplane miles to pay for it, it's just 2,500 miles each way, which is a great deal. And then also Virgin Atlantic charges a flat 1,000 points to add a baby to an economy ticket. 2,500 in premium class or 5,000 in upper class, which is really great.

[B]

So that's like a decent redemption value for your points as well. And you don't have to pay full price for the ticket. What about earning points or miles? Your baby is on this flight. Can they also earn the points or miles from literally taking the flight with you?

[E]

So they cannot earn if they have not paid for a ticket. So lap infants cannot earn because you haven't paid for their full ticket. You've only paid a little tax fee. But something that people don't think of is that starting from infancy, if you are paying a cash ticket for your child, they are eligible to earn miles on those seats. So I recommend that everyone set up loyalty accounts for their children so that their children can earn miles on flights that you're paying for. And most programs have a special expiration date for kids under 18, and they won't expire the miles for the most part, even if the regular expiration policy requires activity every few months. And so that's definitely something to check out.

[B]

Aaron, I want to hear your hot take on whether or not it is worth it to buy A seat for your baby because on one hand, right, they could be earning the points and miles. Maybe you can like bring a car seat or you know, just put them down in a seat next to you. Do you think that's a good idea?

[E]

It really depends on just how much you're willing to pay. I will say, you know, we just talked about how infants can be really great on planes. It does get a lot trickier when the kids are toddlers and so especially creeping up on that two year old cut off, they want to be wiggling, they want to be walking around. And so it's definitely understandable if you want to pay for a seat to eliminate all of that. But it really, I think is personal preference. We kind of wrote it out as much as we could because we are ever the deal seekers and we are willing to deal with it.

[B]

And let's talk about once the kids are older and maybe they've taken a couple of flights. What if you want to use some of their points to help pay for the family travel? Is there a way to do that?

[E]

That's also a great question because if you're just relying on your child to earn enough miles to pay for their own ticket, it's going to take a while, right? Because they don't have credit cards to supplement their miles earning.

[B]

I wish.

[E]

Yeah, I wish. So thankfully several programs do offer what's called a family pool or point sharing ability. And that really helps so that the people in the family and it doesn't just have to be a family. Some of these programs allow up to eight or 10 people. They can be friends or family and everyone can enter into the pool and pull their own miles. And, and so that way if my child only has a few thousand miles, they can, we can add theirs to the pool and then we can book the tickets from there. So that's really helpful. So again, Air Canada is a great one for that. Their airplane program, you can have up to eight family members. Combine your miles together in a free pool. Totally free. Virgin Atlantic also again is great for this. A couple other ones are British Airways and Flying Blue. And Flying Blue is the loyalty program that's shared between Air France and klm. They all offer this ability to.

[B]

Those are all international airlines. Are there any programs kind of similar to that for families with domestic airlines?

[E]

There are and actually there's a few new ones and I think that's a really great trend that we're seeing some new options pop up. So United recently created the option to have a family pool and United Also in some recent changes are now letting kids earn miles at the same rate as their parents, if their parents are United cardholders. So United cardholders will now earn more miles on paid tickets, and kids can ride along on that, which is pretty cool. Cool. And then JetBlue also recently announced Family Tiles, which is another form of this. And I think this is a really great trend, and I really hope we see it continue. Another one is the recently launched Alaska Atmos Rewards Summit card. So if you hold the card, you are able to unlock the ability to create a pool with other friends and family members, too.

[B]

Okay, so a lot of these benefits are tied to having a credit card. So it sounds like if you're a parent that wants to make traveling more affordable with points and miles, being an airline credit card holder might be the way to go.

[E]

Absolutely. Especially for the free checked bag perks that most of them tend to have. When you're traveling with children, you have more stuff. Now, you do get to check a car seat for free and a diaper bag you can bring on for free in addition to your regular backpack. But inevitably, you're probably going to have a lot more stuff. And so if you're checking bags with kids, the perks of that alone for the airline credit cards are critical.

[B]

And if you get elite status, sometimes you can upgrade other people on the reservation, and your benefits really extend to your whole party. So, again, look into the airline credit cards, especially if there's one that you do fly frequently. All right. This question I get all the time, which is like, what do I do if I am stuck to traveling during certain dates? I think this is especially prevalent with families that can only travel during the winter holidays or during spring break or during the summer when school is out. What can people do if they are not flexible with their dates?

[E]

I feel this so hard. The struggle is real. We are relegated to big travel in the popular times, like the summertime, winter break, spring break, and that's when demand is really high. And so it's difficult to book. Kind of the motto I have is, you can have anything you want, but you can't have everything. And so what I mean by that is you have to kind of decide what is most important to your family. Is it flying on a very specific date? Being home on a very specific date is the most important thing. A nonstop flight instead of a connecting flight is the most important thing. This exact resort that you're trying to stay at. And so once you have that most important thing, you can kind of orient the rest of Your trip around other possibilities to make it work. So maybe you settle on connecting flights so that you can come home on the date that is critical to you.

[B]

There's a trade off. Sometimes you have to make those compromises. Yeah.

[E]

And especially booking flights for multiple people using points and miles can be tricky. The more seats you need on those peak days can be really hard. And so that's what I like to say. Now, it doesn't mean that you can't have everything. We certainly have planned trips, our family over these peak times and we have lucked out into finding all the options that we want. But I think as a rule of thumb, I think the motto is that you can have anything, but you can't have everything is where you need to be thinking there. Booking early is highly recommended to give yourself the most options. Now I start thinking about bigger trips a year in advance and a lot of parents think that that's nuts. And I'm not saying that you have to lock in your plans 100% that far out, but it gives you the most options. Right. Airlines usually open their calendars for booking around 11 months in advance. Most hotels will allow you to book about a year out. And so if you able to find the seats you want and the rooms you want and you understand the cancel policy, that's the other part of this I really recommend that the. The early bird gets the worm, so to speak.

[B]

Here you are planning trips a year in advance. Where do you start with that? Because I sometimes find that the flights are the hardest part to find. Multiple seats together or on the same flight with points. So do you try to lock in the flights first and then try the hotel bit of the trip or how do you plan it out exactly?

[E]

Yeah, that's about right for the way we plan it too. Because most of the time we are not dead set on visiting a particular resort. We'll have a general destination in mind, but then we like to book the flights first and kind of go from there. But I know, you know, a lot of families have a specific place that they enjoy visiting or an aspirational property. And so I would recommend to lock that in first and then think about the flights later if that's your situation.

[B]

Yeah, it probably depends also which part of the trip you feel like is affordable in that moment. You know, like if the flight is not too expensive to go to Disney World and you want to lock in some Disney World resort, then maybe the flights would not be so bad. Moving on to companion passes. These are a common credit card benefit of Certain airline credit cards. And I think when people think of companion passes, they're thinking about their partner, their spouse, or something like that. But they can be a great option for families as well. Can you explain a little bit like which companion passes exist out there and which ones families should aim to get or earn?

[E]

Absolutely. So in my opinion, the Southwest Companion Pass is the most generous perk in all of travel. And full disclosure, I am based at bwi, which is the Southwest hub. And so Southwest is my best option for getting most of the places around the country as well. But with the Southwest Companion Pass pass, you have to earn 135,000 Southwest points in one calendar year. That drops down to 125,000 if you're a credit card holder. Once you reach that threshold, and it's easier to get there than you think. I'll talk about that in a minute. But once you reach that threshold, you can earn an unlimited Companion pass for the rest of the calendar year in which you earn it. So right now, this is March. If I earned enough points now, I would have it for the rest of this year and the entire next calendar year. And it's unlimited. As many times as I've fly, my companion can fly with me just for taxes and fees, which is only $5.60 domestically, I can change my companion up to three times a year. So if my daughter is my companion now, but my husband and I are able to sneak away for a trip by ourselves, I can change my companion to him and then change it back when I return. It is just wildly generous. And here's the thing that is so cool is that spending on Southwest credit cards, including the points that you earn from a new cardholder welcome bonus, count towards earning those points that you need to get the pass. It's fantastic.

[B]

And we should mention there are sometimes limited time offers where you can earn a Companion Pass as part of the signup bonus or the welcome offer on the Southwest cards. I wouldn't count on it. We never know when that limited time offer is going to appear, but it does happen from time to time. So if that is something you're interested in, that could be another way to earn the Southwest Companion Pass for a lower price. What about other airlines? They're not quite as generous as the Southwest Companion Pass. But there are other ones out there if you don't fly Southwest.

[E]

Absolutely. And these are all directly tied to holding certain credit cards. And so I think the next best one to touch on here is the Alaska Companion Pass. Now, I guess the atmos it's dubbed as the world famous companion pass, where you pay just $99 plus some taxes and fees and you can fly a companion with you one time when you hold that card. Holding the card now, you need to spend at least $6,000 on the card in order to unlock that companion pass. But if you've held it for many years, you may be grandfathered into the old rule which waived this spending requirement. So Alaska is a great one and

[B]

that pass you could earn essentially once per year if you meet that spending threshold. So it's possible you could have this companion pass year after year if you keep doing that. What about Delta Airlines? Do they have any that would work for this type of trip?

[E]

Delta's higher end cards, both the Platinum and the reserve cards, offer a companion pass that is good for a round trip, not just domestically, but it also now includes Mexico and the Caribbean. So that's a fun little extra perk. You get that on your annual cardholder renewal. And then there's a new AA American Airlines Globe card that offers another form of a companion pass for just $99 each year when you renew the card. And so again, These are just one time Companion passes and you'll pay around $99 for each of them plus taxes and fees, whereas the Southwest is the unlimited pass.

[B]

And you can check out our show notes for this roundup. We have of all the top airline credit cards with companion tickets. Before we get off this topic, Erin, how hard are these companion passes to use? Are there blackout dates? Is it difficult to find availability where you can use those one time companion passes like with Delta?

[E]

Those are a little trickier because they're dependent on the fare class of the original ticket that is being booked so that you can encounter some blackouts, dates and times with those. The Southwest one is the one I have the most experience with and it is incredibly easy. As long as there is a seat available to be sold on that flight, you can add your companion right up to almost boarding time, pay that fee and you're good to go.

[B]

Now we're talking about availability and I sometimes struggle with finding availability for multiple seats on points. You mentioned that you plan trips trips 12 months in advance. Are there any other tips you have for finding availability on flights with points?

[E]

So for me, the hunt is part of the thrill of this. So I love trying to hunt for award tickets, but I realize that most people are not sharing this sentiment. So one thing I think people maybe don't think of is they think, oh, I have a family of four. I need to book four round trip tickets and they should all be, you know, I have some American miles so I have to make sure that I'm booking them only with my American miles. But if you start thinking about outside the box a little bit and you know, maybe you're booking one ways instead of round trips because usually when you're booking with miles it's the same cost if it's round trip versus a one way which is not the same if you're booking a cash ticket. But maybe I have some AA miles and my husband has some Alaska miles since they're in the same alliance. We could see if, you know, if I don't have enough AA miles to book book for the whole family, maybe I can book two tickets with my AA miles and maybe he has enough atmos points to book the other two tickets. So starting to think creatively like that to spread the point love around is a good way but really I think the best way now is we are so lucky that there in the in the past several years this great crop of tools has appeared that really make this so much easier. And so I'm talking about award booking search tools like, like points. Yeah is one of ours that won our best of award this year. Seats Arrow is another great one. Point Me is a great one that's really helpful for beginners. And these all can show you what's possible and so you can run a search and say hey I want to go to Hawaii on this date. These are the kinds of points that I have and it will do some searches for you and show you what is available right now and it'll show you how many points you need to transfer from what credit card to which program. And they have saved me and countless others so much time and so much headache of searching.

[B]

We have done an entire episode about some of these award search tools. So go back in the backlog and find that and we'll also put a link to Craigslist. He's one of our colleagues who keeps this article of his favorite tools for booking cheap travel and it includes a lot of those award search tools you just mentioned. I'm curious, you mentioned splitting the trip into maybe just one ways. Do you ever actually just split the family so that they're flying on different airplanes? I remember Samantha Brown mentioned that her family always splits and goes on different flights. Sometimes availability or sometimes just to, I don't know, have a different experience and keep everyone safe and not all the eggs in one basket.

[E]

I guess we have not done that yet, but it's something I'm very open to. And when I when I talk about the you can have anything but not everything. That is something that we kind of talk about as a family when we're planning a big trip. Like would we be willing to split if we can find two seats on this day and two seats the next day or from a different airport? So it's definitely something that we look to do. It's a good tool to have in the toolbox when we're trying to get creative to find the seats that we want for four people.

[B]

If you don't have flexible dates, you got to be flexible about some of the other things.

[E]

Exactly.

[B]

Erin. We're going to take a quick break, but when we come back we will talk all about booking hotels for a family. Stay with us. Today's episode is sponsored by Quints. Lately I've been trying to be a little more intentional about what clothes I'm buying. I want pieces that are comfortable, high quality and look good on camera. It just makes getting dressed for work or travel or, let's be real often, both, so much easier. And honestly, Quince has been my go to they make it really simple to refresh your everyday wardrobe for spring with pieces that feel as good as they look. Everything is made with premium materials like 100 European linen, organic cotton and ultra soft denim, but without the markup. I've been especially loving their 100% organic cotton cropped cardigan. It has these statement buttons and comes in really fun limited edition spring colors. The fit is super flattering. It's one of those pieces I take with me everywhere in case I need an extra layer. They also have lightweight linen pants, dresses and tops that are all so breathable, easy and perfect for warmer weather. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com smarttravel for free shipping on your order and 365 day return. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com smart travel for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com smart travel today's episode is sponsored by Shopify. When we started recording the Smart Travel podcast, there was a lot of figuring it out as we went. The scripts, recording, setup, workflow, all of it. It's exciting, of course, but it can also be overwhelming and lonely if you're launching a business or product on your own. That's why having the right tools makes such a difference for millions of businesses. That tool is Shopify. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world handling about 10% of all E commerce in the US from huge brands to new small businesses. If you're building something new, Shopify makes it easier to get up and running. You can create a beautiful online store with hundreds of ready to use templates, no design experience needed and they've got built in AI tools that can help write product descriptions, headlines and even improve your product photos. Start your business today with the industry's best business partner, Shopify, and start hearing. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.com smarttravel go to shopify.com smarttravel that's shopify.com smart travel so Erin, we've covered pretty thoroughly, I think, how to fly with your family. Let's talk about booking accommodations for your family. First off, what are your thoughts on staying in hotels with a family? Do you prefer that over vacation rentals and some of the other like larger accommodations that exist?

[E]

I personally do. I like to have fresh towels waiting for me and I like to feel like I'm on vacation and when I'm at a vacation rental, it feels like I'm at a house and then I'm still doing the dishes and I'm still picking up all the clothes. Sure. I like to I prefer hotels for the most part. If we're traveling with another family that's different. Prefer a vacation home so we have the shared common space. But when it's just us, we really do prefer hotels.

[B]

And are hotels accommodating enough for families? Let's say they have four people in them. Do you feel like you have enough room in most of these hotels?

[E]

Generally speaking, in the US Most hotels will have no problems accommodating a family of four. So you'll get two queen beds. Sometimes you'll have a sofa bed. There's no problems with that. I think it's really the older the kids get, having extra space is nice for us. We are team Hyatt and so we have Hyatt status and we really treasure those suite upgrade awards. We get through Hyatt so that we can confirm a suite and know that we're having extra room in advance. But you know, people, some people may not know that if you are traveling outside of the US places like Europe and Asia and other countries, hotel occupancy rules are really strict. And so even if you think that you might be able to fit your family of three or four in a room, you know, getting creative with the bed situation, they are hardwired to not allow that in these countries because of their occupancy rules. And so you may be forced to book multiple rooms, even if that's not your preference.

[B]

Oh, boy, do I know that. I was struggling so much to find even hotel rooms with two separate beds for my dad and I when we went on a trip last year. So it can be especially tricky, I think, in Europe, where a lot of the rooms are smaller. And even if they do have two beds, it's like those two twin beds, like, pushed next to each other. It still works, but it is sometimes hard to find on points as well. What are your tips for booking those larger rooms on points?

[E]

It is challenging. A lot of times we are booking with points, and so we just have to pay double the amount of points and get two rooms. I'll call out a couple options here that Hyatt offers a family rate, and so you can get 50% off your second room. You need to call this to book. And not all the Hyatt hotels participate in this option, but it's a good option if you know that you. You need two rooms. You can pay for the first room either in cash or points, and then you can get 50% off the second room. You do have to pay in cash for that second room at the discounted rate. But that's a cool option that I think a lot of people fly under their radar.

[B]

And does that mean you'll automatically get a connecting room or a room on the same floor or not?

[E]

Well, you know, it is surprisingly hard to guarantee connecting rooms in advance with most hotel chains, which I didn't fully realize until we started traveling as a family. And if we're being forced to have two rooms because of occupancy, I really want to know that my small kids are going to be right next door to us. And unfortunately, it is surprisingly hard to guarantee. We've been in situations where even when we talk to the hotel in advance, the best that they can do is one room on this floor and another room on another floor. So there are a couple options there, like first contact the hotel in advance. Say, I just booked two rooms. I really strongly prefer that they're connecting, see what we can do. And then I recommend you ask again closer to the trip just to make sure that they're doing everything that they can from their side, to put it in the notes, to document it. And still there is that risk that they're not going to end up close to each other. The one hotel chain that does make this relatively easy is Hilton A Few years ago, they introduced the ability to book connecting rooms. Right when you're in the booking process at the checkout, there's a little icon. You can choose the connecting rooms and it will let you do that in the checkout process. They claim that these rooms are confirmed. We have done this several times with Hilton and we've had no problems. They were connecting as they should be. But also recently we had an issue where they were not connecting, even though that's how they the way we were booked, that was disappointing. And to this Hilton Properties credit, we did talk to the manager. They were very apologetic. They were sold out that weekend and they did give me a bunch of points back for compensation. And so they, they tried to make it right. But all that to say there's no such thing as a guarantee.

[B]

There is a guarantee though. If you book a suite on points, I think that is just like maybe the only way to actually guarantee that you'll get the larger room or pay for it in cash, of course.

[E]

And again, Hyatt is the win there because Hyatt is one of the only chains that lets you use points to book into a suite, even if you don't have the status that gets you the great Suite Upgrade award. Any Hyatt member, if it's available, can book available suites. Right. With points, which is fantastic.

[B]

Okay, we've touched on Hyatt and Hilton, so now I'm thinking the only chain we haven't touched on that's really big is Marriott. What kinds of things do they offer for families who need bigger spaces or connecting rooms?

[E]

So they don't always offer a room discount like the Hyatt 50% off second room, but they do on occasion run promotions where they will offer something similar to book a second room or family room at a discount. So I would recommend just searching around for any Marriott promotions if you are looking to book a Marriott hotel.

[B]

Aaron, thank you so much for coming on the show and sharing all of your insights on family travel.

[E]

You're welcome anytime.

[B]

And it is our favorite part of the show where we get to ask our guests what their hot takeoffs are related to travel. I'm wondering if you have any related to family travel.

[E]

I do, and we touched on it a little bit earlier. But I would say that my hot take is that you should travel because you want to travel and the kids are just kind of along on your ride, especially when they're little. You know, every minute of every trip does not have to revolve around kid oriented activities. Sure. We build in Plenty of time for playgrounds. There are some amazing playgrounds in Europe and other places of the world. We do lots of fun things that interest the kids, but we also, you know, the trip is for us and so we do things that we want to do, too. They come along on that ride, they try new foods, they explore museums, and just also knowing that it will not be perfect. I think families, parents feel so much pressure to create these perfect memories for their families. But travel is never going to be perfect. You know, there's something will go wrong. And the more that you're just kind of prepared for that and the less you expect it to be quote, unquote perfect, the more that you will laugh at all the hiccups along the way and you'll create these funny, great stories and core family memories for years to come.

[B]

I think parents drive themselves crazy trying to make anything perfect for their kids. Something that comes to mind for me is we were taking my nephews to the Natural History Museum in New York and, you know, we paid extra for the special gem exhibit and all this stuff. And their favorite part of the trip was literally one exhibit that we looked at for maybe one minute and there just happened to be a naked mole rat in the exhibit and they would not stop talking about that naked mole rad for like the rest of the trip. And so you never know what actually is going to make the experience, quote, unquote, perfect for your kids. And so I think just letting them find it is the best way to do it. And don't drive yourself crazy.

[E]

Yeah, that's right.

[B]

Thank you so much, Erin. That was awesome. We will see you next time.

[E]

Thanks, Megan.

[D]

I love that spirit of travel the way you want to and your kids are just along for the ride.

[B]

Kind of like the way my fiance is along for the ride literally every trip we do.

[D]

I feel ya. Make sure to follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadio to automatically download new episodes. And if you are listening on Spotify, please drop us a comment right in the app.

[B]

This episode was produced by Tess Viglin and edited by Nick Kisumi. Claire Soci and Hilary.

[D]

Georgie helped with fact checking and here's our brief disclaimer. We are not financial or investment advisors. This info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes. It may not apply to your specific circumstances.

[B]

We hope you're inspired to keep your and your kids passports full and your wallet even fuller. Thanks, everyone. We'll see you next time.

[F]

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