A Step-by-Step Strategy for Taking More Trips Without Spending a Fortune
Hi, I’m Lauren Miles. I’m a mom, a planner, and a travel enthusiast who used to think family vacations were always going to mean tight budgets, long drives, and settling for whatever was on sale. That was before I discovered travel hacking.
Now, I regularly take trips with my husband and four kids using airline miles and hotel points, and I do it without putting a strain on our finances. I started small, just trying to get a free flight here and there. But once I realized how much money we were saving - and how many new memories we were making - it became a part of our family lifestyle.
If you’re a parent who wants to travel more, but the costs are holding you back, you’re in the right place. This guide is here to show you exactly how to use points and miles to plan family trips, even during school breaks, and make the most of the money you’re already spending every day.
What Is Travel Hacking and Why Should Families Care?
Travel hacking is the art of earning airline miles and hotel points from credit cards and loyalty programs, then redeeming those points to travel for free, or close to it.
Most of the information out there is geared toward solo travelers or business frequent flyers. But honestly, I think families benefit the most. We’re the ones booking multiple plane tickets, trying to find hotels that sleep four or more, and timing our trips around school calendars and school breaks. Travel hacking helps families like ours save hundreds or even thousands of dollars per trip, and it gives us access to opportunities we might not otherwise afford.
If you’ve ever looked at the cost of a family vacation and thought, “There’s no way,” then this guide is for you.
How Travel Hacking Works: The Basics for Beginners
There are three main steps to travel hacking:
- Earn points and miles from credit card bonuses and regular spending.
- Redeem those points for flights, hotels, and other travel.
- Repeat the process to travel more often and save more money.
The goal is not to spend more - it’s to earn points from the spending you’re already doing.
Step 1: Earn Points from the Right Credit Cards
The fastest way to earn points is by opening a travel rewards credit card and earning the sign-up bonus. These bonuses can be worth $600 to $1,200 or more in travel, depending on the card.
Start With a Family-Friendly Credit Card
When you’re just starting out, I recommend choosing a card with flexible points and a low annual fee. These are my favorites for families:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Great beginner card with strong travel protection, solid earning categories like dining and travel, and points that transfer to airlines and hotels.
- Capital One Venture Rewards: Easy to use for beginners, with points that can erase travel purchases or transfer to partners.
- American Express Gold Card: Better for families who spend a lot on groceries and dining. Higher annual fee, but high earnings in everyday categories.
When my husband and I first started, we both opened the same card a few months apart. That gave us two sign-up bonuses without any extra spending.
How to Meet the Minimum Spend Without Overspending
To get the bonus, you usually have to spend a certain amount within the first few months - often $3,000 to $5,000 in 3 months. That can sound scary, but we were surprised how quickly we met it using regular expenses.
Here’s what we used:
- Monthly groceries
- Gas for two cars
- Utility bills
- Car insurance
- Eating out
You don’t need to go out and buy things you don’t need. Just move your existing expenses to the new card and track your progress carefully.
Step 2: Redeem Your Points for Maximum Value
This part is where the fun begins. Once your points hit your account, you can use them for flights, hotels, rental cars, and more.
Booking Flights for the Whole Family
The biggest win for us was booking our first trip to Florida with six round-trip flights for just the taxes - about $65 total.
Here’s how to book flights the smart way:
• Use tools like Point.me or Seats.aero to search for award availability across multiple airlines
• Be flexible with your travel dates or airports if possible
• Book early, especially for school holidays and summer travel
A single 60,000-point sing-up bonus can often cover six one-way flights, especially if you’re flying domestically.
Booking Hotels with Points
After flights, the next big savings come from hotels. Family hotels are usually expensive, especially during spring break or summer vacation. Hotel points change the game.
We’ve used:
• Hyatt points to stay near theme parks
• Marriott points for free nights in city centers
• Hilton points at beachfront resorts with breakfast included
Many hotel cards also give you a free night every year on your card anniversary, which we use to splurge on fancy rooms that we otherwise could not afford.
Step 3: Plan Smart Trips That Stretch Your Points
The biggest mistake I see families make is using their points for whatever’s convenient instead of looking for value.
Here are a few ways we stretch our points:
- Use points for flights where the point cost is much lower than the cash price
- Look for airlines that allow stopovers so you can visit two destinations on one ticket
- Book hotels where points cover resort fees, which can save you $30–$60 per night. We also look for free breakfast and free parking.
- Use flexible dates or nearby airports to find better availability
Every point counts, especially when you’re booking for four or more people.
Mistakes to Avoid When You’re New
Travel hacking is powerful, but there are a few traps you want to steer clear of. I’ve made some of these mistakes myself, and I want to help you avoid them.
- Don’t overspend to earn points. Always have a plan for how to meet the minimum spend using money you already planned to spend.
- Track your credit cards and points. I use a free tool called Travel Freely to keep tabs on which cards we’ve opened and when to cancel or downgrade.
- Watch out for expiration dates. Some airline miles and hotel points expire if you don’t use them, so set calendar reminders or log in every few months.
- Know your redemption options. Some redemptions, like using points for gift cards, offer terrible value. Stick to flights and hotels for the best bang for your buck.
Tools That Make This Easier
I’m busy , and I don’t have hours every week to research flights. Here are a few tools I rely on to save time:
- Travel Freely: Tracks your credit cards, annual fees, and sign-up bonuses
- AwardWallet: Keeps all your points and miles balances in one place
- Point.me: Helps you find the best ways to book flights with points
- Google Flights: Great for checking cash prices and comparing routes
These tools take a lot of the guesswork out of planning.
Real Example: How We Took a $3,000 Trip for Less Than $300
A few summers ago, we booked a five-night trip to San Diego. Here’s what it cost us:
- Flights: 6 round-trip tickets with Southwest Rapid Rewards – 64,000 points + $65 in taxes
- Hotel: 5 nights at a Hyatt property – 40,000 points total
- Rental car: Used Capital One points to erase the charge
- Out-of-pocket cost: $174 including airport parking and gas
That trip would have cost us over $3,000 without points. And the best part was enjoying our trip knowing that it cost us next to nothing.
Getting Started Today
If you’re ready to dip your toes into travel hacking, here’s what I recommend:
- Pick one beginner credit card, like Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Calculate your regular monthly expenses to make sure you can meet the minimum spend
- Start planning a trip, even if it’s just a dream trip for next year
- Track your points and progress using a spreadsheet or app
- Follow my blog for tips, updates, and step-by-step guides
Travel hacking might feel overwhelming at first, but once you book your first free flight or free hotel night, you’ll be hooked. It’s not just about saving money - it’s about creating more opportunities for your family to explore the world, spend time together, and make memories that last.