Travel Party of 5 | Points & Miles for Family Travel

Raya & Duane
  • 4.7 (74)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Do you struggle to understand how people travel using points and miles from credit cards? It can be easy to waste a lot of time learning travel hacking on your own, especially if you find it complex and confusing.  Let us pull back the curtain and show you how you can maximize money you're already spending to earn enough credit card points and miles to travel with your family for nearly free. We've used credit card points and miles to take our family of 5 on trips to places like Costa Rica, San Diego, Disneyland, Oceanside, NYC, Washington DC, Hawaii, and next year we have already booked Paris, Spain and Japan! Using credit card points and miles (often called travel hacking) doesn't have to be overwhelming or take a ton of time, and we can show you how. Can you earn a lot of points and miles without opening up multiple credit cards? Only if you have a really high amount of spend each month. For people with larger families, opening new cards is the easiest and fastest way to earn enough points and miles to take a couple of really low cost (but not low budget) family vacations every year! If you want to learn ways to help you and your family travel more affordably using credit card points, this show is for you. 

  1. 3D AGO

    A Check in: New Cards, + Spend & Trip Updates!

    Travel Party of 5 | Points & Miles for Family Travel

    32 min

  2. APR 6

    Thailand Pt 3: Park Hyatt Bangkok, Stacking FHR Credits + Points, & an ER Visit

    Bangkok is our last stop in Thailand, and it turns into the most chaotic stretch of the whole trip. We break down how we booked a luxury Park Hyatt stay with points and Amex credits while juggling traffic, malls, heat, and two kids getting sick at the worst possible times. • flying Bangkok Airways and dealing with delays plus airport traffic • using the Bangkok taxi kiosk system and deciding when the train makes more sense • booking Park Hyatt Bangkok with Hyatt points and Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts credits • how the hotel created an “almost connecting” room setup with a private foyer • sticker shock at the hotel steakhouse and what we’d skip next time • standout Park Hyatt breakfast buffet and the infinity pool experience • the market meal with Terrence that ends with elevator vomit and a fast staff response • pushing the Grand Palace to the next day then bailing after round two of sickness • building a smart indoor backup plan with Bangkok malls and air conditioning • trying durian once and learning why hotels ban it • a midnight bedding disaster, blood in vomit, and a rapid ER run at an international hospital • what to ask for when you need receipts and paperwork for travel insurance • why tipping housekeeping and staff matters when they rescue your trip • outsourcing laundry in Thailand to save time and sanity If you don't already follow us on Instagram, you're gonna be like, oh my God, what a trip.

    1h 5m

  3. MAR 30

    Thailand Pt 2: Koh Samui On Points, Ang Thong National Marine Park, Big Buddha & More!

    Ang Thong National Marine Park Boat Tour Koh Samui ends up as our favorite stop in Thailand thanks to an incredible Hyatt Regency stay booked on Hyatt points, a surprise suite upgrade, and family-friendly perks that actually make travel easier. We also share the stuff no one puts on the brochure, including a brutal sunburn mystery and what a 13-hour Ang Thong National Marine Park tour really feels like with kids.  • quick life updates after jet lag and a missed episode upload  • a TripTales podcast shoutout for destination research and travel inspiration  • Bangkok Airways inter-island flights and what to expect on a small plane  • using Blacklane credits for airport transfers  • booking Hyatt Regency Koh Samui on points with two rooms and connecting-room tips  • the suite upgrade surprise and what made the rooms stand out  • breakfast buffet value and how we handled the kids breakfast benefit  • beachfront dining, pool service, and what we loved most on property  • Camp Hyatt kids club details and why it changed the trip  • Chong Mon Beach day with jet skis and why we skipped Pig Island  • the fake sunscreen suspicion and how the sunburn derailed plans  • Ang Thong National Marine Park tour breakdown including snorkeling and kayaking  • night market dinner near Fisherman’s Village and trying khao soi gai  • the open-air Koh Samui airport and the checked-bag screen process  • what we’d do differently next time and why we’d still go back  If you have any questions, DM me on Instagram.

    55 min

  4. MAR 23

    Thailand Pt 1: Phuket on Points, Dinso Resort + Edit Credits & an Elephant Sanctuary!

    Elephant Sanctuary - Half Day Program If you're interested in the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which is the card that gave us the Edit credits we reference in this episode, here is our referral link: Chase Sapphire Reserve!  As always, thank you for using our links! In this episode, we recap the start of our Thailand trip and the messy travel day that kicks it all off, from a forgotten CPAP to a carry-on mix-up that leaves Duane without his clothes. We also break down what we paid for flights and Phuket, how we stacked credits and offers, and what we’d actually recommend if you’re planning Thailand with kids.   • Choosing cash over points after running the cents-per-point math and factoring in taxes and fees   • Stacking Amex offers to cut the cost of long-haul flights for five   • Positioning flights and using points for domestic legs to reach a cheaper gateway   • Losing a CPAP on the plane and recovering it through airport lost and found   • Accidentally taking the wrong carry-on and dealing with the fallout   • Surviving a 17-hour economy flight with kids and what feels “worth it” next time   • Clearing immigration in Singapore and prepping required entry forms   • Booking an airport hotel at Changi and buying replacement clothes fast   • Using Chase edit credits and hotel credits to book an IHG stay in Phuket   • Honest review of Dinso Resort and Villas Phuket location pools breakfast and service   • Using Grab for transportation in Thailand as a family of five   • Visiting an ethical elephant sanctuary and what to avoid in animal tourism    If you have any questions, send them on Instagram @travelpartyof5

    51 min

  5. MAR 16

    Four 2-card Combos That Supercharge Points for Families

    Combo 1: Capital One Venture (or Venture X) + Capital One Savor cards Combo 2: Chase Sapphire Preferred (or Reserve) + Chase Freedom Flex cards Combo 3: Citi Strata Premier + Citi Double Cash cards Combo 4: Amex Gold + Amex Blue Cash Preferred cards (our Blue Cash Preferred link is not as high as the regular offer so just google for that one!) *Thank you for using our referral links so we can earn a few extra points!* In this episode I discuss: • Why pairing a points unlock card with a cash or category earner multiplies value • Capital One Venture or Venture X plus Savor for 3x food and easy mile conversions • Chase Sapphire Preferred plus Freedom Flex for transfers and rotating 5x • Citi Strata Premier plus Double Cash for 3x essentials and AA, Choice transfers • Amex Gold plus Blue Cash Preferred for 6% groceries then 4x dining and markets • Annual fees, credits, travel protections and how they matter for families • How to pick a bank based on hubs, partners and category spend • Simple plan to earn a trip in 12–18 months on normal budgets We would always appreciate if you would utilize our referral links. That just helps us earn a few extra points and helps support our free content. Instagram is the best way to find me. So feel free to send me a DM on instagram @travelpartyof5 and I will answer you there.

    30 min

  6. MAR 9

    A Few New Points & Miles Tools I've Been Using (+ More Biz Class Flights?!?!)

    Show Notes Links: - Savewise: getsavewise.com (referral link!) - AwardTool: awardtool.com (referral link!) - Six Suitcase Travel Claude is claude.ai  In this episode I'm sharing 4 new things I've been using and really liking lately. SaveWise for portal and card offer stacking, a clean system for tracking credits, a pragmatic way to find rooms for five or more, and the award search method that finally surfaced five business class seats. Along the way we explain why Claude beat ChatGPT for trip planning and how we used Flying Blue to cut the cost for kids. • stacking shopping portals with SaveWise and auto-adding Amex and Chase offers • building a simple credit-tracking spreadsheet that proves card value • using SixSuitcaseTravel to find rooms for five or more with real beds • validating big-family hotel options against points availability • switching to Claude for cleaner itineraries and better tone • mapping routes with FlightConnections to guide award searches • using AwardTool to locate five business class seats across date ranges • leveraging Flying Blue child discounts to cut award costs • setting alerts and caps on taxes and fees to filter noise • links to all tools in the notes

    30 min

  7. MAR 2

    Hyatt: The Great Devaluation

    CARD REFERRAL LINKS!  The Hilton offers are all elevated until April 15, 2026. If you're seeing these links after that date, they should still work but will not be elevated offers.  Hilton Honors Amex (No Annual Fee!) - 70K Hilton points + FNC Hilton Surpass card (Amex) - 130K Hilton points + FNC Hilton Aspire Card - 175K Hilton points (no extra FNC but this card does come with one every year automatically!) Hilton Honors Business Card (the one we just got!) - 175K Hilton points + FNC ***** The below are not elevated offers but are still our referral links ***** IHG personal card - 140K IHG points Marriott Bonvoy Business card - three 50K certificates Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card - 100K Marriott points Thank you in advance for using our links!  Hyatt’s award chart now uses five price bands within each category, pushing top-tier redemptions much higher and making peak family dates more expensive. We explain what changed, where value still exists with certificates and suite upgrades, and how to diversify with Hilton, Marriott, and IHG. • What the new Hyatt pricing tiers are and how far they stretch • Why peak family travel dates are most affected • How free night certificates gain value under the new bands • When suite upgrade awards still make sense • Why diversifying into Hilton, Marriott, and IHG matters • Credit card strategies to earn flexible points and more certs • Practical steps to book key stays before changes take effect • What to watch for with category shifts and rumored cards If you have never had a Hilton card before, we have referral links and we will put them in the show notes Go in the show notes and use our referral links to get the elevated offer, including the free night certificate

    29 min

  8. FEB 23

    Preparing for an International Trip with Kids - 2 Weeks out from Thailand!

    We pull back the curtain on the unseen work of family travel and share how we’re prepping for two weeks in Thailand with three kids, seven flights, and one last-minute work trip. Points, packing, meds, and mindset—all simplified into four clear buckets you can reuse. • why Thailand matters to us and how points make it possible • building one master spreadsheet for flights, hotels and transfers • mapping seven flights and overnight layovers with backups • hotel lessons on connecting rooms and nonrefundable rates • Thailand medication rules, doctor letters and refills • digital arrival form timing and annual travel insurance • choosing eSIMs, Grab and simple phone setup • packing light for heat, shoes to prevent blisters, plan for laundry • setting kids’ expectations for a 17-hour flight • using food videos to build buy-in and reduce friction • embracing fewer bookings to protect rest and flexibility • what’s next on the podcast and how to join us Send me a DM on Instagram if you want to come on the podcast to talk about a recent family trip, even if it was part points and part cash

    38 min
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About

Do you struggle to understand how people travel using points and miles from credit cards? It can be easy to waste a lot of time learning travel hacking on your own, especially if you find it complex and confusing.  Let us pull back the curtain and show you how you can maximize money you're already spending to earn enough credit card points and miles to travel with your family for nearly free. We've used credit card points and miles to take our family of 5 on trips to places like Costa Rica, San Diego, Disneyland, Oceanside, NYC, Washington DC, Hawaii, and next year we have already booked Paris, Spain and Japan! Using credit card points and miles (often called travel hacking) doesn't have to be overwhelming or take a ton of time, and we can show you how. Can you earn a lot of points and miles without opening up multiple credit cards? Only if you have a really high amount of spend each month. For people with larger families, opening new cards is the easiest and fastest way to earn enough points and miles to take a couple of really low cost (but not low budget) family vacations every year! If you want to learn ways to help you and your family travel more affordably using credit card points, this show is for you. 

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