How To Plan Luxury Family Travel Using Points and Miles with Stephanie Antin

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

Discover how to make luxury family travel affordable. Stephanie Antin shares tips for maximizing points and miles for unforgettable adventures. Often, with a large family, luxury travel seems out of reach, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Using points and miles, luxury family travel has become more affordable than ever. Traveling with your family can be one of the most rewarding experiences, but it can also be quite expensive. Fortunately, with the right strategies for maximizing points and miles, you can explore the world without breaking the bank. Since 2013, Stephanie Antin has mastered the art of points and miles travel, turning her family’s bucket list dreams into reality. She joins us to share her insights on how families can leverage points and miles to plan luxury family trips.

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Stephanie Antin is a seasoned travel coach and expert in maximizing points and miles for family travel. With her family of five, she has explored six continents and numerous countries, including Tahiti, Peru, Panama, Finland, French Polynesia, Japan, and Argentina, often at minimal costs.

Stephanie specializes in crafting bucket list trips that blend affordability with luxury, helping families strategize redemptions for business and first-class flights, as well as practical ways to utilize points for upscale accommodations.

Through her coaching program, she empowers families to save significantly on their vacations. Clients average $3,000 in savings on their first trip. In the Travel Coaching Program, you can learn how to earn and maximize travel rewards, book free flights and hotel stays, and experience luxury travel on a budget.

Use the promo code “THOUGHTCARD” to save $50 when you enroll.

Inspired by Stephanie’s expertise, here’s a detailed family travel tips guide on how to travel the world with your family using points and miles.

1. Start Early and Plan Ahead

One of the key takeaways is the importance of planning ahead. Stephanie emphasizes that “the best redemptions are when you plan in advance and have a strategy of how you’re gonna get there.” By starting your planning process early, you can accumulate the necessary points and make informed decisions about your travel.

• Set a Travel Goal: Decide on your dream destinations and the experiences you want to have as a family.
• Create a Timeline: Establish a timeline for when you want to travel and start collecting points accordingly.

Listen to this episode to learn how to set and achieve your travel goals!

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2. Utilize Points and Miles for Flights

When it comes to flying, Stephanie suggests that families can benefit from exploring different classes of service. While her family typically flies economy, consider premium economy or comfort classes as they are more comfortable without a significant increase in points compared to business or first-class flights.

• Look for Premium Economy Options: Sometimes, the difference in points between economy and premium economy is minimal, making it a worthwhile upgrade.
• Consider Bidding for Upgrades: Some airlines offer bidding systems for upgrades. As Stephanie shared, “I have one client bid the lowest amount to upgrade for business class, and she didn’t think she was going to get it. And then, lo and behold, they got it! She’s not sure she can ever fly economy again. She really enjoyed it.

Sometimes, you can secure those upgrades with points when you book. Some airlines have a bidding system where, a couple of days before your flight, they offer you a chance to bid on an upgrade. – Stephanie Antin

3. Maximize Hotel Stays with Points

Finding accommodations that fit a family of five can be challenging, but using points can make luxury stays more accessible.

• Research Hotel Policies: Understand how many guests can stay in a room and plan accordingly. For example, Stephanie discovered that “you can only put three people in an overwater bungalow,” which led her to book one bungalow using points and an additional standard room for one night for her additional family members.
• Combine Points from Different Programs: Be strategic about collecting points from various credit cards and loyalty programs to maximize your options.

So, I  used points to book that. It was a lot of points, but I was very strategic about a year in advance, maybe even more than that. I identified which hotel we wanted to stay at and how many points we would need.

For a year and a half, we collected Chase points, opened different credit cards, strategically combined points, used shopping points, and stacked rewards to maximize everything to put it all towards that bungalow. – Stephanie Antin

4. Engage the Family in the Planning Process

Traveling with a family means considering everyone’s interests, preferences, and travel styles. Stephanie emphasizes the importance of communication, stating, “We do a lot of talking in advance… I’ll ask them to do some research and tell me what they want to do.”

• Involve Everyone: Encourage family members to research destinations and activities that interest them.
• Balance Activities: Plan a mix of cultural experiences and relaxation time to cater to different interests. As Stephanie learned from past trips, “too much city or too many museums” can lead to burnout.

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5. Use Points for Experiences and Activities

While flights and accommodations are often the focus, Stephanie highlights the potential of using points for experiences. She mentioned using her Capital One card to erase travel purchases can allow you to enjoy activities without spending money out of pocket.

• Leverage Credit Card Rewards: Use cards that allow you to erase travel purchases, making it easier to budget for experiences.
• Explore Loyalty Programs: Some hotel loyalty programs offer experiences that can be booked with points, so keep an eye out for those opportunities.

6. Stay Flexible

Flexibility is crucial when traveling as a family. Stephanie advises families to be open to different travel dates and destinations. Being flexible can lead to significant savings and better travel experiences.

“If you’re going to Europe, you can fly basically into any city at this point. Then get flights to where you want to go super cheap.”

• Be Open to Different Routes: Sometimes, flying into one city and out of another can save you points and money.
• Consider Alternative Accommodations: Look into vacation rentals or home exchanges to save on lodging costs.

 Flexibility is the number one thing when flying as a large family. 

Final Thoughts: Family Travel Can Be Luxurious & Affordable

So there you have it: leveraging points and miles for luxurious, budget-friendly vacations is possible

Traveling the world with your family using points and miles is not only possible but can also be luxurious.

By planning ahead, maximizing your points for flights and accommodations, engaging your family in the planning process, and staying flexible, you can create unforgettable memories without the financial burden.

Ultimately, if you want your family to travel more, the key is to make travel a core value.

As Stephanie Antin beautifully puts it, “As financially savvy travelers, we are trying to get the most value for our money with incredible experiences.” So start your journey today, and let the world be your family’s playground!

Connect with Stephanie Antin

Website: almostfreefamilytravel.com

Instagram: @almostfreefamilytravel

Looking for even more large family travel tips?

Read Next: How To Plan Budget-Friendly Vacations For Large Families with Kevin Payne

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