Learn how to travel for free with your family using points and miles! Get the details on travel hacking for beginners from busy mom Melissa, who's addicted to family travel on points.

Dreaming of taking your family to Hawaii, Europe, or Costa Rica without breaking the bank? In this episode of Family Travel Unpacked, host Melissa breaks down exactly how to use credit card points and miles to cover flights and hotels for your entire family.

In this episode:

• Best starter credit cards for family travel (Chase Sapphire Preferred, Freedom Unlimited)
• How to find and book award flights using transfer partners
• Hotel strategies that work for families (Hyatt, IHG, vacation rentals)
• The Southwest Companion Pass secret (bring a family member for ~$6!)

Whether you're brand new to points and miles or ready to level up your strategy, this episode gives you actionable steps to start traveling more while spending less. Download your free ebook to jumpstart your journey today!

00:00 Introduction to Family Travel Unpacked

00:59 Challenges of Traveling with Family

01:55 Earning Points: The Basics

03:17 Maximizing Credit Card Benefits

07:10 Booking Flights with Points

14:40 Hotel Strategies for Families

17:50 Practical Tips for Traveling with Kids

19:20 Conclusion and Resources

Resources:

Chase Sapphire credit cards

Best Travel Credit Cards for Families

Southwest Companion Pass

Four Reasons I LOVE Award Travel

How to get discounted rental cars

Chase Freedom credit cards

Chase Ink Business credit cards

Capital One Venture X credit card

Hosted by Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone.

Blog The Family Voyage

Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel

Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop!

Chase Sapphire credit cards

Best travel gifts for teens: our teen gift guide with ideas they'll actually use! From experience gifts to luggage and tech essentials.

Struggling with holiday shopping for your teen traveler? In this quick episode, I share my teen gift guide featuring the best travel gifts for teens and tweens – vetted by my own 14 and 11-year-old! From experience-based gifts that create lasting memories to practical gear they'll use on every trip, these are the gifts traveling teens actually want.

In This Episode:

• Experience gifts that connect teens to destinations (street art tours, zip lining, cooking classes)
• Real luggage recommendations that will last through college
• Portable comfort items like travel blankets and sunglasses
• Low-tech entertainment: puzzle books and travel journals
• Tech essentials: headphones, gaming consoles, and action cameras

Whether you're shopping for birthdays or the holidays, these travel gift ideas will delight the teen or tween traveler in your life!

Best travel gifts for teens

Hosted by Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone.

Blog The Family Voyage

Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel

Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop!

Chase Sapphire credit cards

Planning your perfect Costa Rica family vacation? Learn essential tips, itinerary ideas & how to pivot when travel goes wrong!

Join Melissa from Family Travel Unpacked for a complete guide to Costa Rica with kids—from cloud forests and coffee farms to zip-lining adventures and beach resorts. After an unexpected flight diversion forced a complete itinerary change, this family of four discovered amazing destinations most visitors skip entirely.

In this episode:

• Essential tips: car seats, souvenirs, feeding kids & must-have travel gear
• What to do when your flight gets diverted mid-air (yes, really)
• Hidden gems in Costa Rica's Central Valley most tourists miss
• Best family activities in La Fortuna including zip-lining and hot springs
• Honest Andaz Papagayo resort review with points & miles strategies
• Money-saving tips using credit card rewards and travel insurance
• What worked (and didn't) for kids ages 11 and 14

Perfect for families planning their first Costa Rica family trip or looking for adventure-plus-relaxation itinerary ideas. Includes specific recommendations for wildlife spotting with kids, maximizing points and miles and more.

00:00 Welcome to Family Travel Unpacked
00:44 Essential Costa Rica Travel Tips
04:12 Unexpected Travel Challenges
07:43 Exploring Costa Rica's Central Valley
10:51 Adventures in La Fortuna
14:97 Relaxing at Papagayo Peninsula
19:50 Trip Highlights and Reflections
24:08 Final Thoughts and Farewell

Resources:

Our travel binoculars

Perfect 7 Day Costa Rica Itinerary for Families

Andaz Papagayo Review

La Fortuna with Kids Guide

Costa Rica Central Valley Day Trip

The Wildest Flight Diversion Story

Travel Insurance Comparison Tool

Best Travel Credit Cards for Families

Southwest Companion Pass

Hosted by Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone.

Blog The Family Voyage

Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel

Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop!

Chase Sapphire credit cards