Miles & Points Family Travel: Experiences From Our Readers

For those who follow Frugal Flyer regularly, you know that we publish the Miles Ahead podcast covering the latest news and details about miles and points in Canada and the United States. We also answer listener questions, and in a recent episode, one reader, Rachel, commented that she would like to see more family travel content on Frugal Flyer to capture a more diverse perspective of how Canadians, and more particularly, Canadian families, travel on miles and points.

Admittedly, she was right. The Frugal Flyer team consists of individuals who travel either solo or as a couple, and while we have a ton of knowledge and are good at what we do, we aren’t experts in every area, and especially not in the area of family travel. Thus, we put out a call to our readers to see if anyone was interested in providing their experiences and insight into what miles and points mean for their family.

We received a lot of interest, and we appreciate everyone who reached out to our team. We’ve been working closely with four readers who are from different parts of the country, with different family structures, and who have different approaches to earning and redeeming miles and points.

To kick off our family content on Frugal Flyer, we asked these four readers a series of questions to get a better understanding of their experience and strategies with miles, points, and credit card rewards as a family. Here is what we learned.

Introducing Four Frugal Flyer Readers Who Travel as a Family

Hannah – Family of Three

Hannah, who lives in Edmonton, Alberta, shares that she has “one very active son and a husband who likes to travel, but doesn’t enjoy managing miles and points as I do! I have been passionately travelling for over twenty years but have been leveraging miles and points for roughly six years. 

I dove deep into the miles and points systems when my son was offered to join a competitive soccer program overseas. To be able to afford these opportunities on our family’s budget, I knew I would need to become more organized and intentional with our points earnings. Aside from travel for sports, I also wanted to give our family an opportunity to visit unique places and be able to experience different cultures and ways of life.

Currently, our family utilizes only the Canadian credit card systems. In the past 3 years, we have been able to earn well over 2,000,000 points and have spent nearly 1,420,000 points on family travel. We have been able to travel at least twice a year, but generally more, and have visited places like Dubrovnik, Sarajevo, Madrid, Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Maya, and more.”

Frank – Family of Four With Adult Kids

Frank, a retired teacher, shares that he “has been an avid points collector since the late 1990s. I have always loved collecting. As a child, I collected comic books, trading cards, and coins, and I still have that same excitement and enthusiasm for rewards and travel points. 

My kids are now old enough to be contributing members to our points and miles ledger, but we still do one or two trips a year as a family. My first programs were Petro-Points, Optimum, Aeroplan, and AIR MILES (RIP). I use both Canadian and U.S. cards to fund our travels.”

Becca – Family of Three

Becca, who lives in Toronto, Ontario, shares that “my husband and I have been traveling on miles and points for just over a decade from our home airport of YYZ. I started signing up for cards in 2013, and we’ve only ever utilized Canadian cards. We now have a 5-year-old who we bring along on all of our travels, which is an average of 2 international trips a year.”

Miguel – Family of Four With Young Kids

Miguel, who lives in Calgary, Alberta, shares that his family has “two kids ages 3 and 5, and is hoping for a third sometime in the next two years.

In the fall of 2019, I discovered the miles and points game by accident. At the time, I had become serious about my financial future. One of the blogs I followed discussed strategies such as house hacking, side hustles, and investing. Buried in one article was a small comment, almost an afterthought, about travel hacking.

We were eloping within the next year, and while I had paid cash for the airline tickets, I still had to pay for hotels and all of our expenses during the trip, so I decided to give this points thing a try.

With my first set of welcome bonus points, I booked ten hotel nights at properties I would never have considered paying cash for only a few months earlier. That included three nights at the JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur, where we were upgraded to a massive two-bedroom suite with two bathrooms and a gigantic bathtub, along with two nights at the Fairmont Singapore … all for free.

Needless to say, I was hooked. While still on the trip, I was already researching new ways to earn and redeem points for future travel.

Since 2020, I have had the privilege of visiting 11 new countries and 32 unique airports with my growing family. My kids have crossed either the Atlantic or Pacific 11 times, mostly in their own business class pods.”

The Most Memorable Miles & Points Trips as a Family

Hannah – A Month in the Balkans

One of my favorite trips we recently took was in the summer of 2025 when my family and I spent nearly a month travelling in the Balkan region of Eastern Europe. While in University, I had travelled and researched extensively in this part of the world, so years later, I was ecstatic to take my family and show them these storied places.

Utilizing just over 1,000,000 miles and points, we visited Dubrovnik, Mostar, Sarajevo, Split, Zadar, Zagreb, and Vienna. Amazingly, had we paid for everything in cash, this trip would have cost our family roughly $28,000. Leveraging miles and points, we were able to do the entire trip for just under $7,000. And it would have been much less, but instead, we learned a hard lesson about positioning flights and ensuring we have enough time between connections…

While places in Eastern Europe are no longer the bargain destinations they once were, we found a few excellent Marriott redemptions that easily fit our family and offered great locations and amenities. Travel in the Balkans is much easier now than it once was. From standing in the place where World War One started in Sarajevo, to traipsing around Vienna’s palaces, this trip offered a historical viewpoint for my son that no textbook could ever provide. 

Frank – Italy & Christmas in Cancun

There have been a few. Our family trip to Italy was particularly memorable. We built the trip around a guided bus tour, first spending a week in a beautiful beach town south of Rome, then touring northern Italy on our own. I was able to pay for the entire trip with points and miles.

Another memorable trip was a family Christmas vacation to Cancun. I was able to book a week in an upgraded suite during peak season with enhanced benefits at a Marriott-associated all-inclusive resort entirely with points, apart from reasonable extra-person charges for the children. We have also taken memorable trips to Alaska and Hawaii booked with points and miles. 

Becca – European Cruise & Disney World

We took a European cruise when my son was 2.5 years old, and it was the first time he sat in a business class pod seat. It was memorable for me as a miles and points enthusiast, and I convinced myself that it was absolutely necessary to book business class for the extra space, as our son was an energetic toddler who moved nonstop.

As for the most memorable destination, it would be our 2 trips to Disney World. My husband and I have travelled to over 25 countries together, and yet, no other feeling compares to the magic and nostalgia of walking down Main Street in Magic Kingdom with our son. It might not be something our son remembers as he was a toddler, but I will treasure the memories forever, especially those of him going on his first roller coaster ride, or his excitement when he met Mickey Mouse for the first time. 

Miguel – Greek Islands, Japan, & Bali

Some of our most memorable trips include visiting the Greek islands of Santorini and Crete, followed by a road trip through the Peloponnese to explore historic Greek ruins. We also travelled through Tokyo, Kyoto, and Okinawa, with both of my kids sleeping like ballers in their beds in the sky while my wife and I enjoyed ramen aboard Japan Airlines Sky Suites.

Another highlight was Bali, Indonesia. Funny enough, I convinced my next-door neighbour, his wife, and their three children under the age of five to join us after knowing him for only three weeks. This is our longest flight ever at 16 hours, made much more comfortable by having our own beds in the sky. 

Also, it was my first time at a Conrad where I was able to book four nights for $224 per night using Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts credits, which was further discounted using the $200 travel credit from my Business Platinum Card. We were also upgraded to a massive poolside suite directly across from the kids club.

How Do You Handle Finding & Booking Multiple Flight Award Tickets? What Fare Class Do You Book?

Flight Length Can Dictate Cabin Choice

Flight length is the deciding factor for most of our contributors. Frank says, “I usually book economy for shorter flights (under four hours) but choose premium economy or business class when possible for longer flights.” Miguel’s family has a similar rule, targeting economy for flights under four to six hours and business class for longer trips. He’s found that rule isn’t absolute, though. They “recently took an eight-hour daytime flight in economy and it turned out to be completely manageable with the kids. Kids love TV.”

Becca draws her line at five hours. On longer flights, she tries to book business class if there’s availability for three seats. She’ll break her own rule for the right deal, like the time she found “a really good Aeroplan business redemption on an A330-300 to Florida. Even though it was only a 3-hour flight, I couldn’t pass that up.”

Hannah’s family prefers a middle path. She says her family would love to fly business class, but “we are prioritizing more travel experiences together rather than business class tickets.” Her rule is economy for short-haul winter sun trips, and “farther overseas, we will book Premium Economy if possible.”

The Challenge of Finding Enough Award Seats

When you need several award seats on the same flight, timing matters most. 

Becca says, “There is always more availability if I am able to plan a year in advance and book the flight the day they are released.” Hannah has had the same experience, landing “amazing Air Canada award flights in Premium Economy home from Vienna by booking nearly a year in advance.” Her advice is to “get organized now and try to imagine your travel as far in advance so you can start to search award bookings and get your points organized early. When the right redemption comes along, you can easily book it!”

Miguel works at the other end of the spectrum. His family travels “based on deals, not specific dates or destinations,” which often means booking less than 60 days out and “making a decision within minutes of finding an opportunity.” The trade-off is “a lack of certainty,” which he says his wife “absolutely hates.”

Flexibility helps either way. Hannah finds “significantly better priced award availability a few days before or after main school holidays,” and will pull her child out of school a few days before Spring Break to get better redemptions. Frank has used “positioning flights or driven to Detroit or Buffalo to access better availability through programs such as United Airlines MileagePlus and American Airlines AAdvantage.”

For searching, Seats.aero comes up the most. Frank likes it “particularly because it now shows Air Canada upgrade-reward space and can integrate with Google Flights.” Miguel uses it too, along with Cowtool “back in the day (rest in peace).” Google Flights is also a staple. Miguel uses it for searching, and Hannah recommends setting alerts, which “just lets you know about price fluctuations if you are waiting to book.”

Redeeming Points for an Entire Family

Once you’ve found the seats, the next challenge is paying for them. Becca makes sure the points are in the right place. For frequent flyer programs that don’t allow family pooling, she keeps “enough points in 1 account for at least 2 tickets for our son to be booked with 1 parent.”

Frank relies on “a two-player strategy using companion vouchers from WestJet and Air Canada.” It has let him book peak-season travel, “including Christmas and spring break, with each child travelling as a companion.”

Don’t Be Afraid to Split Bookings

Hannah says families shouldn’t be afraid to split a booking: “Booking one child/one adult together, and booking another child/adult together works just fine.” She has paid for two family members with WestJet points, and the other two with RBC Avion points on the same flight. The one catch is seating. If you want to sit together, “be prepared to select and purchase seats as soon as you book.”

The same flexibility applies to return trips. Hannah says, “I will often book flights to a destination with one airline and the home flight on a different airline,” and Frank has also booked “different flights or airlines, usually on the same day” when he had to.

Don’t Ignore Good Cash Air Fare Deals

Sometimes the best answer isn’t an award ticket at all. 

Miguel comments that while some writers at Frugal Flyer may not be impressed with WestJet, it can offer serious value for families: “You may not always get an outsized cents per point redemption, but cheap direct flights, between 3 to 5 hours, to a sun destination for an entire family is the outsized value.”

His family “once booked a $900 round trip cash fare on Flair Airlines for four people between YYC and PVR. It was not luxurious, but for a family travelling with two kids, it was incredibly affordable.”

Are There Any Frequent Flyer Programs You Favor As a Family?

Air Canada Aeroplan: Still The Main Preference, With Caveats

Aeroplan comes up as the most popular frequent flyer program amongst our contributors. Frank focuses on it, along with Scene+, because they’re “relatively easy for most Canadians to accumulate quickly with the right cards and targeted spending.” He says that for many trips, “these two programs can usually cover the flight, accommodations and other related travel costs … they are a great combo!” He also likes Aeroplan for partner flights, “including Star Alliance flights within Europe and Asia,” and says its stopovers “can be especially valuable for family travel.”

Hannah has had the same experience: “we have had the best overall experiences and point redemptions with Air Canada Aeroplan.” She earns Aeroplan points through the TD Visa Aeroplan ecosystem and tops up her balance with Membership Rewards points when needed. In her experience, Aeroplan “tends to have good redemptions for hot holiday destinations if booked farther in advance but also great redemptions further overseas as well.”

Becca, on the other hand, has seen the shine wear off. Aeroplan “used to be the program I preferred as I was always able to find various options through the different partner airlines,” but “it’s gotten harder to find reasonable redemptions.” She’s now leaning toward British Airways Avios (transferred from RBC Avion) and Atmos points for flights.

WestJet: For the Companion Voucher & Booking Through Flying Blue

Hannah says WestJet is a program her family uses “quite a bit” for all-around family travel, even though she doesn’t find the best redemptions there. She keeps the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard for “its free checked baggage benefit and (only sometimes useful) WestJet companion voucher.”

Her advice is to skip earning WestJet points through card spending. Using “either the RBC Avion booking platform or the Flying Blue program for WestJet flights tends to be a far better point redemption.” The exception is a bigger welcome offer: she recommends friends “grab the WestJet RBC World Elite Mastercard when there is a higher welcome bonus offer on the card.”

Flexible & Transferable Bank Loyalty Points as a Safety Net

Flexible points give travellers room to pivot. Hannah’s preferred points to earn are American Express Membership Rewards, and she and her family are “American Express Cobalt card enthusiasts.” Living in Edmonton, she may need positioning flights more often than someone in Toronto or Vancouver, so she tries to “keep a range of points on hand to help.”

Becca also “depends a lot on programs like CIBC Aventura, TD Rewards, Scene+ and BMO Rewards to cover travel costs in a flexible way.” Frank still values “fixed flight redemption programs such as Avion, American Express and Aventura when flights become expensive.”

Or Just Earn All The Points

Miguel has moved away from the standard advice to pick a program based on your redemption goals. After several years in the hobby, his approach is “simple: get them all. Do not discriminate.” He says that since “our loyalty program options are relatively limited” in Canada, you should “earn as many points as you reasonably can across every program available to you.”

He argues that families have an advantage, since according to Statistics Canada, the average Canadian household spent $76,750 in 2023, and daycare, clothing and groceries add up quickly. About 12 months ago, he also started playing the U.S. points game and has “become a big fan of Hilton Honors,” which he thinks “can offer serious value, particularly for families.”

How Do You Handle Accommodations as a Family When Traveling With Miles & Points?

Marriott Bonvoy is the Popular Option

Marriott Bonvoy came up as the most popular choice for three of our four writers. Becca says, “Marriott Bonvoy is a program that I have consistently relied on for most of our trips.” She likes that it’s “one of the easiest hotel programs to earn points in with Canadian cards and there are Marriott hotels in most cities.” Her family usually stays five nights “to utilize the 5th night free benefit when booking four nights on points.”

Hannah uses it the same way. Her family holds two Bonvoy Amex cards, “so we utilize the free night awards and also the fifth free night when using points.” She’s heard that some families struggle to find Marriotts that suit their needs, but they’ve “had great experiences.” Favourites include the Westin Zagreb, the Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera and the Sheraton Buganvillas in Puerto Vallarta, where they “found amazing value at all of these properties in a points range that made sense.” 

Her advice is to book in advance, stay flexible, and email the hotel ahead of time about room upgrades, since “many times I find hotels are thrilled to accommodate families in any way they can.”

Miguel’s pick is Hilton and Marriott. He notes that large chain hotels abroad “often include pools, small playgrounds, and green spaces, which works well for his family’s needs.”

Traditional Hotels or Airbnbs?

This is where the writers differ most. Miguel is firmly in the hotel camp: “I personally dislike Airbnbs, especially when travelling with young kids.” Airbnbs “lure you in with affordable rates, multiple bedrooms, and usually a kitchen,” but he says “travelling with kids is all about ease and predictability.”

Miguel prefers hotels since “you can arrive whenever you are able to rather than standing on the street waiting to meet a stranger with the keys because your flight was delayed.” He also finds that Airbnbs “can also be hit or miss,” while with a hotel “you generally know what amenities you are getting.” 

Through Hotel loyalty program elite status, Miguel says that “Breakfast buffets are also huge for us as picky eaters are covered.” Plus, it takes pressure off his wife: “This is her vacation too.”

Becca also sticks with “traditional hotels, which are always booked through a points program,” and Frank says, “We also prefer the full-service hotel experience, so I have not used Airbnb as extensively”. Frank mentions that “many hotels will provide a rollaway at no charge if children need separate sleeping arrangements, although it is best to call or email in advance.”

Hannah is the biggest user of hotel alternatives. If she can’t find a suitable Marriott, her family will use Airbnb and local or boutique hotels, and she says Airbnbs “provide high value for longer stays.” She looks for “great locations and thoughtful amenities, like outdoor seating spaces, that make us feel like we’re part of the neighbourhood.” 

When booking Airbnbs, Hannah will make use of Scene+ points or another bank currency to help cover the charge. Frank also mentioned the smart idea of buying Airbnb gift cards at a grocery store with a card that has a grocery multiplier.

Why The Right Accommodation Matters So Much

Miguel says a hotel is “much more than just a place to sleep.” His family spends “about two-thirds of the day there,” roughly a third sleeping and a third relaxing with the kids. A typical day looks like an early breakfast, exploring by 9:00 a.m., and five or six hours of sightseeing, then back to somewhere “the kids can relax, play, and be themselves.”

Hotel amenities also ease the mental load. Pools and playgrounds give kids “somewhere to burn off energy,” and a space “mostly limited to hotel guests” reduces some of the worry about safety.

It also gives you an escape hatch: “Anyone who has experienced a full kid meltdown while hours away from their accommodation knows it can affect more than just that afternoon, and it can potentially ruin an entire trip.” For him, “the convenience, predictability, and amenities of a hotel are worth far more than the extra space an Airbnb might provide.”

How Has Your Miles & Points Strategy Changed as a Family? What Is Your Biggest Hurdle & Any Compromises You Make?

Focusing on Easier Itineraries & Slower Trips

Becca says that before her son, “we were completely content with flight bookings that had multiple stops, 24-hr layovers or had departure times in the middle of the night.” Those “all went out the window” once they started travelling with him, which made availability harder to find. They now pick destinations with shorter flight times and “a more relaxed itinerary (e.g., all-inclusive resorts, cruises).”

Hannah describes a similar shift. Before kids, she says, “I would squeeze as many destinations into a trip as possible (think of many European cities by train).” Now her family tends “to go slower, ease into a place and try to be smarter with travel days.” She says this is where the Marriott fifth night free benefit shines. Spending five nights around Dubrovnik “helped us slow down and just enjoy the culture and warmth of the people.”

Miguel puts it simply: “You move only as fast as your weakest link, usually your youngest child.” The days of “exploring from morning to night are gone, so expectations have to change.” His priorities have also shifted with distance. He used to favour Southeast Asia or Europe, but “closer destinations matter more” now. His family aims for “one long haul trip each year and one shorter trip.”

The Biggest Challenge: Finding Seats for Everyone

For Frank, “the biggest challenge is finding premium-cabin award space for four people, even with tools such as seats.aero.” His family has compromised by “booking different cabins, switching seats during a long flight or travelling on separate flights.” He has also booked two seats with Aeroplan and two with Avios or Aventura points, showcasing the value of having a diversity of points.

Hannah’s biggest hurdle is one most families will recognize: “working with the school schedule and peak travel seasons.” Her fix is “planning far in advance and getting creative with destinations.”

Flexibility Is Worth Paying a Premium For

Becca used to refuse to pay for a flex or latitude fare with Aeroplan points because “we never had a reason to cancel a trip when we traveled as 2 adults.” That changed after “a last-minute trip cancellation last year when our son was sick.” She now leans toward bookings “that are more flexible with their change/cancellation policies.”

The Value Per Point Calculation Matters Less

Several writers say maximizing cents per point is no longer the main goal. Miguel says, “Maximizing cents per point is not always the goal. For family travel, minimizing out-of-pocket costs can be far more valuable.”

Frank agrees. He now focuses “less on redemption value per point and more on what works for our family.” For example, “paying for extra-legroom seats in economy may be better than using significantly more points for business class,” and using points for accommodations “often” produces greater overall savings, even if the family is “less comfortable for a few hours in economy.” He prefers booking hotels directly, but when a third-party booking offers a better price or a more suitable property, he may pay with a flexible currency like Scene+.

Hannah is the one writer who says her strategy got stronger, not just different. It “became stronger and more optimized with children,” and planning family travel “has made me more passionate about utilizing miles and points to provide experiences we wouldn’t otherwise have had.”

Do You Have Any Tips for Other Families Looking to Travel With Miles & Points?

Starting With Your Household Spending

Hannah says, “Earning miles and points is for busy people with families.” It takes some planning up front, but “it doesn’t need to be a full-time job.” She says it “all starts with what and where you spend,” so start by knowing your monthly expenses. That tells you which credit cards suit your daily life. From there, “the crucial factor is simply having the right cards in your wallet and ensuring you are paying your cards off, in full, every billing cycle.”

Her other advice is to “get nerdy organized now.” She recommends setting up a credit card tracking spreadsheet, including recording the type of card, annual fee, and decisions on keeping or switching it out. She also says it’s worth taking the time to list your travel goals, then map out “how many points you need vs what you are earning” to build a solid plan.

Flexibility Beats Chasing Cents Per Point

Frank says, “Flexibility and reducing the number of paid components are more important than chasing the maximum cents-per-point on every booking.”

His tips for families include booking early, which matters most if you can travel only at Christmas, spring break, or other peak periods. He also highly recommends flexible or refundable fares, as “paying a little more can protect you if plans or prices change and may include seat selection or other useful benefits.”

He also mentions that it is worth opening loyalty accounts for your kids as soon as they are eligible and that you should absolutely take advantage of a two-player strategy, where both adults in the household earn miles and points via credit cards. It’s recommended to look for household accounts, such as Aeroplan Family Sharing, and other opportunities that make it easier to pool points.

Finally, he recommends that you should always be learning, particularly about how to redeem and not just how to earn. He leaves us with his final advice: “A large points balance is not useful if you do not understand the programs and best booking opportunities.”

Always Have a Backup Plan

Becca says to “try to collect points in every program because you never know what will come in handy.” Having a second program ready has saved her trips. When Air Canada was on strike, she booked backup flights through Atmos on Porter. Another time, a WestJet flight at 5 p.m. was rebooked to 7 a.m., which “would have made for a miserable day with a child.” Instead, she found Air Canada flights at a more reasonable hour.

Don’t Be Afraid to Bring The Kids

Miguel says many parents worry about what other travellers will think, using business class as an example. In his experience, “most passengers are very understanding,” and many revenue passengers are older adults who “remember what it was like to travel with young children.”

He adds that parents have to stay on top of things. When the kids get restless, his family walks laps to the back of the plane and plays games. The same principle applies at “luxury hotels, restaurants, attractions.”

Kids also bring perks. Many airlines offer priority boarding to families with young children, “most of the time ahead of top elite members.” Miguel has Gold status with WestJet, but when traveling with his kids “many of those benefits become almost irrelevant.” Show up to a priority line with a child in your arms, he says, “and it is usually a no-questions-asked way to bypass the line.”

Build the Memories Early

Miguel’s final advice is to “build those memories early, for your kids but mainly for yourself.” Travel “has allowed us to create incredible family memories that we will cherish forever, and thanks to the miles and points game, we have been able to do it in style and on a budget.”

Becca has one more tip: “I think the ultimate travel tip in traveling with kids is to convince the grandparents to also earn miles and points and come along.”

Conclusion

We greatly appreciate Hannah, Frank, Becca, and Miguel taking the time to share their experience with our Frugal Flyer readers!

We have additional family travel articles planned for the near future from a few of the contributors in this article, so keep an eye out for those in the coming months.