We’ve already discussed some of the best general frequent flyer tips, but what about tips for families? A top travel concern for families is how to minimize costs, as more people per vacation always means greater expenses. If looking to make the most of out your frequent flyer miles for an upcoming family holiday, check out the following tips:
Enroll the Kids
One of the first things to do? Enroll the children, even infants, in your loyalty program or programs. Be sure to look for sign-up bonuses, and otherwise decide which programs you want your kids “in.”
Shop Individually
Airlines price multiple award and revenue tickets, and carriers release seats in buckets with a limited number of seats in a fare/award class. For best results, search for the minimum number of award seats you need and decide about splitting your family’s reservations between paid and award seats. Put the most frequent (paid) fliers travel on revenue tickets and earn status.
Split Itineraries
Another frequent flyer tip for families is to split itineraries. If there aren’t enough reward seats on the same itinerary, travel with some of the children yourself and have your partner or other adult family members fly with the rest of the half-pint brood. This allows for a much better chance of obtaining low-level awards seats for some if not all flights.
Enroll in Branded Credit Cards
Branded credit cards are available with every hotel and frequent flyer reward program, so consider signing up for one and earn miles for every dollar spent. First-time members often enjoy large bonuses when signing up, and making family members authorized users usually equals bonuses as well. While you won’t want to make children or tweens authorized users, you still have the option of adding teens, adult children and anyone else in the family.
Browse Web Sites
Consider committing about 30 minutes every week to browsing loyalty program sites for hot new deals and promotions. Sign up for any promos you and your kids qualify for, and remember to go over promotion rules carefully. Register each family member for every promotion you use, and don’t forget to visit the “what’s new” sections of loyalty program sites for the latest discounts.
These are just some of the frequent flyer tips for families to utilize. A little strategy is all you need to save money on travel so you and your family can fly more often.
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