Families Fly Free

❓Got questions about how Families Fly Free can help your family travel to more places using miles and points BEFORE the price goes up soon?

In this episode, I share a replay of a recent 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Families Fly Free Open House with 4 current members on hand to answer attendees' questions honestly and directly. We had a HUGE turnout and so many great questions AND answers from our amazing members.

Some of the questions included:

• Do I have to have a Southwest Companion Pass to get my value from the membership? (Answer: No ;-) - 2 of our panelists don't even have one!)
• Do I have to spend a lot of money on credit cards to earn all these points?
• Does it involve closing and opening a lot of credit cards?
• Does it work for international travel?
• Do I always have to fly Southwest?
• Is it worth it to pay the annual fees on travel cards?
• Is this a one-time fee or does it renew every year?
• And TONS more!

Dive into this episode to get all your questions answered about this life-changing membership and hear how it's about so much MORE than the information that will help your family fly free in the simplest possible way. It's the people, the real-time info, the support, the continuing knowledge you gain, the hacks and the list goes on. It's everything you need to not just learn, but take action and be successful year after year.

✅ Join Families Fly Free at FamiliesFlyFree.com/Join

Want an invitation to the next Open House? Get on my email or text alert list.
👉 Join my email list at FamiliesFlyFree.com/Email
📱 Get text alerts by texting FLYFREE to 844-403-2263 (no more than 1/week)

Still have questions?
Email me at [email protected]
Text them to me at 844-403-2263

If I had to start from zero with travel rewards today, here’s exactly what I’d do — and what I’d skip. 

Fresh off a Families Fly Free member meetup in California wine country 🍷, I’m sharing the simple, real-time strategy my Families Fly Free members use to keep flying free without juggling 20 cards or chasing outdated advice. You’ll learn why narrowing your focus is the fastest win: master flying free first, stick to one flexible ecosystem (hello, Chase), fly one primary airline (yes, Southwest still works when you know how) ✈️ and skip high-fee lounge cards and hotel cards until year two.

I’ll show you how “simple equals successful” and:

• Which cards to actually put your spending on
• How to adapt to airline changes without paying more
• Why you can stop nickel-and-diming every little credit. 

If you’re overwhelmed or short on time but want to travel more for less, this is your roadmap 🎯.

Interested in Families Fly Free? Attend my Open House on Zoom on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 2pm ET, 1pm CT, Noon MT 11am PST and hear from current members, learn more about membership and ask your questions live! Register at FamiliesFlyFree.com/OpenHouse.

Families Fly Free is where I walk beside you — with live Q&As, texting, small groups and 1:1 support — so you stay current as things change. The price is going up soon, so now’s the moment to jump in and lock it in: FamiliesFlyFree.com/join.

Booking hotels through travel portals can be a brilliant points-saver, but there are also downsides to booking this way. In this episode I break down when portals like Chase Travel and Capital One beat transferring points to Marriott, Hilton or IHG, the risks of these bookings and the simple steps I teach my Families Fly Free members to mitigate any issues. We’ll also cover the powerful Hyatt exception—why transferring Chase points to Hyatt often costs fewer points and avoids third-party headaches—plus real stories from listeners and my own trips.

You’ll learn:

• Why to compare portal prices vs. transfers in 2 minutes and pick the cheaper option
• The biggest pitfalls with third-party hotel bookings and how to avoid them
• My confirm-confirm-confirm, validate-validate-validate strategy
• Why Hyatt is the go-to sweet spot for fewer points and direct-booking peace of mind

Want my swipe files, step-by-step Stay Free Formula™ and real-time help and community support as things keep changing? Join Families Fly Free to stretch your points further with fewer cards and less hassle, so your family can make more travel memories together: https://www.FamiliesFlyFree.com/join

Capital One Venture X is changing this popular perk that made it one of my favorite travel cards! Find out what's changing and WHEN and my strategy for what to do next...

To stay on top of the lastest and ever-changing strategies in the world of travel rewards + learn my simple Fly Free Formula, join me inside of my hallmark Families Fly Free membership. Learn more at https://www.familiesflyfree.com/join

RELATED EPISODES:
87 | The Chase 5/24 Rule Explained
86 | All About Capital One Venture X

Is this the end of travel rewards as we know it? 😱 Staying successful with miles and points in 2025 means keeping up with nonstop change — and that’s where I come in. In this episode I break down the biggest shifts I’m seeing right now from banks tightening approvals to pricey lounge access to Southwest’s new complexities — and offer 5 things you need to know as a result to keep flying free. I’ve spent 10+ years in this space and coach hundreds of families day in and day out, so you’ll hear the simple, real-time strategies that are actually working today 🔄.

Listen in to learn:

• How to adjust when banks tighten, bonuses become limited and fees increase
• Which cards to keep vs cut
• How to shift your strategy so continual card bonuses aren't necessary (because that's no longer going to work!)

If you want ongoing, up-to-the-minute guidance you can trust — plus monthly live Q&As, real-time community-tested tips, and my step-by-step Fly Free Formula™ — join my Families Fly Free membership. I stay on top of the changes so you don’t have to 🧠.

Ready to simplify and always travel free? Join at FamiliesFlyFree.com/join.

Related Episodes:

193 | 🎯 Southwest Changes Simplified: New Fares, Assigned Seats, Bag Fees - Oh My!

68 | Stop Applying for Too Many Travel Cards! There's a Much Simpler Way...

Ready to add a little spooky fun to your travels this fall? 🎃 In this episode of the Families Fly Free podcast, I’m joined by Heather Alexander, author of Haunted USA, to uncover eerie—and family-friendly—ghost stories from all 50 states. 

From haunted hotels and mysterious lighthouses to tap-dancing ghosts and legendary pirates, you’ll discover plenty of places to explore this Halloween season without the gore. 

Whether you’re planning a fall getaway, looking for unique history lessons for the kids, or just love a good ghost story, this episode will spark ideas for memorable (and slightly spooky!) adventures.

Want to fly free to haunted hotels or pumpkin-filled fall destinations? Join Families Fly Free and I’ll show you my simple formula to make it happen: FamiliesFlyFree.com/join

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 42: My Favorite Family Halloween Travel "Treat": Disneyland at Halloween
• Episode 43: Yikes! Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights: Your Guide From a Mom's Perspective
• Episode 76: 5 Fun Halloween Getaways for the Spookiest Season

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thanks for leaving me a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this podcast episode! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Southwest has made a flurry of changes in 2025 — from charging for bags and introducing assigned seats to rolling out brand-new fare types and tweaking credit card perks, including increasing their annual fees. And they’ve managed to make things very complicated. But here’s the good news: I’ve cut through the clutter to get to the heart of what actually matters in my trademark "keep it simple stupid" approach 😉.

In this episode, I’ll show you the few simple adjustments you need to make so you can:

• Keep flying Southwest for the same cost (or less) as before (yes, really!)
• Make only slight changes to the way we’ve always flown Southwest for free 
• Understand how to KEEP getting free bags, as well as free assigned seating and navigate the new fare rules

You’ll walk away knowing exactly what to do to keep your Southwest travel FREE, easy and smooth.

💡 Free Bonus: Get my one-page cheat sheet that explains all the changes in plain English — plus the exact tweaks you need to make to your own Southwest strategy, including how to change a Basic Fare (yes, it's possible!):

👉 SecretsofaTravelJournalist.com/Changes

Join Families Fly Free
Southwest — and travel rewards in general — can get complicated fast. But inside Families Fly Free, I show you how to skip the confusion, ignore the noise and use my simple Fly Free Formula™ to get maximum travel with the minimum number of cards.

I’ve been flying my family of 4 free 6x a year on Southwest (and beyond) since 2015, and I’ve boiled it down to a clear, repeatable plan that anyone can follow. Whether you’re traveling with kids, a spouse, friends or solo, this formula works. Let me make it simple for you.

👉 Join Families Fly Free: FamiliesFlyFree.com

Ever stood in front of a famous painting and wondered, “What am I supposed to do here?”

In this first episode of my new Wander in Wonder series, I dive into how to truly appreciate art — even if you don’t consider yourself an expert (I certainly don’t!). Inspired by a class I took at Notre Dame on Theology, Art and Beauty and my professor Dr. Sarah Maple (https://sarahelizabethmaple.academia.edu/), I share simple, thoughtful ways to engage with a work of art beyond just snapping a photo and moving on.

You’ll learn:

• A powerful question to ask beauty itself
• How to slow down and see a painting (including what to look for)
• The difference between what the artist intended and what the piece says to you
• How to turn a museum visit into a deeper, more meaningful experience — solo or with your kids
• My favorite immersive art experience and why you should try one near you

Plus, I walk you through how I’ve put these tips into practice — from the Louvre to my local museum with my 21-year-old son — and how it changed the way we both see art.

RELATED:

• VIDEO: THE LUME Indianapolis at Newfields: Van Gogh Starry Night Immersive Experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dq9MF9JL7Y
• Episode 176 | How I'm Learning Italian Inspired by My Travels

👉 Grab my free checklist of what to look for the next time you visit a museum: SecretsOfATravelJournalist.com/art

✨ Join me inside my Secrets of a Travel Journalist Club, where I’m pulling back the curtain on 25+ years of insider travel know-how to help you fly smarter, score luxury perks and unlock unforgettable experiences for less.

👉 Grab your spot + start planning your smartest trip yet: https://www.secretsofatraveljournalist.com/club

✈️ Want even more travel tips? Visit SecretsofaTravelJournalist.com for guides, resources and insider advice.

Got questions about the Club? Text me at 844-403-2263.

In Part 2 of my conversation with Chad Pennycuff (My DVC Points Podcast), we’re diving deeper into Universal Orlando’s brand-new theme park: Epic Universe — and there’s so much more to explore! After attending the Grand Opening event for media, I share my insight on the parks along with Chad's an Orlando local and "theme park junkie."

This episode covers:

• 🍕 The best food in the park (hello, truffle pizza, mango cornbread & that Frankenstein pretzel)
• 🧛‍♂️ The incredible Dark Universe land featuring Universal Monsters — and why Monsters Unchained might be the most underrated ride in the park
• 🐉 Chad's favorite land, Isle of Berk (How to Train Your Dragon), plus the family-friendly Hiccup’s Wing Gliders and must-see live show
• 🎢 What we thought of Donkey Kong: Mine Cart Madness, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, and whether Yoshi’s Adventure is worth the wait
• 🧢 Why the Power-Up Bands matter — and how Universal turns Super Nintendo World into a real-life video game

We also share final thoughts on:

• Express Pass strategy
• Touring tips for different ages
• Why this park truly is epic — and may even deserve an entire trip on its own

🎁 Grab my free Epic Universe ride + dining guide: secretsofatraveljournalist.com/epic

Resources: 

• My DVC Points Podcast

Related Episodes:

• Episode 43: Yikes! Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights: Your Guide From a Mom's Perspective
• Episode 111: Universal Studios Orlando 101
• Episode 116: How Katie Blumhorst Saved $4,000+ With Travel Rewards at Universal Studios Orlando

In this episode, I’m joined by Chad Pennycuff of the My DVC Points podcast to break down everything you need to know about Universal Orlando’s brand-new theme park, Epic Universe — starting with where to stay, what to skip and how to save. I share my experiences attending the Grand Opening event for media.

We also recap Chad’s incredible theme park tour across Asia, including Shanghai Disney, Universal Beijing, Tokyo Disney and more. Hear what Disney is doing next level overseas and how it compares to the new Epic Universe experience.

Then we shift to:

• Hotel options at Epic (including pros/cons of Stella Nova, Terra Luna & the ultra-pricey Helios Grand)
• A deep dive into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic — the ride, the land, the queue and the details you don’t want to miss
• Tips on wait times, Express Pass strategy, early entry and how to use points to cover your Universal trip
• What we loved (and didn’t) about Celestial Park and its headline coaster, Stardust Racers

🎁 Grab my free Epic Universe ride + dining guide: secretsofatraveljournalist.com/epic

Want the full Epic Universe breakdown (plus my photos + member Q&A)? It’s inside the Club. Join --> SecretsofaTravelJournalist.com/Club

Resources: 

• My DVC Points Podcast
• My Video Tour: Stella Nova Resort - https://youtu.be/BvQIJ3Vjs9g
• My Video Tour: Cabana Bay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIJOUCSLx1g

Related Episodes:

• Episode 43: Yikes! Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights: Your Guide From a Mom's Perspective
• Episode 111: Universal Studios Orlando 101
• Episode 116: How Katie Blumhorst Saved $4,000+ With Travel Rewards at Universal Studios Orlando