FAMILIES FLY FREE Private Podcast

Are you considering flying with your pet? Jerry Quinn's adorable pup Charli is an experienced traveler, having flown on 8 flights in the last 3 years. Jerry, a fellow FFF member, shares his best tips for booking your flight with your pet, preparing them for air travel, handling them during the flight and some of his favorite products for traveling with pets in this webinar.

Lyn reviews her trip to Costa Rica, sharing her unique insights and experiences, including a review of the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo and La Fortuna, driving in Costa Rica, her car rental experience, things to watch out for and more. She'll also share how many points she used to book flights and all accommodations and how much she saved and spent.

ELATED LINKS:

Webinar: Costa Rica With Cheryl

Costa Rica Itinerary

RESOURCES:

Link to get proof of car rental insurance from Chase: 

https://www.eclaimsline.com/

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo

Hotel RIU

Arenal Volcano Lodge

La Fortuna Airbnb

Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges

Adobe Car Rental

In this month's Q&A, Lyn discussed the following:

• An alternative to AwardMapper called PointsYeah.com
• Does the person who holds the Companion Pass have to be flying for the Companion to fly for free?
• When/how to use our main Southwest "hack"
• Navigating Las Vegas via trams to see the various hotels
• Can someone who's an authorized user on another person's Chase Sapphire Preferred card get their own version of the card and the bonus?
• Southwest changes including: Points + Cash, Google Flights, 
• Should you book Southwest in the Chase Travel Portal?
• How to book a cruise in points?
• Partner airports and the hack
• And more!

Cami and member Heather Hill share about their adventures in Dublin, Ireland. They'll be covering why they picked Dublin as well as how they got there, where they stayed and ate and all the adventures they had! They also discuss the various day trips from Dublin, including Giant's Causeway, Belfast, Howth and more, along with their favorite tour companies and tours, as well as top restaurants.

This month Lyn answers questions about:

• Upcoming card bonus increases
• Eligibility for applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card if you are an authorized user on someone else's card
• Google Chrome issues when trying to book Southwest flights
• Timing for when to close your Southwest personal card
• Car insurance perks on Chase business vs Personal cards
• Checking for points drops after using "the Hack"
• Checking for hotel rate (points) changes after booking
• Getting Southwest Companion pass without using sign-on bonuses
• Sorting Southwest Hotels by points
• and more

Join Cami and member Amylee as they share their adventures exploring some of the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. We'll give you a little history of the islands and tell you a bit about St. Croix, St. John, Tortola, Virgin Gorda and Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the US Virgin Islands which are all popular cruise destinations.

Links:

• St. Croix
  • Fort Frederiksted
  • Point Udall
  • Buck Island Reef
• St. John
  • Virgin Islands National Park
  • Cinnamon Bay
  • The Westin, St. John
  • The Inn at Tamarind Court
• St. Thomas
  • 4 Elements
  • Olga’s Fancy
  • Oceana Restaurant & Bistro
  • Sea La Vie
  • Pirates Treasure - a shipwreck museum
  • Blackbeard’s Castle
  • Lime Out
• Tortola to Virgin Gorda
  • Speedy’s Ferry
  • The Baths

Join us as we explore the hidden gems of Belize and the enchanting island of San Pedro! Families Fly Free Member Heather Royer shares insider tips, must-see attractions and unique adventures from her recent trip to Belize with her family of four. This webinar will arm you with all the knowledge you need for an unforgettable journey…and of course tips for flying free on Southwest! Don't miss out on this opportunity to unlock the secrets of Belize and San Pedro!

Links:

• Cave Tubing
• Tropic Air
• MK Golf Cart Rental
• Hilton Mahogany Bay
• Hol Chan Marine Reserve
• Shark Ray Alley
• El Fogon
• Altun Ha
• Lamani Mayan Ruins

Lyn answers member questions including:

• If you got the first card bonus already but it will be several months before you can earn the second card bonus, should you wait until next year to get the second card?
• If you only care about getting Southwest points, should you use your Southwest card instead of your Chase Sapphire card?
• How far in advance do you need to sign up for trip insurance?
• With the current changes to the Capital One perks, is the Capital One Venture X still a good deal?
• If you purchase tickets with points for someone else, and there is a reduction in the price, do the points go back into my account or into their account?
• Do you have to call to cancel a Southwest card?
• Is there a simple system to understand Marriott points pricing?

Lyn also talks about her upcoming trip to Costa Rica.

Links:

• Fly Free Formula Series (2024)
• What's New in Families Fly Free
• Course: How to Stay Free in Hotels

Now that you know the basics of how to fly for free within the US and the Caribbean, we'll dip our toes into how you can use travel rewards to save on other parts of travel like getting free hotel stays, flying free to Europe and even how to get some luxury travel perks like airport lounge access.

Links:

• List of Credit Cards That Reimburse for TSA Precheck, Global Entry and CLEAR
• Webinar: How to Get Expedited Airport Security and Customs
• Credit Card Links
• How to use Southwest Points to Participate in Amazing Events
• Credit Card Closure Tip Sheet

Join FFF member Jen Fiore for a virtual journey to Iceland, the land of Fire and Ice, that she and her husband Trevor visited in 2019. She'll share not only how they got there and where they stayed, but their experiences, insights and tips on exploring the vibrant capital city of Reykjavik, embarking on truly Icelandic once-in-a-lifetime countryside tours and dining in a seafood lover's paradise. Velkominn!

Links:

• Transportation
  • FlyBus
  • Public Bus
• Restaurants
  • Islenski Barinn - The Icelandic Bar
  • Cafe Loki
  • Mesinn
  • The Fish House
• Excursions
  • Glacier Snowmobiling
  • Volcano Dip
  • Blue Lagoon
  • Puffin Watching

and The Hardest Karaoke Song in the World