Travel Party of 5 | Points & Miles for Family Travel

Chase Sapphire Referral Link - Earn 125,000 points with Sapphire Reserve® or 75,000  bonus points with Sapphire Preferred® 

Chase Ink/Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business Referral Link (if you've never had one!) - Earn 200,000 bonus points with the new Sapphire Reserve for Business credit card and access over $6,500 in value your first year . You can also earn bonuses with the Ink Business Premier® card,  Ink Business Preferred® card, Ink Business Unlimited® card or Ink Business Cash® card.

*if the links above do not work, please DM me on instagram @travelpartyof5 and I will send you a fresh one! Thank you in advance for your support of our free content*

A few more articles/links to read more about the Bilt cards: 

Frequent Miler Bilt 2.0 Article

Bilt Update Announcement from CEO

Bilt Calculator (from Max Miles Points)

In today's episode we pull apart the confusing launch of Bilt 2.0 to decide when, if ever, it’s worth it. The short answer: value beats vibes, and simple beats complicated.

• AA Gold to Platinum Pro to Platinum: what changed and what did not
• Group boarding, Main Cabin Extra, and upgrade odds from an AA hub
• Booking Park Hyatt Los Cabos and Waldorf Astoria with points and FNCs
• Extending an expiring Hilton Free Night via chat
• Real cents-per-point math across flights and hotels
• Bilt 2.0 structure: Blue, Obsidian, Palladium, and mixed “points” vs “cash”
• Mortgage and rent earning explained, fees, ACH, and opportunity cost
• CEO’s two new paths and why most families should pass
• Niche first-year use case for Palladium with transfer bonuses
• Starter strategy: open Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve first

We would be so grateful if you are going to apply if you would utilize our links above!

InKind Referral link (Save $25 off your first bill!):  https://app.inkind.com/refer/RUL9NCCP

Three spreadsheets I mentioned for tracking credits: 

Thrifty Traveler Credit Tracker (you have to make a copy)

Points Talk Squad Credit Tracker (you have to make a copy)

I have combined the above two, in different tabs, on the same Google Sheet doc. 

Frequent Miler Tracker (not using this one)

In this episode we map out a smarter 2026 points strategy: triple dips where they make sense, a unified tracking sheet to measure real value, and stacks that replace cash we planned to spend. The Phuket hotel save is our case study on turning complex credits into concrete nights.

• 2025 recap of 18 cards opened and 1.77 million points earned
• Triple dip timing and why it can offset big annual fees
• Beginner setup: real credit reports, 5/24 status, minimum spend math
• Keeper cards versus one-year cards and how we decide
• Chase Sapphire Reserve credits: travel, StubHub, and Edit limitations
• Citi Strata Elite hotel credit and two-night tradeoffs
• Amex Business Platinum: Dell, airline incidental, and FHR stacking
• InKind + Costco gift card stack for cheap family dining
• Tracking system using combined spreadsheets and real valuations
• Phuket stack: Edit credits, $250 hotel credit, Chase offer, and UR points
• Plan to build helpful resources and tools for listeners

Book a call with me and we can map your card strategy or plan your upcoming trips. If you want us to build a specific resource, DM me on Instagram and tell me what would help most

We revisit a year of family travel to rank the hotels, flights, and upgrades that delivered real value, and we tell two travel stories that never made it to air: a runaway carry-on on an escalator and a seatmate who ate our snacks. We also reassess elite status and share where we’ll spend points next year.

• best hotels across Barcelona, Cabo, Lake Tahoe, Cologne
• worst stay experience at Thompson Dallas and why
• top suite upgrade at the Seabird with ocean views
• business class joy on the return from Europe
• economy comparisons between JAL and Singapore Airlines
• practical value of Hyatt Globalist for a family of five
• metro over location myths in Barcelona
• stressful escalator mishap and how we handled it
• the strange snack incident on a short-haul flight
• points strategy over pricey short cruises

Happy holidays to you, Merry Christmas, happy holidays to you, your family, and everyone you know. We will be back in two weeks with a fresh new episode.

Thanks for finding our podcast! We are a family of 5 who does most of our travel using credit card points and miles and we share how we leverage credit card offers to earn a ton of points/miles so we can afford travel as a larger family.

Follow us on Instagram @TravelPartyof5

In this episode we travel from Strasbourg France to Cologne Germany for more Christmas Markets! 

• setting souvenir budgets per kid to teach value and limit clutter
• carry-on packing for cold with layers, wool socks and two shoe options
• laundromat lessons in Germany and why translation matters
• train routing to Cologne and booking Deutsche Bahn seats directly
• Hyatt Regency Cologne suite upgrade, club access and breakfast views
• stacking Amex and Hyatt credits against on-property dining
• Cologne market highlights, from blacksmiths to ice skating
• food notes on sausages, chimney cakes and crepes
• navigating Frankfurt delays, lounges and late-night CDG transfers
• Air France business class pods, seat quirks and nonstop value
• global entry ease on arrival and the checked-bag trade-offs

DM me on Instagram if you have questions!

Strasbourg AirBnB (not sponsored, paid with our own money!)

Magical Christmas Markets of Europe (please note: we are not affiliated with this group in any way, and potentially it is run by a travel agency? Either way, lots of good info in there!)

Thanks for finding our podcast! We are a family of 5 who does most of our travel using credit card points and miles and we share how we leverage credit card offers to earn a ton of points/miles so we can afford travel as a larger family.

And make sure to follow us on Instagram @TravelPartyof5

In this episode we share how we turned a long-held bucket list into a family trip to Strasbourg’s Christmas markets. From market food to day trips in Alsace, we show how to plan, but also pivot if needed.

• Booking Air France business class for five with Flying Blue and kid discounts
• Managing points transfers, schedule changes, and positioning flights
• Lounge strategy at PHX, DEN, and JFK for sanity and savings
• Choosing a Strasbourg Airbnb near the tram for easy access
• What to eat and drink at the markets and how mug deposits work
• Handling crowds, rain days, and a restorative slow afternoon
• Day trip playbook for Colmar and Eguisheim with shuttle tips
• Why small-town markets feel calmer and more craft-forward
• Budgeting with cards and euros and when to reserve trains
• Key resources: Facebook groups, routes by train, and timing markets

We will be back next week with all about Germany.  Airbnb and the Magical Christmas Markets of Europe Facebook group linked above!

Next year we've got three big trips on the docket - Thailand, Scotland/ London, and Switzerland/Italy. By mixing cash fares, smart point redemptions, and repositioning, we share the exact math behind paying cash to Asia, and two goals to keep travel calmer and on budget.

• booking strategy for a family of five using points, cash, and portals
• why one‑cent redemptions lost to Amex travel offers and 5x earning
• routing choices to access lounges and smoother layovers
• Thailand plan with Phuket, Koh Samui, and Bangkok as bases
• London and Edinburgh logistics for seven travelers
• chasing return award space after routes vanish
• Aeroplan business class to Zurich and Boston repositioning
• hotel approaches in Zurich, Lake Como, and Italy
• domestic add‑ons to Oceanside and Disneyland with Hyatt certs
• budget tracking on trips to curb overspend
• ADHD medication updates improving family travel dynamics

I think I’m like very close to a thousand followers on Instagram. So if maybe you don’t already follow, go over and give us a follow @travelpartyof5

Links to Activate Instacart credits:

United Cards: https://www.instacart.com/p/chase-united?unauth-refresh=1

Chase Ink Cards: https://www.instacart.com/p/chase-ink?unauth-refresh=1

Chase co-branded cards (Marriott, Hyatt, etc): https://www.instacart.com/p/chase-cobrands?unauth-refresh=1

What if the credits you ignore every month could stock a food bank, surprise a caregiver with lunch, or stretch a teacher gift from thoughtful to unforgettable? We walk through the exact playbook we use to turn small, forgotten perks into big, tangible help—no coupon spreadsheets, no all‑day errands.

We start with quick wins you can do tonight: send a hot meal using Uber, DoorDash, or Grubhub credits to a friend, a grandparent across the country, or a new parent who needs a break. Then we level up with the Amex Gold Dunkin credit, turning it into donut drops for local schools, fire stations, or hospital staff. For holiday gifting, we show how certain Chase cards’ DoorDash pickup credits can buy third‑party gift cards through the Flower & Gift Boutique, often turning $10 of credit into $15 or $25 of spending power. Pair that with Chase Freedom rotating categories and you can fund Angel Tree or sponsored family gifts while maximizing rewards.

If you plan to donate cash, don’t miss airline partnerships that return miles for every dollar—Southwest Rapid Rewards and American Airlines often run strong promos—so your generosity fuels future trips too. We also highlight creative uses for credits like the Amex Platinum’s Saks benefit and the Business Platinum’s Dell credit to supply shelters and student programs with essentials. And yes, that old suitcase can do real good at a foster care agency.

Our deepest dive is a step‑by‑step guide to using Chase co‑branded Instacart credits and Instacart Plus to buy exactly what local food banks request via Community Carts. We cover card activation links, stacking free Plus months, choosing a food bank, and a simple checkout routine that waives fees and adds a small tip. With a handful of cards, we donated over $120 of groceries with about $20 out of pocket—set it up once and repeat it monthly in under 15 minutes.

If this helps, share it with a friend who hoards points, subscribe for more practical travel and points tactics, and leave a quick review so others can find the show. Tell us: which give‑back hack will you try first?

1:1 Points Travel Strategy Session - Book here!

What if your weekly groceries, Friday night dinners, and holiday shopping could fuel your next big family trip? We break down a four-bucket system that took us past two million points this year without gimmicks: strategic sign-up bonuses, smart category spending, thoughtful referrals, and powerful stacking tools that turn ordinary purchases into extraordinary travel.

We walk through the exact card moves we made, including timing the AA business “double dip,” choosing public offers over weaker referral paths when the math wins, and sequencing business cards to protect 5/24. Then we shift into everyday multipliers that quietly stack value: Amex Gold for 4x at dining and groceries, Strata Elite for 6x on weekend dining windows, and Freedom Flex quarterly caps. Gift cards become a multiplier key, from the DoorDash gift card store coding as dining to sub-$200 in-store buys that track on Rakuten during 12x promos.

The stacking chapter is where balances jump. We share how we earned 200k+ through Rakuten alone, the new Rakuten-to-Bilt 1:1 window, and how to layer card-linked offers from Chase and Amex for double-dip savings. We also cover underused levers that don’t require new accounts: Amex checking bonuses, retention asks after the annual fee posts, strategic downgrades to set up upgrade offers later, and targeted employee card offers on Amex business products that award points for manageable spend across multiple cards.

Looking ahead, we’re eyeing Bilt cards for mortgage earn, a rumored Chase-Hyatt premium card that pairs well with Globalist, and spring Hilton Surpass promos with free night certificates. For advanced players, we touch on Aspire–Surpass upgrade/downgrade sequencing to generate multiple uncapped Hilton free nights. For beginners, we keep it simple: anchor one great sign-up bonus, route your top categories into 3x–6x earners, and try one clean portal stack on a purchase you were already making.

If you found this helpful, follow the show, share it with a friend who wants to travel more for less, and leave a quick review. Your support helps more families learn how to turn everyday spend into real-world adventures.

Thanks for finding our podcast! We are a family of 5 who does most of our travel using credit card points and miles and we share how we leverage credit card offers to earn a ton of points/miles so we can afford travel as a larger family.

Follow us on Instagram @TravelPartyof5

These are all the experiences we booked in Japan using Viator:

Our Fave Japan Experiences

This episode wraps up our Japan series with a practical Q&A:  From eSIM setup and Suica hacks to Shinkansen tradeoffs and Japanese toilets, we share what worked, what didn’t, and what we’d do differently next time.

• choosing eSIMs over pocket Wi‑Fi for simple, low‑cost data
• adding Suica to Apple Wallet and getting physical child IC cards
• booking Shinkansen on short notice and budgeting for higher fares
• reserving luggage space vs overhead racks for carry‑ons
• live navigation with Google or Apple Maps and using Google Translate
• Borderless vs Planets and why early time slots matter
• views of Shibuya Crossing without paying tower fees
• packing light with airline weight limits and carry‑on tips
• paying with cards, IC cards at vending, and minimal cash needs
• eating etiquette, where to sit, and the lack of public bins
• clean, ubiquitous bidet toilets and what to expect
• no‑tipping norms and rare cases we tipped
• long flights with kids: downloads, snacks, and clear expectations
• future wishlist: Fuji, Hokkaido, Okinawa, Kyoto’s new TeamLab

Send me a DM on Instagram @travelpartyof5 if you have further questions! 

Thanks for finding our podcast! We are a family of 5 who does most of our travel using credit card points and miles and we share how we leverage credit card offers to earn a ton of points/miles so we can afford travel as a larger family.

Follow us on Instagram @TravelPartyof5

These are all the experiences we booked in Japan using Viator:

Our Fave Japan Experiences

We close out Tokyo with five days in Shibuya, sharing the hotel that worked for a family of five, the food tour that converted our kids into sashimi fans, and a sumo dinner that was fun and very touristy. Duane takes us back to the bases where he grew up, and we end with our honest take on TeamLab Planets and Singapore Airlines long-haul economy.

• Hyatt House Shibuya location, room types, and Globalist perks
• Kitchenette value, laundry realities, and breakfast quality
• Train choices between Shinagawa and Tokyo Station
• Shinjuku food tour highlights and kid-friendly bites
• TeamLab Planets vs Borderless, ticket timing tips
• Sumo dinner format, audience matches, and tourist factor
• Harajuku wins with latte art, misses with mini pig cafe
• Yoyogi Park reset and unplanned wandering
• Returning to Sagamihara and Zama, memory-lane moments
• Singapore Airlines economy vs JAL economy, points costs

Please leave us a rating or review wherever you listen
Any questions, send me a message on Instagram @travelpartyof5!