Families Fly Free

Southwest Hugely Changes Companion Pass (And Not in a Good Way): My Honest Take

Well everyone. Southwest has finally cut out the last thing that I think was keeping its loyal followers hanging on: the Southwest Companion Pass, something I have said w

209 | When You Can Fly Free JUST to Try on a Wedding Dress: Success Story with Rachel Elston

Rachel says "I found my thing" when it comes to travel rewards and suggests "you can't go wrong investing in memories." Learn how this mother of grown kids has upgraded h

208 | Travel During Your "Go-Go" Years: Success Story with Bret Crawford

Are you waiting to travel "someday" when you have more time or money? Portland realtor Bret Crawford shares how he went from barely earning enough Southwest points to fly

207 | ✈️ Which Points Qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass?

Think transferring Chase Sapphire points to Southwest will get you closer to Companion Pass? Think again. In this episode, I'm clearing up the biggest confusion around ea

206 | 🛑 6 Things Travel Rewards Enthusiasts Need to Give Up in 2026

The travel rewards landscape is shifting, and 2026 requires a new approach. In this episode, I'm walking you through 6 specific changes you need to make to keep flying yo

205 | 🐒 Costa Rica Case Study: How I Used Points to Save $10,000+ on Flights, Hotels & an Airbnb

Ever wonder if you can really cover an entire international vacation with points—not just flights, but hotels, vacation rentals and more? In this episode, I walk you thro

204 | ✈️ Did You Make This Common Year-End Southwest Companion Pass Mistake?

Did you accidentally earn your Southwest credit card bonus too early this year? You're not alone! Every year, people reach out who've made timing mistakes with their Comp

203 | 🛍️ How to Earn Maximum Points on Your Holiday Shopping to Fund Next Year's Travels

In this week's episode, I share with you all my best tips for maximizing the number of miles and points you can earn on your holiday shopping. You'll learn how to: Earn

202 | 🛑 Stop Wasting Points & Perks: How to Do a Credit Card Audit

Forgetting travel credits, letting points expire, missing credit card bonuses—sound familiar? You're not alone. In this episode, I'm sharing 1 simple strategy to stop lea

201 | ❤️ "You Can't Recall the Memories You Never Make": Success Story With Member Dave Banks

This week I’m chatting with Families Fly Free member Dave Banks—a dad of 4 from rural Oregon—who went from “credit cards are only for emergencies” to saving $2,367 on jus

200 | 🕵️‍♀️ The Southwest Scoop: Boarding Shake-up, Assigned Seat Drama & Gate Quotas

Staying successful with Southwest means keeping up with nonstop change — and that’s where I come in. In this episode I break down the latest boarding scoop from the Wall

199 |❓Your Families Fly Free & Travel Rewards Questions Answered by Members: Open House Replay

❓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 re

198 | 🤷‍♀️ What I’d Do Differently If I Were Starting Travel Rewards Today

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 co

197 | 🏨 The Truth About Booking Hotels Through Travel Portals

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 Ch

196 | 💳 Capital One Venture X Is Ending THIS Popular Perk Soon; What You Need to Know

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...

195 | 😱 Is This the End of Travel Rewards as We Know It? 5 Things You Need to Know

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

194 | 🎃 Haunted USA: Fall Trips with a Spooky Twist

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

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

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,

192 | 🎨 Wander in Wonder: How to Better Appreciate Art on Your Travels

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

191 | 🎮 Epic Universe Insider Guide (Part 2): Dark Universe, Super Mario, Berk and Food Finds

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 s