OK, looking for advice. How can I optimize points for family trips (6 people) to Israel, Kenya African Safari, Australia, New Zealand, and SE Asia?
I fly out of SLC, but can get cheap/easy positioning flights to LAX and other western airports. Historically, flights from LAX to Australia, New Zealand, and SE Asia have gone on sale for as little as $300-$400/person in economy, so I feel like points transfers are difficult to justify. Also, with 6 people, using hotels internationally doesn't usually make sense because we need 2-3 rooms, so the points requirements gets really high when we can get an airbnb for pretty cheap, often with laundry. I want to use points, but beyond domestic destinations, I have not found a good way to use them for such a large family. I don't really understand AMEX MR and the cards with the most points usually require pretty high spend. However, I think it would be good to diversify beyond Chase. I have yet to MS beyond buying a few Visa gift cards at my local Krogers when on sale to top off spend when we had 2 cards that needed spend. I just used the Visa gift cards directly.
I feel like I could do way better at the points game, but just need some direction. Can you help?
We have a very old Bank of America CC, and we each did a previous round of SWA CC for the companion pass about 6 years back. Other than that, these are all our credit cards. We both have credit scores over 800 points and do not need a mortgage or other loan any time soon. We pay in full every month. We both have side businesses, so we can get business cards.
DH Current CC
05-17 Chase SWA Personal
05-17 Chase SWA Business
11-17 Chase Hyatt Old Version
04-18 Chase IHG Old Version
05-19 Chase Ink Business Preferred
My Current CC
11-17 Chase Hyatt Old Version
04-18 Chase IHG Old Version
10-18 Chase Ink Business Preferred
04-20 Chase Sapphire Preferred
Airports: SLC, LAS, cheap, easy position flights to LAX or SFO, or others on west coast.
I have a family of 6- Me, DH, DS-11, DS-9, DS-5, DS-3
Yes, I am Chase heavy, mostly because we used to live far from family and used the SWA companion pass and points to visit family across the country about 5-6 times a year. Now we live close to my husband's family. My family used to live within a day's drive, but they have since dispersed all over. I have decided to meet family for destination get togethers rather than just visiting a single person, since we all live so far away.
When we moved to UT, I found that while we had plenty of flight points via SWA, we were spending a bunch on hotels, so I got the Hyatt and IHG cards to get points and 4 annual nights annually. We got the Chase Ink Business because my brother was supposed to have his wedding in the Philippines this year, and I was saving up flexible points/ready to pay at 1.25/pt for a good airfare deal. That didn't pan out, of course, but I got the Chase Sapphire Preferred because we are remodeling our master bedroom & bath and wanted to put big spend items towards a new bonus. I plan to refer my husband next, so he can get the points as well.
However, I am not sure what to do going forward. We adopted 3 more children 3 years ago, so now we are a family of 6. Should I go crazy racking up as many points as possible and try for business class for everyone, or should I just be happy with economy class? We take up 6 seats, so usually 2 rows, which is a sort of poor man's business class of its own. Someone usually ends up on the floor during a long haul, and 2 people usually share 3 seats. It's not bad, but I still don't sleep!
Dream destinations: Israel, Kenya, New Zealand, Australia, and SE Asia - mostly Siem Reap, Myanmar, and Bangkok
Recent travel history, so you can see how I've used points in the past:
2019
Nov - (all 6) Kobe, Japan - visiting DH's parents for Thanksgiving using cash (forgot that I could have used UR points plus cash to buy them)
Oct - (all 6) San Diego Kids Free October for San Diego Zoo, Kids' Fall Break driving & using free night certificates from Hyatt CC
Sept - (DH & Me) China w/ DH on business - flat fee reimbursement paid for both our flights & my mom's to come watch our kids
July/Aug - (all 6) 5 week drive across the country to sightsee & visit family in MO & NH. Used Hyatt points to pay for Hyatt Places along the way using Hyatt/transferring UR points & stayed w/ family & friends
July - (DH & Me) visited my brother in Puerto Rico while my mom watched our boys at her house in the middle of our road trip. Cash Jetblue flight
Jan - (all 6) weekend night warm getaway in Hyatt Place Las Vegas to swim & eat at kids eat free buffet using Hyatt points.
2018
Nov - (all 6) Orlando, FL for Universal Studios - used SWA points for flights, parents paid for $150/nt 6 bedroom house w/ pool.
May - (all 6) Oahu, HI using flight credit from DH getting bumped & staying w/ friends
Feb-Apr - (DH & Me) Several day trips or overnight trips to LA using SWA companion pass & points, and occasional Hyatt points to do dumpling crawls
Jan - (DH & Me) Cancun, Mexico to use 4 free nights w/ Hyatt CC signups at the Hyatt Zilara All Inclusive, SWA points & companion pass to get there
I fly out of SLC, but can get cheap/easy positioning flights to LAX and other western airports. Historically, flights from LAX to Australia, New Zealand, and SE Asia have gone on sale for as little as $300-$400/person in economy, so I feel like points transfers are difficult to justify. Also, with 6 people, using hotels internationally doesn't usually make sense because we need 2-3 rooms, so the points requirements gets really high when we can get an airbnb for pretty cheap, often with laundry. I want to use points, but beyond domestic destinations, I have not found a good way to use them for such a large family. I don't really understand AMEX MR and the cards with the most points usually require pretty high spend. However, I think it would be good to diversify beyond Chase. I have yet to MS beyond buying a few Visa gift cards at my local Krogers when on sale to top off spend when we had 2 cards that needed spend. I just used the Visa gift cards directly.
I feel like I could do way better at the points game, but just need some direction. Can you help?
We have a very old Bank of America CC, and we each did a previous round of SWA CC for the companion pass about 6 years back. Other than that, these are all our credit cards. We both have credit scores over 800 points and do not need a mortgage or other loan any time soon. We pay in full every month. We both have side businesses, so we can get business cards.
DH Current CC
05-17 Chase SWA Personal
05-17 Chase SWA Business
11-17 Chase Hyatt Old Version
04-18 Chase IHG Old Version
05-19 Chase Ink Business Preferred
My Current CC
11-17 Chase Hyatt Old Version
04-18 Chase IHG Old Version
10-18 Chase Ink Business Preferred
04-20 Chase Sapphire Preferred
Airports: SLC, LAS, cheap, easy position flights to LAX or SFO, or others on west coast.
I have a family of 6- Me, DH, DS-11, DS-9, DS-5, DS-3
Yes, I am Chase heavy, mostly because we used to live far from family and used the SWA companion pass and points to visit family across the country about 5-6 times a year. Now we live close to my husband's family. My family used to live within a day's drive, but they have since dispersed all over. I have decided to meet family for destination get togethers rather than just visiting a single person, since we all live so far away.
When we moved to UT, I found that while we had plenty of flight points via SWA, we were spending a bunch on hotels, so I got the Hyatt and IHG cards to get points and 4 annual nights annually. We got the Chase Ink Business because my brother was supposed to have his wedding in the Philippines this year, and I was saving up flexible points/ready to pay at 1.25/pt for a good airfare deal. That didn't pan out, of course, but I got the Chase Sapphire Preferred because we are remodeling our master bedroom & bath and wanted to put big spend items towards a new bonus. I plan to refer my husband next, so he can get the points as well.
However, I am not sure what to do going forward. We adopted 3 more children 3 years ago, so now we are a family of 6. Should I go crazy racking up as many points as possible and try for business class for everyone, or should I just be happy with economy class? We take up 6 seats, so usually 2 rows, which is a sort of poor man's business class of its own. Someone usually ends up on the floor during a long haul, and 2 people usually share 3 seats. It's not bad, but I still don't sleep!
Dream destinations: Israel, Kenya, New Zealand, Australia, and SE Asia - mostly Siem Reap, Myanmar, and Bangkok
Recent travel history, so you can see how I've used points in the past:
2019
Nov - (all 6) Kobe, Japan - visiting DH's parents for Thanksgiving using cash (forgot that I could have used UR points plus cash to buy them)
Oct - (all 6) San Diego Kids Free October for San Diego Zoo, Kids' Fall Break driving & using free night certificates from Hyatt CC
Sept - (DH & Me) China w/ DH on business - flat fee reimbursement paid for both our flights & my mom's to come watch our kids
July/Aug - (all 6) 5 week drive across the country to sightsee & visit family in MO & NH. Used Hyatt points to pay for Hyatt Places along the way using Hyatt/transferring UR points & stayed w/ family & friends
July - (DH & Me) visited my brother in Puerto Rico while my mom watched our boys at her house in the middle of our road trip. Cash Jetblue flight
Jan - (all 6) weekend night warm getaway in Hyatt Place Las Vegas to swim & eat at kids eat free buffet using Hyatt points.
2018
Nov - (all 6) Orlando, FL for Universal Studios - used SWA points for flights, parents paid for $150/nt 6 bedroom house w/ pool.
May - (all 6) Oahu, HI using flight credit from DH getting bumped & staying w/ friends
Feb-Apr - (DH & Me) Several day trips or overnight trips to LA using SWA companion pass & points, and occasional Hyatt points to do dumpling crawls
Jan - (DH & Me) Cancun, Mexico to use 4 free nights w/ Hyatt CC signups at the Hyatt Zilara All Inclusive, SWA points & companion pass to get there
Patience, they are trying.
) I will not take the ability to travel for granted. This situation has given me a new perspective on how fortunate my family has been to travel the places we have. Right now I’m planning a simple weekend trip to San Diego, and it honestly feels “risky” in the sense of possible changes or restrictions due to the virus. I never thought what was once a “hey lets get in the car and go to San Diego for the weekend” trip would turn into a “I hope us Arizonians are allowed into California” 
