Trips with Family and Friends can be a blast for everyone involved — and a great opportunity for you to earn even more points and miles. You can easily accumulate bonus points or miles when you decide to Book part or all of the trip for your entire group. Then you just need to ask your companion to return the money they shared with you.
I have planned a number of group outings, from girls weekends to multi-generational family tripand rack up tens of thousands of points and miles in the process. Here are some tips I’ve learned to maximize your rewards when traveling in groups.
Related: Earn points and miles when you refer friends to loyalty programs and credit cards
Set expectations with a travel budget
Before you start planning your big adventure, discuss your options and set goals with your group. Where do you want to go? What type of trip are you looking for? What’s your budget?
Once your group has agreed on a rough plan, you can start the fun part: figuring out flights, hotels, and excursions. Personally, I find it easier to organize group travel when there’s one person in charge; plus, most of my loved ones have fun. Are not to become such a person.
Find travel deals and discounts
Just like when you book travel for yourself, be sure to check out multiple options — including travel portal — to ensure you get the best price and the most points. Also consider the type of rewards you’ll earn (air miles, hotel points, or Transferable Points) and how valuable they are to you.
For example, since many of my relatives were going to Colorado in October for my wedding, I offered to book hotel rooms for everyone. I found an affordable hotel near the wedding venue on Chase℠ Travel portal, where I earn up to 10 points per dollar spent thanks to the double points welcome offer on Chase Freedom Unlimited® (offer no longer available).
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is currently offering an additional 1.5% on all purchases (up to $20,000 spent in the first year)—worth up to $300 in cash back. So you’ll earn 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on restaurants and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
As a result, I earned about 40,000 Ultimate Rewards points for staying at the hotel for two nights. These points are worth 2.05 cents each, according to TPG’s July 2024 report. valuationand I know I can maximize my points by transferring them to travel partner to book future travel.
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Related: Credit cards with no annual fee and transferable points
Always be organized when planning your travel.
Travel planning can get stressful as you add more people to the mix, so staying organized and communicating is important.
When my fiancé and I planned our family cruise, we saved all relevant emails in a designated folder and tracked confirmation numbers and costs in a spreadsheet. We then forwarded the necessary information to each relative so they had everything they needed to meet us at the port.
As it turned out, the trip went smoothly for everyone — and we raised about $65,000. United Airlines Miles by booking everyone’s cabin through United Cruise Portal.
Related: Best Cruise Lines for Families
Last line
Booking a trip for a large group takes a little extra effort, but can pay off big in the form of points and miles.
Consider it a reward for your efforts in ensuring everyone has a smooth vacation.
I find booking trips for friends and family a lot of fun, and most people appreciate having someone else do the heavy lifting. Best of all, you get to share your love of travel with the people you love.
