Category: Podcast

The activities we did in Madrid (Food Tour and Flamenco show!): vi.me/1T9xd

If you're planning a trip to Europe using points and miles or have questions about traveling as a family of five, follow us on Instagram @TravelPartyofFive where we share highlights and tips from our adventures.

In this episode:

We travel to Madrid as part of our two-week European adventure, staying at the Hyatt Centric Gran Via using points, free night certificates, and suite upgrades for our family of five.

• Taking the train from Barcelona to Madrid is simple and stress-free compared to flying
• The Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid offers excellent location, service, and a memorable breakfast experience
• Experiencing a flamenco show provides cultural entertainment even children can appreciate
• The Royal Palace of Madrid showcases incredible opulence with special access to the royal kitchens
• Madrid's tapas culture is perfect for families, allowing everyone to try small portions of different foods
• Adjusting plans for rainy weather led to unexpected discoveries like the Museum of Illusions
• Retiro Park offers a beautiful outdoor space for kids to play when weather permits
• Following recommendations from “Somebody Feed Phil” led to authentic food experiences
• Using Hyatt Globalist status maximizes value with free breakfast and potential room upgrades

Barcelona captivated us with its stunning architecture, vibrant culture, and delicious cuisine while we strategically used Hyatt points and upgrade awards to minimize travel costs. We navigated rainy weather by pivoting our plans, discovering indoor treasures and developing a daily rhythm that balanced sightseeing with leisurely meals at the hotel's exceptional club lounge.

• Used points for Grand Hyatt Barcelona, strategically applying suite upgrade and club access awards
• Experienced an enormous junior suite with a bathroom “as big as our entire Paris hotel room”
• Enjoyed the hotel's exceptional breakfast buffet featuring churros, chocolate, and Nutella on tap
• Visited Barcelona Aquarium and Time Out Market food hall during unexpected rainy weather
• Explored Mercado de la Boqueria for an impromptu family food tour sampling local specialties
• Took a family-friendly walking tour through the Gothic Quarter with churros and chocolate
• Marveled at Park Güell's whimsical “gingerbread houses” while kids chased pigeons
• Toured the breathtaking Sagrada Familia with its stunning colored stained glass windows
• Savored daily churros con chocolate, seafood paella, and exceptional pastries
• Missed beach visits and Tibidabo amusement park due to weather but already planning our return

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Paris Macaron Class: vi.me/mTi2C

Bespoke Family Tours of Paris with Zoe at The Petit Guide (we did the Montmartre tour)

Photo shoot: Flytographer! If you've never used them before, use my link to get $25 off your first photo shoot! 

In this episode, we're sharing how we took our family of 5 to Paris using travel points, showing how we explored Paris while staying at the Hyatt Regency Paris E'toile with Eiffel Tower views. We break down exactly how we managed hotel accommodations, transportation, dining and activities for three kids in one of Europe's most beautiful cities.

• Using 85,000 airline points to fly all five family members to Paris
• Navigating European hotel room limitations with connecting rooms for families
• Taking advantage of Club Lounge access at Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile
• Using the Paris Metro system with kids – surprisingly easy with navigation apps
• Participating in kid-friendly activities like The Petite Guide tour of Montmartre
• Taking a macaroon-making class where kids got hands-on experience
• Visiting the Louvre Museum and seeing Napoleon's apartments
• Enjoying the Tuileries Gardens with playground, trampolines and carousel
• Finding family-friendly dining at Le Relais de L'Entrecôte and Brasserie de Louvre
• Experiencing unexpected kindness from strangers on the Metro

If you enjoyed hearing about our Paris adventures, please share this episode with a friend who might be planning their own family trip!

We break down exactly how we booked our entire family of five for a two-week European adventure across Paris, Barcelona, and Madrid using points and miles. This trip demonstrates how strategic credit card usage, elite status benefits, and advance planning can transform an expensive dream vacation into an affordable reality.

• Booked 5 economy seats on Air France for 85,000 Flying Blue miles with 25% discount for kids under 11
• Leveraged Hyatt Globalist status to secure club access and connecting rooms at multiple properties
• Used suite upgrade awards to enhance accommodation experience for the family
• Booked high-speed train from Barcelona to Madrid using the Omio app 
• Secured premium economy return flights through Virgin Atlantic using 150,000 transferred Amex points
• Communicated with hotels 6-8 weeks in advance to confirm connecting rooms and family accommodations
• Used free night certificates and airline credits to minimize out-of-pocket expenses
• Total cost under $2,000 for round-trip flights to Europe for a family of five

If you have questions about planning your own family trip using points and miles, find me on Instagram and say hello! I'm happy to answer them.

We explore strategies for handling credit card denials and share insights on navigating bank-specific rules to improve approval odds while discussing recent Hyatt award chart devaluations affecting popular properties worldwide.

• Cancellation strategies for point bookings when plans change, including leveraging elite status for fee waivers
• Comprehensive overview of Hyatt's 2024 award chart changes affecting 118 properties moving to higher categories and 30 moving lower
• Notable category increases for popular properties including Grand Hyatt Kauai, Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, and multiple Japan hotels
• Personal experience with recent credit card denials for Capital One Spark despite strategic application approaches
• Bank-specific approval strategies including closing older Chase Ink cards before applying for new ones
• Using an EIN instead of SSN for business card applications to improve approval odds
• Understanding American Express “pop-up jail” and potential workarounds
• Application timing rules for major banks: Capital One (one card every six months), Citi (one card every eight days), and Barclays spending requirements

Remember that credit card denials aren't personal—they're algorithmic decisions based on specific data points. Take a deep breath and be patient if you experience rejections, as this is a marathon rather than a sprint.