For years, our family travel planning looked the same: I’d spend hours on Google hunting for the absolute cheapest tickets, book whatever budget hotel had the lowest nightly rate, and call it a win. We were traveling, sure – but we were leaving so much money on the table.
Every flight, every hotel stay, every rental car… we were spending the money anyway, but getting absolutely nothing back for it. No points, no miles, no perks. Meanwhile, I’d hear about other families taking seemingly extravagant trips and wonder how they could afford it.
Then I discovered what I’d been missing: travel rewards programs aren’t just for business travelers and points obsessives. They’re actually incredibly straightforward tools that let families like ours travel more often – and better – without spending more money.
Here’s the thing: whether you’re booking the cheapest flight or splurging on a little nicer hotel, you’re spending that money either way. The only difference is whether you’re getting something back that you can use toward your next trip. Once I understood that, everything changed.
Now? We’re still budget-conscious travelers. We still look for good deals. But we’re also earning points on every purchase we make, staying at hotels that actually reward our loyalty, and flying airlines where our business matters. The result is that we travel more frequently, sometimes entirely on points, and we’re building toward bigger trips we never thought possible.
So grab your coffee (or wine – no judgment here), and let me walk you through everything you need to know about the best travel rewards programs for families in 2026. This isn’t complicated, I promise – and it’s going to change how your family travels.
Why Travel Rewards Matter for Families
If you’ve priced out a family vacation lately, you know the struggle is real. Four plane tickets? That can easily be $1,200-$2,000 for a domestic trip, and don’t even get me started on international flights. Phew! Then add hotels, rental cars, and all the food, and suddenly that dream vacation feels like a year’s college tuition.
This is exactly why travel loyalty programs exist – and why they’re especially valuable for families. When you’re booking multiple tickets and need larger accommodations, the costs multiply fast. But the rewards you can earn multiply, too.
The best travel rewards programs for families allow you to turn your regular spending – groceries, gas, bills you’re paying anyway – into points that cover those big-ticket travel expenses. Some families save thousands of dollars a year this way, making travel that was previously impossible suddenly very doable.
Understanding How Travel Rewards Programs Actually Work
Before we dive into specific programs, let’s cover the basics. There are three main types of travel rewards programs you’ll encounter:
Airline loyalty programs (also called frequent flyer programs), where you earn miles for flights and other purchases, then redeem those miles for free flights or upgrades.
Hotel loyalty programs where you earn points for hotel stays and can use those points for free nights, room upgrades, and other perks.
Credit card rewards programs that earn flexible points you can transfer to various airline or hotel partners, or use to book travel directly through the credit card’s portal.
The magic happens when you combine all three. You use a rewards credit card to earn points on everyday spending, you book flights through an airline loyalty program to earn miles, and you stay at hotels within a hotel loyalty program to rack up points there, too. Everything works together to maximize what you’re earning.
The Top Travel Rewards Programs for Families in 2026
Let me break down the programs that actually deliver value for families, based on the latest rankings and my own research into what works when you’re booking for multiple people.
Best Airline Rewards Programs
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan (Now Called Atmos Rewards)
Alaska Airlines took the number one spot for best airline rewards program again this year, and for good reason. What makes this program special for families is that you earn miles based on the distance you fly, not how much you spend on your ticket. This is HUGE if you’re booking basic economy to save money – you still earn the same miles as someone in first class. And starting in 2026, you’ll have the option to choose whether you want to earn points based on distance, price paid, or segments flown. This should appeal to both business and economy travelers!
The Atmos Rewards program offers some seriously useful perks once you reach elite status, including free upgrades, checked bags, and same-day flight changes. Plus, Alaska Airlines is part of the oneworld alliance, which means you can earn and redeem miles on partner airlines like American Airlines and British Airways. That flexibility is clutch when you’re trying to find four seats together on the same flight.
And as of October 2025, Hawaiian Airlines has joined the Atmos rewards family and will help you build up those Atmos loyalty points!
United jumped to the number two spot last year, and it’s an excellent choice if you live near a United hub. The airline has an absolutely massive route network – over 40 airline partners through the Star Alliance – which gives you tons of options for using your miles.
What I love about United for families: they launched a partnership with JetBlue in late 2025, which will make it even easier to earn and redeem miles on flights your family actually wants to take. Plus, you can use MileagePlus miles for hotel stays with major brands like Marriott, Hyatt, and others, giving you more flexibility in how you redeem.
American Airlines AAdvantage ranks third, and it’s a solid program with access to over 900 destinations through oneworld partners. The program offers loyalty point boosts that help you achieve elite status faster, which can make family travel so much more comfortable with perks like priority boarding and free checked bags.
One tip: if you fly American frequently, those free checked bags alone can save a family of four around $120-$240 per round trip. That adds up fast.
Now, Southwest didn’t rank in the top three overall, but I have to mention them because they’re phenomenal for families. Southwest has no blackout dates – literally every seat on every flight is available to book with points. And they offer the famous Companion Pass, which lets one person fly free (just paying taxes and fees, usually around $5.60 each way) for up to two years.
For families, this is game-changing. Earn the Companion Pass, and suddenly you’re only paying for three tickets instead of four. Southwest also lets families with children under 6 board early, which makes getting seats together much easier.
Best Hotel Rewards Programs
Choice Privileges took the number one spot for hotel rewards programs in 2025, and honestly, I think it’s because they just get it. Choice Hotels operates over 7,400 properties ranging from budget-friendly Econo Lodge to upscale Cambria Hotels, and even includes Radisson properties now.
What makes Choice Privileges great for families is how quickly you can earn a free night. The earning structure is straightforward, and you can reach elite status after just 10 nights, which gets you perks like room upgrades, early check-in, and late checkout.
Marriott Bonvoy is the behemoth of hotel loyalty programs, and while it can be complex, it offers incredible value for families. With 30+ brands and thousands of properties worldwide, you’ve got options for every budget and travel style. It’s the first loyalty program we joined 15 years ago, and we have booked literally dozens of rooms on points.
Here’s what matters for larger families: many Marriott properties offer a 50% second-room discount when kids 16 and under occupy it. (Note: the discount is applied at arrival, not booking, so call the hotel ahead of time to verify they’ll honor it.) Also, when you book on points, the 5th night is always free. We’ve been able to extend many of our vacations by a day because of this perk! In addition, once you have platinum status, you have access to the lounge, meaning free drinks, snacks, and breakfast during your stay.
You can also earn Bonvoy points through a co-branded credit card and use those points for everything from budget hotels to luxury resorts.
Hilton Honors covers over 7,000 properties across 22 brands in more than 170 countries. The program offers confirmed connecting rooms (huge for families who need to spread out), mobile check-in to skip lines with impatient kids, and the ability to pool points between family members.
Hilton’s family-friendly brands like Embassy Suites (all-suites, perfect for families) and their all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean make this program especially valuable if you’re planning beach vacations.
World of Hyatt consistently ranks in the top three hotel loyalty programs, and travelers love it for good reason. While Hyatt has fewer properties than Marriott or Hilton, the quality is generally excellent, and the program is incredibly generous with perks.
Hyatt offers some of the best value when you redeem points for hotel stays, and they’re a popular transfer partner for Chase Ultimate Rewards points. If you’re strategic about earning and redeeming, you can score luxury hotel stays at a fraction of the cash price!
How to Actually Maximize These Programs (Without Losing Your Mind)
Okay, so you know which programs are worth joining. Now let’s talk strategy, because just signing up isn’t enough – you need to use these programs intentionally to get real value.
Start with One Flexible Credit Card
The fastest way to rack up enough points for family travel is through credit card sign-up bonuses. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred offer substantial welcome bonuses – often 75,000 points or more after you spend a certain amount in the first few months. (I was able to nab a 100k point bonus, so be on the lookout for promotions!)
Here’s why this matters: those 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points could cover three nights at a great hotel in a major city, or multiple domestic round-trip flights. That’s not pocket change – that’s a family vacation. You can redeem them 1:1 at hotel and airline transfer partners or on the Chase Travel Portal. They also offer “point boosts” at certain times, so watch for any promotions to get even more bang for your buck.
Use your rewards credit card for everything you’re already buying: groceries, gas, bills, and back-to-school shopping. The points add up quickly, especially if you choose a card that offers bonus earning in categories where your family spends the most.
Focus Your Hotel and Airline Loyalty
Once you’ve got a solid credit card rewards program, pick one airline loyalty program and one hotel loyalty program to focus on. We started with the American Airlines AAdvantage program (we’re near the main hub in DFW) and the Marriott Bonvoy program. This is key – spreading yourself too thin across six different programs means you’ll never earn enough points in any single program to actually redeem for meaningful rewards.
Choose your airline based on which one has the most flights from your home airport. If you live near a Delta hub, Delta SkyMiles makes sense. Near American Airlines? Go with AAdvantage. The goal is to concentrate your earnings so you can actually reach elite status and unlock better perks.
For hotels, if you’re aiming for budget travel, I’d recommend starting with a program like Choice or Hyatt, where you’ll get more bang for your buck. While I love the Marriott program and am very invested in it after 15 years of travel, if I were to start all over, I’d definitely go with Choice or Hyatt.
Take Advantage of Point Pooling
Several programs allow family members to pool points or miles, which is incredibly useful when you need enough points to book for multiple people. JetBlue and United both allow this for airlines. On the hotel side, Hilton makes pooling super easy with one-to-one transfer ratios.
Some families even set up a strategy where one person’s account becomes the “family bank” – everyone funnels their points there, and that account is used to book family trips. It requires coordination, but it works.
Don’t Ignore Elite Status Benefits
I know, I know – “elite status” sounds pretentious and cringy. But hear me out. Many programs offer their first tier of elite status after just 10-25 nights or flights per year. If your family travels even semi-regularly, you might hit this naturally. And if you have certain travel credit cards, like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express, they automatically provide you with elite status.
The perks at even basic elite status levels can make a huge difference in family travel comfort: free checked bags (saving $30-$50 per bag, per person, each way), priority boarding, free upgrades when available, late checkout, and sometimes complimentary breakfast or lounge access. For a family of four taking just three trips a year, those free checked bags alone could save you $1000+ annually.
Book Strategically to Stretch Your Points Further
Not all redemptions are created equal. Sometimes using 50,000 points gets you a $400 hotel stay, while other times it only covers $200 worth of value. Learning to evaluate redemption values helps you maximize what you’ve earned.
Also, be flexible when possible. Traveling during off-peak times often requires fewer points for the same flights or hotel stays. You can often get great deals for “business” hotels on weekends when the demand is lower, while “tourist” hotels often offer lower rates on Sunday-Thursday evenings.
Award availability for families of four can sometimes be challenging during peak seasons, but if you can shift your travel to shoulder season, you’ll find better options and often need fewer points to book.
My Top Tips for Getting Started
If you’re new to this whole world, start simple:
Month One: Sign up for one travel rewards credit card with a good sign-up bonus. Make sure you can comfortably meet the minimum spending requirement. Enroll your entire family in your chosen airline loyalty program and sign one of the grownups up for a hotel loyalty program (or both if they offer family points poolings).
Month Two: Start using that credit card for all purchases you’d normally make anyway. Don’t change your spending habits just to earn points – that defeats the purpose. The goal is to earn rewards on spending you’re already doing. And be sure you pay that credit card off at the end of the month! If you’re accruing interest on that credit card, it totally defeats the purpose of budget rewards travel.
Month Three: By now, you should have earned your sign-up bonus. Start researching how to redeem those points for your next family trip. If you need more points, see if they offer a referral bonus, and have your partner or spouse sign up and rake in some points, too!
Common Questions I Hear All the Time
“Do points expire?” Most programs require some activity every 12-18 months to keep points from expiring, but this is easy to avoid. Make one purchase with a co-branded credit card, book one flight, or stay one night at a hotel in that loyalty program, and your points stay active.
“Can my kids earn their own points?” Absolutely! Children can have their own frequent flyer accounts and hotel loyalty accounts from birth. They won’t earn points through credit cards until they’re 18, but any flights they take or hotel stays under their name can earn them points.
“What if I don’t have enough points for everyone?” You don’t have to book everything with points. We often use a hybrid approach – book three tickets with miles and pay cash for the other two, or use points for hotels and pay cash for flights. Even covering part of your trip with rewards significantly reduces out-of-pocket costs.
Making It Work for Your Family
Look, I’m not going to pretend that the best travel rewards programs for families are going to magically make every vacation free. But here’s what they absolutely can do: they can make travel that felt financially impossible suddenly realistic. They can upgrade your family’s travel experience without upgrading your budget. And they can turn the everyday spending you’re already doing into memories with your kids.
Start with one credit card, one airline, and one hotel program. Use them intentionally. Book your first award trip, even if it’s small. Then build from there. Before you know it, you’ll be that family traveling more often and spending less, wondering why you didn’t start sooner.
Your next family adventure is waiting – and now you know how to make it happen with points and miles without breaking the bank.
Ready to dive deeper into specific programs or credit card recommendations? Check out our other resources on budget family travel at MeredithAdkisson.com, where we make travel planning actually manageable for real families.
