3 Insider Strategies I Use to Book Almost Free International Family Flights

 Most women are one simple strategy away from booking their first almost-free international flight — and they don’t even realize it.

Quick Take: Booking international flights with points isn’t about earning more — it’s about using flexible points, searching partner airlines, and booking one-way flights to unlock better availability and lower point costs.

If you’ve ever tried to book family flights with credit card points and walked away overwhelmed, frustrated, or convinced that “reward travel just isn’t for people like me,” this is for you.

I’m Lisa, a mom of four and the founder of Her Travel Club, where I teach women how to turn everyday spending — groceries, bills, and normal life expenses — into extraordinary international family adventures using simple, strategic credit card reward systems.

Today, I’m breaking down the three insider strategies I use every single time to fly my family of six around the world for nearly free — without advanced hacks, loopholes, or a wallet full of cards.

Strategy #1: Start With Flexible Points — Not Co-Branded Cards

This is where most families go wrong right from the start.

In the world of travel rewards, there are two types of cards:

❌ Co-Branded Cards (What Most People Choose)

These are cards tied to one airline or hotel brand, like:

• Delta SkyMiles

• American Airlines

• Hilton Honors

Yes, these cards earn points — but they come with huge limitations:

• Points are locked into one brand

• You can’t transfer them to other partners

• Award availability is often poor

• Fewer routes and fewer seats (especially for families)

If you’re trying to find 4–6 seats on the same flight, this lack of flexibility matters.

✅ Flexible Point Cards (Best for Beginners & when you don't want to churn credit cards)

Flexible point ecosystems allow you to transfer points to dozens of airline and hotel partners, giving you far more options and better value.

The three big ones I use:

• American Express Membership Rewards

• Chase Ultimate Rewards

• Capital One Miles

These cards act like a universal currency for travel.

Why Flexible Points Are Better for Families

Instead of being stuck with one airline’s prices and availability, you can shop across partners to find:

• Better routes

• Lower point costs

• More seats together

Real examples from my own bookings:

• Amex → Virgin Atlantic → book Delta flights for a fraction of the cost

• Chase → Air Canada → book United international routes

• Capital One → Air France / KLM → fly anywhere in Europe

Flexible points make reward travel cheaper, easier, and far more realistic — especially for families.

Strategy #2: Search Partner Airlines (Not the Obvious Ones)

This is the strategy that unlocks the biggest “aha” moment for most women.

Most people start their searches on:

• Delta.com

• United.com

• AmericanAirlines.com

They see outrageously high point prices (or nothing available) and assume family reward travel doesn’t work.

But the secret is this:
👉 Award seats often exist — just not where you’re looking.

The Key: Always Search Partner Airlines

Airlines release different award inventory to their partners, and those partners often price flights dramatically lower.

One of my favorite examples:

✨ Virgin Atlantic + Delta Flights

• Delta might charge 100,000–250,000 SkyMiles roundtrip to Europe

• Virgin Atlantic often charges 10,000–30,000 points each way for the same flight

This is how I consistently book international flights for my family of six — and still have travel points left over for solo trips and anniversaries.

Free Tools to Search Award Flights

You don’t need advanced paid software to start:

• Point.me

• Seats.Aero

You don’t need more points —
You just need to search smarter.

Strategy #3: Search One-Way Flights Instead of Round Trip

This strategy alone can cut your point cost in half.

Most families automatically search round-trip flights, but doing that:

• Limits your airline options

• Hides available award seats

• Reduces flexibility

Why One-Way Searches Work Better

When you search one-way flights, you:

• Unlock more partner airlines

• See more routing options

• Increase the chance of finding multiple seats together

• Can mix and match airlines for better deals

Real Example From My Own Travel

For an anniversary trip to Costa Rica:

• I booked Southwest on the way there

• American Airlines on the way back

This combination used about half the points of a round-trip booking — and that savings adds up fast when you’re booking for a family.

If your goal is to get the most seats for the fewest points, one-way searches are essential.

Bonus: How to Maximize Every Single Redemption

Finding great flights is only half the equation. The other half is knowing whether a redemption is actually worth it.

That’s why I created two tools I personally use for every trip:

1️⃣ Reward Redemption Calculator

Inside my Reward Travel Starter System, this calculator instantly tells you whether a flight is a good value — no math required.

2️⃣ Travel Budget Planner

This tool keeps the entire trip organized:

• Flights

• Hotels

• Food

• Transportation

• Activities

So you come home feeling energized — not stressed or overspent.

A Simple System for Busy Moms Who Want to Travel More

I built the Reward Travel Starter System because I wanted something:

• Simple

• Actionable

• Built for busy moms

• Focused on quick wins and real bookings

No extreme travel hacking.
No endless cards.
Just clear systems that turn everyday spending into unforgettable award travel family vacations.

👉 Here's the link if you want to learn more.