Family Travel Unpacked: Make the Most of Travel With Kids

Family Travel Unpacked is a family travel podcast for parents who want to travel with kids more easily, confidently, and joyfully. Hosted by Melissa from The Family Voyage , each episode breaks down real-life family travel strategies, smart planning tips, and destination inspiration so travel with kids actually feels doable. From packing hacks and family vacation planning to hotel tips, points and award travel for families, and travel mistakes to avoid, you’ll laugh, learn, and walk away ready to plan your next stress-free family trip.

Family Travel Unpacked: Make the Most of Travel With Kids is a society podcast hosted by Melissa Conn, with 52 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Melissa Conn hosts Family Travel Unpacked: Make the Most of Travel With Kids, a society show with 52 episodes published.

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  Episode #52

  Travel with kids for FREE? Yes please! (Replay)

  Aug 11, 202627 minS1

  Our Trip Fell Apart (But Our Points Didn't) — Plus How to Travel for Free with Kids A Southwest delay killed our Charleston beach trip — but because it was booked on points, we walked away without losing a dime. Here's exactly how we unwound three different award bookings, plus a full breakdown of how to earn and use points to travel with kids for free. Melissa was supposed to be recapping a family beach getaway to Wild Dunes, a Hyatt resort near Charleston. Instead, a cascading Southwest delay forced a last-minute cancellation — and this episode walks through how to cancel an award flight, an award hotel stay, and a rental car booking without eating the cost. Then it's a deep dive into the credit card and points strategy that makes free family travel possible in the first place. In This Episode How to cancel an award flight and get every point back What really happens when you cancel a hotel award stay inside the cancellation window Two ways to avoid a last-minute hotel cancellation fee Why rental car bookings through travel portals (Capital One, Chase, Priceline) can get complicated Why earning points is harder for families than solo travelers The fastest way to earn points: credit card sign-up bonuses Best starter cards for family travel (Chase Sapphire Preferred, Ink Business) How to search and book award flights (Google Flights, PointsYeah, AwardTool, airline alliances) What a repositioning flight or drive is, and when it's worth it The Southwest Companion Pass strategy for families Hotel points strategy for families (Hyatt, IHG, Hilton, Choice) Practical tips for booking flights and hotel rooms with kids Chapters 00:00 Intro & catching up 01:00 The Wild Dunes trip and the cancellation cascade 03:00 Unwinding the points: flight, hotel, and rental car 08:30 Why points are harder to use for families 09:30 Earning points: sign-up bonuses and transferable points 13:00 Booking award flights (tools, alliances, repositioning) 18:30 The Southwest Companion Pass 20:30 Hotel strategies: Hyatt, IHG, Hilton, Choice 25:00 Practical tips and wrap-up Chase Sapphire credit cards Best Travel Credit Cards for Families Southwest Companion Pass Four Reasons I LOVE Award Travel How to get discounted rental cars Chase Freedom credit cards Chase Ink Business credit cards Capital One Venture X credit card Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop ! Chase Sapphire credit cards

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  Episode #51

  Philadelphia Recap: 24 Hours in the City of Brotherly Love

  Jul 28, 20269 minS1

  Planning a weekend trip to Philadelphia? We spent 24 hours in the city using points for flights and a free hotel night, hitting Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and some of the best Israeli food in the country. We flew nonstop on American using Alaska Atmos points, stayed at the Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square on a free night certificate, and packed in a museum, three restaurants, and a same-day Independence Hall reservation — all in one night. In this episode: Booking nonstop American flights with Alaska Atmos points (9,000 for first class out, 4,500 for economy home) A free night at the Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square using a Hyatt credit card certificate The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History's exhibit on the Jewish merchants who supplied the American Revolution Dinner at Zahav, brunch at Dizengoff, and lunch at Goldie — three spots from chef Michael Solomonov's CookNSolo group Booking a same-day Independence Hall tour through recreation.gov Where past Philly trips with the kids fit in — the Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, and the Museum of the American Revolution Timestamps (estimated — confirm against final recording before publishing) 00:00 — Intro 01:15 — How we booked it: Alaska Atmos points 03:00 — Past Philly trips & who it's for 04:30 — Weitzman Museum exhibit 06:00 — Zahav, Dizengoff, and Goldie 08:00 — Independence Hall in 25 minutes 09:30 — Liberty Bell and Rittenhouse Square 11:00 — Hyatt Centric review + outro Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop ! Chase Sapphire credit cards

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  Episode #50

  Boston With Kids Recap: Taking a Bite of Beantown

  Jul 21, 20269 minS1

  Boston with kids doesn't have to mean one long trip — after two separate weekend visits in the same year, here's what's worth doing, where to stay on points, and the one expense that caught us off guard. In this episode 50 recap, I compare two Hyatt Regency stays booked on free night certificates, share the Alaska Atmos points trick that got us into first class for less than economy, and break down where to eat, tour, and skip the rideshare surprise that cost us the most. In this episode: Why we're recapping two different Boston trips — one with our daughter last summer, one solo-parent-turned-family-reunion this year — in a single episode Booking first class on American Airlines for just 9,000 Alaska Atmos points each, because airfare spiked and economy award seats disappeared Hyatt Regency Boston vs. Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor: same category 4 free night certificate, two completely different trips Boston Tea Party Museum and a guided Freedom Trail walking tour — why paying for a guide beat doing it ourselves in our 20s The surprise expense Getting around Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor without a car: the shuttle, the $2.40 ferry, and why weekends are trickier than weekdays Who Boston is best for, from toddlers to a no-kids weekend away Boston travel resources Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum Freedom Trail guided tour Duck boat tour Hyatt Place Boston/Seaport Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop ! Chase Sapphire credit cards

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  Episode #49

  London vs. Azores Recap: A Kid's Take

  Jul 14, 202611 minS1

  Wondering whether London or the Azores is the better pick for your next family trip? In this episode of Family Travel Unpacked, my 12 year old takes over as our tween travel expert and gives her honest, unfiltered review of both destinations, from Harrods and the West End in London to hiking, hot tubs, and Europe's only tea plantation in São Miguel, the Azores. We just got back from London and the Azores, and this trip felt like two completely different vacations back to back — a huge European capital followed by a small, nature-focused island. Shoshana breaks down what surprised her, her favorite hotel, how gluten-free eating (she has Celiac disease) compared between the two, and which destination won her over in the end. We also booked this entire trip on points, covering flights and hotels for basically nothing out of pocket until we landed. The full breakdown of the 600,000-plus points we used is back in Episode 42, and full-length, in-depth episodes on London and the Azores individually are coming later this summer and into fall. In this episode: What it's really like traveling with a tween through London vs. São Miguel, Azores Hotel reviews: The Standard London vs. DoubleTree by Hilton São Miguel Must-do family activities in London, including the Jellycat store at Harrods and the West End show Hadestown Why São Miguel felt like "the Hawaii of the Atlantic" — hiking, the rooftop and indoor pools, and Europe's only tea plantation Navigating gluten-free and Celiac-friendly eating in London and the Azores, including a splurge-worthy dinner at Niche Gluten Free Shoshana's honest verdict: London or São Miguel, and what she'd do differently next time A reminder that this trip was booked almost entirely on points — full breakdown in Episode 42 Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro & the Episode 42 points recap 01:23 — Bringing in our tween travel expert 02:16 — London highs and lows 04:00 — Azores highs and lows 06:09 — Gluten-free travel: London vs. the Azores 08:04 — Wrapping up Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop ! Chase Sapphire credit cards

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  Episode #48

  The Ins and Outs of Unaccompanied Minor Travel

  Jul 7, 202629 minS1

  Kids Flying Alone? Everything Parents Need to Know About Unaccompanied Minor Travel Can kids fly alone — and how does it actually work? This episode covers everything parents need to know about domestic unaccompanied minor travel, from airline policies and fees to what really happens at the airport. Melissa shares firsthand experience from multiple solo flights her own kids have taken, breaks down the rules for every major US carrier, and explains how to use points to book UNMR tickets. Jacob and Shoshana also join to share advice directly for kids about to take their first solo flight. In this episode: What unaccompanied minor (UNMR) service is and which ages it applies to Age-based nonstop vs. connecting rules — and why United is the strict outlier Fee structures and policies for American, Delta, United, Southwest, and Alaska How to book UNMR flights with points — and when partner bookings get complicated Credit cards that can offset the $150 UNMR fee (Amex Platinum, Hilton Aspire, Citi Strata Elite, and more) The airport process step by step: two-hour arrival, gate passes, regular security (no PreCheck/CLEAR), waiting until the plane is airborne What to have ready before you get to the check-in counter What to tell your child if the pickup adult isn't there when they land Baggage strategy: backpacks only, ship the big bags for camp trips Keeping in touch: Apple Watch, Apple Cash, Airalo eSIM, FlightAware Jacob and Shoshana's advice for kids taking their first solo flight Timestamps: 01:30 — What UNMR service is 03:45 — Airline policies and fees 09:00 — Accompanying adult age rules 09:45 — Booking with points 12:30 — Credit cards that offset the fee 13:30 — The airport process 21:00 — Preparing your child 25:15 — Jacob and Shoshana's advice Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop ! Chase Sapphire credit cards

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