Sign up! for our OCM newsletter. Absolutely FREE.

Family Summer Vacation Travel Tips

Family Summer Vacation Travel Tips – Maximizing loyalty reward programs is one way to get upgrades throughout your summer vacation.

Whether families have planned their summer vacation for months or are in the process of throwing something together, there are ways to save money and trade up for perks. I spoke to travel expert Kendra Thornton for more summer vacation travel tips and how to make those loyalty rewards programs work extra hard for you and your family.

Family Summer Vacation Travel Tips

Lisa LaGrou of Oakland County Moms – I personally find loyalty programs to be over-complicated; how can we “work” the loyalty programs to our benefit?

Travel Expert Kendra Thornton – I think one thing people need to keep in mind is that not all travel loyalty programs are created equal. So, you really have to dig in and read the fine print and understand, you know, some are better at getting you domestic flights, some are better at getting you international flights, some are better at getting you hotel stays… so look for the program that really aligns with your specific traveler wants and needs out of the program. And, secondly, if you’re someone who’s really good at managing your credit cards, these travel reward cards are great during the introductory offers that they have because you can get a ton of bonus miles during that period… as many as 13 miles per dollar spent vs the average which is 1 or 2 miles per dollar spent. So, maximize those bonus periods and when those expire, then move on and start another card. And, that’s one way to really rack up the rewards points very conveniently. And, last, I’m here at the Comfort Inn and Suites in Virgina Beach. It’s a beautiful day here, and they are a part of the choice hotels group that just did a survey on summer travel trends that found that about 1/3 of travelers this summer are directly influenced by their loyalty program in terms of how, when, and where they want to travel.

Lisa LaGrou of Oakland County Moms – For sure! That’s how some can afford it. So, when you’re making your reservations, what are some other things travelers should be on the lookout for when booking their trips (which perks should you be looking for)?

Travel Expert Kendra Thornton – Well, in terms of using your loyalty points, I mean, I think, the more advanced you can make this type of reservation the better because in a lot of cases, there’s only so much availability, especially when we’re talking about summer travel. It’s a busy time. I think, in terms of perks, one question I get a lot of times from travelers, especially those who have young children like me, is “How can I get more for my money spent?” Yes, use your rewards program but also, look for the hotels that are going to give the traveler more during their stay which is great because the Choice hotels… they have the sleep-ins and the comfort branded hotels that give you free internet and free breakfast daily. And, if you’re someone like me with three little kids, it’s a wonderful way to maximize and stretch your travel dollars because that’s one less meal you have to pay for.

Lisa LaGrou of Oakland County Moms – I’m sure it matters when you make a reservation. What is your recommendation for how far out you should make a reservation?

Travel Expert Kendra Thornton – Well, again, if you have very specific travel dates in mind, you can never book it too early. I mean, I think that the sooner you’re always going to have the better availability and ideally, the better pricing options. But, let’s say maybe you don’t have as much advance notice on a trip, then try to be a little bit flexible. Maybe you can’t just do the specific Thursday to Sunday long weekend getaway and you have to do more like a Wednesday to Saturday. Try to mix up your travel dates. That might give you some more flexibility on when you stay. And, I always mention in terms of if you do happen to be flying, although the survey found more people are going to be driving to their summer destination, but if you do happen to be flying, Wednesday’s typically the cheapest day to fly.

Lisa LaGrou of Oakland County Moms – What are the latest hot spots for summer vacation travel and some of the least popular summer destinations?

Travel Expert Kendra Thornton – Well, some of the most popular, about 50% of the people surveyed said they prefer to go to the beach this summer, so… they’re like me; the second most popular was the mountains; followed by a city getaway. And, the least popular was camping.

Lisa LaGrou of Oakland County Moms – That’s funny! Thank you for the time and for the summer vacation travel tips. Very interesting.

Travel Expert Kendra Thornton: And, people can go to ChoiceHotels.com to get more information on summer vacation travel tips.

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.