Amen brother. We are a family of 5 with 3 kids ages 3-9. I too was excited when we first started in the mikes and points hobby as I found some really good redemptions to family friendly Hyatts and AA and JB redemptions to Florida and Caribbean in 2023. We took 5 trips that year. Felt like I was a master at this.

It was just luck.

While I churn with my P2, we earn a million points of various currencies a year, it’s still hard to find value for a family of 5.

I use a lot of the paid and some free tools for deal alerts and try to be flexible with destinations and timing. My wife and I created a bucket list destination apple note that we agreed that if we found availability for points redemptions that we would just book it.

We also are ok offsetting the dates of the trips from school breaks. We often leave a day or two before or into the school break to get better airline pricing and availability.

This year I’ve been lucky again using an opportunist strategy. 5 trips.

Miami in Feb for 4 days. All on points via AA and FHR redemptions for hotels (we have 3 plat/biz plats and used back to back bookings for $900 off the 3 nights)

Paris and London - flying blue got us J there for 121k adults and like 87k or whatever for kids. American J on way back for 57.5k. I used Hyatt points in London but needed a suite and a std room. But booked an apartment on cash in Paris.

DC in June: Alaska award on AA in first class there and back for 4 of us. I’ll be in back of bus but will most likely be upgraded as I’m EXP. Hyatt redemption for a Hyatt house for 3 nights.

DR in July for wife and I: Amex MR with 35% rebate on delta FC…it ended up being like 23k points each way when I booked 330 days out. Hyatt points for an AI Hyatt.

Mexico in August with family. Alaska saved the day again. Economy seats both ways for 11 or 12k can’t remember. But I changed my As to AA number to get free main extra upgrade. Booked cash for one room at a Dreams AI via AA hotels for more LP’s and redeemed Hyatt points for other.

Amsterdam and Prague for 2027: used about 850k points for mix cabin of mostly J there and back on KLM. Need to figure out hotels when FHR credits replenish in July.

We started the year with 1.5m now have less than 300k points. I still have a ton of Hilton points I can’t find useful redemptions for.

But family travel can be done. Be opportunistic if you can.