Is this the end of travel rewards as we know it? 😱 Staying successful with miles and points in 2025 means keeping up with nonstop change — and that’s where I come in. In this episode I break down the biggest shifts I’m seeing right now from banks tightening approvals to pricey lounge access to Southwest’s new complexities — and what to do next so you keep flying free without juggling 20 cards. I’ve spent 10+ years in this space and coach hundreds of families every month, so you’ll hear the simple, real-time strategies that are actually working today 🔄.

Listen in to learn:

• How to adjust when banks tighten and bonuses shrink
• Which cards to keep vs cut
• Easy ways to earn more and spend fewer points on every trip

If you want ongoing, up-to-the-minute guidance you can trust — plus monthly live Q&As, community tips tested in real bookings, and my step-by-step Fly Free Formula — join my Families Fly Free membership. I stay on top of the changes so you don’t have to 🧠.

Ready to simplify and always travel free? Join at FamiliesFlyFree.com/join.

Ready to add a little spooky fun to your travels this fall? 🎃 In this episode of the Families Fly Free podcast, I’m joined by Heather Alexander, author of Haunted USA, to uncover eerie—and family-friendly—ghost stories from all 50 states.

From haunted hotels and mysterious lighthouses to tap-dancing ghosts and legendary pirates, you’ll discover plenty of places to explore this Halloween season without the gore.

Whether you’re planning a fall getaway, looking for unique history lessons for the kids, or just love a good ghost story, this episode will spark ideas for memorable (and slightly spooky!) adventures.

Want to fly free to haunted hotels or pumpkin-filled fall destinations? Join Families Fly Free and I’ll show you my simple formula to make it happen: FamiliesFlyFree.com/join

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 42: My Favorite Family Halloween Travel "Treat": Disneyland at Halloween
• Episode 43: Yikes! Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights: Your Guide From a Mom's Perspective
• Episode 76: 5 Fun Halloween Getaways for the Spookiest Season

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thanks for leaving me a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this podcast episode! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Southwest has made a flurry of changes in 2025 — from charging for bags and introducing assigned seats to rolling out brand-new fare types and tweaking credit card perks, including increasing their annual fees. And they’ve managed to make things very complicated. But here’s the good news: I’ve cut through the clutter to get to the heart of what actually matters in my trademark "keep it simple stupid" approach 😉.

In this episode, I’ll show you the few simple adjustments you need to make so you can:

• Keep flying Southwest for the same cost (or less) as before (yes, really!)
• Make only slight changes to the way we’ve always flown Southwest for free
• Understand how to KEEP getting free bags, as well as free assigned seating and navigate the new fare rules

You’ll walk away knowing exactly what to do to keep your Southwest travel FREE, easy and smooth.

💡 Free Bonus: Get my one-page cheat sheet that explains all the changes in plain English — plus the exact tweaks you need to make to your own Southwest strategy, including how to change a Basic Fare (yes, it's possible!):

👉 SecretsofaTravelJournalist.com/Changes

Join Families Fly Free
Southwest — and travel rewards in general — can get complicated fast. But inside Families Fly Free, I show you how to skip the confusion, ignore the noise and use my simple Fly Free Formula™ to get maximum travel with the minimum number of cards.

I’ve been flying my family of 4 free 6x a year on Southwest (and beyond) since 2015, and I’ve boiled it down to a clear, repeatable plan that anyone can follow. Whether you’re traveling with kids, a spouse, friends or solo, this formula works. Let me make it simple for you.

👉 Join Families Fly Free: FamiliesFlyFree.com