How We Fly Our Family to Universal Studios Using Points and Miles
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post..
Planning a Universal Studios trip with kids sounds exciting — until you start looking at flights.
Between school schedules, limited flexibility, and Orlando airfare jumping up and down during peak travel times, flights are often the most stressful (and expensive) part of planning a Universal vacation for families.
For us, getting to Orlando is usually the first hurdle we have to solve before we even think about park tickets or where we’re staying.
This is exactly how we fly our family to Universal using points and miles — including when our usual plan didn’t work and why we pivoted instead.
Quick note
Some of the credit cards mentioned in this post may be affiliate links. I don’t publish direct credit card links on my blog. If you’re interested in applying for any card I mention, please message me on Instagram at @pointsandmilesteachers so I can send you the correct link.
Using my links is how I get paid and allows me to continue sharing free content and trip planning help for families like yours — thank you for supporting my work. Thank you for takiing time to do this extra step.
Planning a Universal Trip With Tweens and Teens?
This post is part of my Universal Studios + Epic Universe planning series, created specifically for families traveling with tweens and teens, but it can work for any family of any dynamic.
You can read the full series here:
• How We Fly Our Family to Universal Using Points and Miles
• Universal Studios + Islands of Adventure in One Day With Tweens and Teens
• Where to Stay Near Universal With Tweens and Teens (Including Free Express Pass Options)
• What to Know About Epic Universe Before You Take Teens and Tweens
Plus, be sure to read how much this trip actually cost for our family of 4!
As each post is published, I’ll link it here so you can plan your entire trip step by step.
Why Flights Are the Hardest Part of Universal Trips
For families, flights are usually the biggest obstacle — not because they’re complicated, but because we don’t have flexibility.
We travel during school breaks.
That means:
• limited travel dates
• higher prices
• fewer flight options
• little room to “just wait for a deal.”
When you’re flying four, five, or six+ people, even a small increase in airfare adds up fast.
That’s why learning how to use points and miles has completely changed how we plan trips like Universal.
How We Usually Fly: Southwest + Companion Pass
Most of the time, we fly Southwest when we go to Orlando.
The reason is simple: the Companion Pass.
When you have a Companion Pass, one person flies with you for just the cost of taxes and fees — every single time you fly.
For our family, that often means we’re getting essentially two flights for the points price of one.
It’s one of the biggest reasons we’re able to take trips during peak school breaks without paying thousands in airfare.
If you want a full breakdown of how this works, you can read it here:
[Southwest Companion Pass blog post]
When Our Usual Plan Didn’t Work
For this Universal trip, Southwest was still our first choice — but the flight times just didn’t make sense.
The departure options would have:
• cut into school days
• added unnecessary stress
• shortened our trip
Instead of forcing it, we pivoted.
This is something I talk about often: points give you options, not pressure.
So we looked at other airlines and found Spirit flights that worked better for our schedule.
Why Spirit Made Sense for This Trip
Spirit isn’t always the right choice — but for this trip, it made sense.
Here’s why:
• nonstop flights
• better departure times
• significantly cheaper cash prices (to then erase with points)
Because we were flying for a shorter Universal trip, we packed light and didn’t need extra add-ons.
This is where flexibility with points becomes incredibly valuable.
Instead of needing award availability, we booked these flights as cash tickets.
How We Booked Our Flights Using Capital One Points
We booked our Spirit flights using our Capital One Venture card.
Here’s why this strategy works so well for families:
• you can book flights directly
• you’re not dependent on award availability
• you can choose the best flight times
• you can cover the cost later with points
After booking, we’ll go back and use our points to erase the travel purchase, effectively turning those cash flights into points flights.
This gives us flexibility when Southwest or other award options don’t line up with our schedule.
If you want to learn how this works step by step, you can read that here:
[Capital One points blog post]
Why We Don’t Force One Strategy Every Time
One of the biggest misconceptions I see with beginners is thinking there’s only one “right” way to use points.
The truth is:
• sometimes Southwest is perfect
• sometimes it isn’t
• sometimes flexibility matters more than loyalty
The goal isn’t to chase a specific airline.
The goal is to get your family where you want to go — without blowing your budget.
That’s exactly what points and miles allow us to do.
What This Means for Your Universal Trip
If you’re planning a Universal trip, start with flights first.
Before tickets.
Before hotels.
Before itineraries.
Once flights are locked in, everything else becomes easier to plan.
And whether you’re using the Companion Pass, booking flights with points, or covering cash flights later — there are multiple ways to make Orlando airfare manageable for families.
Final Thoughts
Every Universal trip looks a little different — and that’s okay.
Sometimes our go-to strategy works perfectly.
Sometimes it doesn’t.
What matters is having options and knowing how to pivot without panic or overspending.
That flexibility is what makes points and miles so powerful for families.
Want help choosing the right points strategy?
If you’re planning a Universal trip and want help deciding which points or cards actually make the most sense for your family, message me on Instagram at @pointsandmilesteachers before you apply for anything.
Using my links is how I get paid and allows me to continue providing free content and trip planning help — and I’m always happy to help you think it through.
Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
I found out about points and miles accidentally.
I was researching index funds and happened upon the points and miles community through creators who also post about budgets, financial independence, and investing.
Points and miles allowed those people to travel and work toward financial independence simultaneously.
Thank goodness I got started when I did. The past almost two years of travel have been something we will never forget.
Earning points and miles through credit cards is only a good choice if you have the financial discipline to use them, like cash/debit cards.
Since we started traveling with points and miles, we have had more money going into our investment and savings accounts than ever.
Now I'm excited to teach you!
Welcome
I am excited you are here
New to points and miles? START HERE!
