Southwest Companion Pass Guide for Families How to Fly 2-for-1 All Year Using Points & Miles! Dreaming of family getaways without draining your bank account? What if I told you there’s a magical little travel hack that lets one person fly FREE with you every time you fly, even when you use points?! Yup, it’s called the Southwest Companion Pass and it’s basically the holy grail of family travel savings!!!

Think fancy hotel rooms are out of your budget?! Think again! When we first started using points and miles I thought I'd only be able to get basic rooms. The crazy part is, I always book the basic room and SO many times I get upgraded (for FREE) with this template. You can use this for cash stays too! PRO TIP: Email 7 to 10 days before your trip. Try to find the email of the GM if you can. Otherwise, emailing the regular reservations email is great too. Occasionally I will come across a hotel that doesn't have an email listed. I do something very millennial of me...call the hotel! hah! I ask the front desk for the email of the general manager. If they do ask why I let them know I have a question about my upcoming stay that I'd like to chat with them about. I've never had a time where someone wouldn't give me the email. I know it feels weird to call, but trust me, it's not weird at all. This template is made to be customized. This is just a basic format to get your creativity juices flowing. I always make sure to research the hotel before visiting and highlight something particular about that property that I'm most excited to experience myself or have heard wonderful reviews of from other people. Take Hotel Indigo in Traverse City as an example. I mentioned that what I loved most about the hotel was that it was on Traverse Bay and had beautiful views of the water. Not all rooms have water views, so I made sure to highlight that in my email. We were upgraded to a king view suite with views of the bay! Outside of a larger room we've also gotten treats and heartwarming notes as well. I hope this template helps you and your family get a killer upgrade for your next hotel stay! If you do use the template and get an upgrade would you mind sending me a DM on Instagram and let me know?! I'd love to be able to share your success story! Happy Travels! UPGRADE TEMPLATE Subject: Upcoming Stay – Special Occasion + Upgrade Request Dear [Hotel Name] Team, I hope this message finds you well! My name is [Your Full Name], and I have an upcoming reservation at your hotel [reservation number] from [Check-in Date] to [Check-out Date]. I just wanted to say how thrilled I am to stay at [Hotel Name]—I’ve heard such wonderful things about your service and the beautiful property, and I can’t wait to experience it myself! This trip is extra special because [briefly mention the occasion—e.g., we’re celebrating our anniversary, it’s a family getaway we’ve been dreaming of, it’s my birthday trip, etc.]. We’ve been looking forward to this for quite some time, and your hotel was our top choice. If there’s any chance for a complimentary upgrade or a room with a view, we’d be so grateful. We completely understand if it’s not possible, but thought we’d ask just in case! Thank you for your time, and regardless of the upgrade, we’re really looking forward to our stay with you. Warm regards, [Your Full Name]

3 Days of Magic in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula: Pictured Rocks, Narnia Trail, and the Big Spring