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The BoldlyGo Podcast: Revolutionizing Your Journey

How Frequent Miler’s Nick Reyes Pulled His Kids Out of School to Travel the World With Points & Miles + Avianca Lifemiles Deepdive (Ep. 129)

June 3 · 1 hr 18 min · Episode 129 · 113.1 MB
0:00-1:18:33

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DeAndre sits down with Nick Reyes from Frequent Miler to explore two fascinating topics that can completely change how families approach travel. First, Nick shares how he and his wife temporarily pulled their children out of school, homeschooled them while traveling for three months through destinations like French Polynesia and Europe, and then successfully reenrolled them when they returned home. He breaks down the logistics, educational benefits, conversations with teachers, and why the experience became one of the most impactful adventures their family has ever taken.

Nick explains how travel became a classroom, allowing his children to learn through cultural immersion, science, history, geography, and real world experiences that simply can't be replicated from a textbook. He also discusses the surprisingly simple homeschooling process, how they balanced education with exploration, and practical considerations for parents interested in doing something similar.

In the second half of the episode, the conversation shifts into a masterclass on Avianca LifeMiles. Nick shares some of his favorite redemption strategies, subscription benefits, hidden sweet spots, and ways travelers can stretch their points further than many other airline programs allow. He also explains how LifeMiles can be especially valuable for families looking to book multiple premium cabin seats.

To wrap things up, Nick provides an important update on recent LifeMiles program changes that occurred shortly after the recording, helping listeners understand what has changed and how those updates may impact future redemptions. This episode combines family travel inspiration with advanced points and miles strategy, offering valuable lessons for travelers at every stage of their journey.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction to the Journey

(05:01) Nick's Background and Entry into Points and Miles

(08:19) Homeschooling While Traveling: A Unique Approach

(15:56) Structuring Learning During Travel

(20:31) The Adventure Begins: Trip Overview

(27:13) Points and Miles Strategies for Family Travel

(33:30) Booking Flexibility and Award Travel Insights

(41:14) Exploring Avianca LifeMiles

(45:44) Sweet Spots and Strategies in LifeMiles

(49:24) Navigating the Challenges of LifeMiles

(55:58) Maximizing Value with LifeMiles

(59:27) Who Benefits Most from LifeMiles?

(01:03:54) Final Thoughts on Family Travel and LifeMiles

Key Highlights:

  • Temporary homeschooling: Nick and his wife successfully pulled their children out of school for three months, traveled internationally, and reenrolled them afterward with far less difficulty than expected.
  • Travel as education: Real world experiences became lessons in geography, science, history, culture, and problem solving, creating a richer learning environment for their children.
  • Flexible family travel: Traveling outside traditional school breaks opened significantly more opportunities for award availability and better travel experiences.
  • Teacher collaboration: Nick worked directly with teachers to keep his children aligned with classroom progress while traveling.
  • LifeMiles sweet spots: Avianca LifeMiles offers unique redemption opportunities that can provide exceptional value for premium cabin travel.
  • LifeMiles subscriptions: The LifeMiles+ subscription can create additional savings and discounts for travelers who frequently redeem miles.
  • Family award bookings: Nick shares strategies that make booking multiple award seats more realistic for families.
  • Stay adaptable: Curiosity and spontaneous learning opportunities often created the most meaningful educational moments during their travels.
  • Travel day productivity: Airport lounges, flights, and downtime became useful opportunities to complete schoolwork.

Resources:


Need Global Travel Insurance? We recommend World Nomads


Some of Our Favorite Tools For Elevating Your Points & Miles Game:

Note: Contains affiliate/sponsored links


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