Dream Trip Roadmap: Intake

About 15 minutes. The more detail you give, the better your points strategy. Skip anything you're unsure of. The card questions exist only to build your earning plan: I never ask for card numbers, and your answers are never sold or shared. Your Reality Check arrives within 2 business days of submitting.

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1.Who's traveling? List each person, with each child's age at the time of the trip.*

Characters remaining: 400

2.Any allergies, medical or mobility needs, or dietary restrictions I should plan around?

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3.Does everyone traveling have a passport valid at least 6 months past your likely return date?

4.When would the dream trip happen? Include the season or dates, how many nights (minimum and ideal), and the school district calendar you're working around.*

Characters remaining: 400

5.How locked are those dates? For a points trip, flexibility matters even more: award seats can differ a lot from one day to the next.*

6.What's the dream? A destination, a shortlist, or just a feeling (like "first trip to Europe"). Include anywhere you've been and loved, or never want to repeat.*

Characters remaining: 400

7.What kind of trip? Rank your top 2-3: beach, city/culture, outdoors or national parks, theme parks, ski, all-inclusive.

8.Domestic or international?

9.Longest nonstop flight your crew can realistically handle?

10.Early-morning and red-eye flights are often cheaper, and sometimes the only award seats left, but they're harder on families. Should I consider them?

11.What's your family's ideal pace?

12.What was your best family trip ever, and what made it great? Your worst, and what went wrong? This answer tells me more than any other.

Characters remaining: 400

13.What would you like this trip to cost you in cash, after points? Give a target or a range you're comfortable with.*

14.Which matters more to you?

15.Any non-negotiables or splurges? For example: nonstop only, business class for the long leg, ocean view, connecting rooms, club level.

16.What room setup actually works for your family?

17.Which Chicago airport?

18.Which airline and hotel loyalty programs do you use, and roughly what points balances do you have? Include both adults. (e.g., 60k United, 30k Chase, some Marriott)

Characters remaining: 400

19.Which travel credit cards does each adult hold, and roughly when was each one opened? Card names and dates only. Never card numbers.

Characters remaining: 400

20.Roughly how many personal credit cards has each adult opened in the last 24 months, at any bank? Some sign-up bonuses depend on this.

21.Rough credit score range for the adults who'd apply? Only used to keep the plan realistic.

22.Any major credit events planned in the next 12-18 months, like a mortgage, refinance, or car loan? New card applications get timed around them.

23.When do you want to book? (For most points trips, the booking window opens about 11 months before travel.)

24.Anything else I should know? Nap schedules, a carsick kid, a grandparent joining for a few days. The small details usually matter most.

Characters remaining: 400

25.How did you hear about Four Seats from ORD?

Dream Trip Roadmap: Intake

Four Seats from ORD

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