My family booked first-class 'apartment' seats for an 8-hour Etihad Airways flight. I can see why the private airplane rooms cost $6,000 a pop.

I took my two kids on a first-class flight from Abu Dhabi to London. Charlotte Holmes

• My family of four used travel points to book a first-class flight on Etihad Airways.
• The luxurious "apartments" typically cost $6,000 a person, but we paid around $33 each.

My husband is a frequent business traveler, so we're constantly trying to maximize his travel points to pay for some amazing trips for us and our two kids.

Flying has been hectic and nightmarish lately, but letting the best redemption opportunities steer our travel plans leads to more comfortable and luxurious vacations.

Last year, my husband and I planned our family of four's most epic trip yet: Flying around the world on 11 different airlines across four continents over 70 days.

Booking Etihad Airways' first-class "apartments" for our flight from Abu Dhabi and London was easily the best redemption of the trip.

Here's what it was like.