The Thrifty Traveler Podcast

This week, the guys break down all the travel news that’s fit to podcast … and there’s a lot of it. That includes a brand-new (and free) tool to save on flights when fares drop, new big card bonus offers, 11 (!) transfer bonuses, and a deep dive on what the heck has happened with World of Hyatt? Plus, they go through the airports with the highest airfare, Alaska’s big splash, and we wade into what Gunnar is calling the “Starlink scuttlebutt.”

Thank you to our sponsor, Bilt Rewards! Earn points on rent and make your entire neighborhood more rewarding with Bilt. Sign up at joinbilt.com/thrifty.

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Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today.

00:00 - Gunnair has a new competitor: Pottair!

02:35 - Jen & Tom welcome us back from Ireland!

03:05 - Introducing our new FareTracker tool! 

05:50 - New United card bonuses & the key to better biz class deals

09:55 - 11 (!) new transfer bonuses on our radar

13:10 - How to transfer 30K Delta SkyMiles for free

15:50 - Now the end of Bilt and Hyatt 1:1 transfers is coming …

18:00 - … and yet Hyatt keeps getting worse

20:30 - The U.S. airports with the highest airfare

23:35 - R.I.P. to this sweet spot from Japan Airlines

26:10 - A word from our sponsor: Bilt Rewards!

27:00 - New Alaska Atmos transfer partner(s)?

29:50 - Alaska’s fancy new biz class suites & more

34:20 - A (proposed) Chase Sapphire Lounge at SEA

36:40 - The Delta-Starlink scuttlebutt

41:40 - Rapid fire news and notes: Online passports & more

48:15 - Listener Question: How to manage price alerts

51:00 - On the Spot: What’s the biggest story in travel this year?

Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot

Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts!

Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!

See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!

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So much changes so fast in the world of points and miles, it’s easy to lose track. So in this episode of the Thrifty Traveler Podcast, the guys go through (almost) every single airline loyalty program and decide: Are they trending up or are they down? But they need some help, so flight deal analyst Katie Rollins joins to break things down … and also shares a legendary travel mishap. The gang also sorts through some hotel points programs and helps a listener deal with their PreCheck-less travel companions. 

Download SAILY's app and use code THRIFTY at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/thrifty ⛵

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Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today.
 

00:00 - Introducing Katie Rollins (& her trip to Iceland)

02:20 - Matt & Annika welcome us back from Albania!

03:15 - Something Hot: Leading Hotels of the World

06:15 - Something Cold: The Hyatt-Chase transfer “D-Day”

09:20 - A word from our sponsor, Saily!

10:15 - The best Thrifty Traveler Premium hotel & flight deals

11:30 - Our rankings: Who’s up and who’s down in airline loyalty programs

45:45 - The etiquette of ditching your non-PreCheck friends

48:15 - Revisiting Katie’s brutal rental car mistake in Iceland

53:30 - On the Spot: Luxury flights or hotels?

Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot

Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts!

Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!

See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!

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Heading home for the holidays can be expensive, especially this year… but it doesn’t have to be. We’re in the heart of holiday flight booking season, so Gunnar and Kyle give all their best tips for saving on flights on those high-demand holiday season flights. The guys go through when to book your trips (spoiler alert: sooooon), where to target for the best deal, and when to turn to your points and miles to get home for the holidays. Plus, the guys gush about Japan Airlines again, welcome the return of cheap flights to Europe, and revisit Kyle’s Hilton vs. Hyatt take. 

Thanks to our sponsor, Monarch! Go to Monarch.com and use code “THRIFTY” to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just $50!

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Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today.

00:00 - Our points & miles Santa Claus

00:40 - Advice for traveling over the holidays

01:50 - Julius in Malta welcomes us back to the show

02:50 - Something Hot: Hilton’s new card offers

06:30 - Something Hotter: Cheap flights to Europe return!

08:25 - Something Hottest: JAL miles keep getting better!

13:50 - A word form our sponsor: Monarch! 

15:00 - What’s the best time to book holiday flights?

18:00 - And what the heck is going on with flight prices?

23:45 - Tips for finding cheaper flights over the holidays

31:50 - Holiday sweet spots: Traveling abroad & biz class

36:40 - Listener Question: Our flight cancellation playbook

41:15 - On the Spot: What’s the ideal Thanksgiving trip?

Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot

Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts!

Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!

See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!

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You’ve earned the points, you’ve booked the trip … but how do you make your travels more enjoyable? On this (perhaps not final?) episode of Starter Kit, the guys walk through the little things you can do to improve your entire trip, from the planning process to booking lodging, rental cars, and trains to making your airport experience easier - and even how to beat jet lag and find activities to do abroad. And in the name of keeping things thrifty, they spill the beans on the best way to cover these extra expenses with points and miles.

Watch us on YouTube!

Starter Kit is sponsored by Thrifty Traveler Premium, the world’s best flight deal service. Get $20 off your first year of Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal alerts - use promo code “START” at thriftytraveler.com/premium. 

00:00 - Has Kyle achieved travel nirvana?

02:50 - Tools & apps to organize your travel plans

07:50 - Make the airport easier: TSA, lounges & Flighty

20:00 - Lodging tips: Finding the best hotels & vacation rentals

26:05 - Saving on rental cars with Autoslash or Turo

31:00 - How to find other forms of transportation

32:45 - Tips for traveling better on the ground

45:30 - Your final flight plan!

47:00 - Kyle’s final advice to travelers: Get out there!

Volume 5 Flight Plan: 

• Organize your travel plans with TripIt, Google My Maps, and more, and understand your phone plan or eSim
• Streamline your airport experience with TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, Flighty, and other apps and services
• Cast a wide net when looking for lodging: Don’t just search Airbnb and Google Hotels - go deeper
• Stop overpaying for rental cars: Use tools like Autoslash or Turo for better rates
• Use our tips to improve your travels on the ground (and earn Capital One miles to cover them!)

Related Episodes & Links Mentioned: 

Ep. 31: Beating Rental Car Companies & Hotel Chains with Autoslash CEO Jonathan Weinberg
Bonus: Why Flighty is Our Favorite Travel App
TripIt — TripIt
Google — Google My Maps · Google Hotels · Google Maps / Street View
Saily — Saily eSIM
Airalo — Airalo eSIM
Thrifty Traveler Premium — Thrifty Traveler Premium Flight Deals (Use promo code START for $20 off your first year!)
TSA — TSA PreCheck · TSA Digital ID / Touchless ID information
CLEAR — CLEAR+
Global Entry / Mobile Passport Control — Global Entry / Trusted Traveler Programs · Mobile Passport Control information
Flighty — Flighty
LoungeReview — LoungeReview
American Express — Amex Global Lounge Collection
Airbnb — Airbnb · Airbnb Experiences ·Airbnb Reverse Image Search
Vrbo — Vrbo
AutoSlash — AutoSlash
Turo — Turo
Rome2Rio — Rome2Rio
Viator — Viator
Cashback Monitor — Cashback Monitor
Capital One — Capital One Offers · Capital One Travel · Capital One Miles redemption guide
Rakuten — Rakuten
Copenhagen Card — Official Copenhagen Card
Charles Schwab — Schwab Bank Investor Checking
AllTrails — AllTrails

Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot

Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts!

Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!

See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!

Follow us on…
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Bluesky

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Earning and redeeming points can be full of trip hazards … and Gunnar’s tripped on almost all of them. So this week, the guys outline the biggest award travel mistakes they’ve seen (and made) so that you can avoid making the same mistakes on your own travel journey. Plus, the guys break down some positive points news from Qatar Airways, walk through their analysis of where you can score “poor man’s business class,” an help a listener out planning a trip to Europe next year. 

Download SAILY's app and use code THRIFTY at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/thrifty ⛵

Watch us on YouTube!

Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today.

00:00 - R.I.P. the TSA line water bottle chug

02:45 - Holly welcomes us back from the Dolomites!

03:40 - The best flights to find “poor man’s business class”

10:30 - Qatar backs off its restrictive booking rules

15:50 - Thanks to our sponsor, Saily! 

16:45 - The 10 most common award travel mistakes

45:00 - The 1-year-out award travel checklist

47:30 - On the Spot: How many of these mistakes has Gunnar made?

Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot

Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts!

Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!

See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!

Follow us on…
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YouTube
Facebook
Bluesky

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Award travel can feel overwhelming and complicated … but not with the right tools and organization. This week on our special Starter Kit series, Kyle and Gunnar walk through all the websites, apps, and tools they use to organize their credit cards, points, miles, and travels. From a credit card benefit tracker to ways to use your pesky monthly dining credit to the best services to maximize your points and miles, it’s all here.

Watch us on YouTube!

Starter Kit is sponsored by Thrifty Traveler Premium, the world’s best flight deal service. Get $20 off your first year of Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal alerts - use promo code “START” at thriftytraveler.com/premium. 

00:00 - When did Kyle realize it’s time to get organized? 

02:40 - Using our Credit Card Benefit Tracker

06:35 - How to organize your credit cards

12:00 - Understanding & maximizing your credit card perks

17:00 - Tools you need to book award travel

33:00 - Your Vol. 4 Flight Plan
 

Volume 4 Flight Plan: 

• Find tools to manage your credit cards, your benefits, and your passwords
• Bookmark resources that can help you maximize your card credits and benefits
• Sign up for free sites that take the guesswork out of booking award travel (like TripIt, Aerolopa, MaxMyPoint, and more)
• Consider signing up for our tools: The free Card Benefit Tracker or Thrifty Traveler Premium
   

Related Episodes:

Ep. 30 - Tools of the Trade: How We Earn, Organize & Redeem Points Smarter

Ep. 50 - Inside Thrifty Traveler with Founder Jared Kamrowski

Ep. 17 - Have Banks Lost the Plot With Premium Credit Cards?

Ep. 46 - What’s in Our Wallets & Our Points Planners

Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot

Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts!

Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!

See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!

Follow us on…
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YouTube
Facebook
Bluesky

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Some deals are just unbelievably good in the world of points and miles … and a select few are too good to last forever. That’s why the guys are shining the light on some of the best deals in all of points and miles - the ones you should book ASAP before they disappear. Whether you’re spending 2,000 miles on a domestic flight, 60,000 miles to fly business class to Japan, or flying lie-flat to London for a fraction of the miles (and fees) that other airlines charge, we analyze the endangered species of points and miles redemptions. Plus, the guys unpack Alaska’s family-friendly update and wonder aloud: Should there be a smoking section inside Southwest’s upcoming lounges? 

Thank you to our sponsor, Bilt Rewards! Earn points on rent and make your entire neighborhood more rewarding with Bilt. Sign up at joinbilt.com/thrifty.

Watch us on YouTube!

Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today.

00:00 - Travel hacks we won’t gatekeep … even questionable ones

02:05 - Sherie welcomes us back to the show from Lauterbrunnen!

02:45 - Alaska goes worst to first for its lap infant policy

07:20 - Southwest announces lounges and a premium card

12:10 - A word from our sponsor: Bilt Rewards!

13:20 - Endangered: The 10 best deals that are too good to last

46:20 - Extinct: The ones that got away

50:35 - Jennifer asks: When should you buck the flights first rule?

52:20 - Katie asks: What happens to your points bonus if you downgrade?

54:50 - On the Spot: What deal would you un-gatekeep?

Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot

Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts!

Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!

See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!

Follow us on…
Instagram
YouTube
Facebook
Bluesky

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s time to learn how to redeem those points and miles you’ve earned for travel … and while it might seem scary, this is the fun part! We walk through the basics of redeeming your points – including a step-by-step guide to transferring to partner airlines and hotels, which is (almost) always the best path. Plus, a primer on airline alliances, finding award availability, and some of our best ideas of how to redeem your points for maximum value for your next big trip. 

Watch us on YouTube!

Starter Kit is sponsored by Thrifty Traveler Premium, the world’s best flight deal service. Get $20 off your first year of Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal alerts - use promo code “START” at thriftytraveler.com/premium. 

00:00 - Do we still get nervous transferring points? 

02:30 - What should you earn: Points or miles? 

04:50 - Using credit card points: Travel portals & transfers

09:00 - When it makes sense to transfer your points

12:30 - A primer on finding that all-important award availability

15:50 - Why knowing airline alliances & partnerships is key

20:00 - How to transfer points: A step-by-step guide

21:30 - Sign up for all your airline programs now!

30:05 - Our favorite programs and redemptions to get started

36:30 - How to NOT use your points and miles

42:00 - Your Vol. 3 Flight Plan!

Volume 3 Flight Plan: 

• Set up all of your loyalty accounts as soon as possible
• Do your homework: Check for availability and all possible options before booking, including the travel portal and other partner airlines
• Get to know transfer partners, alliances, and partnerships
• Use the Flight Plan from Ep. 1: Use the flights first rule and be flexible
• Earn and burn: Use those points - they rarely go up in value

Related Episodes:

Ep. 5 - The 10 Commandments of Points & Miles

Ep. 66 - Airline Alliances Episode

Ep. 73 - The Current State of Award Availability in 2026

The Master List of Credit Card Transfer Partners

Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot

Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts!

Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!

See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!

Follow us on…
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Facebook
Bluesky

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Google Flights is making a big move into the points and miles game, United’s CEO’s egotistical comments, Delta’s weird (but arguably best-ever?) credit card offer, and a bevy of new Europe routes all headline a big news roundup to close out the summer. Tune in as Gunnar and Kyle dole out advice about transferring points to Hyatt, analyze the boom in flights to the slopes, look into some puzzling Chase Sapphire Lounge news, and review the Delta One Lounge in Seattle, KLM’s Premium Comfort seats, and Gunnar’s latest glamping adventure!

Download SAILY's app and use code THRIFTY at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/thrifty ⛵

Watch us on YouTube!

Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today.

00:00 - & the winner of our credit card draft is…

02:15 - What’s going on with Gunnar’s voice?

03:10 - Staley welcomes us back from South Africa!

04:20 - Google Flights gets into the points game

08:40 - United’s cardholder discounts: Solid, but no slam dunk

15:20 - Let’s Play: Translate! That! Airline CEO! (ft. United’s Scott Kirby)

22:55 - Delta’s weird (but awesome) credit card offer

27:00 - New route nerd out: Europe flying goes sky high

33:20 - A word from our sponsor, Saily!

34:25 - Will this be the end of pre-departure drinks?

36:40 - Chase drops its only lounge reservation system

38:00 - American’s new (& worse?) premium card

39:05 - Analyzing the flight boom to ski resorts

42:30 - Delta One Lounge Seattle review

44:00 - KLM: Premium Comfort vs. Biz Class

47:05 - Gunnar’s latest glamping adventure

48:45 - The most & least expensive airports for a beer

51:20 - A listener asks: Should you speculatively transfer from Chase to Hyatt?

55:35 - On the spot: The ideal number of travel beers?

Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas

Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts!

Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!

See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!

Follow us on…
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YouTube
Facebook
Bluesky

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you want to get into redeeming points and miles, you need to earn them first. So in our second installment of our Starter Kit series, Gunnar and Kyle break down the best strategies for earning tons of travel rewards. While it might start with credit cards as the engine of an earning strategy - and the guys spend some time outlining their strategies and busting credit score myths - there are plenty of other ways to rack up all the points and miles you need, too.

Watch us on YouTube!

Our Starter Kit is sponsored by Thrifty Traveler Premium, the world’s best flight deal service. Get $20 off your first year of Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal alerts - use promo code “START” at thriftytraveler.com/premium. 

00:00 - What would do with a blank slate in points & miles?

02:35 - The most important step for earning tons of points

07:50 - Understanding award travel credit cards

15:40 - What to consider when signing up for a credit card?

22:20 - Our favorite starter travel rewards credit cards

29:30 - Go deeper: Sign up for our free Extra Mile newsletter!

30:00 - How to earn points & miles with strategic spending

37:30 - The ways to earn points & miles without credit cards

Volume 2 Flight Plan: 

Related Episodes:

https://thriftytraveler.com/podcasts/ep-67-record-card-bonuses/

https://thriftytraveler.com/podcasts/bonus-ep-chase-sapphire-preferred-update/

https://thriftytraveler.com/podcasts/ep-61-how-to-earn-a-million-points/

https://thriftytraveler.com/podcasts/episode-46-whats-in-our-wallets/

https://thriftytraveler.com/podcasts/episode-30-award-travel-tools-of-the-trade/

Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas

Video editing by Kyle Thomas

Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts!

Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]

Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!

See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!

Follow us on…
Instagram
YouTube
Facebook
Bluesky

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.