This week, we round up all the recent travel news that’s fit to podcast! That includes Kyle’s experience with CLEAR’s (honestly amazing) new e-gates, what United’s up to with its credit card moves, a shocking-but-welcome move to require headphones onboard, Southwest’s carry-on bag problems literally everyone should have seen coming, hot and cold news from Avios, and much more! Plus, we help a listener get a refund and Gunnar declares whether he’ll ever fly Southwest again. 

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!

00:00 - Kyle’s weekend in Phoenix & using CLEAR’s new e-gates

03:35 - Richard from Florida welcomes us back to the show!

04:00 - United’s credit card changes make them essential

09:55 - Hallelujah: United mandates headphones onboard

12:45 - Hot and Cold in the Avios program: A new transfer bonus & new rules

18:42 - Another way to earn JAL miles

23:45 - A word from our sponsor Bilt Rewards

24:55 - Southwest makes seating, boarding, and baggage adjustments

29:45 - A new Southwest lounge at AUS? 

31:38 - Updates from the Middle East and Puerto Vallarta

38:05 - Combined Resy & Tock restaurant list turns heads

41:10 - A sweet new Capital One Shopping promo

43:25 - Can you get refunded for a seat upgrade bought with cash?

46:55 - On the Spot: Would Gunnar ever fly Southwest again?

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!

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Kyle and Gunnar are joined by Thrifty Traveler Chief Flight Deal Analyst (and Domino’s elite member) Jon Shallbetter, who helps them put the 37 combined business class seats they’ve flown into tiers so you can tell what flights are worth your points and which ones may not be. From the best of the best to the experiences that are missing something to the flights that were flat-out forgettable, the guys break it all down, Qsuites to Icelandair and everything in between. Plus, they admit what they haven’t flown and Kyle and Jon reflect on their (romantic?) dinner in Qatar First Class. 

Watch us on YouTube!

00:00 - Why it’s always surreal to fly business class

02:25 - Our flight deal guru Jon introduces the show!

02:45 - Tier 1: The best of the best

10:30 - Tier 2: Outstanding business classes

22:30 - Tier 3: Good, but missing something

32:42 - Sign up for Thrifty Traveler Premium to fly biz class for less!

35:20 - Tier 4: The Almost good

44:20 - Tier 5: Disappointing business class flights

52:23 - On the Spot: Jon & Kyle’s romantic Qatar First Class flight

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!

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We’re all too accustomed to hotels and airlines making negative changes, but Hyatt genuinely broke our hearts this week. So Gunnar and Kyle devote the show to diving into some massive changes on tap for what is (or perhaps was?) the most popular and valuable hotel points program. We’re talking nasty award rate increases, confusing pricing systems, a few silver linings, and what you should do before the hammer falls. Plus, Gunnar reviews his experience on the new (& improved?) Southwest Airlines, plus they help a listener navigate the dreaded  Chase 5/24 credit card rule.

Watch us on YouTube!

00:00 - Gunnar’s review of the “new” Southwest 

03:20 - Welcome back … from the Park Hyatt Tokyo! 

04:30 - The “Goat Rodeo” with TSA PreCheck and Global Entry 

10:30 - Puerto Vallarta chaos & what to do about your upcoming Mexico trip

15:25 - A word from our sponsor: Sign up for The Extra Mile Newsletter today!

16:14 - World of Hyatt’s positively nasty new award chart changes

35:00 - Listener Question: How far above “5/24” should you go? 

40:20 - On the Spot: How 2 hockey fans celebrated a golden weekend

Send us your “Welcome Back to the Thrifty Traveler Podcast” video! Keep it short, tell us who you are and where you are, and say “Welcome Back to the Thrifty Traveler Podcast.” Then, upload it to thriftytraveler.com/voicemail so we can feature your video on the show! 

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!

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How do we find flight deals? How do you start a travel business? What’s next for Thrifty Traveler? For episode 50 of the show, we bring on Founder and CEO Jared Kamrowski to show how the Thrifty Traveler sausage is made! Plus, Jared reacts to some new Delta routes to Hawaii, discusses the reality of points and miles availability, and helps a listener plan their first Europe trip. 

Send us your “Welcome Back” video at ThriftyTraveler.com/Voicemail.

Watch us on YouTube!

00:00 - Thrifty Traveler’s Founder & CEO gets Booksy, too!

03:30 - Timmy from Santa Monica welcomes us to the show! 

04:15 - Delta’s new Hawaii routes – and their crappy biz class seats

08:05 - Traveler pain points: The reality of availability

12:55 - Sign up for The Extra Mile Newsletter today! 

14:07 - A brief history of Thrifty Traveler

18:10 - The flight deal that started it all (& crashed the site)

22:00 - The evolution of Thrifty Traveler

26:45 - How do we find Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deals

31:00 - Tracking changes over the years at Thrifty Traveler

36:00 - What’s next for Thrifty Traveler – where’s the future of travel going?

39:45 - Helping a listener plan a (first-time!) Thanksgiving Europe trip for four

44:45 - Jared plays the airport code initials game

45:55 - What episode does our boss want us to do next?

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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Kyle is back from Costa Rica where he was breaking news from the beach! So the guys get caught up on all the latest travel news including a little-known Delta credit card perk he unearthed, some new credit card offers and rumors, some good news for travelers who love cheaper fares to Europe (but bad news for airlines) this summer, and more! Plus, a listener challenges our recent take … and the guys come up with a new bit. Yes, another one.

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!

00:00 - Recapping Kyle’s Costa Rica trip

02:30 - Brian kicks off the show from Kenya

03:25 - Summer travel demand to Europe is dropping … and we love it

10:00 - A PSA to book (or re-book) your spring break flights

13:30 - Introducing our new daily (and free!) Extra Mile newsletter

15:35 - New Delta SkyMiles card sign-up offers …a nd upgrade offers

19:40 - Sky Club visits reset – plus our favorite way to add a few extras

22:00 - Kyle discovers the sneaky SkyMiles card premium snack perk

24:47 - A word from our sponsor: Bilt Rewards

25:50 - Rumors swirl about a souped-up Capital One dining card: The Savor X

29:05 - Boo: The Amex Platinum increased its spend requirement by 50%

31:25 - A sweet transfer bonus to Japan Airlines from Capital One

34:00 - Reviewing the Park Hyatt London River Thames

36:20 - Listener Question: Why no love for the Bilt Palladium Card (& our “U-Turn”)

42:10 - On the Spot: What are your airport code initials?

Send us your “Welcome Back to the Thrifty Traveler Podcast” video! Keep it short, tell us who you are and where you are, and say “Welcome Back to the Thrifty Traveler Podcast.” Then, upload it to thriftytraveler.com/voicemail so we can feature your video on the show! 

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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People with status are often very loud about it (we’re looking at you Delta Medallions and Hyatt Globalists), but chasing airline and hotel loyalty isn’t smart for most travelers. It’s something we’re decidedly out on in 2026 and beyond. In “These Bros Ain’t Loyal”, we’re laying out the case against chasing status by identifying who status is for, and why it’s not the best way to travel more for less. 

Watch us on YouTube!

00:00 - What should we call this episode?

01:55 - John Melson introduces the show

03:00 - The best airline & hotel statuses

07:15 - The worst airline & hotel statuses

11:25 - Thrifty Traveler Premium Flight Deal Quiz!

13:44 - Why we’re out on travel loyalty

22:30 - Who is loyalty for?

26:15 - Who is travel “free agency” for? 

28:45 - How to get status perks without status

37:45 - Listener Question: What about credit card points loyalty?

41:30 - On the Spot: Gunnar’s 2027 list

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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If you want to take your travels to the next level (and who doesn’t?), it’s not about what you do before booking a flight – it’s what you do after that matters most. So Gunnar and Kyle are diving in on this week’s pod, spelling out the five crucial steps they take after booking each and every flight to ensure they get the best deal and set themselves up for success. Plus, the guys got a little “booksy,” discuss a new airline partnership that’s piqued their interest, and help out a traveler planning a trip to Japan.

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!

00:00 - Gunnar & Kyle’s recent (fancy) lie-flat bookings

02:39 - Roger introduces the show from Komodo, Indonesia!

03:35 - Something Hot: The new American & Aer Lingus partnership

08:00 - Something Hotter: New & improved travel credit card tracking

11:15 - A word from our sponsor: Bilt Rewards

12:30 - The 5 Things We Do After Booking a Flight

12:35 - 1st: Forward your trip to TripIt – an essential travel tool

16:05 - 2nd: Clean-up & manage your booking

19:15 - 3rd: Set up Google Flights price alerts and award tracking

28:10 - 4th: A quick look at major logistics (using the 24-hour rule!)

31:00 - 5th: Asking your wife, requesting PTO and other “life stuff”

37:00 - Listener Question: A mea culpa & how to approach booking a Japan trip

43:40 - On the Spot: Kyle’s Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge gameplan

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!

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A year ago, we saw signs award travel was on the upswing … but in 2026, we’re not so sure. Airlines’ constant tweaks to their mileage programs - not just for the rates they charge, but who can even book - have us posing the question: Is the points party ending? Are we on a sinking ship? Not to get too negative, but it’s time for a reality check. So Kyle and Gunnar break down the new trends shaping award travel while offering some hope and guidance for travelers worried about their rewards.  

Watch us on YouTube!

00:00 - What deals are on our "Endangered Redemptions” list? 

03:05 - Kyle from a mountaintop & Gunnar’s roast review challenge

04:15 - The road ahead in points and miles: This is more than “Pointsflation”

07:20 - Are partner redemptions on their way out? 

12:30 - What is United doing with their credit cards? 

17:45 - Are U.S. travelers getting boxed out?

24:00 - (Annoying) transfer ratios are shifting, too

27:45 - A word from us: Stay on top of your points & miles with The Extra Mile Newsletter

28:15 - What’s driving the shift in award travel? 

33:00 - Are we being too negative? 

36:30 - The great (& new) redemption opportunities out there

42:00 - How to fight back against the changing award travel landscape

44:28 - Real talk: Is the points party over? 

46:40 - Listener Question: How many points should you hoard?

50:40 - On the Spot: The redemption that got away

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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New year, new you, new travel card strategy? With the help of an extra special guest - TT co-founder Nick Serati - the guys answer the age-old question: What’s in our wallets? They tackle rising annual fees, Bilt’s botched rollout, and other travel credit card trends shaping the year ahead. Plus, Gunnar recaps a romantic hot air balloon ride and the guys help a listener plan a card strategy around taking two trips to Europe with her best friend.

Watch us on YouTube!

00:00 - What’s our “desert island” card - the last one we’d give up?

02:13 - A special shout out from a hot air balloon near Mexico City

04:45 - What’s in our wallets?

23:15 - Something cold: Annual fees are going up

28:15 - Something colder: Bilt fumbles its 2.0 rollout

39:03 - A word from our sponsor: CardPilot, the best way to pick a credit card

40:00 - What cards should you get in 2026?

48:00 - Listener Question: Cards for Eurotrips

51:20 - The perfect 2-card combo

52:20 - On the Spot: Our physical wallets

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.

Watch us on YouTube!

00:00 - About Gunnar’s controversial “Chicago-O’Hare is good” take…

02:55 - Are airlines ditching higher one-way fares for international flights? 

12:45 - Why Allegiant’s surprise acquisition of Sun Country matters

23:15 - Bilt 2.0 is here, with good and bad news

30:00 - A word from our sponsor: us! Get Thrifty Traveler Premium today

33:10 - American Airlines (kinda) launches free Wi-Fi

34:10 - No mileage or status on AA basic economy tickets

35:10 - No status changes for American this year, but is bad news ahead?

36:20 - Hawaiian Airlines’ big plans for aircraft upgrades and a fancy new Honolulu lounge

38:40 - The next Capital One Lounge: Charlotte (CLT)

40:15 - Delta orders 787 Dreamliners 

42:20 - Listener Question: What to do if you’re “product-swapped”? 

46:10 - On the Spot: What does Kyle tell people he does for a living? 

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.