Almost everything went wrong in air travel over the past week and change - including for Gunnar and Kyle’s own flights - as the shutdown took a nasty turn with thousands of delays and cancellations. Shutdown or not, the guys dig into all the strategies they use to get through air travel disruptions (relatively) unscathed. Tune in for tips for booking, tracking your flights, and how to get things back on track. They also discuss what’s next after the shutdown (hopefully) ends, give some kudos to Bilt 2.0, chastise Qatar for going “basic”, and review their Palm Springs company retreat!

Thanks to HotelSlash for sponsoring this episode of the show! Try it out today: Use promo code THRIFTYTRAVELER for a free 90-day trial – plus, get $20 off your first prepaid booking!

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00:00 - Gunnar and Kyle both survived some brutal delays

02:36 - Government shutdown update: Recapping a brutal week in the skies & what’s ahead

08:50 - Something Hot: Bilt Rewards is making more big moves with Bilt 2.0

14:45 - Something Cold: Qatar Airways begins charging for seat selection in business class

19:04 - A word from our sponsor: HotelSlash, the easiest way to book a cheaper hotel stay - & rebook when prices drop

20:00 - What to do when things go wrong in travel: Everything we do to protect ourselves during meltdowns, shutdowns, bad weather & bad luck. 

55:00 - Listener Question: A recap of our team trip to Palm Springs & an important book in our studio

1:00:30 - On the Spot: Kyle’s trip to NYC and our impressive friends & listeners

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

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