x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast

Thrifty Traveler

Welcome to the Thrifty Traveler Podcast – a travel podcast where we dig into the latest travel news and trends and discuss all the best ways to earn and redeem your points and miles! From the ins and outs of booking cheap flights, exploring the best ways to use your airline miles, or diving into other next-level money-saving travel tips, your hosts Gunnar Olson and Kyle Potter will bring you the best of Thrifty Traveler every week! Follow us today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you

society & culture places & travel

All Episodes

00:46:47

Have Banks Lost the Plot with Premium Travel Cards?...

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/07/03

Higher annual fees. More perks. New lounges. It never stops.The big banks are going bigger than ever on their “premium” travel credit cards. So, Gunnar (fresh off paternity leave!) and Kyle bring Thrifty Traveler’s co-founder and credit card expert, Nick Serati, on the show to help break down all the recent moves from Chase, Amex, and Capital One. And they ask the $900-plus question: With annual fees approaching $1,000 a year, are we hitting a breaking point? Watch us on YouTube!0:00 - Introducing

en

00:57:13

Delta SkyMiles Aren’t As Good (Or as Bad) as You Think

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/06/26

How can you find the best value for your SkyMiles? Are Delta SkyMiles worthless? Can you book Delta One for cheap? Am I an idiot for caring about SkyMiles? These are the questions we get about the wildly popular (yet maddening) Delta SkyMiles program, so we do our best to answer all of them and more. Whether you want to book quick, cheap flights within the U.S. or fly business class to Asia (and everything in between), we go over all the best ways to earn and burn Delta SkyMiles.Watch us on

en

00:47:31

Inside the Travel Influencer Boom, with MaxMilesPoints

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/06/19

Gunnar's still enjoying the new life of a girldad, so Kyle brought our first-ever special guest on the show: Max Do - better known as MaxMilesPoints. As one of the biggest and best social media creators covering points and miles, Max is uniquely qualified to explain the rise of travel influencers - both the good and the bad - while sharing his own story of how he left his 9-to-5 job (it involves a $10,000 deal with a hotel brand). Plus, Kyle and Max talk through the big news from Chase and American

en

00:36:39

Getting Paid to Find Flight Deals, ft. Jon Shallbetter

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/06/12

It’s time to talk to the Oz of our flight deal service: Jon Shallbetter, aka Jonny Nonny. Gunnar and Kyle bring Jon on the show to talk about his wizardry of all things Google Flights, finding and sending flight deal alerts, his favorite flight deal ever and worst-ever travel mistake, and more. Oh, and the guys grill Jon on the allegations that he drank Emirates dry … and he does an Admiral Ackbar impression?!Watch us on YouTube!0:00 - Did Jon actually cash Emirates’ supply of Dom Perignon?05:47 -

en

00:37:10

Airlines Were Charging Solo Travelers More …Until We...

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/06/05

What else would we talk about on this week’s podcast than one of the biggest stories in travel? The three largest U.S. airlines were quietly charging some solo travelers higher fares …until we caught them in the act! We break down this crazy story and discuss why - and how - it was happening. Plus, we laugh at Southwest’s botched rollout of its new baggage fees, look into some (awesome) rare Etihad partner award space, and Gunnar reveals what he thinks is the second sleaziest thing airlines do in

en

00:50:15

How Kyle Booked a Trip to England & Scotland on...

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/05/29

This week, Kyle walks us through how he booked an epic trip to England and Scotland using points and miles. There’s a business class award to London, an economy flight home, and plenty of flights, hotels and other travel expenses in between. Plus, Phoenix gets its first nonstop flight to Asia and we say goodbye to the Southwest we knew and loved. Do yourself a favor and stick around for Gunnar’s cant-miss, ridiculous story of his own trip to London … when he learned some of England’s beer-drinking

en

00:36:22

Barcelona for Boston Prices: Europe Flight Deals are...

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/05/22

This week on the show, Gunnar and Kyle talk about a recent, unprecedented run of roundtrip flights to Europe in the $400s, $300s, and even $200s. The guys ask the important questions like “What is going in here?!” - and more importantly, stress that travelers should run to book a cheap trip to Italy, Greece, England and beyond this year. Plus, we’ve finally got an end date for a workaround to turn Amex points into Alaska, we talk about Delta’s gross Basic Economy rebrand, and Kyle reveals the

en

00:47:31

Why Gunnar Hates ‘Cents Per Mile’ & Loves Cold...

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/05/15

This week, Kyle gets to fire up the grill and interview his co-host Gunnar his own career in journalism and travel, why he hates “cents per mile,” his trip to Antarctica (?!), and how he feels about his looming future in family travel. Plus, the guys break down one of the best flight deals of the year, the lingering issues at Newark, and their biggest travel pet peeves. Watch us on YouTube!(00:00) - Our travel pet peeves (including a fired-up rant from Gunnar)(04:40) - Something Hot: Sizzling Europe

en

00:40:30

Punk, Politics & Travel w/ (Failed Uber Driver) Kyle...

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/05/08

This week on the show, we get to know co-host Kyle Potter a little better as Gunnar grills him on everything from his failed attempt at becoming an Uber driver that ultimately brought him to Thrifty Traveler, his punk/hardcore touring band days, to covering state politics as a journalist for the Associated Press (Kyle contains multitudes…). Plus, we talk about some sizzling transfer bonuses and help a listener decide if she should transfer points to Emirates speculatively. Watch us on

en

00:47:47

Who Wins Our Frequent Flyer Program Fantasy Draft?

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/05/01

The NFL Draft is over. Our Airline Mileage Program Draft is here as Gunnar and Kyle each pick their top 5 frequent flyer programs. Which airline pulled a Shedeur Sanders and slid into a later round? And more importantly, who wins: Gunnar or Kyle? Oh, and the guys also talk about a crazy Delta SkyMiles sale, Tulum losing its luster, and getting to Italy for next year’s Winter Olympics.Be sure to vote in the comments (00:00) - Is this going to be the best Olympics ever for travelers?(04:30) - The best

en

01:00:27

Big Five, Small Budget: Goin' on Safari with Points &...

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/04/24

Gunnar and Kyle pull out their binoculars to be your safari guides in this week’s episode. After going on their own safaris with the help of points and miles, they talk through their trips, what they loved (spoiler alert: pretty much everything), what they learned, and what they’d do differently next time. Plus, the guys gush about a new feature Google Flights is testing, wonder aloud about when the Chase Sapphire's big bonus will end, and get (rightfully) called out by a listener for a bad take on

en

00:46:14

Travel is Cooling Down … & Flight Deals are Heating Up!

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/04/17

Gunnar and Kyle dive deep into the tenuous state of travel demand (it's slowing down) and what it means for travelers on the hunt for a bargain (good things!) They also chat about a pair of spectacular deals that went out to Thrifty Traveler subscribers and wonder if Real ID enforcement is actually coming or not. Oh, and we officially have a listener of the week!Watch us on YouTube!(0:41) - Would you book a fare called “Ultrabasic?”(3:08) - A Unicorn deal & a mistake fare … all in one week!(8:05) -

en

01:01:03

The 10 Commandments of Points & Miles

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/04/10

Gunnar and Kyle go back to basics on the pod: It’s not the Five D’s of Dodgeball, it’s the 10 Commandments of Points and Miles. Whether you’re just getting started with travel rewards or consider yourself a pro, this (only slightly irreverent) list can help you take things to the next level with your points. The guys also break down a troubling trend in frequent flyer programs … and Kyle roasts Gunnar for his clothes.Watch us on YouTube!(00:00) Making memes & fun new airline routes(04:15) Something

en

00:27:27

Chase’s Monster 100K Bonus Merits an Emergency Pod!

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/04/04

Gunnar and Kyle record a special, emergency episode to dive into the biggest news in travel in months: A new 100,000-point welcome bonus on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. They talk about why it should be on every traveler’s radar, explain who is eligible for to earn it (including if you already have the card), and take a stab at explaining why Chase would be doing this in the first place. Everything You Need to Know About the Chase Sapphire Preferred 100k Bonus Point Offer(00:00) Can Kyle

en

00:47:10

Is Hyatt Still Top Dog of Hotel Chains?

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/04/03

Hotels, hotels, and also hotels: That’s what episode four of the pod is all about. Gunnar and Kyle talk about some huge hotel credit card bonuses and how Hyatt needs to step up its game … especially with Hilton hot on its heels lately for the crown of the world’s best hotel loyalty program. Gunnar makes a lot of pained (and strange) references to pools. And the guys quiz each other on where to set season 4 of The White Lotus – we know you’re listening, Mike White.Watch us on YouTube!(0:00) Where

en

00:37:14

A Decade of Deals, ft. Founder Jared Kamrowski

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/03/27

Gunnar and Kyle kindly invite Thrifty Traveler Founder Jared Kamrowski on his own show! Jared shares his favorite flights, worst travel mistakes, looks back on the (almost) decade since starting Thrifty Traveler and what he’s seen change in 10 years of flight deals and points and miles. Plus, the guys laugh about Thrifty Traveler’s extremely humble beginnings (in Jared’s garage - literally) and Gunnar’s memorable job interview in 2021. Watch us on YouTube!(0:00) Welcoming our founder and CEO Jared

en

00:39:32

What the %$#* was Southwest Thinking?

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/03/20

Gunnar and Kyle put Southwest on trial, explaining the (shortsighted) logic behind the airline’s incredibly unpopular changes to baggage and other negative moves - and what it means for all you travelers going forward. Plus, some Hyatt properties to book ASAP before they’ll cost you more points and our absolute favorite travel hack that isn’t much of a “hack” at all. Watch us on YouTube!(0:00) Thanks for ruining our first podcast, Southwest!!!(1:38) Something hot: Flight prices are dropping - rebook

en

00:42:21

The Best Bets for Flight Deals in 2025

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/03/13

Gunnar and Kyle kick off the podcast by focusing on the cheapest destinations for a trip in 2025, discussing Chase’s dominance in the airport lounge wars, some bad Southwest news (which was just the tip of the iceberg…), and more!Watch us on YouTube!(0:00) A few destinations where your dollar goes furthest thanks to the exchange rate.(4:53) Something hot: Chase Sapphire Lounges are on a roll.(10:27) Something cold: Southwest did us dirty.(12:47) The Extra Mile: From Italy to Japan, your best bets

en

00:02:14

Coming Soon...

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast ·

2025/03/04

Watch us on YouTube instead! Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts - and if you’re excited, give us a five-star rating to help spread the word.Your hosts Gunnar Olson and Kyle Potter from Thrifty Traveler are (almost) ready to bring you the best in travel once a week. They’ll dive deep into the world of flight deals, redeeming points and miles, destinations, travel tips, and so much more. Publishing Thursday mornings. Get ready for the Thrifty Traveler Podcast.More on Thrifty Traveler:

en

39 results

Similar Podcasts

Voices of Life

APG Mannheim

Promo Estereo Podcast

Promo Estereo

Talking Timelines Podcast

Talkingtimelines

גיקונומי

ראם שרמן ודורון ניר

Drømmefanger

Drømmefanger