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PODCAST

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

NerdWallet Travel

Planning your next vacation? Before you budget, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars with Smart Travel. NerdWallet’s trusted travel experts, Sally French and Meghan Coyle, are here to help your travel dollars work even harder. But the travel Nerds don’t just make recommendations; they break down the latest travel details, exploring the pros and cons of specific strategies, practical tools, and tactics. Dive deep with the experts as they lay out all the options so you can finally

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All Episodes

46:12

Family Travel on Points and Miles: Free Checked Bags,...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/04/15

Learn how families can use points and miles to fly, earn companion passes, and book hotels without paying full price.Before delving into the ins and outs of family travel, hosts Meghan Coyle and Tess Vigeland (filling in for Sally French) break down the latest travel headlines, including an increase in checked bag fees across all four major U.S. airlines, American Airlines stripping elite status perks from basic economy bookings, Rove Miles adding new transfer partners, Virgin Voyages' Brilliant

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58:09

Traveling with Pets: How to Put Your Paws on the Best...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/04/08

Learn what it really takes to fly and stay somewhere with your pet, from carrier rules to hidden fees.Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss the best airlines and hotels for traveling with pets to help you avoid hidden fees and stressed-out animals. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including elevated welcome offers on Hilton co-branded cards expiring April 15, new signup bonuses on the Atmos Rewards cards from Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines' new

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59:46

How to Spend Less on Big Sports Trips in 2026: FIFA...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/04/01

Learn how to save on flights, hotels, and tickets when you travel for major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup, the PGA Championship, or the Olympics.Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss the ins and outs of planning travel for major sporting events. But first, Sally breaks down this week’s headlines with producer Tess Vigeland, including what TSA’s long-delayed pay could mean for airport security lines, Sally’s experience using Touchless ID at JFK, United’s new Dreamliner cabins and

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54:10

Rental Cars in 2026: How to Skip the Counter, Cut...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/03/25

Learn how to skip rental car lines, lower costs, and avoid pricey insurance mistakes on your next trip.When should you rent at the airport, and when should you skip a car entirely? Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle break down how to rent a car in 2026 without overpaying, wasting time at the counter, or getting tripped up by confusing coverage. But first, they unpack the latest travel headlines, including long TSA lines during the federal partial shutdown, fresh findings from NerdWallet’s 2026

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47:45

Before You Book a Ski Trip, Learn How to Save on...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/03/18

Learn how to cut the cost of a ski trip before lift tickets, rentals and parking wipe out your budget.How do you keep a ski trip from blowing your whole vacation budget? When should you buy a season pass instead of a day ticket? Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French discuss how to save on ski and snowboarding trips to help you plan a cheaper mountain getaway. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Marriott’s more-flexible free night certificates, bigger Marriott welcome

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60:38

Travel Questions Mega-Episode: Top Tips from Our Top...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/03/11

Get listener-powered answers on lounges, Disney cards, cruises, and layovers.Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle kick off the first listener questions episode of 2026 with quick travel headlines, including Wyndham Rewards Member Month, the Epic Pass going on sale for the 2026–27 season, and Rove Miles adding Japan Airlines as a transfer partner. They also swap recent travel wins, from Meghan’s David Copperfield weekend in Las Vegas to Sally’s courtside Chase Sapphire Reserve experience at the

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39:35

Don’t Get “Noob Taxed”: The Travel Add-Ons That Drain...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/03/04

Learn how to avoid common travel upsells that drain your budget, from cruise add-ons to sneaky foreign card charges.In this video episode, hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle break down travel “noob traps” to help you spot pricey add-ons before you click “book.” But first, they cover the latest travel headlines, including Chase adding Wyndham as a new transfer partner, Skyscanner launching flight search inside ChatGPT, Kayak’s spring break airfare trends, and new airport lounge openings at LAX and

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53:04

25 Airports in 6 Months: The Real Lessons From...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/02/25

JetBlue’s 25-for-25 sounded simple: fly to 25 airports. Hear what three finishers learned chasing 350,000 points.Before delving into the JetBlue story, hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle break down the latest travel headlines, including big United MileagePlus changes that kick in April 2, 2026, Hyatt updates that could reshape what award nights cost, Alaska’s Atmos Rewards Global Getaways promotion, Spirit’s new Free Spirit® debit card, and major national parks changing some reservation

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57:35

Mediterranean Cruise Game Plan: Santorini, Mykonos,...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/02/18

Learn how you can explore the Mediterranean without losing days to ferries, hotel check-ins, or pricey islands.Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss Mediterranean trip planning to help you link coastal cities and islands without wasting precious vacation time. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Southwest adding Starlink Wi-Fi, JetBlue and United expanding the Blue Sky partnership for booking and redemptions, and spring break travel trends. Producer Tess

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49:18

2026 Elite Status Changes and Ways to Earn Status and...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/02/11

Learn what 2026 status program changes mean for perks like upgrades, rebooking help, and lounges.Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French talk through the latest elite status updates to help you decide when they’re worth chasing. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including the U.K.’s electronic travel authorization (ETA) enforcement starting Feb. 25, 2026, a Hawaiian Airlines credit card giveaway offering chances to win 1 million points, Disney’s leadership change and new earnings

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51:55

Credit Card Hotel Programs vs Booking Direct: A...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/02/04

Get a clearer way to compare hotel prices with and without credit card program perks.Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French discuss when it makes sense to book luxury hotels through credit card travel portals so you can decide if perks like breakfast, upgrades and $100 credits are actually worth the tradeoffs. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including the new Disney Inspire Visa from Chase, an American Express transfer-ratio change to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, new Centurion

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50:14

What Would You Do for a Million Miles? The Extreme...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/01/28

Learn how a points pro mapped a six-continent route to score 1 million Turkish Airlines miles.Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French talk to Ashley Peterson, founder of Ashley Gets Around, about how she became a “points millionaire” while traveling across the globe. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including winter storm flight cancellations and airline waivers, new restrictions and options tied to Bilt Cash, Citi ThankYou Rewards dropping Aeromexico as a transfer partner,

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51:13

Bilt Card 2.0 Explained: Can Rent (or a Mortgage)...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/01/21

Find out if Bilt’s new credit cards are worth the hassle for earning points on rent or a mortgage.Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle dive deep into the Bilt Card 2.0 Program to explain what’s changed and what to consider before signing up. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including a World of Hyatt Credit Card welcome offer that can earn up to five free nights, what Southwest’s assigned seating rollout means for travelers, the cost (and extra time) of flying without a Real

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35:33

Fix Your Travel Credit Card Mix So Your Points...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/01/14

Build a credit card lineup that earns more travel rewards without becoming a full-time spreadsheet manager.In this special video episode, hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss how to build the perfect travel credit card “wallet” to help you earn more rewards, unlock perks, and avoid common points mistakes. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Bilt’s revamped card lineup and new “Bilt Cash,” American Airlines rolling out free high-speed Wi-Fi, Alaska Airlines’

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46:22

Samantha Brown on Places to Love, Route 66, and the...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2026/01/07

Travel TV icon Samantha Brown shares tips for finding hidden gems, saving money, and dodging airport stress.Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle sit down with Samantha Brown, host of Samantha Brown’s Places to Love, to talk about how she keeps travel feeling fun, affordable, and deeply local after decades on the road. But first, Sally and Meghan swap recent trip highlights, including a car-free weekend in Oceanside, California, and the growing trend of nighttime “glow” events at zoos and botanical

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42:28

2025 Travel Trends and 2026 Predictions: Where to Go...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2025/12/31

If 2025 was about premium everything and complicated travel perks, 2026 is shaping up to be more intentional: fewer trips, less algorithm-chasing, more ease — and spending where it actually improves your experience.Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French ring in 2026 by looking back at the biggest travel and credit card trends of 2025 — from the “everything is fancy” luxury boom (even at Southwest) to the rise of premium card coupon-book benefits and hyper-granular dynamic pricing. Then, they share

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25:41

Skip Google, Get the Suite: How Travel Advisors...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2025/12/24

Learn what it’s like working with a travel advisor, including how much time and money they can really save you when planning your next trip.Can travel advisors really save you money? Should you be booking travel yourself or outsourcing the job to a professional? Hosts Megan Coyle and Sally French discuss the unexpected perks, cost structures, and potential savings of working with a travel advisor, formerly known as a travel agent. Jenn Lee, President and CMO of Travel Planners International and

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24:26

What “Amazing Race” Host Phil Keoghan Learned from a...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2025/12/17

“Amazing Race” host Phil Keoghan shares what he’s learned from his life of travel in this special presentation of “Powering Travel” from Expedia Group.In an inspired conversation about the lessons he’s learned from a lifetime of travel, Phil joins host Elisabeth Goodridge to reflect on his earliest memories abroad and how exposure to diverse cultures shaped his worldview. He shares personal stories from the road, reflections on hosting more than 37 seasons of “The Amazing Race,” and how the show

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33:46

Best and Worst Carriers for Standby and Same-Day...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2025/12/10

Learn how same-day flight changes and standby can save you money when your travel plans suddenly change.In this special video episode, hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle dive into last-minute travel rules, exploring when you can make a same-day flight switch, what “standby” really means, and how fees and policies differ from airline to airline. But first, they break down the week’s travel headlines, including Delta’s “Centennial Cheer” holiday kindness campaign, the upcoming closure of the Chase

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31:50

Maximizing Miles, Sharing Points, Avoiding Costly...

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways ·

2025/12/03

We answer listener questions about travel insurance, Chase point transfers, lounge access, free checked bags, and more.Host Sally French opens the episode with the week’s biggest travel headlines alongside Elizabeth Ayoola, host of NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast, who fills in for Meghan Coyle during the news segment. They cover sweeping 2026 changes to U.S. national park pricing and fee-free days, Disneyland’s newly announced kids-ticket deals for next summer, Travel Tuesday sales that are still

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