Shows / The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
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…
Episodes
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
2 Ugly New Points Trends & 7 Other Big News Stories
It’s a December news roundup! On the latest Thrifty Traveler Podcast Gunnar and Kyle run through eight major news stories in travel and points and miles…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Family Travel Tips with the Moms of Points Talk Squad
This week on the show, the guys are joined by Alex and Jess from the Points Talk Squad (formerly Travel Mom Squad) who spend the show teaching (and sometimes…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
From Guatemala to China & Ranking All the Disney Parks with Kasey DellaPenna
The guys bring on co-worker and extra special guest Kasey DellaPenna - aka @kaseymeetsworld - to share her story of becoming a backpacking digital nomad and…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Is Lounge Access … Underrated? (& How to Get In for Less)
Airport lounges aren’t just for the rich, the elite, and the bougie – we think they’re a crucial money-saving strategy for (nearly) all everyday travelers…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
What We Do When Travel Goes Wrong: How to Survive Delays & Cancellations
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Biz Class Bonanza, New Lounges & 6 Big News Stories
It’s another news breakdown! This week on the show, we dig into eight big news stories in travel, from Southwest’s newest lounge (including our suggestions for…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
A Trip to Bora Bora, New Zealand & Australia — (Almost) All on Points!
On this week’s podcast, Kyle recaps a whirlwind trip that included an overwater villa in Bora Bora, driving the wild landscapes of New Zealand, scuba diving in…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Mistake Fares 101: How to Snag the Cheapest Flights on Earth
It’s finally time for a mistake fare episode! Kyle and Gunnar talk about the most exciting fares in the world of flight deals, when airlines accidentally sell…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Inside The Premium Travel Boom: Airlines Are Going All In on the 1%
This week, Gunnar and Kyle (who both coincidentally wore fresh Lululemon gear on the pod, courtesy of new $75 credits) spend some extra time digging into the…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Beating the Rental Car Companies & Hotel Chains, with AutoSlash’s Jonathan Weinberg
This week, a bonafide travel hacker and self-proclaimed “bad boy of the travel industry” joins the show to discuss his two services that help millions travel…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Tools of the Trade: How We Earn, Organize & Redeem Points Smarter
Using points and miles to travel for less is what we’re all about … but even two brilliant, handsome podcasters like us (yes, that’s sarcasm) need some help to…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Bye Basic Economy, How Hilton Screwed Us & Other Huge Travel News
Gunnar and Kyle celebrate their recent travel bookings (a.k.a. “Getting Booksy”) before diving into an extremely busy couple days of travel news. Gunnar…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
The New Amex Platinum Card: The Good, The Bad & The Oura Ring
Watch us on YouTube! 00:00 - The new Amex Platinum Card has a new look … but does it matter? 02:10 - The nuts and bolts of the new (and improved?) Platinum…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Why Flighty is Our Favorite Travel App, with CEO Ryan Jones
This week, the guys dig deep on their favorite travel app: Flighty! Ryan Jones, the CEO of the incredibly powerful and beautifully designed flight tracking…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Mistake Fares & Award Availability: Insider Tips from Peter Thornton
This week, we interview the most interesting man in travel: Peter Thornton! As Thrifty Traveler’s Senior Award Deal Analyst, Peter is responsible for finding…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Ask Us Anything: Amex Credits, Delta Upgrades, and Personal Questions
It’s our first ever mailbag episode! Kyle’s on vacation, so we lined up a bunch of the best questions we’ve been asked and gave you our best advice. We tackle…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
All Our Best Tricks & Tools to Find the Cheapest Flight, Every Time
We’re going back to basics this week by showcasing all the strategies, tips and tricks that we use to book the cheapest flight - every single time we fly. That…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Upgrade Prices, RIP Alaska Miles & More Big Travel News You Need
News, news, and more breaking travel news. There’s been so many big stories in the travel world lately, Gunnar and Kyle blew up the normal show format and…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
A Family Trip to the 2026 Winter Olympics w/ TT’s Tracey Burtch
This week’s podcast is honestly just a selfish exercise for Gunnar, who uses his coworker’s expertise to plan a trip to the 2026 Olympics, get tips on flying…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Lie-Flat for Less: 9 Biz Class Seats You Can Easily Book with Points
Points and miles aren’t worth anything if you can’t use them. If you want to fly lie-flat business class (most of us, right?), it can be excruciating to find…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Delta One to Hawaii & a Love-Hate of Cruises with TV’s Jason Matheson
The hilarious Jason Matheson - host of The Jason Show on FOX and a 20-year veteran of morning talk radio - joins the show to talk all things travel with Kyle…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Will AI Wreck Air Travel?
The world of airfare is changing before our eyes. Airlines have jacked up the price of one-way flights and targeted solo passengers with higher fares, too…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Travel Like Gunnar & Kyle - The Tips, Tricks & Apps We Swear By
We’re in the heart of the summer travel season, so Gunnar and Kyle put together a Travel Survival Guide to help you grease the wheels of your next trip. The…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Is Award Travel Actually Getting … Easier?
It’s the news every points and miles aficionado has been waiting for: After years of pain, award travel is, in fact, getting easier. Alongside an undeniable…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Have Banks Lost the Plot with Premium Travel Cards? Ft. Nick Serati
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Delta SkyMiles Aren’t As Good (Or as Bad) as You Think
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?…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Inside the Travel Influencer Boom, with MaxMilesPoints
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 Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Getting Paid to Find Flight Deals, ft. Jon Shallbetter
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Airlines Were Charging Solo Travelers More …Until We Called Them Out
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
How Kyle Booked a Trip to England & Scotland on Points & Miles
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Barcelona for Boston Prices: Europe Flight Deals are Bonkers Lately
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 Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Why Gunnar Hates ‘Cents Per Mile’ & Loves Cold Destinations
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Punk, Politics & Travel w/ (Failed Uber Driver) Kyle Potter
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Who Wins Our Frequent Flyer Program Fantasy Draft?
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Big Five, Small Budget: Goin' on Safari with Points & Miles
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Travel is Cooling Down … & Flight Deals are Heating Up!
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!)…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
The 10 Commandments of Points & Miles
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Chase’s Monster 100K Bonus Merits an Emergency Pod!
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Is Hyatt Still Top Dog of Hotel Chains?
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
A Decade of Deals, ft. Founder Jared Kamrowski
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 Thrifty Traveler Podcast
What the %$#* was Southwest Thinking?
Gunnar and Kyle put Southwest on trial, explaining the (shortsighted) logic behind the airline’s incredibly unpopular changes to baggage and other negative…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
The Best Bets for Flight Deals in 2025
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…
- The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
Coming Soon...
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