Booking 5-Star Hotels in Italy, Airline Upgrade Scams & More News

Something(s) Hot: What’s Going Right in Travel

Don’t dwell on the bad stuff, the guys remind themselves … because there’s plenty to be excited about in travel right now! So this week on the pod, Gunnar and Kyle outline all the things that are going well in travel right now: flight deals, new routes and airplane seats, big improvements for airport security, bigger and better lounges, massive credit card offers, and more. Plus, the guys help a listener decide on an airline from a Midwestern city and see if Kyle can stay positive for an entire 45 minutes! Thanks to our sponsors: Check out Bellroy’s travel gear and get 10% off using our link: https://bit.ly/4djV6u7 [https://bit.ly/4djV6u7] Head to Saily.com/Thrifty [http://Saily.com/Thrifty] for 15% off your first purchase! Get 50% off your first year of Monarch [https://www.monarch.com/] with promo code “THRIFTY” Watch us on YouTube! [https://youtu.be/siFkS6Udf38] Join the conversation! Sign up [https://join.slack.com/t/thriftytraveler-pod/shared_invite/zt-3z5fdtzpx-OaTQUK1E1I_XvDqz3_RnRA] for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - A word from our sponsor, Bellroy! 01:19 - Is it actually “The Golden Age of Points and Miles”? 03:18 - Shiloh welcomes us back from Costa Rica! 03:50 - Flight deals are still good 07:00 - Delta SkyMiles deals keep getting better 09:45 - A bevy of (fun) new route announcements 14:10 - An exciting newcomer: Japan Airlines Mileage Bank [https://www.monarch.com/] 18:05 - Touchless kiosks [https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/travel/tsa-precheck-touchless-id/] & CLEAR improvements are changing TSA lines 21:40 - Credit card bonuses are better than ever 24:25 - A word from our sponsor, Saily! 25:30 - A word from our sponsor, Monarch! 26:45 - New, more lucrative ways to earn points 29:40 - New seats, new planes & new hotels 33:20 - Airline loyalty gets you further (sometimes) 36:45 - Bigger, better lounges & more of them 40:00 - An Indy listener weighs American vs. Delta 43:22 - What positive trend impacts Gunnar the most? 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 podcast@thriftytraveler.com [podcast@thriftytraveler.com] Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium [https://thriftytraveler.com/premium/?couponId=TTPOD] - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com [https://thriftytraveler.com] - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on… Instagram [https://instagram.com/thriftytraveler] YouTube [https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/flights/best-ways-to-book-flights-to-japan/] Facebook [https://facebook.com/thethriftytraveler] Bluesky [https://web-cdn.bsky.app/profile/did:plc:zdcyegcigt4q37z4l3og52qs] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Live From Minneapolis! The Highs and (Disgusting) Lows of Travel

An audience of close to 300 travelers joined us at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis for an unhinged episode and the very-first (but not last) live recording of the podcast. The guys dish out some hot takes, take a look at the state of flight deals right now, and then share some stories of the highs and lows of travel, because travel isn’t always pretty … and sometimes, it’s downright disgusting. Plus, the guys take some questions from the audience, chastise the travelers for their airport arrivals behavior, and so much more. Show Notes Thank you to Meet Minneapolis [https://www.minneapolis.org/] for sponsoring this special episode of the Thrifty Traveler Podcast! Watch us on YouTube! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WcRLJ1RubI] Join us for the next live show in Fargo, North Dakota on Wednesday, July 29! Get your tickets now. [https://thriftytraveler.com/podcasts/live-event-fargo-july-29/] 00:20 - TV personality Jason Matheson intros your hosts! 01:50 - When did Kyle think this show would end? 05:09 - Our live audience welcomes us back! 05:28 - Hot takes: Delta SkyMiles is climbing the ranks 09:40 - Gunnar’s airport walking solution 10:52 - Are credit cards the best or worst thing to happen to air travel? 14:35 - The current state of flight deals 22:40 - The arrivals pickup area at MSP is a disaster 24:27 - Thanks to our sponsors: MSP Airport, Sun Country Airlines, & Meet Minneapolis! 26:38 - Acknowledging our listeners who traveled to join us – including the Netherlands! 27:34 - The highs and lows of travel 28:20 - Kyle’s trip to Vietnam that started it all 33:50 - Gunnar’s $10k travel day to impress his cool, hot wife 36:48 - Kyle’s travel low: Back to Vietnam 39:35 - Gunnar desecrates the world’s most beautiful beach 45:10 - Our biggest travel pet peeves 46:42 - The biggest biz class booking mistakes 48:20 - How has travel hacking changed our personalities? 50:35 - Kyle puts Gunnar on the spot 53:55 - Thank you to our audience, listeners & sponsors! Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas Audio and video recording by Jon Camp 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 podcast@thriftytraveler.com [podcast@thriftytraveler.com] Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium [https://thriftytraveler.com/premium/?couponId=TTPOD] - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com [https://thriftytraveler.com] - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on… Instagram [https://instagram.com/thriftytraveler] YouTube [https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/flights/best-ways-to-book-flights-to-japan/] Facebook [https://facebook.com/thethriftytraveler] Bluesky [https://web-cdn.bsky.app/profile/did:plc:zdcyegcigt4q37z4l3og52qs] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With Record Card Bonuses, Banks are Going Crazy (in a Good Way!)

It’s official: The banks are losing their minds … with some of the best welcome bonuses we’ve ever seen, all at once. The guys start the show by debating whether the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s record-tying 100,000-point bonus is the GOAT before digging into a slew of other new offers that can quickly replenish your stash of points. Plus, they look into some bad news at CLEAR and wonder if the TSA PreCheck line is about to get busier. And Gunnar unveils the new sign-up bonus on his (completely made up) airline credit card … Heads up: We talk about credit card offers that may no longer be available as you listen to or watch this episode of the podcast.  SHOW NOTES Head to https://cozyearth.com [https://cozyearth.com] and use code THRIFTY for up to 20% off! Watch us on YouTube [https://youtu.be/jfTsxBKLE_c]! Join the conversation! Sign up [https://join.slack.com/t/thriftytraveler-pod/shared_invite/zt-3z5fdtzpx-OaTQUK1E1I_XvDqz3_RnRA] for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - A word from our friends at Cozy Earth! 00:58 - A quick recap of our live show! [https://thriftytraveler.com/podcasts/podcast-live-show-recap/] 03:18 - Lauren welcomes us back from Sevilla, Spain 03:43 - Chase Sapphire Preferred [https://thriftytraveler.com/reviews/credit-card/chase-sapphire-preferred-card/]: The best sign-up bonus … ever? 10:43 - CLEAR prices are up [https://thriftytraveler.com/news/travel/clear-raises-prices-again/] & PreCheck lines [https://thriftytraveler.com/news/travel/tsa-precheck-lines-longer/] may get longer 15:38 - A word from our sponsor: Cozy Earth! 16:38 - A slew of new credit card bonus offers [https://thriftytraveler.com/deals/credit-card/best-credit-card-offers-of-the-month/] 23:36 - What’s with all these huge offers at once? 30:28 - And what’s going on with Amex’s “As High As [https://thriftytraveler.com/news/credit-card/amexs-as-high-as-offers-bad-news/]” offers? 32:23 - Showing off our new Shorty Award! 33:38 - A listener asks: Getting around Chase’s 5/24 rule [https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/credit-card/chase-5-24-rule/] & reconsideration [https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/credit-card/credit-card-reconsideration-guide/] 36:43 - What we do after opening a new credit card 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 podcast@thriftytraveler.com [podcast@thriftytraveler.com] Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium [https://thriftytraveler.com/premium/?couponId=TTPOD] - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com [https://thriftytraveler.com] - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on… Instagram [https://instagram.com/thriftytraveler] YouTube [https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/flights/best-ways-to-book-flights-to-japan/] Facebook [https://facebook.com/thethriftytraveler] Bluesky [https://web-cdn.bsky.app/profile/did:plc:zdcyegcigt4q37z4l3og52qs] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Airline Alliances: The Key to Booking Flights for Fewer Points

SkyTeam and Star Alliance might seem like boring corporate brands, but understanding airline alliances - and how to use them to your advantage - is absolutely critical for leveling up your travels. That’s why the guys devote an the hour-long to breaking down alliances: what they are, why you should care, some of the best redemptions using those alliances, and even coming up with their own alliance … headed up by Gunnar’s namesake, “Gunair.”  Head to https://cozyearth.com [https://cozyearth.com] and use code THRIFTY for up to 20% off! SHOW NOTES Watch us on YouTube! [https://youtu.be/Ca5p-Ore3Gw] Join the conversation! Sign up [https://join.slack.com/t/thriftytraveler-pod/shared_invite/zt-3z5fdtzpx-OaTQUK1E1I_XvDqz3_RnRA] for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - A word from our sponsor, Cozy Earth! 01:00 - Gunair starts an airline alliance 02:33 - Kyle’s Thailand trip,  made possible by alliances 06:00 - Jen welcomes us back from Meteora, Greece! 06:40 - Breaking down the alliances: Star Alliance, SkyTeam & Oneworld 26:15 - What is the (funky) fourth airline alliance?  34:50 - Our favorite airline alliance is… 38:30 - A word from our sponsor, Cozy Earth! 39:00 - The power of airline alliances: Our favorite redemptions 55:00 - Is it really this easy to use points and miles with partners? 58:45 - A listener asks: Why don’t more airlines charge for carry-ons? 01:01:30 - On the spot: If you could add an airline to any alliance, what would you do? 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 podcast@thriftytraveler.com [podcast@thriftytraveler.com] Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium [https://thriftytraveler.com/premium/?couponId=TTPOD] - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com [https://thriftytraveler.com] - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on… Instagram [https://instagram.com/thriftytraveler] YouTube [https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/flights/best-ways-to-book-flights-to-japan/] Facebook [https://facebook.com/thethriftytraveler] Bluesky [https://web-cdn.bsky.app/profile/did:plc:zdcyegcigt4q37z4l3og52qs] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Surprise: Chase Souped Up the Sapphire Preferred Card!

The single-best travel credit card - the one we recommend most, especially for beginners - somehow just got even better. Chase just unveiled some shockingly positive changes this week that merited a bonus podcast. We break down all the good news, a few bad bits, and ask the question: Why is Chase doing this? SHOW NOTES Watch us on YouTube! [https://youtu.be/XFAiaSnb1hM] The Thrifty Traveler Podcast is going LIVE: Join us Friday, June 12 in Minneapolis! Buy your tickets now [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-thrifty-traveler-podcast-live-tickets-1985085344703?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true]! Join the conversation! Sign up [https://join.slack.com/t/thriftytraveler-pod/shared_invite/zt-3z5fdtzpx-OaTQUK1E1I_XvDqz3_RnRA] for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - When we first opened our Chase Sapphire Preferred cards 01:34 - Danielle from Greensboro (GSO) introduces the show 03:00 - The new perks on the Chase Sapphire Preferred we love 12:00 - The changes to the card we hate (ahem, Hyatt …) 17:38 - Join the Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack Community today [https://thriftytraveler-pod.slack.com/ssb/redirect]! 18:30 - What on earth is Chase doing here?  23:35 - Where does this card rank among all travel rewards card? 24:40 - Will there be another big welcome offer? 25:10 - Kyle’s best Chase Ultimate Rewards redemption 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 podcast@thriftytraveler.com [podcast@thriftytraveler.com] Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium [https://thriftytraveler.com/premium/?couponId=TTPOD] - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com [https://thriftytraveler.com] - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on… Instagram [https://instagram.com/thriftytraveler] YouTube [https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/flights/best-ways-to-book-flights-to-japan/] Facebook [https://facebook.com/thethriftytraveler] Bluesky [https://web-cdn.bsky.app/profile/did:plc:zdcyegcigt4q37z4l3og52qs] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com [https://pcm.adswizz.com] for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.