The Thrifty Traveler Podcast

Thrifty Traveler
  • 4.9 (245)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Weekly

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 get your podcasts and learn to travel more for less this year.

  1. 18h ago ·  Bonus

    Live from Fargo! Tips for Traveling (& Saving) from Smaller Airports

    The guys took the show on the road: Coming to you live from TEDxFargo in North Dakota in late July, Gunnar and Kyle devoted an episode of the show to airports not named JFK, LAX, MSP, ORD, or the other big hubs. The guys swapped stories and shared tips about traveling from smaller airports and cities. They talk about their favorite (and least favorite …) experiences at small airports before diving into the top tips for finding better deals, using points and miles, and traveling smarter from smaller airports. Plus, a TTPOD fan forces Gunnar to reckon with his O’Hare take and (former Fargo resident!) Kyle delights in seeing Gunnar’s reaction to visiting Fargo for the first time. This episode is presented by Visit Fargo-Moorhead! And our thanks to North Dakota Tourism and Fargo Hector International Airport! Watch us on YouTube! Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - Kyle’s triumphant return to Fargo 01:15 - Our favorite travel beers 04:15 - The Fargo audience welcomes us back! 04:35 - Thanks to our presenting sponsor: Visit Fargo-Moorhead 06:15 - Swapping our best small airport travel experiences 16:30 - Our weirdest, quirkiest small airport stories 22:30 - Thanks to our sponsor: North Dakota Tourism 23:35 - How to save on flights from smaller airports 43:50 - Thanks to our sponsor: Fargo Hector International Airport 44:40 - The best part of flying out of a small airport 46:30 - How to make travel easier at smaller airports 51:45 - Programs to avoid for high fees and surcharges 54:30 - Gunnar’s official legal statement about O’Hare 56:15 - Kyle’s favorite Fargo memory & best Fargo beer Video & Audio production by LiveWire 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 Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on…InstagramYouTubeFacebookBluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  2. 5d ago

    Japan & Delta SkyMiles Deals: So Hot Right Now

    Kyle joins the show from the Park Hyatt Tokyo on this special Japan-themed episode. While the sun slowly rises behind him, Kyle first revisits his scorching hot take about the rise of SkyMiles before the guys dig into where to go in Japan, how to get there, and where to stay on your next trip. Plus, Gunnar gives his own hot take about jet lag, and Kyle gives advice on how to beat it. Watch us on YouTube! Download SAILY's app and use code THRIFTY at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details, go to https://saily.com/thrifty Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - Kyle is live from the Park Hyatt Tokyo! 02:35 - Kyle and Matt give us a Japan-themed welcome back 03:25 - Kyle’s scorching hot Delta SkyMiles take 09:45 - Pushing back on Kyle’s take and the “clearance meat” story 13:20 - Chase cuts Priority Pass users out of its lounges 16:25 - Kyle’s grueling 10 hours of DFW lounge hopping 18:50 - A word from our sponsor Saily!  19:50 - The Extra Mile: Where to go in Japan 35:00 - How to fly to Japan: Haneda vs. Narita and flight deals 40:15 - Kyle’s review of the new JAL Biz Class on the A350 47:50 - Where to stay in Japan: Hyatt Regency, Conrad and more 55:20 - How to get around in Japan 57:37 - What points should Judy earn for biz class flights to Japan 01:01:00 - Kyle’s tips for beating jet lag 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 Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on…InstagramYouTubeFacebookBluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  3. Jul 30

    The Current State of Points & Miles Deals in 2026

    The world of all things points and miles is changing rapidly. So to dig into where things are at and what’s ahead, Gunnar and Kyle bring in the man they call “St. Peter” – Thrifty Traveler’s Senior Award Analyst and guru of all things award travel, Peter Thornton – to talk about the state of award availability and spell out the best uses of your points and miles as we enter the second half of 2026. Plus, they recap about some rare business class deals making a comeback, why airlines are throttling award searches … and, for some reason, talk a lot about cycling?  Show Notes Thanks to our sponsor, Bellroy! Check out Bellroy’s travel gear and get 10% off using this link. They've got the perfect design for any kind of traveler. Watch us on YouTube! Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - Introducing “St. Peter” and his adventure across Iowa 03:35 - Rami introduces the show from Emirates First Class! 04:35 - Rare business class awards are … back? 09:25 - Airlines are blocking award searches 15:15 - The Extra Mile: The current state of award availability 20:40 - Where to find economy award availability 23:30 - Where to find business class deals 27:15 - R.I.P. to the deals that got away 36:00 - Peter predicts: What’s coming next? 40:20 - A listener asks: How to find award space before calling to book 44:30 - Peter asks: What state would you bike across? 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 Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on…InstagramYouTubeFacebookBluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  4. Jul 23

    How the Pros Use Google Flights

    Booking cheap travel starts and ends with Google Flights, which is why Gunnar and Kyle devoted a full episode of the podcast to how to use our favorite website - including some of the advanced features that can help you find the cheapest fares on the planet and help you book flights like a pro. The guys go over the basics before digging into next-level features like Explore, Alerts, and plenty of other details that set Google Flights apart as the best travel tool out there.  Show Notes Go to Monarch.com and use code “THRIFTY” to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just $50! Download SAILY's app and use code THRIFTY at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/thrifty  Watch us on YouTube! Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - Elevator pitch: Why should you use Google Flights? 02:50 - Dan & Terry welcome us back from the Andaz Costa Rica 03:40 - The Extra Mile: How to use Google Flights like a pro 23:10 - A word from our sponsor: Saily! 24:10 - A word from our sponsor: Monarch! 25:15 - Google Flights 401: Explore, Price Alerts & and more 41:00 - What about PointsPath or Seats.Aero browser extensions? 45:00 - What did Gunnar use before Google Flights?   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 Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on…InstagramYouTubeFacebookBluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  5. Jul 16

    Is Airfare Dropping & Where to Find Late Summer Deals

    Forget what you’ve heard about flight prices: There’s still time to get a great summer flight deal … if you know where to look. That’s what Gunnar and Kyle discussed this week along with a deep dive on where things stand with airfare. Are we going to get a break from high fares soon? Plus, the guys hate Delta’s new “Basic Business” fares, they love Flighty’s latest update, and they get the latest story in the saga of “bougie boyfriend.”  Show Notes Thank you to our sponsor, Bilt Rewards! Earn points on rent and make your entire neighborhood more rewarding with Bilt. Sign up at joinbilt.com/thrifty.  This week’s episode is also by Visit Fargo-Moorhead! Watch us on YouTube! Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - Ranking World Cup countries as travel destinations 02:05 - Katie welcomes us back to the show from London! 03:00 - The new-look Thrifty Traveler Podcast! 03:20 - Flighty’s new connection assistant update 06:23 - Sounding off on Delta “Basic Business” 15:40 - A word from our sponsor Bilt Rewards! 16:40 - A word from our sponsor Visit Fargo-Moorhead! 18:15 - What’s happening with airfare? 29:00 - Where to (still) find summer deals 38:50 - A listener’s “bougie boyfriend” 41:20 - How many Chase cards is too many? 44:45 - Kyle’s ideal place for a race route 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 Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on…InstagramYouTubeFacebookBluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  6. Jul 9

    Top 10 Flight Deals of 2026 (So Far)

    It’s the halfway point in 2026, so Gunnar ranked up the 10 best flight deals (and three best hotel deals) of the year so far … and Kyle got to air all of his gripes and grievances about Gunnar’s list. In a six-month span that will surely be remembered for high airfare, we’re celebrating the deals that just kept coming – from flights to Asia in the $300s roundtrip to a business class mistake fare, and more. Plus, we help a listener with their “phantom” space problem, and Gunnar revisits the Taco Bell Cantina at DEN … again … Thanks to our sponsors:  Download SAILY's app and use code THRIFTY at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/thrifty ⛵ Book your next flight at FargoAirport.com! Watch us on YouTube! Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - What’s the big story from the first half of 2026? 04:00 - And why is that the Taco Bell Cantina DEN … 05:05 - Dana, Clayton, & Stan from White Sands, New Mexico 06:15 - A new best way to book Hawaiian Airlines Biz Class 09:30 - Qantas Biz Class on one of the world’s longest flights  11:25 - A rare sale on Delta’s flights to South Africa 13:05 - Delta One SkyMiles sale to Hong Kong 15:55 - Flights to Tahiti for $463 roundtrip 17:34 - A word from our sponsor: Fargo Airport (FAR)! 18:25 - A word from our sponsor: Saily! 19:18 - Some love for hotels, starting with Hermitage Bay Antigua 20:35 - Availability at the renovated Park Hyatt Tokyo 21:30 - The new Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica 22:45 - The first widespread Qsuites availability in years 26:50 - Delta One to Europe from 97k SkyMiles each way 31:10 - Flights to Asia from $359 … roundtrip! 33:15 - Turkish Airlines Biz Class mistake fare 35:50 - The best deal of the year … so far … 39:00 - How did Gunnar do on his top 10 list? 39:50 - Kyle’s honorable mentions 41:15 - What is “phantom” award space? 45:10 - What’s the best thing we’ve booked in 2026? 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 Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on…InstagramYouTubeFacebookBluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  7. Jul 2

    Amazing Hawaii Redemptions, Delta Highs & Lows and Other News

    Gunnar and Kyle brag about gettin’ booksy before diving into a busy week of news: The single best redemption using Southwest miles, translating an airline CEO’s infuriating airfare comments, applaud a true sicko’s way of transferring points to Hilton, and more. Plus, the guys draft their favorite new routes debuting this winter and play the World Cup … of flight deals. Show Notes Watch us on YouTube! Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - Gunnar & Kyle both got “booksy” 02:24 - The Larsons welcome us back from Machu Picchu! 03:50 - Is this the best Southwest Rapid Rewards redemption? 08:55 - Translating Delta CEO’s (gross) comments on airfare 16:45 - A new Delta One Lounge ATL … eventually 21:15 - Transferring points from Chase to Hilton 24:25 - A Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal World Cup 27:50 - Delta SkyMiles premium snack benefit extended! 29:30 - & T-Mobile customers get a free drink! 30:20 - We’re hiring! What it’s like to work with us … 31:45 - Drafting our favorite new winter routes 37:45 - A listener asks: How to use Google Flights for award travel? 41:05 - On the spot: Advice for getting into the travel industry 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 Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on…InstagramYouTubeFacebookBluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  8. Jun 25

    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 Head to Saily.com/Thrifty for 15% off your first purchase! Get 50% off your first year of Monarch with promo code “THRIFTY” Watch us on YouTube! Join the conversation! Sign up 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 18:05 - Touchless kiosks & 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 Get 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more! See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile! Follow us on…InstagramYouTubeFacebookBluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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4.9
out of 5
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About

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 get your podcasts and learn to travel more for less this year.

Information

  • Creator
    Thrifty Traveler
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Thrifty Traveler
  • Show Website
    The Thrifty Traveler Podcast

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