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 …

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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

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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 for sponsoring this special episode of the Thrifty Traveler Podcast!

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Join us for the next live show in Fargo, North Dakota on Wednesday, July 29! Get your tickets now.

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

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!

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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.

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00:00 - A word from our friends at Cozy Earth!

00:58 - A quick recap of our live show!

03:18 - Lauren welcomes us back from Sevilla, Spain

03:43 - Chase Sapphire Preferred: The best sign-up bonus … ever?

10:43 - CLEAR prices are up & PreCheck lines may get longer

15:38 - A word from our sponsor: Cozy Earth!

16:38 - A slew of new credit card bonus offers

23:36 - What’s with all these huge offers at once?

30:28 - And what’s going on with Amex’s “As High As” offers?

32:23 - Showing off our new Shorty Award!

33:38 - A listener asks: Getting around Chase’s 5/24 rule & reconsideration

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

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!

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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 and use code THRIFTY for up to 20% off!

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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

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!

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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?

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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!

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

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!

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Gunnar is back from Italy (and he’s completely insufferable about it …), so the guys break down his trip through Rome and beyond and how he booked some amazing stays - via Hilton.

Plus, they recap some big news around Bilt 2.0, woes getting into Europe, a handy new tool for using your credit card perks, and the monumental news … about an airport Taco Bell.

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.

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00:00 - Kyle goes whale-watching (?) in Minnesota

02:25 - Jake welcomes us back from the Six Senses Kyoto

03:00 - Fun news: Join the Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack Community!

04:10 - Bilt 2.0 gets grilled by a top Democratic lawmaker

08:02 - Europe’s Entry/Exit system issues

12:12 - Our all new credit card benefit tracker!

15:50 - RIP to the best Amex airline fee credit workaround

20:10 - Airlines are over-charging you for seat upgrades

24:55 - 1-month warning for the SkyMiles credit card snack benefit

26:50 - Live Más: Taco Bell Cantina opens at DEN

30:16 - Thanks to our sponsor, Bilt Rewards!

31:27 - Recapping Gunnar’s Hilton-and-SLH-fueled Italian vacay

51:00 - Revisiting our Hilton vs. Hyatt debate

57:40 - A listener asks: What’s it worth to fly Emirates First Class?

01:02:00 - On the Spot: Regional cuisine in airports

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!

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Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.