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Artwork for Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

NerdWallet Travel
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Nerdwallet
Credit Cards
Budgeting
American Express Platinum Card
Travel Budgeting
Southwest Airlines
American Airlines
Travel Insurance
Hyatt
Travel
Capital One Venture X
Weddings
Bilt
Halloween Travel
Premium Travel Credit Cards
Travel Credit Cards
Travel Costs
Italy
Hilton

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, practic... more

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Artwork for Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

Latest Episodes

Coupon queen Kiersti Torok reveals how everyday savings on gas, groceries and gift cards can fund your next trip.

Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French talk to Kiersti Torok — known online as Torok Coupon Hunter — about turning everyday savings from ... more

Learn what six months of confusing changes to Bilt's rewards program have actually meant for cardholders' points.

Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss six months of living with Bilt's revamped rewards program to help you decide whether the ho... more

Learn how to handle a surprise layover and track down a cheap flight to a random destination.

Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French discuss how to think fast when travel plans go sideways to help you handle curveballs with more confidence. But first, ... more

Learn how to stretch modest points balances into business-class flights, and safer spending abroad.

Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle answer travel questions from listeners to help you make smarter points, transfer and booking decisions. But first... more

Key Facts

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Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Frederick Jones
Director of Rooms & Guest Relations at NH Hotel Group
NH Collection New York / NH Hotel Group
Episode: What to Ask Your Hotel Concierge: Free Upgrades, Insider Deals, and What Most Travelers Miss
Paul Bernardini
Head of Marketing
Flighty
Episode: Your Flight Got Canceled. Here's How to Beat Summer's Worst Travel Chaos
Dr. Andrew Kahn
Licensed psychologist, Associate Director of Expertise and Behavioral Health Innovation at Understood
Understood
Episode: The ADHD Traveler's Guide to Airport Security, Budgeting and Staying on Schedule
Zu Rakuthu Nirina
Tour guide in Madagascar
Independent tour guide (Madagascar)
Episode: The Hidden Costs of "Cheap" Countries: What $300 a Day in Madagascar Really Buys You
Robert Barclay
House sitter/host participant in Asheville interview
Asheville resident featured in Kindred segment
Episode: How to Travel Without Paying for a Hotel: Inside Home Swapping and Pet Sitting Apps
Gilbert Ott
Director of Loyalty at OneWorld Alliance
OneWorld Alliance
Episode: How Airline Alliance Status Gets You Into the World's Best Airport Lounges for Free
Jana Kate
Avid traveler with her dog Pokito
Independent traveler featured on the episode
Episode: Traveling with Pets: How to Put Your Paws on the Best Airlines and Hotels for Furry Family Members
Craig Joseph
Guest expert on ski industry data and passes
Unspecified in episode
Episode: Before You Book a Ski Trip, Learn How to Save on Mountain Hotels, Ski Rentals and Lift Tickets
Alyssa Mala
travel blogger at Do You Have Fly-Fi and co-host of the Blue Did It 25 for 25 Community Celebration
Episode: 25 Airports in 6 Months: The Real Lessons From JetBlue’s 350,000-Point Challenge

Hosts

Meghan Coyle
Host of Smart Travel from NerdWallet; travel budgeting and points expert.
Sally French
Host of Smart Travel; travel expert and loyalty program enthusiast.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 349 ratings
  • Bilt episode

    I have to set the audio speed to .8 because the women talk so quickly. The guy said that Bilt hotel bookings are non refundable but there is a normally a refundable choice, at a higher rate. Bilt is too stressful? As a host, become a bit more educated about the program. How could you not know about rent day benefits?

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Gitloml
    United States9 days ago
  • Great tips.

    Useful travel tips. Some other reviewers stated that they wished they spoke slower. You can change the speed of the podcast. I actually speed the podcast up if I’m short on time and want to get all of the information.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    les37043
    United States2 months ago
  • Really fun to listen too

    I usually hate podcasts cause I feel like ppl drone on but this group is rlly fun to listen too and they kept my attention :p

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lettieletra
    United States2 months ago
  • Talk Slower

    Ladies, please talk slower.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Eric J Wynn
    United States2 months ago
  • Good info…. But

    I want to like this podcast. The information is good, but boy it sounds so much like a public radio festival. The vocal fry of the podcast hosts. I just can’t take it. And talk a bit slower.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Mokeyt3/35
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests and topics cover a broad range of travel scenarios, from wallets to experiences.
Delivery is energetic and engaging, but some listeners wish for slower tempo.
Hosts provide actionable budgeting and loyalty tips with clear examples.
Brand sponsorships are well integrated and useful for context, not distracting.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ask the Nerds: Booking Traps, Transfer Optimization and Card Strategy
Q: I recently got a Delta Platinum Amex and want to know if upgrading to business class with miles is worth it given my 202,000 miles.
Yes, if two travelers are involved, you can use partner tools to find redemptions around 115,000 miles per person one-way in business, plus discounts for Delta cardholders, which could bring costs down to about 97,750 miles per person, though you should compare this to cash fares and consider round-trip costs.
What to Ask Your Hotel Concierge: Free Upgrades, Insider Deals, and What Most Travelers Miss
Q: What is the most common or surprising thing guests ask for that a concierge might fulfill?
Requests range from practical arrangements like transfers and restaurant bookings to extraordinary ones, such as arranging a chair replica or proposing in a landmark location, illustrating the breadth of what a concierge can coordinate when given time and trust.
What to Ask Your Hotel Concierge: Free Upgrades, Insider Deals, and What Most Travelers Miss
Q: How do upgrades typically work with concierges, and what price points are involved if inventory is limited?
Concierges will generally offer at least one upgrade when inventory allows, and if not complimentary, they may propose a paid upgrade with a clear per-night price to give guests options and maintain goodwill; upgrades depend on inventory and timing, often best arranged two to three days before arrival.
What to Ask Your Hotel Concierge: Free Upgrades, Insider Deals, and What Most Travelers Miss
Q: Would you recommend transferring Hyatt points to Air Canada Aeroplan given the two-to-one transfer ratio?
No, because there are more efficient one‑to‑one transfer options from credit card programs, and the value of Hyatt points is high enough that converting to Aeroplan at two-to-one tends to lose value unless you have a highly valuable redemption lined up.
Your Flight Got Canceled. Here's How to Beat Summer's Worst Travel Chaos
Q: What are some of the first things you do to avoid the summer travel chaos?
Book the first flight of the day to avoid domino delays, choose airlines with multiple daily departures, avoid layovers when possible, and rely on the airline app to monitor and reschedule quickly.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

What is Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical, points-driven travel show focused on making travel budgets go further. Episodes consistently explore budgeting tools, loyalty programs, and strategic use of cards and portals to maximize value, often blending data-driven guidance with real-world stories. Core topics include earning and redeeming points, airline and hotel perks, and navigating changes in programs, while also featuring expert guests from hospitality, technology, and loyalty industries. A notable strength is the duo's ability to translate complex reward systems into actionable tips for families, couples, and regular travelers, with sponsorships woven in to illustrate live applications of the concepts. The format tends to mix how-to guidance with timely travel news... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways?

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How many listeners does Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways get?

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How many subscribers and views does Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways:

1. Your Next Dollar: Money Management for High Earners
2. NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast
3. Silver Linings with The Old Gays
4. The Thrifty Traveler Podcast
5. Points Talk®: Your Travel Dreams, Made Possible by Points

How many episodes of Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways are there?

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways launched 2 years ago and published 83 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways?

Recent guests on Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways include:

1. Frederick Jones
2. Paul Bernardini
3. Dr. Andrew Kahn
4. Zu Rakuthu Nirina
5. Robert Barclay
6. Gilbert Ott
7. Jana Kate
8. Craig Joseph

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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