Rephonic
Artwork for The Thrifty Traveler Podcast

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast

Thrifty Traveler
Points and Miles
Airlines
Google Flights
Delta Skymiles
Hyatt
Travel Tips
Award Travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Travel Rewards
Delta Airlines
Travel
Airline Loyalty Programs
Credit Cards
Thrifty Traveler
Travel Deals
Capital One Venture X
Flighty
Southwest Airlines
United Airlines
American Airlines

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 b... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes92Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Places & TravelAviationLeisureSociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Thrifty Traveler Podcast

Latest Episodes

Google Flights is making a big move into the points and miles game, United’s CEO’s egotistical comments, Delta’s weird (but arguably best-ever?) credit card offer, and a bevy of new Europe routes all headline a big news roundup to close out the summe... more

YouTube

If you want to get into redeeming points and miles, you need to earn them first. So in our second installment of our Starter Kit series, Gunnar and Kyle break down the best strategies for earning tons of travel rewards. While it might start with cred... more

Gunnar’s gone, so Kyle and Nick go head-to-head in a fantasy football style draft to build the perfect five-card travel wallet ... with a lot riding on the outcome, thanks to a last-minute bet. But before the draft, they unpack American’s (long-overd... more

YouTube

Are you ready to get started with points, miles, and all things cheap travel? It all starts with airfare, so in this first installment of our new Starter Kit series, Gunnar and Kyle walk through how to find the cheapest flight possible, every single ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

Recent Guests

Nick Zirotti
Co-founder, Thrifty Traveler
Thrifty Traveler
Episode: Booking 5-Star Hotels in Italy, Airline Upgrade Scams & More News
Nick Cerati
Co-founder of Thrifty Traveler
Thrifty Traveler
Episode: The Biggest Winners & Losers from Hyatt’s Massive Changes
Kim Oh
Listener who submitted a story
Episode: Roasting YOUR Worst Travel Mistakes
Kyle Thomas
Award travel content creator and video editor for the show
Thrifty Traveler
Episode: How to Earn a Million Points & Fly Delta One for Less
Katie Rollins
Flight Deal Analyst at Thrifty Traveler Premium
Thrifty Traveler
Episode: The 14 Things We Never Travel Without (& the 1 Thing We Hate)
Jon Schallbetter
Guest reviewer of Ostrich Pillow
Ostrich Pillow
Episode: The 14 Things We Never Travel Without (& the 1 Thing We Hate)
Marcus Gunderson
Guest from Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Resort
Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Resort
Episode: WTF is Happening with Flight Prices & What We’re Doing
Jon Shallbetter
Thrifty Traveler Chief Flight Deal Analyst
Thrifty Traveler
Episode: The Best (& Worst) Business Classes in the World
Jared Kamrowski
Founder and CEO of Thrifty Traveler
Thrifty Traveler
Episode: How We Find Cheap Flights: Inside Thrifty Traveler with Founder Jared Kamrowski

Hosts

Gunnar Olson
Host of The Thrifty Traveler Podcast with a focus on points, miles, and practical travel tips; co-creator of the Thrifty Traveler workflow.
Kyle Potter
Executive editor and Points and Miles expert; co-host covering deals, transfers, and strategy.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 381 ratings
  • Great show

    This guys keep it real and funny with all sorts of advice and puns that make it for a favourite in our family!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    traderaxxx
    United States23 days ago
  • Best Travel Podcast

    Absolutely best travel podcast out there! They are easy to listen to and understand, yet make me laugh during each episode. Love listening each Thursday!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lkkwi522
    United Statesa month ago
  • Best Points and Miles Podcast Out There

    There are many travel podcasts, but no one delivers like Gunnar and Kyle. Always on top of the current travel trends, credit card updates, and airline and hotel program changes. But more importantly, it’s just always an all around good time to listen to them banter and hear their takes on travel. Look forward to this pod every week!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Theguzisloose
    United Statesa month ago
  • Listen for the travel info, stay for the laughs

    I have been listening to Gunnar & Kyle since the first podcast and recently went back and listened to all of the podcasts for a second time — and learned (& laughed!) even more! Keep up the great work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SeñoraRGquiereviajar
    United States2 months ago
  • Favorite Travel Podcast

    I am a listener from the very first episode and have caught every episode since. I look forward to new episodes and have learned so much in the short time the podcast has been going. The rapport between the hosts is very entertaining and makes it a pleasure to listen each week.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LT in PA
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Fans value actionable tips and up-to-date loyalty program insights.
Regular guests and on-location segments add depth and practical context.
Listeners praise the hosts' chemistry and banter.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Drafting the Perfect 5-Card Travel Wallet: Who Wins?
Q: Melanie asks about whether splitting payments between banks affects claims for coverage under travel insurance benefits.
The hosts clarify that as long as the card used to pay for the trip provides coverage and the taxes/fees are charged to a card with coverage, the claim can be filed with the card that offers the benefit, making the payer's card the key factor for eligibility.
Drafting the Perfect 5-Card Travel Wallet: Who Wins?
Q: Melanie asks which cards offer the best travel protections and how paying taxes and fees with one card while booking with another affects coverage.
Nick highlights Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Capital One Venture X as top coverage cards, noting primary rental car coverage and robust trip protections; he explains that paying taxes/fees with a different card generally still triggers coverage based on the card that provides the benefit, with coverage applicable through the card used for the incident's related payments.
Live from Fargo! Tips for Traveling (& Saving) from Smaller Airports
Q: Is Gunnar still claiming that Chicago O'Hare is an acceptable airport?
The host team teases Gunnar with a humorous mock statement about an internal investigation into his opinions on O'Hare, acknowledging a playful bias toward premium lounges at O'Hare while recognizing that experiences at larger hubs can be mixed and that personal preferences vary.
Live from Fargo! Tips for Traveling (& Saving) from Smaller Airports
Q: Which airlines are increasingly passing on exorbitant fees to award travelers, and are there any programs you would no longer use for this reason?
Air France/KLM and Emirates were noted as examples where taxes and fees on award tickets can be high despite favorable mileage costs; Virgin Atlantic Flying Club can offer favorable mileage rates but still with sometimes steep fees, while British Airways Avios can be useful for flat-rate connections. Overall, use Google Flights to compare cash prices and taxes before redeeming miles, and consider non-U.S. programs that may offer better value.
Japan & Delta SkyMiles Deals: So Hot Right Now
Q: Judy asks what points to earn for a spring 2028 Japan trip and whether business class for a family of four is feasible, given evolving transfer partnerships and award availability.
Kyle advises focusing on transferable points that can be sent to multiple programs (including JAL and other OneWorld partners) and emphasizes that award availability and partner space will continue to evolve, so the best approach is flexible planning and frequent searches; if a strong deal appears in the near term (e.g., American or other partners) it may be wise to capitalize on it, but long-term certainty is unlikely until closer to the travel date.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Thrifty Traveler Podcast

What is The Thrifty Traveler Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on practical travel hacking: earning and redeeming points and miles, finding cheap flights, and staying current with loyalty programs and airline strategies. Hosts Gunnar Olson and Kyle Potter deliver data-driven insights, live testing of tools (like Google Flights), and timely industry updates, often supplemented by on-location guests and real-world travel stories. The format mixes strategy, current news, and actionable tips with upbeat banter, making it approachable for beginners while still valuable to seasoned points-and-miles enthusiasts. Notable is the consistent emphasis on maximizing value through transfers, portals, and card sign-ups, plus a community-driven feel with live events and listener Q&A segments.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Thrifty Traveler Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Thrifty Traveler Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Thrifty Traveler Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Thrifty Traveler Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Thrifty Traveler Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Thrifty Traveler Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Thrifty Traveler Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Thrifty Traveler Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Thrifty Traveler Podcast 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 The Thrifty Traveler Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Thrifty Traveler Podcast:

1. Award Travel 101
2. Frequent Miler on the Air
3. Points Talk®: Your Travel Dreams, Made Possible by Points
4. MTM Travel - The Fun Side of Points & Travel!
5. Takeoff: A Points and Miles Podcast by 10xTravel

How many episodes of The Thrifty Traveler Podcast are there?

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast launched 2 years ago and published 92 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 The Thrifty Traveler Podcast?

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.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Thrifty Traveler Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Thrifty Traveler Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Thrifty Traveler Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Thrifty Traveler Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Thrifty Traveler Podcast?

Recent guests on The Thrifty Traveler Podcast include:

1. Nick Zirotti
2. Nick Cerati
3. Kim Oh
4. Kyle Thomas
5. Katie Rollins
6. Jon Schallbetter
7. Marcus Gunderson
8. Jon Shallbetter

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days