The news has been relentless to kick off the New Year, so the guys devoted the latest Thrifty Traveler Podcast to 10 big news stories you need to know in 2026.
That includes much cheaper one-way international fares, the surprising Allegiant-Sun Country merger, Bilt Rewards 2.0, a pair of new lounges, and much more. Plus, a listener wonders what to do about the dreaded “equipment swap” and Gunnar keeps digging a deeper hole with his recent O’Hare take…
Tune in now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! And be sure to subscribe now to get each new episode every Thursday morning.
Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]. Help us kick off the next episode of the pod: Leave your “Welcome Back to the Thrifty Traveler Podcast” video message at thriftytraveler.com/voicemail today!
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Show Notes
- 00:00 – About Gunnar’s controversial “Chicago-O’Hare is good” take from last week…
- 02:55 – Are airlines ditching higher one-way fares for international flights?
- 12:45 – Why Allegiant’s surprise acquisition of Sun Country matters
- 23:15 – Bilt 2.0 is here, with good and bad news
- 30:00 – A word from our sponsor: us! Get Thrifty Traveler Premium today
- 33:10 – American Airlines (kinda) launches free Wi-Fi
- 34:10 – No mileage or status on AA basic economy tickets
- 35:10 – No status changes for American this year, but is bad news ahead?
- 36:20 – Hawaiian Airlines’ big plans for aircraft upgrades and a fancy new Honolulu lounge
- 38:40 – The next Capital One Lounge: Charlotte (CLT)
- 40:15 – Delta orders 787 Dreamliners
- 42:20 – Listener Question: What to do if you’re “product-swapped”?
- 46:10 – On the Spot: What does Kyle tell people he does for a living?
Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot