We started The Thrifty Traveler Podcast in March, hoping that we could find a fun, new way to connect with travelers (and especially Thrifty Traveler readers and subscribers) every week.
Forty-two episodes, 139 five-star ratings (plus a single negative review where I caught some serious strays), and one big, red “Canada button” later, we're thrilled with the response. Thank you all for joining us once a week during your commutes, workouts, and dog walks – and for spreading the word. We're having a blast … and we're not slowing down.
Each and very Thursday morning, watch for latest the Thrifty Traveler Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods. You can also join us (virtually) in the studio and watch along on YouTube, where we include some visuals and other fun bits. Plus, you get to silently judge Kyle's outfits!
If you haven't joined us yet, we wanted to give you a few options to get started with the podcast. From the best on-ramp for all things cheap travel, some news rundown episodes, or what was undeniably our funniest episode, we've got a little something for everyone in our 42-episode (and counting) library … and there's so much more to come.
What's my favorite episode, you ask? To quote legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady whenever reporters asked which Super Bowl win was his favorite: “The next one.”
Best Episodes to Get Started
There are a lot of travel podcasts out there – we listen to and love many of them! But many cater to the advanced points and miles crowd out there.
Every few episodes, we do our best to bring things back to basics.
Our “10 Commandments of Points & Miles” – the fifth episode of the show from back in April – is the perfect example. It was Kyle's breakdown of the most important rules to live by when earning and redeeming points and miles.
If it sounds very serious … trust me, it's not. We spend a lot of the show making fun of each other – including Kyle torching my clothing choices.
Queue up this episode on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform!
Another good one to get started with was the more recent “All Our Best Tricks & Tools to Find the Cheapest Flight” – a similar primer for all things cheap flights. I also get roasted in this episode (are you sensing a theme?)
Funniest Episode
When you pair one of the smartest people in points and miles (Kyle) with one of the dumbest (me), every episode is bound to be funny. But the funniest show we've recorded to date was with TV host and avid traveler Jason Matheson.
The host of “The Jason Show” on FOX Stations across the country is not only a hilarious guy but also a prolific traveler. He talked Delta loyalty (and philandering), overcrowded lounges, and helped shine some light on two things we know little to nothing about: Disney and cruises.
It's everything hilarious about travel, all bundled into an hour. Check it out!
Check out this episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
News Roundups!
Sometimes, all you want from a podcast is to get caught up on the news. We cover the latest travel news on each and every show – we call those segments “Something Hot” and “Something Cold.”
But every once in a while, we devote an entire show to run through all the news that travelers can use in an hour or less. Our latest news roundup was “2 Ugly New Points Trends & 7 Other Big News Stories You Should Know,” where we dissected the big stories in travel that we thought our listeners needed to know about – explaining the news, but also digging into why it matters to travelers.
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whichever podcast platform you prefer!
We also devoted an entire episode to one of the biggest travel stories of the year: Our scoop earlier this year that airlines were quietly charging solo travelers significantly higher fares than groups of two or more.
Go back and listen to this episode on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere else!
Best for Planning An Incredible Trip
We love sharing our own travel experiences on this show, and these aren't just wanderlusty travelogues. In some of our best episodes, we break down exactly how we booked trips – from which miles and points we redeemed to other money-saving travel tips and on-the-ground recommendations – to help you do the same.
After going on safaris with the help of points and miles in the last few years, we broke it all down on this episode: “Big Five, Small Budget: Goin' on Safari with Points & Miles”
Tune in on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite streaming app – we're on all of them!
This was one of our favorite episodes, and now it's up to you to decide: Who planned the better safari?
I'll give an honorable mention to Kyle's breakdown of how he booked his trip to England and Scotland!
Queue it up on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you tune in!
Best for Thrifty Traveler Superfans
There's no Thrifty Traveler without you loyal readers and subscribers. But part of what we set out to do with this podcast is show off all the ridiculously cool (and hilariously uncool) travelers we employ at this company.
From the people who are finding Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deals, to the people who make that service and our website works, everyone here at TT is full of stories. But where better to start than at the beginning?
We brought in our founder and CEO for a fun interview: “A Decade of Deals with Jared Kamrowski.” We make fun of each other so much that HR almost had to get involved…
Tune in on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
If you're a Premium member, the next must-listen has to be our interview with the guy in charge of finding and sending every deal: “Getting Paid to Find Flight Deals, ft. Jon Shallbetter.” The irreverent boss behind the best flight deal alert service on the planet is not only a deal hawk, but a major goofball.
Come for the flight deal insights, stay for the Admiral Ackbar reference.
Catch this episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
We have many more lined up, including a recent episode with our own Tracey Burtch who explained how she's flying her entire family to the 2026 Italy Olympics using points and miles; our influencer and affiliate manager, Kasey DellaPenna, on her trip to China and official rankings of Disney parks worldwide; and the most interesting person in the world, award travel guru Peter Thornton.
And if you haven't gotten enough of Kyle or me, we each interviewed each other:
- Why Gunnar Hates ‘Cents Per Mile’ & Loves Cold Destinations
- Punk, Politics & Travel w/ (Failed Uber Driver) Kyle Potter
The Nitty Gritty: Deep Dives and In-Depth Conversations
We love the big laughs. We love the news roundups. We love interviewing our friends. But what's a podcast without digging deeper? Every now and again, we do a deep dive into big, important topics in the industry – and sometimes, mix in some fun interviews with insiders, too.
One recent example is our discussion about premium travel, where we dissected why airlines are spending so much time and money catering to their wealthiest passengers – and debate whether or not that's a good thing for everyday travelers like us.
It's called “Inside the Premium Travel Boom & Why Airlines are Going All In on the 1%.“
Come to see me serving in my new Lululemon fit. Stay for Kyle's keen insights into a rapidly changing and hugely consequential airline industry. Both equally important, no?
To best understand the travel industry, sometimes you need to bring in some outside perspectives, too. That's why we enlisted the services of Ryan Jones – the creator and CEO of our favorite travel app, Flighty.
Catch this interview, titled “Why Flighty is Our Favorite Travel App, with CEO Ryan Jones” for a fun bonus episode.
For the Diehards: A Holiday Spectacular
If you've loved our show so far this year, our Thrifty Traveler Podcast holiday party was easily the most fun we've had firing up the mics this year.
To celebrate the end of the year, we solicited voicemails from our listeners and friends who asked us questions and bragged about their trips and bookings in what was a fun-filled hour. I got threatened by my boss on-air, made fun of for my sunburn-prone skin, and may or may not have shared the story of the last (and shockingly recent) time I pooped my pants. What a ride!
Listen to the “Ho-Ho-Holiday Mailbag” on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
What's Next?
We're 42 episodes in, but we're just getting started.
You can count on us to continue to break down all the travel news you need to know most weeks to keep you up to date. We'll also continue to dive deep into airfare trends, explain the ins and outs of earning and redeeming points and miles, and so much more.
But since you made it this far, here's a sneak peak at what's ahead in the weeks and months to come:
- In your feed on New Year's Day, we're diving deep into the flight deal trends that may define 2026, including where you should travel and what we've booked already.
- A special bonus episode coming in January will highlight my recent trip to Finland, including an unforgettable business class flight and introducing my infant daughter to Santa Claus.
- More electric guests that I really wish I could reveal, but can't yet!
- A live show! That's right: We're putting together a live taping of the podcast so you all can join us in person. Details TBD.
We can't wait for “the next one,” and we hope you can't either.
Don't miss it! Subscribe now on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
Bottom Line
It's been 42 hilarious, irreverent, informative, and fun episodes of the Thrifty Traveler Podcast, and we can't wait for what's next in 2026.
If you're looking to try out the podcast, or need something to send someone who is curious, consider one of the episodes above for some of our favorite stuff so far. Here's to the next 42 and beyond!