Travel isn’t always perfect and we certainly aren’t either. This week on the show, Gunnar and Kyle cop to the worst travel mistakes they’ve made over the year.
From rehashing Gunnar’s Avianca last name fiasco to entering birthdates wrong to over-scheduling trips, getting fleeced at an expensive restaurant, and even timing bathroom breaks on the road, the guys have screwed up a lot over the years. Join us as we discredit, debase, and humiliate ourselves!
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 (plus the occasional Tuesday bonus episode!)
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Show Notes
00:00 – What’s the biggest mistake travelers make?
02:50 – Sylvia welcomes us to the show from Zion National Park
05:15 – The Gunnar Olson Olson Olson story
07:10 – Not checking airfare from more than one airport
09:20 – Think before you swipe: Using the wrong card to book flights
11:55 – Over-scheduling travel – Kyle’s slightly-too-much trip
14:00 – Not paying attention to open hours
16:15 – Birthday fiascos and infant reservations: Don’t wait until the airport!
19:40 – Getting a ski trip shuttered by the weather
22:30 – A word from our sponsor: Don’t miss the next great flight deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium
24:20 – Letting e-credits expire
26:15 – Leaving something in the overhead bin
28:30 – Swiping the same old credit card
30:40 – Check the menu: A crazy expensive meal in Singapore
32:35 – The pre-boarding bathroom break
34:40 – A listener asks: Why the “Yo?”
36:12 – Another listener asks: More on our rebooking strategy
43:05 – The biggest mistake Gunnar has made at Thrifty Traveler
Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot
Gunnar, Really disappointed to see You use the three letter abbreviation for such an offensive word in the title of this podcast. I’m sure you could have found a more respectful way to ask the question what is happening with flight prices. I hope you consider keeping things clean in the future.
Tell Kyle no one cares he is a straight white male and continually bringing it up is offensive. If he was a blind blonde lesbian african american pacific islander no one would care. Grow up people tune in to get the information and couldn’t care less about someone’s gender and ethnic make up.
I was just poking fun at myself/trying to show some self-awareness about the privilege of complaining about flying business class … but yeah, probably dropped that line one or two too many times.
Hey! Don’t knock the Hyatt Place Northwest/Medical Center. It is the closest and most convenient Hyatt for visiting Six Flags Fiesta Texas! 😉
*As a Globalist*…
But really, as a Globalist who travels with two kids and basically only ever uses points (other than Platinum credits for THC) I do think there are aspects that can’t really be replicated elsewhere unless you’re independently wealthy. As Gunnar pointed out the footprint is a challenge and may prevent me from requalifying this year, but there’s just so much that being a Globalist allows me to do that wouldn’t be possible without it unless I drained all of my Amex MRs at 1c each to book via FHR/THC. The combination of milestone rewards and straight Globalist benefits is second to none for a family – I can use 25k points per night (or less) and a suite upgrade award to put our whole family into a great room at a nice hotel with free breakfast and parking. And sometimes I can throw a Guest of Honor award at my extended family so that the cousins can come too! We just wouldn’t be able to travel as much or as well as we do – and with the people we love – with the other disloyal hotel options you mentioned*.
*The Edit with a Points Boost might be the next best thing for our needs but I’ve lost count of my rejections from the CSR personal card.