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. They fill slots for a premium card, everyday earner, airline or hotel card, no-annual-fee card, and a final flex pick … with a lot riding on the outcome, thanks to a last-minute bet.
But before the draft, they unpack American’s (long-overdue) reversal to seatback screens, United’s splashy 2027 international expansion, and Flying Blue’s horrible news. Plus, they answer a listener’s questions about insurance that comes from top travel credit cards.
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 extra bonus episode, like our new Starter Kit series!)
And here's the final lineup! Vote below for who you think won this year's credit card fantasy draft!
Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at [email protected]. Or 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!
Please consider supporting the show by spreading the word and leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts! That helps other travel lovers, like yourself, find our podcast.
In This Episode
Join the conversation: Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today.
- 00:00 – The state of travel credit cards in 2026 is…
- 03:44 – Igor welcomes us back from Torrey Pines
- 05:57 – American’s seatback-screen reversal and United’s 13 new routes
- 12:20 – Boo: Flying Blue’s new three-tier award pricing
- 19:45 – A word from our sponsor, Saily
- 20:45 – The Extra Mile: Drafting the best five-card wallet
- 46:22 – A listener asks: Which cards have the best built-in travel insurance?
- 49:55 – Fantasy draft punishment
Produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas
Video editing by Kyle Thomas
Show music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot
We were in Japan for over a month this spring and when we tallied up our 10 favorite experiences none were in Tokyo and only one was in Kyoto. We loved Takayama, Nagano, wild areas in Shikoku and the Japanese Alps, and the rural areas in Western Honshu. For onsens that aren’t crazy crowded try the area around the Shin-Hotaka Ropeway in the mountains near Kamikochi.
BTW, before you go to Japan go online and listen to Japanese pronunciation of place names. Narita, Haneda, and even Kyoto and Tokyo aren’t pronounced the way you probably think and Japanese speakers might not understand you if you use English pronunciation. (For example, Tokyo and Kyoto are both two-syllables.)
Can I have more info about the vpn to use for getting more points?
Hi Mary, search Rakuten for “Express VPN” or “Nord VPN.” Both regularly offer close to 100% back – 100x points when you have your Rakuten account set up that way – for these purchases. At 100% cash back (100x points), you’re essentially buying points for 1 cent apiece if you don’t plan to use the service. Just don’t forget to cancel before the promo rate expires!