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.
Twenty-five episodes, 110 five-star ratings (plus a single negative review where Gunnar caught some serious strays), and two silly hats later, we're thrilled with the response. Thank you 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!
But if you haven't joined us yet, I wanted to give you a few options to get started with the podcast. From the best on-ramp for all things cheap travel, a news-heavy feature, or what was undeniably our funniest episode, we've got a little something for everyone in our 25-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 Podcast Episode to Get Started in Travel
There are a lot of travel podcasts out there, 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 – 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 Gunnar's clothing choices.
Queue up this episode on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform!
Another good one to get started with was our latest episode: “All Our Best Tricks & Tools to Find the Cheapest Flight” – a similar primer for all things cheap flights. Gunnar also gets 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, overcrowded lounges, and helped shine some light on two things Gunnar and Kyle 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!
Best News Roundup
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 one of our latest episodes was newsier than the rest.
In “Upgrade Prices, RIP Alaska Miles & More Big Travel News You Need,” we dissected 10 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, Spotify, or whichever podcast platform you prefer!
The guys 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 Practical Tips
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 upcoming trip to England and Scotland!
Queue it up on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you tune in!
Best for Thrifty Traveler Fans
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.” The guys 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.
And if you haven't gotten enough of Kyle or myself, we each interviewed each other:
- Why Gunnar Hates ‘Cents Per Mile’ & Loves Cold Destinations
- Punk, Politics & Travel w/ (Failed Uber Driver) Kyle Potter
What's Next?
We're 25 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 to come:
- After many of you sent in some excellent questions, we've got a mailbag episode to answer (almost) all of them coming soon
- We'll have an interview with the founder and CEO of one of the best travel apps about some exciting updates in store
- And we're also bringing in our in-house expert on finding award availability to share how he does it … and a story about the time he met Ja Rule and Vin Diesel on spring break
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 25 hilarious, irreverent, informative, and fun episodes of the Thrifty Traveler Podcast, and we can't wait for what's next.
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 25 and beyond!