Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

54 minutes 56 seconds

Is the Southwest Companion Pass Still Worth Chasing after the 2027 Changes?

What does Southwest's loyalty overhaul mean for the Companion Pass, elite status and credit card earning in 2027?

Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss Southwest's Rapid Rewards overhaul to help you figure out whether the Companion Pass and elite status are still within your reach in 2027. They break down how the Companion Pass becomes a perk of the new Platinum tier, why credit card welcome offers and bonus categories will no longer count toward it, and whether the lower tiers of Southwest elite status offer more than a Southwest credit card. They also cover the new Milestone Rewards and individual Companion Pass trips, international airline partners and other new ways to use points, and a first look at Southwest's upcoming lounges.

Then, they break down the latest travel headlines, including United dropping Premier Qualifying Flights as a way to earn elite status, Delta's refreshed Delta One business class, a dual-earning promo and status challenge from World of Hyatt and Air Canada Aeroplan, and Rove adding JetBlue as a transfer partner.

Join Sally and Meghan for a night of live Q&A, games (hint: brush up on those obscure travel credit card benefits), and mingling with fellow travelers! The drinks are on us. And yes, there are prizes, courtesy of some of the travel brands you already use. Meet other locals who love traveling with points and miles. RSVP required. Let us know if you’re coming and we’ll save you a spot. https://partiful.com/e/OOSMfQpFw9PPNn4Cat0H

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Resources discussed in this episode:

Want even more expert travel insights and points and miles hacks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

*The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.

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21 October 2026, 7:10 am

52 minutes 30 seconds

How to Book Business Class With Points: Award Availability Tips for Flights and Hotels

Learn how to find award availability for hard-to-book business class flights and hotels using your points and miles to travel.

Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss how to find availability for hard-to-book award flights and hotels to help you get more value from your points and miles when you travel. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including American Express’ plans to open and expand Centurion Lounges in Newark, London, Houston and Philadelphia, American Airlines’ largest-ever Admirals Club lounge coming to Charlotte, expiring credit card transfer bonuses to Marriott Bonvoy, Flying Blue and Japan Airlines, the first-ever Encanto stage show aboard the upcoming Disney Believe cruise ship, Expedia’s 2027 travel trends report, and a reminder to join the waitlist for Smart Travel IRL, the show’s first in-person meetup in New York.

Then, joined by NerdWallet lead travel writer Craig Joseph, they discuss how to land hard-to-get award seats and hotel rooms, with tips and tricks on using award search tools and alerts to catch availability when it opens up, when booking far in advance or close to departure could pay off, and how flexible dates, positioning flights and speculative bookings could help you score aspirational redemptions.

Join Sally and Meghan for a night of live Q&A, games (hint: brush up on those obscure travel credit card benefits), and mingling with fellow travelers! The drinks are on us. And yes, there are prizes, courtesy of some of the travel brands you already use. Meet other locals who love traveling with points and miles. RSVP required. Let us know if you’re coming and we’ll save you a spot. https://partiful.com/e/OOSMfQpFw9PPNn4Cat0H

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Resources discussed in this episode:

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

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14 October 2026, 1:00 pm

55 minutes 47 seconds

How to Find Award Flights With Points: Tips From the Seats.aero Founder

Learn how to use award travel search tools like Seats.aero to find flights you can book with points and miles.

Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French discuss how to search for award flights across dozens of airline loyalty programs to help you get more value from your credit card points and miles. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Bilt joining Chase in cutting its World of Hyatt transfer ratio, a new premium IHG card from Chase and changes to the rest of the IHG card lineup, elevated welcome offers on United credit cards, the Lyft app launching in Europe.

Then, joined by Ian Carroll, founder of Seats.aero, Meghan Coyle discusses how award search tools work and how to find hard-to-get award seats, with tips and tricks on when airlines tend to release award availability, how flexible dates and destinations could unlock better redemptions, and how to weigh taxes and fees and spot phantom availability before you transfer points.

Join Sally and Meghan for a night of live Q&A, games (hint: brush up on those obscure travel credit card benefits), and mingling with fellow travelers! The drinks are on us. And yes, there are prizes, courtesy of some of the travel brands you already use. Meet other locals who love traveling with points and miles. RSVP required. Let us know if you’re coming and we’ll save you a spot. https://partiful.com/e/OOSMfQpFw9PPNn4Cat0H

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Resources discussed in this episode:

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

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7 October 2026, 7:10 am

55 minutes 8 seconds

How to Book Flights With Points and Miles: A Beginner’s Guide

Learn how to book your first flight with points and miles, and how to tell whether an award flight is a good deal.

Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss the basics of booking flights with points and miles to help you turn a stash of rewards into your next trip. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including a new Atmos Rewards option that lets members choose how they earn points, upcoming Bank of America points transfers to Atmos, Bilt adding Amtrak as a transfer partner, a planned Chase Sapphire Lounge in Seattle, a new American Airlines and STARLUX codeshare partnership, and details on Smart Travel IRL, the show's first in-person meetup.

Then, they discuss how beginners can book flights with points and miles, with tips and tricks on figuring out what your points are actually worth, using award search tools to find availability across airlines, and knowing when it could make sense to transfer credit card points to an airline partner.

Enter for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card — and help us improve our show — by taking our listener survey! Find the survey and official sweepstakes rules here.

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Atmos Rewards Business Card Review: More Value for the Most Loyal

Resources discussed in this episode:

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.

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30 September 2026, 7:10 am

57 minutes 28 seconds

Ten Credit Cards, One Strategy: Which Annual Fees Are Worth Paying

Learn how to audit a wallet full of credit cards and decide which annual fees are actually worth paying.

Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss how to assess a wallet full of credit cards to help you figure out which ones are actually working for you. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including a doubled hotel credit and a new ad-spend cap on the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business, fresh offers on the Chase Sapphire Reserve, a Las Vegas hotel and entertainment sale, and a new price-drop alert feature from Going.

Then, joined by listener Tiffany Leung, a small business owner and competitive powerlifter, they discuss how to turn ten open credit cards into one coherent strategy, with tips and tricks on matching bonus categories to the way you really spend, weighing whether an airline card earns its annual fee when your home airport limits your options, and thinking through when closing a card could make sense and when keeping it open could help your credit.

Enter for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card — and help us improve our show — by taking our listener survey! Find the survey and official sweepstakes rules here.

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Resources discussed in this episode:

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.

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23 September 2026, 7:10 am

1 hour 15 minutes

Chris Hutchins' Top Points and Miles Tips, Straight From “All the Hacks”

All the Hacks podcast host Chris Hutchins reveals his tricks for finding hidden discounts and getting real value out of points and miles — without the headache.

Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss practical strategies for earning and redeeming points and miles to help you book the trips you actually want. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including the refreshed Chase Air Canada Aeroplan card and its higher annual fee, Hyatt ending its American Airlines partnership in favor of Delta, and the limited-time offers Chase rolled out for the Chase Sapphire Reserve's 10th anniversary.

Then, joined by Chris Hutchins, host of the All the Hacks podcast, they discuss how to get real value out of points and miles without turning the hobby into a second job, with tips and tricks on how many rewards cards one person could reasonably carry, why booking an inconvenient award flight early could still land you the itinerary you wanted, and the hidden discounts that could make a cash booking cheaper than an award booking.

Enter for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card — and help us improve our show — by taking our listener survey! Find the survey and official sweepstakes rules here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mEvFsa0x3ZlcHNrebvp3zYoA8UGfATY_MOOzZ_FyAzs/edit

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Resources discussed in this episode:

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

*The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.

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16 September 2026, 2:10 pm

44 minutes 15 seconds

Is Bank of America Still Worth It for Travelers? New BofA Rewards Rules Explained

Learn how Bank of America's revamped rewards program could quietly cut how much cardholders earn back.

Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss Bank of America's overhauled BofA Rewards program to help you figure out whether it's still worth keeping money parked with the bank. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Southwest Airlines' new airport lounges and premium credit card, JetBlue's new BlueFirst domestic first class, a waterpark expansion at Norwegian Cruise Line's private island, and several credit card transfer bonuses.

Then, they discuss the new BofA Rewards tiers, with tips and tricks on how the earning-bonus structure changed, whether the new subscription and lifestyle perks make up for a lower rewards multiplier, and how to decide if it's worth keeping a large balance with Bank of America or moving it elsewhere.

Enter for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card — and help us improve our show — by taking our listener survey! Find the survey and official sweepstakes rules here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mEvFsa0x3ZlcHNrebvp3zYoA8UGfATY_MOOzZ_FyAzs/edit

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Resources discussed in this episode:

See Norwegian Cruise Line’s brand-new Great Tides Waterpark on Instagram (via @SaveWithSally)

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

*The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.

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9 September 2026, 7:10 am

55 minutes 50 seconds

Best Credit Cards for Dining Rewards in 2026: How to Earn More at Restaurants

Learn how to earn more restaurant rewards, and whether paying extra for a premium card's dining credit is worth it.

Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French discuss how to make the most of credit card rewards on restaurant spending to help you eat out for less. But first, producer Tess Vigeland joins Meghan to break down the latest travel headlines, including limited-time welcome offers across Delta and American Express's SkyMiles credit card lineup, an access change at JetBlue's new BlueHouse lounge in Boston, and Google's new AI Mode that can price flights and hotels in points and miles.

Then, they discuss dining rewards, with tips and tricks on choosing the best card for your regular restaurant spending, stacking airline and Bilt dining programs on top of card rewards, and unlocking harder-to-get restaurant reservations through cardholder perks.

Enter for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card — and help us improve our show — by taking our listener survey! Find the survey and official sweepstakes rules here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mEvFsa0x3ZlcHNrebvp3zYoA8UGfATY_MOOzZ_FyAzs/edit

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Resources discussed in this episode:

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

*The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.

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2 September 2026, 7:10 am

1 hour 3 minutes

How to Coupon Your Way Around the World, with Torok Coupon Hunter

Coupon queen Kiersti Torok reveals how everyday savings on gas, groceries and gift cards can fund your next trip.

Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French talk to Kiersti Torok — known online as Torok Coupon Hunter — about turning everyday savings from groceries, gas and gift cards into a bigger travel budget. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Air France and KLM's Flying Blue splitting award tickets into three new pricing tiers, Bilt's new partnership with Equinox, Alaska Airlines' new nonstop routes from Seattle to Athens and Paris, American Airlines' plan to bring back seatback screens fleetwide, and fresh data from Expedia showing this fall's shoulder-season travel deals aren't as deep as usual.

Then, Meghan and Sally jump into Kiersti's world of extreme couponing, covering which cash-back apps (like Rakuten, Ibotta and Fetch) are worth keeping on your phone, how to stack store promotions like Target Circle deals with discounted gift cards, and when buying gift cards for Disney, Southwest and other travel brands can help stretch a vacation budget. They also cover strategies for saving on gas and Kiersti's tips for hacking the Disney dining plan without a full binder of coupons.

Help us plan our next live event! Take our quick survey to let us know where you would be most excited to meet our hosts and fellow listeners: https://forms.gle/BqQz7JR6ThxdgSEY6

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Resources discussed in this episode:

Special Gondola offer: Earn a $50 sign-up bonus in the form of Gondola Cash when you create a Gondola account and make your first hotel or car rental reservation. Sign up for a free account using this link, then make your first hotel or car reservation. (To qualify, the cost before taxes and fees must be greater than $150.) Once your reservation has been completed, $50 in Gondola Cash will be active in your account. Gondola Cash can then be applied to cover the total cost of any hotel available on Gondola. Offer expires Sept. 30, 2026.

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

*The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.

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26 August 2026, 7:10 am

1 hour 3 minutes

Bilt to Last? Grading Bilt Rewards Six Months On

Learn what six months of confusing changes to Bilt's rewards program have actually meant for cardholders' points.

Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss six months of living with Bilt's revamped rewards program to help you decide whether the housing-focused card still earns its keep. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including an expanded Bilt and BLADE helicopter-booking partnership, big Disney theme park news out of the D23 Expo, new data on which premium credit cards score highest for customer satisfaction, and Amex's Resy dining credit expanding to more restaurants.

Then, joined by fellow Nerd and credit cards writer Craig Joseph, Sally and Meghan discuss their real-world experience with Bilt Rewards 2.0, with tips and tricks on choosing between Bilt's two rewards options for housing payments, deciding whether putting your rent on a rewards card is worth the hassle, and stacking Bilt points with airline and hotel transfer partners.

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

*The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.

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19 August 2026, 7:10 am

52 minutes 12 seconds

Finding Cheap Flights, Mastering Layovers, and Knowing Your Card’s Benefits (Put to the Test!)

Learn how to handle a surprise layover and track down a cheap flight to a random destination.

Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French discuss how to think fast when travel plans go sideways to help you handle curveballs with more confidence. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including new perks tied to Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts' 35th anniversary, American Airlines' plan to change complimentary upgrades on some transcontinental and Hawaii routes starting August 25, and new welcome bonuses on Marriott's Bonvoy Bevy and Brilliant credit cards.

Then, Meghan and Sally share tips and tricks on thinking fast while traveling by facing off in a series of in-studio games. They cover how quickly you can track down a cheap flight to a random destination, what to do when a layover doesn't go as planned, and how well you actually know which perks come with which credit card.

Help us plan our next live event! Take our quick survey to let us know where you would be most excited to meet our hosts and fellow listeners: https://forms.gle/BqQz7JR6ThxdgSEY6

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our reviews:

Resources discussed in this episode:

Want even more tips and tricks to get the most out of your travel dollars? Subscribe to TravelNerd, our free newsletter designed to help you crack the code on spending less on your travel.

*The show notes were created with the assistance of AI. They have been reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

12 August 2026, 1:01 pm