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Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

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Planning your next vacation? Before you budget, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars with Smart Travel. NerdWallet’s trusted travel experts, Sally French and Meghan Coyle, are here to help your travel dollars work even harder. But the travel Nerds don’t just make recommendations; they break down the latest travel details, exploring the pros and cons of specific strategies, practical tools, and tactics. Dive deep with the experts as they lay out all the options so you can finally plan that dream vacation. So put your seat in its full upright position, buckle up, and let’s help that travel budget take you places you’ve only dreamed about. Join hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle, two of NerdWallet’s expert travel Nerds, as they lay out tips, tools, and strategies for your next travel getaway, including: Travel budgeting: What’s the best way to budget for a vacation? How can you save money planning travel? The Nerds compare the best travel budgeting tools. Travel Strategies: Should you use travel points or travel miles? Should you Airbnb or get a hotel? The Nerds have your how-to travel guide for your next trip. Family vacation planning: Thinking of a Disney trip or something more tropical? Should you fly or rent a car? The Nerds lay out your options so you can decide the best way to book your next family vacation. Travel Agents: Can travel agents save you money? Are there better alternatives? The Nerds dive into the actual cost of financial traveling and lay out your best options. Seasonal timing: When’s the right time to book travel for next summer? How far out should you plan a holiday getaway? The Nerds got you covered from Spring to Winter with smart travel strategies. Fee and policy changes: How do the latest TSA rules affect you? The Nerds break down recent regulations and how it impacts your next travel budget. Travel Planning Tools: Not sure about a new travel app? Does that website actually give you the best deals? The Nerds have reviewed all the major platforms and share their pros, cons, and insights. Destination-Specific Booking Strategies: Dreaming of Hawaiian or European getaways? The Nerds can help you and your travel budget when booking popular travel destinations. If you’re planning on traveling within the next 12 months and ready to start researching and booking your next great adventure, then follow Smart Travel to upgrade your getaways. You’ll love Smart Travel if you like podcasts like: Far From Home, Zero to Travel, Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad, Amateur Traveler, Point Me To First Class, Takeoff A Points And Miles Podcast, Frequent Miler On The Air, Women Who Travel, and many other travel related podcasts. NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539 NMLS Consumer Access: http:// www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/ Economie Sciences sociales Écritures et commentaires de voyage
Épisodes
  • Best Days to Fly for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's 2026 (and When to Book)

    Best Days to Fly for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's 2026 (and When to Book)
    Oct 28 2026
    Learn the best and worst days to fly for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, plus when to book to save on airfare. Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss the best days to fly and book around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's to help you dodge crowds and save on holiday airfare this year. They break down why airfare has climbed so much in 2026, which travel days could be cheapest or most crowded for each holiday, how far in advance to book domestic and international holiday flights, the cheapest and most newly discounted destinations for holiday travel, and how to put expiring credit card credits to use before the year ends. They also share their favorite festive travel traditions, from Christmas markets in Berlin to a giant Peeps drop on New Year's Eve. Then, they break down the latest travel headlines, including the American Express Platinum's newly renamed lodging credit and its Airbnb Luxe option, Airbnb's new limits on checkout chores and host fines, Bilt's 2027 program changes, a refresh and higher annual fee for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select card, free BlueFirst upgrades for JetBlue Mosaic members, and Hilton's new option to pay with points at checkout. Join Sally and Meghan November 5th 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: American Express Platinum Review: Top-Notch Lounge Access, Big Credits Chase Sapphire Reserve Review: A High-End, High-Maintenance Card Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Strong Option for Travel Rewards Bilt Palladium Card: Rewards on Housing Are Almost Secondary Bilt Obsidian Card: Fine for Foodies, Complex for Housing Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card Review: Worth the Fee for Airline Loyalists JetBlue Premier Review: $300 Credit, Lounge Access and More Resources discussed in this episode: Travel Inflation Report: October 2026 The Busiest Travel Days Around Thanksgiving in 2026 The Best Days to Travel Around Christmas In 2026 AmEx Adds Airbnb Perks, Restricts Platinum’s $600 Hotel Credit Reasonable house rules and requests Bilt Improves Bilt Cash, but Keeping 4% Back Takes Action American Airlines Revamps Platinum Select Credit Card, Increases Annual Fee to $150 JetBlue Expands TrueBlue® Benefits for 2027, Bringing Space-Available Upgrades to All Mosaic® Members Hilton Becomes First Major Hotel Brand to Offer Digital Solution to Pay with Points What’s the Value of Hilton Points? 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
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    54 min
  • Is the Southwest Companion Pass Still Worth Chasing after the 2027 Changes?

    Is the Southwest Companion Pass Still Worth Chasing after the 2027 Changes?
    Oct 21 2026
    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: Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Review: Modest Perks, Big Bonus Southwest Premier Credit Card Review: The Middle Seat of Cards Southwest Priority Card Review: So-So Perks for the Price United Explorer: Richer Rewards, Perks You’ll Actually Use Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card Review: Worth the Fee for Airline Loyalists Atmos Rewards Summit Card: Perks as Rare as They Are Valuable Resources discussed in this episode: Southwest to Tie Companion Pass to New Top Tier, Add Perks Early Look: Inside Southwest’s Upcoming Lounges United Makes Elite Status All About Spending Delta One Upgrades Its Food and Amenities 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    55 min
  • How to Book Business Class With Points: Award Availability Tips for Flights and Hotels

    How to Book Business Class With Points: Award Availability Tips for Flights and Hotels
    Oct 14 2026
    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: Chase Sapphire Preferred Review: Strong Option for Travel Rewards World of Hyatt Card Review: Lavish Benefits, Reasonable Cost Atmos Rewards Summit Card: Perks as Rare as They Are Valuable American Express Platinum Review: Top-Notch Lounge Access, Big Credits Resources discussed in this episode: Smart Travel IRL: A meetup for travel and credit card nerds American Express Continues to Expand the Centurion Lounge Network with Its Largest Lounge Yet, Further Strengthening its Presence in New York and London Premium travel with a touch of southern charm: American announces its largest Admirals Club lounge in Charlotte Current Credit Card Transfer Bonuses: October 2026 Disney Believe Updates: New Disney Cruise Ship Sailing in Late 2027 Unpack ’27: The Trends in Travel Atmos Rewards Adds New Ways to Earn, Plus Seats and Lounges First Look: United’s Most Premium Plane With Polaris Studios Flagship Suite seats are the new first: American Airlines unveils its premium-configured Boeing 777-300ER Bilt Rewards Adds Japan Airlines as a Transfer Partner The Best Award Travel Search Tools Seats.aero Award Search Review: A Go-To for Expert Travelers PointsYeah Award Search Review: A Great Tool for Points Collectors Gondola Review: My Favorite Hotel Award Search Tool Hyatt’s New Award Chart Raises Points Prices for Most Nights Bilt to Reduce Hyatt Transfer Ratio to 4:3 in 2027 How Much Are Travel Points and Miles Worth in 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    53 min
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