Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways

Learn how to get the most out of your summer travel including when to book your flights and how to stack rewards.  When is the cheapest time to book flights for summer travel? How can you stack rewards points to level up your trips? Meghan Coyle and Sally French take a deep dive into the strategies you can use to optimize your travel budget this summer, including tips on when to book flights, ways to combine rewards perks for a better (and cheaper!) trip, and how to plan if your summer travels involve a trip to a theme park. But first, Meghan and Sally discuss a new way to get Lyft credits, Southwest’s rollout of dynamic pricing, and the partnership between Marriott and MGM. Then, they talk about some of the most popular summer travel destinations, when to expect the biggest crowds during your summer vacations, what’s coming up at theme parks such as Universal and Disney, and why using standby to fly might be a good option.   Resources discussed in this episode: 2025 Summer Travel Report Chase Sapphire Reserve Adds Monthly Lyft Credit, Slashes Points Earning Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX Review Credit Cards With Elite Car Rental Perks Cheapest European Cities to Fly to in 2025 The Cheapest Time To Visit Walt Disney World The Busiest Days to Fly Around Memorial Day The Best Days to Fly Around the Fourth of July Universal Epic Universe: How to Plan Your Trip for the Opening In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: summer travel 2025, best time to book summer travel, summer vacation planning, cheap summer flights, travel tips 2025, travel hacks, Smart Travel podcast, budget travel, vacation planning tips, summer getaway ideas, travel credit cards, best travel rewards cards, credit card points, credit card rewards, how to use travel points, points and miles tips, credit card perks, Amex Platinum travel benefits, travel rewards, Hilton Aspire card, American Express Centurion Lounge access, airport lounge credit cards, stacking travel rewards, top summer destinations 2025, where to travel summer 2025, Italy travel 2025, Rome summer travel, Europe travel deals, Japan summer travel, San Juan, Puerto Rico travel, Maui travel tips, best islands to visit 2025, theme park vacations, Universal Epic Universe 2025, Disney World summer deals, Disneyland 70th anniversary, best time to book flights, when to book international travel, domestic vs international flights, cheapest days to fly, Expedia 2025 air travel hacks, price alerts for flights, summer travel booking tips, how to find travel deals, avoiding travel debt, how to save on travel, Universal Orlando new theme park, Epic Universe opening date, Harry Potter theme park, Super Nintendo World, Disney World dining plan 2025, Disney kids ticket deals, best theme parks summer 2025, family travel tips, budget-friendly family vacations, airline elite status perks, American Airlines standby policy, Delta Medallion status match, hotel status matching, MGM and Marriott rewards, travel loyalty programs, Southwest Rapid Rewards, best airline loyalty programs.

Learn when to book flights, how to spot mistake fares, and ways to use lesser-known tips like booking stopovers and tapping into rideshare rewards. When is the best time to book a cheap flight? Do budget airlines actually save you money after all the fees? Scott Keyes, founder of Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights), joins Smart Travel to talk about how to actually find cheap airfare — including how to time your bookings, when to use points instead of cash, and how to pounce on mistake fares before they disappear. He also busts some of the most persistent airfare myths (spoiler: incognito mode won’t save you money). But first, Sally and Meghan break down the latest travel headlines, including new perks and price hikes for United Airlines credit cards, changes to the Delta-Lyft partnership, and why JSX credits might actually be worth something. They also share the best deals they’ve ever gotten on airfare and how to use free stopover perks. Resources discussed in this episode: United Credit Cards Unveil Major Changes: Higher Fees, More Perks Earn Delta Miles for Uber Rides: New Partnership Replaces Lyft How to Maximize the United Excursionist Perk In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: best time to book flights, airfare myths, flight deals, mistake fares, Goldilocks booking window, how to find cheap flights, budget airlines, Spirit Airlines fees, Frontier Airlines fees, JSX flights, United Airlines credit card, United card benefits, airline card perks, United Club card, Lyft Delta partnership ending, Delta Uber miles, Uber SkyMiles, 24-hour flight cancellation rule, booking flights with points, best points for travel, Air Canada Aeroplan dynamic pricing, Flying Blue Air France, travel stopovers, free stopovers, Icelandair stopover, Turkish Airlines hotel stopover, United excursionist perk, multi-city travel, hidden city ticketing, best rewards credit cards for flights, travel credit card updates 2025, how to avoid flight layovers, booking partner airlines, and reselling airline tickets. In a previous version of this episode, the name of the United Quest card was not mentioned. A line was added for clarity.

Learn how to visit national parks on a budget, including tips on free entry days and cheap lodging. Plus, the latest key travel rewards updates. When can you visit national parks for free, and what are the best ways to cut costs on park trips? Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French break down national park budget tips to help you plan an affordable adventure. But first, they kick off the episode with the latest travel rewards updates, including Amex Membership Week deals, Hyatt’s upcoming award chart changes, and whether using Bilt points for Lyft rides is a smart move. They also break down Spirit Airlines’ emergence from bankruptcy and what it means for budget travelers. Then, they dive into national park savings strategies, covering free admission days, annual park passes, and the best budget-friendly lodging options, from camping to glamping to points-bookable hotels. They also discuss how to avoid peak-season crowds, what recent staffing cuts at national parks could mean for visitors, and which parks are at the top of their must-visit lists. Resources discussed in this episode: Best American Express Cards of March 2025 World of Hyatt Announces Category Changes for 151 Properties Bilt Rewards: How the Program Works Spirit Airlines Brings Back Change and Cancellation Fees on Some Fares How to Visit National Parks for Free in 2025 How Credit Card Issuers Define ‘Travel’ What’s the Value of Hilton Points? In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: national park free entry days, national parks fee-free days, when you can visit national parks for free, how to save money at national parks, national park annual pass, America the Beautiful pass, best budget national parks, best time to visit national parks, national park entrance fees, how to book national park lodging, cheapest way to visit national parks, best glamping near national parks, best credit cards for travel rewards, how to maximize travel points, and booking travel with credit card rewards.

Learn which travel credit cards might be best for you, plus news about major policy changes at Southwest. Which travel credit card is the best travel credit card? Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French try to answer that question by picking their favorites, fantasy sports draft style. But first, they discuss the latest travel news, including Southwest changing some of its beloved policies, how to get the best deals on cruises this year, and some Disneyland discounts you can cash in on this summer.  Then, Meghan and Sally get into their travel credit card fantasy draft, where they talk about benefits and drawbacks of each card, including annual fees, statement credits, lounge access, and point redemption options. Plus, they answer a listener’s question about where to travel for a quick “babymoon.” Resources discussed in this episode: The 8 Best Ways to Buy Disney Tickets 16 Best Travel Credit Cards of March 2025 Top Airline Credit Cards With Companion Tickets How to Pick the Best Credit Card for You: 4 Easy Steps In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: the best travel credit card, how to pick the best travel credit card, travel credit card perks, travel rewards credit cards, Southwest Rapid Rewards changes, credit card perks, Disneyland ticket discounts, best credit cards for travel points, credit cards with lounge access, Capital One Venture X review, Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Reserve, Amex Platinum travel benefits, Southwest Companion Pass updates, how to maximize travel points, NerdWallet travel credit cards, best credit cards for frequent flyers, how to earn free flights with points, Disney vacation savings tips, best cruise deals wave season, travel credit cards with no annual fee, best airline credit cards for free checked bags, Hyatt vs Hilton rewards program, cash back vs travel rewards credit cards, best co-branded hotel credit cards.

Learn when elite status is worth it, plus how to earn attractive airline and hotel perks even if you don’t constantly travel. Is elite status ever worth chasing? Should you stick to one airline or just try to book the best deal? Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle break down whether airline and hotel elite status is worth it, and how you can earn valuable perks without spending half your life on the road. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Southwest flights on Expedia, Hyatt’s award category changes, and American Airlines’ new elite status earning period.   Then, they cover the different ways to qualify for elite status — including credit cards and spending tips — and when it makes sense to stay loyal versus booking the best price. They explain how travelers can earn perks like free checked bags and upgrades without excessive flying, the trade-offs of airline loyalty, and why spending strategically on a co-branded credit card can help. They also discuss hotel elite status, covering which hotel programs offer the best perks, how to get automatic status through credit cards, and when elite status may not be worth it. Resources discussed in this episode: World of Hyatt Announces Category Changes for 151 Properties The Best Travel Credit Card Welcome Bonus Offers Right Now The Best Airline Elite Status for 2025 The Best Hotel Elite Status for 2025 The 5 Best Credit Cards with Hotel Status In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: airline elite status, hotel elite status, how to get airline elite status, is elite status worth it, best airline loyalty programs, how to get hotel elite status, best travel credit cards, airline loyalty programs, travel perks, hotel upgrades, how to get free hotel upgrades, best airline for frequent flyers, free checked bags, credit card travel perks, best hotel loyalty programs, airline status benefits, how to qualify for airline status, how to get airline upgrades, is hotel elite status worth it, hotel status through credit cards, airline status vs best price flights, best ways to earn loyalty points, how to get free flights, online travel agencies, and when to book direct vs OTA.