Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways
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 le...
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Samantha Brown on Places to Love, Route 66, and the Travel Habits That Save You Money
<p>Travel TV icon Samantha Brown shares tips for finding hidden gems, saving money, and dodging airport stress.</p> <p>Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle sit down with Samantha Brown, host of Samantha Brown’s Places to Love, to talk about how she keeps travel feeling fun, affordable, and deeply local after decades on the road. But first, Sally and Meghan swap recent trip highlights, including a car-free weekend in Oceanside, California, and the growing trend of nighttime “glow” events at zoos and botanical gardens.</p> <p>Then, Samantha Brown shares what she looks for when she’s wandering side str...
2025 Travel Trends and 2026 Predictions: Where to Go Next and How to Pay for It
<p>If 2025 was about premium everything and complicated travel perks, 2026 is shaping up to be more intentional: fewer trips, less algorithm-chasing, more ease — and spending where it actually improves your experience.</p> <p>Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French ring in 2026 by looking back at the biggest travel and credit card trends of 2025 — from the “everything is fancy” luxury boom (even at Southwest) to the rise of premium card coupon-book benefits and hyper-granular dynamic pricing. Then, they share their 2026 predictions (skipping the algorithm, easy/slow travel, and fewer-but-bigger international trips) plus destination picks spanning South Korea, Eastern Europe, New Zealand, some Wor...
Skip Google, Get the Suite: How Travel Advisors Deliver Luxury You Can’t Book Yourself
<p>Learn what it’s like working with a travel advisor, including how much time and money they can really save you when planning your next trip.</p> <p>Can travel advisors really save you money? Should you be booking travel yourself or outsourcing the job to a professional? Hosts Megan Coyle and Sally French discuss the unexpected perks, cost structures, and potential savings of working with a travel advisor, formerly known as a travel agent. </p> <p>Jenn Lee, President and CMO of Travel Planners International and Vacation Planners, joins Sally to discuss what today’s travel advisors actually do —...
What “Amazing Race” Host Phil Keoghan Learned from a Life of Travel (“Powering Travel” Episode)
<p>“Amazing Race” host Phil Keoghan shares what he’s learned from his life of travel in this special presentation of “Powering Travel” from Expedia Group.</p> <p>In an inspired conversation about the lessons he’s learned from a lifetime of travel, Phil joins host Elisabeth Goodridge to reflect on his earliest memories abroad and how exposure to diverse cultures shaped his worldview. He shares personal stories from the road, reflections on hosting more than 37 seasons of “The Amazing Race,” and how the show has encouraged millions to step outside their comfort zone. Phil also speaks to the magic that exists beyo...
Best and Worst Carriers for Standby and Same-Day Changes — and How to Capitalize (Video Episode)
<p>Learn how same-day flight changes and standby can save you money when your travel plans suddenly change.</p> <p>In this special video episode, hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle dive into last-minute travel rules, exploring when you can make a same-day flight switch, what “standby” really means, and how fees and policies differ from airline to airline. But first, they break down the week’s travel headlines, including Delta’s “Centennial Cheer” holiday kindness campaign, the upcoming closure of the Chase Sapphire Lounge in Hong Kong, new lounge openings in Las Vegas and beyond, and a wave of ultra-luxury...
Maximizing Miles, Sharing Points, Avoiding Costly Mistakes: Your Travel Questions Answered
<p>We answer listener questions about travel insurance, Chase point transfers, lounge access, free checked bags, and more.</p> <p>Host Sally French opens the episode with the week’s biggest travel headlines alongside Elizabeth Ayoola, host of NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast, who fills in for Meghan Coyle during the news segment. They cover sweeping 2026 changes to U.S. national park pricing and fee-free days, Disneyland’s newly announced kids-ticket deals for next summer, Travel Tuesday sales that are still available, and the debut of Chase’s new Sapphire Lounge in Las Vegas.</p> <p>Then, Sally and Meghan tackle a...
$2,000 in Travel Card Annual Fees? Learn How to Audit Your Wallet to Make Sure They’re Worth It (Video Episode)
<p>In this special video episode, see if $2,000 in credit card fees is worth it and learn how you can audit your own travel rewards wallet.</p> <p>Should you really be paying nearly $2,000 a year in credit card annual fees, or is it time to downsize your wallet? Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle sit down with NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast host Elizabeth Ayoola to dissect her stack of premium travel cards and decide which ones earn their keep. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Black Friday bargains, why flight bookings may be down ev...
AI Travel Pricing Is Here: How Airlines and Hotels Could Quietly Raise Your Rates
<p>Learn how AI may raise your travel prices and what to watch for before you book your next trip.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Before the Nerds delve into the surprising ways AI can affect your travel booking, hosts Tess Vigeland (covering news this week for host Meghan Coyle) and Sally French kick things off by covering the latest travel headlines, including pre-Thanksgiving travel deals from Hyatt, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Expedia. They also preview potentially record-setting Thanksgiving crowds, explain what the FAA’s terminated flight-reduction order means for your itinerary, unpack Apple’s new digital ID for TSA chec...
Adventure by Committee: What Happens When You Let Others Pick Your Trip
<p>Sally and her new husband unpack their unconventional honeymoon plan and share practical tips to plan your own getaway with purpose.</p> <p>How do you plan a honeymoon that feels luxurious without blowing your budget? How can newlyweds use points and miles to pay for their trip? Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle share how Sally’s own wedding guests chose her honeymoon destination — and the travel and financial lessons that came from it. But first, Smart Travel producer Tess Vigeland joins Sally to recap this week’s biggest travel headlines, including flight delays caused by the government shutdo...
How to Tell If a Premium Travel Card Is Worth the Fee
<p>Learn when pricey travel cards are worth it and how to pick the one that gives you the most value.</p> <p>Are premium travel cards worth the high price tag? How do you decide which one(s) to keep in your wallet? Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle break down the real-world math of annual fees and rewards to help you understand when these cards pay for themselves. But first, show producer Tess Vigeland joins Meghan to cover the week’s travel headlines, including new airport lounges opening in Salt Lake City, the Southwest Rapid Rewards debit card la...
