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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2026 Elite Status Changes and Ways to Earn Status and Nights More Easily
<p>Learn what 2026 status program changes mean for perks like upgrades, rebooking help, and lounges.</p> <p>Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French talk through the latest elite status updates to help you decide when they’re worth chasing. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including the U.K.’s electronic travel authorization (ETA) enforcement starting Feb. 25, 2026, a Hawaiian Airlines credit card giveaway offering chances to win 1 million points, Disney’s leadership change and new earnings highlights, and signs that luxury travel demand may be softening in 2026.</p> <p>Then, joined by fellow travel Nerd Benjamin Din, they d...
Credit Card Hotel Programs vs Booking Direct: A Clearer Way to Compare Prices
<p>Get a clearer way to compare hotel prices with and without credit card program perks.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French discuss when it makes sense to book luxury hotels through credit card travel portals so you can decide if perks like breakfast, upgrades and $100 credits are actually worth the tradeoffs. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including the new Disney Inspire Visa from Chase, an American Express transfer-ratio change to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, new Centurion Lounge access limits starting July 8, and a new round of airline competition at Chicago...
What Would You Do for a Million Miles? The Extreme Points Play from Ashley Gets Around
<p>Learn how a points pro mapped a six-continent route to score 1 million Turkish Airlines miles.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French talk to Ashley Peterson, founder of Ashley Gets Around, about how she became a “points millionaire” while traveling across the globe. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including winter storm flight cancellations and airline waivers, new restrictions and options tied to Bilt Cash, Citi ThankYou Rewards dropping Aeromexico as a transfer partner, upcoming Capital One lounge access changes for authorized users, and Hilton’s new Apartment Collection.</p> <p><br></p> <p>...
Bilt Card 2.0 Explained: Can Rent (or a Mortgage) Earn Points—and Is It Worth the Math?
<p>Find out if Bilt’s new credit cards are worth the hassle for earning points on rent or a mortgage.</p> <p>Hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle dive deep into the Bilt Card 2.0 Program to explain what’s changed and what to consider before signing up. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including a World of Hyatt Credit Card welcome offer that can earn up to five free nights, what Southwest’s assigned seating rollout means for travelers, the cost (and extra time) of flying without a Real ID, and how you can enter to win a...
Fix Your Travel Credit Card Mix So Your Points Actually Add Up
<p>Build a credit card lineup that earns more travel rewards without becoming a full-time spreadsheet manager.</p> <p>In this special video episode, hosts Sally French and Meghan Coyle discuss how to build the perfect travel credit card “wallet” to help you earn more rewards, unlock perks, and avoid common points mistakes. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including Bilt’s revamped card lineup and new “Bilt Cash,” American Airlines rolling out free high-speed Wi-Fi, Alaska Airlines’ major fleet and route expansion plans, and Starlux’s new long-haul aircraft that could open up new routes (and new ways to bo...
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...
