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/
All content for Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways is the property of NerdWallet Travel and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
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/
$2,000 in Travel Card Annual Fees? Learn How to Audit Your Wallet to Make Sure They’re Worth It (Video Episode)
Smart Travel: Upgrade Your Getaways
32 minutes
1 day ago
$2,000 in Travel Card Annual Fees? Learn How to Audit Your Wallet to Make Sure They’re Worth It (Video Episode)
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.
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 even as overall Thanksgiving trips rise, and what Emirates’ massive retrofit and Starlink Wi-Fi rollout could mean for your next long-haul flight.
Then, Sally and Meghan sit down in-studio for a full-on credit card consultation with Elizabeth, a travel-loving single mom in Houston who juggles multiple premium cards. Together, they walk through the benefits of several of her credit cards to see which perks actually justify the fees. They talk through how to value statement credits versus real spending, when downgrading makes more sense than canceling, how to think about lounge access in dollar terms, when co-branded airline cards are redundant, and how to avoid the “bougie coupon book” burnout that can come with managing too many credits. Plus, Elizabeth shares her hot takes on first class, loud seat neighbors, and why airplanes need a built-in “do not disturb” button.
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 Blue Cash Preferred Review: The Ultimate Family Card https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/american-express-blue-cash-preferred
American Express Platinum Review: Top-Notch Lounge Access, Big Credits https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/american-express-platinum
Chase Sapphire Reserve Review: A High-End, High-Maintenance Card https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/credit-cards/chase-sapphire-reserve
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card Review: Worth the Fee for Airline Loyalists https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/citi-aadvantage-platinum
Citi AAdvantage Executive Review: Your Key to the Club https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/citi-aadvantage-executive
AmEx Blue Cash Everyday Review: Solid Cash Back, $0 Annual Fee https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/reviews/american-express-blue-cash-everyday
5 Things to Know About the T.J. Maxx Credit Card https://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards/learn/tjx-rewards-platinum-mastercard
Resources discussed in this episode:
107 Travel Deals for Black Friday and Travel Tuesday in 2025 https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel/learn/2025-travel-deals-black-friday-travel-tuesday
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.
In this episode, the Nerds discuss: credit card annual fees, travel credit cards, premium travel credit cards, airport lounge access, Centurion Lounge, Delta Sky Club access, Emirates premium economy, Starlink airplane Wi-Fi, Thanksgiving travel 2025, Thanksgiving flight bookings, driving vs flying Thanksgiving, vacation rental bookings Thanksgiving, Black Friday travel deals, Travel Tuesday travel deals, Emirates A350 premium economy, Emirates A380 first class, credit card travel credits, dining statement credits, StubHub credit, hotel portal credits, grocery rewards credit card, cash back on supermarkets, airport lounge math, justifying annual fees, downgrading credit cards, closing airline credit cards, airline co-branded cards, managing multiple credit cards, tracking expiring credits, no checked bag travel, carry-on only travel, and single parent travel budgeting.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 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/
