Gunnar Olson

1 month ago | thriftytraveler.com | Gunnar Olson

It's a new day at Southwest Airlines: As of Wednesday, May 28, the beloved “Wanna Get Away fares” have disappeared … and the airline is now charging $35 or more each way for luggage that was previously free. The airline announced those monumental changes in early March, and the day has finally come. Travelers who booked flights before Wednesday will still get the two free checked bags with Southwest – with one troubling exception.

1 month ago | thriftytraveler.com | Gunnar Olson

This week on the show, Gunnar and Kyle talk about a recent, unprecedented run of roundtrip flights to Europe in the $400s, $300s, and even $200s. The guys ask the important questions like “What is going in here?!” – and more importantly, stress that travelers should run to book a cheap trip to Italy, Greece, England and beyond this year.

1 month ago | thriftytraveler.com | Gunnar Olson

In just the few years, Taiwan-based Starlux has expanded rapidly in the U.S., launching routes from four American gateways up and down the West Coast. The carrier's next addition is a surprising one. The relatively new boutique Taiwanese carrier will fly to its Taipei (TPE) hub from Phoenix (PHX), with three to four weekly flights commencing sometime in early 2026. It'll be Phoenix's first-ever nonstop flight all the way across the Pacific – not just to Taiwan, but to anywhere in Asia.

1 month ago | thriftytraveler.com | Gunnar Olson

This week, Kyle gets to fire up the grill to interview his co-host Gunnar his own career in journalism and travel, why he hates “cents per mile,” his trip to Antarctica (?!), and how he feels about his looming future in family travel. Plus, the guys break down one of the best flight deals of the year, the lingering issues at Newark, and their biggest travel pet peeves.

1 month ago | thriftytraveler.com | Gunnar Olson

It may sound absurd, but the 50,000 or so points in your credit card account could be more than enough to book your next big international trip … even if you want to fly lie-flat business class. Business class seats typically cost $2,000, $3,000, or more each way. But by transferring the right credit card points to the best airline mileage programs, you can book those same pricey seats for the miles you're used to forking over for economy.