Gunnar Olson ✈️

Google released its top trending Thanksgiving destinations. No. 1 is a head-scratcher...until it isn't...

They Invented the Game. Will They Be Allowed to Play It in the Olympics?

Outstanding piece in the Sunday Times from S.L. Price about the Haudenosaunee's fight to compete under their own flag when lacrosse debuts at the L.A. Olympics in 2028.

It's simple to me. They must be included.

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/m...

It's going to be another one of those days, Thrifty Traveler Premium subscribers...

...but only if you like flights to Rome for $384 roundtrip...

The deal will be out shortly. In our system, it's currently titled: "SMOKING HOT EUROPE sub-$399."

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast, Ep. 9: Punk, Politics & Travel w/ (Failed Uber Driver) Kyle Potter You've read and heard plenty from Thrifty Traveler's Kyle Potter, but do you really know him? Gunnar grills Kyle on his path to travel writing and much more!

A super fun episode to record. I got to interview @kpottermn.bsky.social and I learned a lot about my friend and coworker that I never knew before.

(Watch the YouTube for a photo from his punk/hardcore days!)

He gets to flip the script on me next week.

thriftytraveler.com/podcasts/epi...

Single Travelers Are Finding Love in Airport Lounges For some people, the calmer, semi-exclusive spaces away from the deadening realities of modern air travel have become a prime place to find romance.

Absolutely floored by this NYT story about finding love in airport lounges. It's an incredible piece.

Some takeaways:
- There's an inflight dating app called "Wingle"
- Someone got married at the BNA Admirals Club
- and so much more.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/t...

How big is Canada?

Well, WestJet just announced transcontinental Halifax (YHZ) to Vancouver (YVR) flights, which is ~200 miles longer than its transatlantic Halifax-Dublin (DUB) flights.

Data from Great Circle Mapper, collected by @kpottermn.bsky.social

Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew.

WestJet just tacked on these "Ultrabasic" fares (that don't even include a carry-on) on many of its Canada-US routes. These fares were not there just a week ago.

A new leader in the race to the bottom.

Free flight deal for ya, MSP!

Wake up to snow on the ground this AM? Book a nonstop Delta flight to Cancún THIS WEEKEND for $375 roundtrip. You can even leave today.

Wide open availability. Book this so I don't have to.

www.google.com/travel/fligh...

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast, Ep. 1: The Best Bets for Flight Deals in 2025 The first episode of The Thrifty Traveler Podcast delves into your best bets for finding a cheap flight in 2025, how Chase is winning the lounge wars, and more!

It's official: We have a podcast! 🥳🎙️

Tune into The Thrifty Traveler Podcast each and every Thursday morning, hosted by @gunnarolson.bsky.social and yours truly. Our first episode focuses on cheap destinations for 2025.

Let us know what you think!
thriftytraveler.com/podcasts/epi...

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast, Ep. 1: The Best Bets for Flight Deals in 2025 The first episode of The Thrifty Traveler Podcast delves into your best bets for finding a cheap flight in 2025, how Chase is winning the lounge wars, and more!

The Thrifty Traveler Podcast is here! Now streaming on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

Tune into Episode 1 for a deep dive into cheap destinations, why Chase is winning the airport lounge wars, and more!

For the Not-So-Thrifty Traveler: White Lotus Private Jet Experience

20 days, all 3 "White Lotus" hotels (plus Singapore, Marrakech, Maldives, Nevis & Mexico City), and travel on the (insane-looking) Four Seasons Private A321.

Price: $188k per person.

www.fourseasons.com/privatejet/j...

Who wants to fly to New Zealand tonight? $747 roundtrip on United. One stop.

Here's the key: Avoid the "mushy middle."

Booking way, way in advance or the last-minute are the best ways to get good spring break fares.

You're either setting the market, or gobbling up empty seats at the end.

And expert mode is doing both...

Hub captives tend to have a strange Stockholm Syndrome with their captor airline – often bowing to high fares for the sake of loyalty perks and convenience.

But there's a better way! Break free, fellow hub captives! Check out my story for the best strategies.

"Hub captives" are travelers (like me) who are based in a market where one airline dominates. Without enough competition, airfare tends to rise.

It's worst at Charlotte (CLT), where AA runs 87% of available seat miles. It's also noticeably bad at Delta's 4 interior hubs, too.

Flights Expensive From Your Airport? How to Break Free as a 'Hub Captive' While hub captives have it tougher than travelers in cities with lots of healthy competition, not all is lost. Here's how to break free and book low fares.

The worst markets for "hub captives":

Charlotte (CLT) – 87% American
Atlanta (ATL) – 73.3% Delta
Salt Lake City (SLC) – 73% Delta
Detroit (DTW) – 71% Delta
Minneapolis (MSP) – 69% Delta
Philadelphia (PHL) – 68% American
Dallas (DFW, DAL) – 63% American

thriftytraveler.com/guides/trave...

Update: For Delta Reserve cardholders, you can also now see your tracker in the Delta app.

No dice for Amex Platinum cardholders – you still have to go through Amex for your counter.

Delta Sky Club Access Limits Have Arrived: Here's How to Track Your Visits American Express cardholders are now limited to a certain number of Delta Sky Club visit days. Here's how to find your Delta Sky Club visit tracker.

Unlimited Delta Sky Club access with your Amex card is now officially a thing of the past.

At least Amex will keep track of your allotted (10 or 15) visits for you, I guess?

thriftytraveler.com/news/airport...

Should I Book Flights Now or Wait? Here's the Answer We finally have an answer to the question that's been plaguing travelers for decades: "Should I book flights now, or wait to see if the price drops?"

Here's the definitive answer: There's no reason to wait to book flights.

thriftytraveler.com/guides/fligh...

Will CLEAR's Lane of the Future Pods Fix Its Woes? Our Firsthand Look CLEAR recently unveiled its new Lane of the Future, and in our brief experience, the facial scanning process was faster and easier to use than the old verification kiosks.

At New Orleans (MSY) this past weekend, I got to try out the new CLEAR "Lane of the Future" pods.

Maybe I'm naive, but I think they could solve a lot of CLEAR's big and growing problems with speed and efficiency. Take a look.

thriftytraveler.com/news/travel/...

Forgot to mention: Pictured is my sweet, sweet boy Wallie whose trip to Orlando a few years ago led me to first write this story.

I wonder if Delta is getting annoyed with service dog exemptions and wants to compete a little better on price.

I know of several travelers who have "service dogs" and fly with them for free. (Some travelers do need these animals, but not most of the people I know.)

How to Fly with a Carry-On Pet on Your Next Trip With careful and proactive planning, flying with a carry-on pet can easily be done. But it depends on the pet...

I might be late to this, but it appears Delta has lowered the price of a carry-on pet from $125 to $95 each way.

Delta is now the cheapest of the major U.S. airlines to carry a pet onto. Alaska is close behind at $100.

thriftytraveler.com/guides/trave...

How to Get A Last-Minute Passport: Using the Urgent Travel & Same-Day Passport Service In a rush and need a last minute passport? Getting a same day passport through Urgent Travel Passport Service is easy and cheaper than the third-party couriers.

I wrote this story in 2022 after my wife realized her passport was invalid about 15 days before our honeymoon to Africa.

Moral of the story: DO NOT pay a service to get a last-minute passport for you. It's actually easier and cheaper to do yourself.

thriftytraveler.com/guides/trave...

Devotees of Mt. Bachelor Ski Area Are Working to Take Their Mountain Back Devotees of Mt. Bachelor are putting together a bid to rescue the ski area — and their way of life — from the titans of the industry.

The Bend, OR community is coming together to buy its resort - Mt. Bachelor. It faces big boy competition from Vail and Alterra. But this movement has legs. I’m rooting for them. I love this place.

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/u...

Last-minute flight to Belize for next weekend, Minnesota. Get some sun. You need it. Everyone says so.

Another free flight deal courtesy of Thrifty Traveler Premium.

Me: After years of loyalty, I just want to use my SkyMiles to book a reasonable Delta One fare once in my lifetime.

Delta:

Mistake Fares, Rare Biz Class Award Space & More: Why Flight Deals are Off to a Crazy Start in 2025 The first few weeks of 2025 have been historically good for travelers looking for a cheap flight – in economy, premium economy, or business class.

It may be Dry January for some travelers, but an unprecedented flurry of mistake fares and business class deals already in 2025 makes me think the airlines might be drunk.

thriftytraveler.com/deals/flight...

If you were wondering why you didn't get a Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal about this today: This is too last-minute for a Premium deal, so it's yours for free today.

And let's be honest, we all needed to at least be in Mazatlan mentally this morning.

It's -18 in Minnesota this morning. Here's something you can do about it:

Fly to Mazatlan, Mexico next weekend (Thurs-Tues). Delta. Nonstop.

$441 roundtrip , or $501 in Main Cabin. Eligible for Delta Companion Certificates.

70s and sunny on Mexico's west coast...your call...