{"id":2024,"date":"2026-10-29T12:14:22","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T12:14:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/?p=2024"},"modified":"2026-10-29T12:14:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T12:14:22","slug":"basic-economy-fares-get-worse-major-bilt-and-amex-changes-and-more-top-travel-news-on-the-thrifty-traveler-podcast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/?p=2024","title":{"rendered":"Basic Economy Fares Get Worse, Major Bilt and Amex Changes, and More Top Travel News on the Thrifty Traveler Podcast"},"content":{"rendered":"

Airlines have steadily raised airfares left and right over recent months, but carriers are now implementing fare hikes through another subtle tactic that might have flown completely under your radar. In the latest episode of the Thrifty Traveler Podcast, the hosts dive deep into the rising costs associated with basic economy tickets, analyzing why the price to upgrade and avoid those restrictive, bare-bones fares is climbing higher than ever, and exploring what everyday travelers can do to protect their travel budgets.<\/p>\n

The discussion goes far beyond basic economy restrictions, touching on a wide-ranging slate of industry updates that have dominated travel headlines over the past week. In a lively segment called "Travel Tinder," the hosts put Kyle in the hot seat to swipe right or swipe left on a flurry of major travel stories. Among the topics up for debate are Bilt\u2019s latest sweeping program overhaul, a heavy wave of operational and policy news from Southwest Airlines, exciting announcements regarding brand-new flight routes, and notable shifts in airline loyalty status requirements. Listeners are also treated to a fun local touch as the hosts review Gunnar\u2019s creative submissions for naming O’Hare International Airport\u2019s famous viral boulder.<\/p>\n

Travel enthusiasts looking to stay ahead of industry changes can tune into the full episode right now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever they prefer to listen to podcasts. New episodes drop every Thursday morning, featuring comprehensive updates on points, miles, and airfare trends, alongside occasional bonus content such as the popular Starter Kit series. <\/p>\n

In This Episode<\/h2>\n

The conversation continues beyond the audio stream. Listeners and travel fans are invited to join the conversation by signing up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community, where like-minded travelers discuss the latest redemption sweet spots, booking strategies, and industry developments in real time. <\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n

For those who want to actively participate in upcoming episodes, the show welcomes audience engagement. Listeners with a burning travel question they want answered on air or a fresh idea for the show can reach out directly via email. Fans can also help kick off future episodes by recording a personalized "Welcome Back to the Thrifty Traveler Podcast" video message through the show’s dedicated voicemail portal online.<\/p>\n

Producing a weekly travel podcast requires a dedicated team behind the scenes. This episode was expertly produced and edited by Sylvia Thomas, with video editing handled by Kyle Thomas. The familiar and upbeat show music, "All That," was composed and provided by Benjamin Tissot.<\/p>\n

As travelers navigate an increasingly complex landscape of airline fees, loyalty program devaluations, and shifting credit card rewards, staying informed has never been more crucial for those looking to see the world without breaking the bank. For those seeking daily insights, the Extra Mile newsletter delivers the latest breaking travel news, advanced points and miles strategies, and essential tips designed to help travelers navigate the skies smarter and spend significantly less on their next adventure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Airlines have steadily raised airfares left and right over recent months, but carriers are now implementing fare hikes through another subtle tactic that might have flown completely under your radar. In the latest episode of the Thrifty Traveler Podcast, the hosts dive deep into the rising costs associated with basic economy tickets, analyzing why the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2023,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1173],"tags":[1175,1655,2013,2713,667,2782,79,2783,1496,177,1792,2785,1174,2786,1176,2784],"class_list":["post-2024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-travel-and-adventures","tag-adventures","tag-amex","tag-basic","tag-bilt","tag-changes","tag-economy","tag-family","tag-fares","tag-major","tag-news","tag-podcast","tag-thrifty","tag-travel","tag-traveler","tag-vacation","tag-worse"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2024"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2024\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/babydollliz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}