Which Airline Miles Are Actually Worth Using in 2026?

So much changes so fast in the world of points and miles, it’s easy to lose track. So in this episode of the Thrifty Traveler Podcast, the guys go through (almost) every single airline loyalty program and decide: Are they trending up or are they down? But they need some help, so flight deal analyst Katie Rollins joins to break things down … and also shares a legendary travel mishap. The gang also sorts through some hotel points programs and helps a listener deal with their PreCheck-less travel companions. Download SAILY's app and use code THRIFTY at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/thrifty ⛵Watch us on YouTube!Join the conversation! Sign up for the free Thrifty Traveler Podcast Slack community today. 00:00 - Introducing Katie Rollins (& her trip to Iceland)02:20 - Matt & Annika welcome us back from Albania!03:15 - Something Hot: Leading Hotels of the World06:15 - Something Cold: The Hyatt-Chase transfer “D-Day”09:20 - A word from our sponsor, Saily!10:15 - The best Thrifty Traveler Premium hotel & flight deals11:30 - Our rankings: Who’s up and who’s down in airline loyalty programs45:45 - The etiquette of ditching your non-PreCheck friends48:15 - Revisiting Katie’s brutal rental car mistake in Iceland53:30 - On the Spot: Luxury flights or hotels? Produced and edited by Sylvia ThomasVideo editing by Kyle ThomasShow music: “All That” by Benjamin Tissot  Support the show by leaving us a rating and a review wherever you get your podcasts! Have a question you want answered on-air or an idea for the show? Let us know at podcast@thriftytraveler.comGet 20% off your first year of cheap flights and points and miles deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium - use promo code TTPOD to save even more!See what we’re all about at https://thriftytraveler.com - or subscribe to our free weekly points and miles newsletter, The Extra Mile!Follow us on…InstagramYouTubeFacebookBluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.