Is It Better to Buy Flights on a Tuesday? with The Points Guy’s Brian Kelly and Nicky Kelvin
May 10, 2025
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Join Brian Kelly, the founder of The Points Guy and travel guru, alongside Nicky Kelvin, a senior content director and aviation enthusiast. They tackle the burning question of whether Tuesday is the best day to book flights and share insider tips on maximizing travel points. Discover the quirks of air travel, including the impact of seat choice on personality and the evolution of flight search tools. Plus, they dive into consumer rights, travel hacks, and the amusing dilemmas of socks-off etiquette on planes!
Seating preferences on flights can reflect personality traits, suggesting sociability or assertiveness based on whether one chooses a window, aisle, or middle seat.
The current 'platinum age' of travel provides access to affordable luxury experiences thanks to loyalty points and competitive pricing in the travel industry.
Airlines prioritize loyalty programs and credit card partnerships, emphasizing the need for consumers to strategically engage with rewards to maximize travel benefits.
Deep dives
Travel Seat Choices and Personalities
The choice of seat on an airplane can reveal elements of a person's character. Window seat enthusiasts are often seen as aviation geeks with a dash of selfishness, while aisle seat travelers might be perceived as more sociable or needing quick access to the restroom. Those who opt for the middle seat may be viewed as less assertive, potentially indicative of submissive tendencies. This playful categorization reflects broader social perceptions about personalities based on seating preferences during flights.
The Platinum Age of Travel
Recent discussions highlight a shift in the travel landscape, referring to the current era as the 'platinum age' of travel. Experts believe that modern travelers have access to more affordable options and greater luxury compared to previous decades. The availability of points and miles, combined with competitive pricing, enables even budget-conscious travelers to experience premium services. Rather than despairing over perceived declines in travel quality, travelers are encouraged to embrace the wealth of resources available to them.
Safety in Air Travel
Air travel remains statistically one of the safest modes of transportation, with statistics suggesting an individual would need to fly daily for over 104,000 years to face a significant risk of fatality. Comparatively, the chance of being in a severe car crash is dramatically higher, at one in 5,500 rides. Despite recent high-profile incidents, the overall safety measures in aviation, which rely on advanced technology and stringent regulations, far exceed those of the past when hijackings and mechanical failures were more common. This perspective encourages travelers to approach their journeys with confidence rather than fear.
Understanding Airline Economics
A key insight into airline operations reveals that many airlines prioritize loyalty programs and the sale of points to credit card companies over traditional fare income. As such, consumers who engage with these loyalty programs effectively subsidize those who do not, highlighting the importance of participation in the travel rewards system. While many may perceive these rewards as free benefits, they are actually funded through a larger economic framework involving banks and interchange fees. Therefore, travelers are encouraged to be savvy consumers who utilize rewards to their advantage, potentially saving significant amounts on travel.
Maximizing Points and Travel Strategies
Travelers are often urged to be proactive in managing their loyalty points, with many emphasizing the importance of timely usage to avoid devaluation. As more points flood the market, the value of individual points can diminish unless used strategically. Travelers can leverage new tools and resources designed to optimize point redemption, transforming a modest investment in points into high-value travel experiences. Knowledge of different aircraft and targeted travel strategies can dramatically enhance the overall travel experience, allowing for better amenities and comfort.
Is TSA PreCheck faster than Clear? Who pays for all these “free” miles? And is it ever okay to take off your socks on a plane?
Nayeema asks the dumbest questions she could find to the savviest travellers she knows: Brian Kelly (a.k.a. The Points Guy) and Nicky Kelvin, the aviation geek who is a senior director of content at The Points Guy.
Also in this episode: child vandalism, T5 small claims court and secrets of, per the title Brian’s book, “How to Win At Travel.”
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Finally: YOU could be on a future episode of “CSI: Dumb Questions” – send your dumb questions to nayeemaraza101@gmail.com
