Thrifty Traveler Premium is a flight deal alert service that helps you save money on airfare by sending cheap flight deals and points and miles alerts straight to your inbox. They search for deals departing from over 200 airports in the U.S. and Canada and cover both domestic and international destinations.
If you travel regularly or are looking to book your next big trip, signing up for a deal alert service can be a simple way to find deeply discounted flights. Thrifty Traveler offers a limited free version and two Premium options that give you access to more deals, mistake fares, business class flights, hotel alerts, and more.
Keep reading this Thrifty Traveler Premium guide to learn what kinds of deals they send, how much it costs, how it compares to other services, and if it’s worth signing up.
PS: Ready to sign up for Thrifty Traveler now? Click here and save $20 on your first year.
Last updated: August 24, 2025
Published: July 25, 2025
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What is Thrifty Traveler?
Thrifty Traveler is a website and newsletter focused on finding cheap travel deals. Their team of flight deal analysts searches for low fares and award availability using points and miles, then sends alerts to subscribers.
They also cover travel news, credit card offers, loyalty program tips, and guides to booking award travel. But their main product is Thrifty Traveler Premium—an email alert service that helps you find cheap flights faster than searching on your own.
What Kind of Flight Deals Do They Send?
When you subscribe, you’ll get alerts for cheap economy fares, mistake fares, and award travel using points and miles. Premium+ subscribers also get hotel award alerts.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Domestic and International Deals: Alerts include both U.S. and international routes. Expect deals to places like Europe, Asia, South America, and more.
- Departure Options: You’ll only get alerts from the airports you choose, so your inbox doesn’t get flooded with irrelevant deals.
- Mistake Fares: Occasionally, airlines publish prices by accident. These mistake fares are often short-lived, and Thrifty Traveler Premium alerts you quickly by email and text message.
- Business & First Class Fares: If you’re looking to upgrade your experience, Premium alerts include discounted premium cabin fares and award availability using points.
- Points & Miles Alerts: Get notified when it’s possible to use your airline miles or credit card points to book award travel at good value.
- Hotel Alerts: Premium+ users also get alerts for luxury hotels bookable with points, helping you save on both flights and stays.
These deals are found manually and reviewed by the Thrifty Traveler team, so you’re getting curated, high-value alerts—not automated searches.
How to Sign Up
You can sign up for Thrifty Traveler directly on their website. Choose between the free version, Premium, or Premium+ depending on what kind of alerts you want.
- The Free version gives you a limited number of alerts, mostly for economy fares and some international deals.
- Premium unlocks more flight deals, award alerts, and mistake fares.
- Premium+ includes everything in Premium, plus hotel award alerts for those using hotel points.
After signing up, you’ll select your departure airport(s), and you’ll start receiving deal emails right away.
And, to save $20 on the Premium or Premium+ memberships, use code EXPONENTIALTRAVELS
Thrifty Traveler Pricing and Benefits (Free vs Premium vs Premium+)
Thrifty Traveler offers three pricing tiers. Here’s a breakdown of what each includes:
Free Plan
This is the basic version of the service. It’s best if you’re just getting started and want to see what types of deals they offer.
- Access to limited flight deals
- Economy class only
- Deals from 200+ U.S. and Canadian airports
- No access to mistake fares, text alerts, or business class deals
Premium – $99.99/year
This is the most popular option. You’ll get 10x more deals than the free version, including mistake fares, business class alerts, and award space for points and miles.
- Domestic and international deals
- Economy, Business, and First Class
- Points & miles award alerts
- Mistake fare text alerts
- Travel rewards card consulting
- Facebook group access
- Hotel suggestions in flight alerts
Premium+ – $149.99/year
This includes everything in Premium, plus hotel award alerts. You’ll also get access to more deals overall.
- 15x more deals than the free version
- All Premium features
- Hotel alerts bookable with points
If you want the most value, Premium+ gives you access to both flight and hotel award alerts. But if you only care about finding cheap flights, Premium will be enough for most travelers.
Thrifty Traveler Review
Thrifty Traveler is a reliable and easy-to-use service that delivers on its promise of helping you find cheaper flights and award travel. The alerts are clear, timely, and often feature deals that are hundreds of dollars less than the regular price.
I love that the deals are personalized to their airport and don’t require a lot of time to browse. The extra features like mistake fare alerts and award space notifications make it useful even for experienced travelers using points and miles.
While it won’t guarantee you a specific deal at a specific time, it helps you be flexible and ready to book when a great fare pops up.
Is Thrifty Traveler Premium Worth It?
If you fly more than once a year or have flexibility in your travel plans, Thrifty Traveler Premium is likely worth the cost. It can help you save hundreds on just one flight.
Here’s who it’s best for:
- Flexible travelers who can leave mid-week or fly to multiple destinations
- People who want to fly business class using points
- Travelers looking to use airline or credit card miles efficiently
- Anyone planning a big trip and hoping to snag a deal
Even one mistake fare or discounted business class ticket could save you more than the $99 annual fee.
Is Thrifty Traveler Legit?
Yes, Thrifty Traveler is a legitimate company. They’ve been featured in major publications like The New York Times, Forbes, and CNBC. Their team of travel experts manually searches for deals and reviews them before sending alerts.
I also use and love Thrifty Traveler myself as a Premium+ user, which means I get deals in my inbox nearly daily. I love how easy the emails are to digest, allowing me to see the best flight deals and decide if I want to book them in under a minute.
There are no hidden fees, and you can cancel or pause your subscription at any time. You’ll receive real-time alerts for deals that actually exist and can be booked directly with airlines or through reputable booking sites.
Thrifty Traveler Promo Code
You can save $20 on your first year of Thrifty Traveler Premium or Premium+ with the promo code EXPONENTIALTRAVELS. Just enter it at checkout when you sign up. This discount brings the cost of Premium down from $99.99 to $79.99 for the first year, and Premium+ from $149.99 to $129.99.
This is a one-time discount, so after the first year, your subscription will renew at the full price unless canceled or adjusted.
Thrifty Traveler vs Going (Formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights)
Thrifty Traveler and Going are two of the most popular flight deal alert services. They have a lot in common but differ in how they work.
| Feature | Thrifty Traveler Premium | Going |
|---|---|---|
| Alerts by Departure Airport | ✅ | ✅ |
| Business Class Deals | ✅ | Only in Elite Tier |
| Points & Miles Alerts | ✅ | ❌ |
| Mistake Fare Texts | ✅ | Elite only |
| Hotel Award Alerts | ✅ (Premium+ only) | ❌ |
| Credit Card Tips | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cheapest Plan | Free | Free |
| Premium Cost | $99.99/year | $49/year |
| Premium+ Option | $149.99/year | $199/year (Elite) |
Thrifty Traveler is a better choice if you want points and miles deals or hotel award alerts. Going may be a better fit if you’re only looking for economy cash fares and prefer a lower-cost basic membership.
Final Thoughts
Thrifty Traveler Premium is a smart investment for travelers who want to save on flights and make the most of their points and miles. With flexible options for free, Premium, and Premium+, you can choose the level that fits your travel style and budget.
You don’t need to spend hours searching flight sites or waiting for sales. Just sign up, set your home airport, and let the deals come to you.
If you’re planning a trip and want to get serious about saving money, Thrifty Traveler Premium is worth a try.
Still debating? Check out an alternative to Thrifty Traveler – Daily Drop Pro.
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