The Next Trip - An Aviation and Travel Podcast

Doug and Drew bring a combined 40-plus years of airline industry experience to The Next Trip, and the insider perspective makes all the difference. One is a professional pilot, the other a hub operations manager at a major carrier, so between them they cover aviation from the flight deck to the ramp. The result is a podcast that explains how the airline sausage gets made, with enough humor to keep things entertaining. Running weekly since 2019 with 328 episodes, the show blends aviation news coverage with operational storytelling and what the hosts call "friendly AvGeek banter." When a major weather event disrupts airline schedules, they don't just report on the cancellations -- they explain the cascade effect through the operations center, how crews get repositioned, and why recovery takes longer than passengers expect. That behind-the-scenes view is their biggest asset. Monday morning episodes have become a ritual for their community of self-described AvGeeks, and the hosts have cultivated an engaged listener base that contributes stories and questions. They even coined the term "avsplain" for their particular brand of aviation explanation, which gives you a sense of the show's personality. Recent episodes have tackled aircraft orders, airline financial results, and weather-related operational challenges. The 4.9 rating from 89 reviews is strong for a mid-sized show, and the comments consistently highlight the balance between expertise and accessibility. If you want to understand how airlines actually work day-to-day rather than just reading press releases, The Next Trip delivers a perspective you won't find many other places.