This week, Planet Money explored two very different markets where the rules of competition are surprisingly rigid. One episode examined Spirit Airlines' struggle to survive in an industry where rock-bottom prices have become table stakes, while another looked at how publishers game bestseller lists to create the appearance of demand. In both cases, the question emerges: what happens when businesses compete on metrics that don't actually reflect consumer value?
Episodes This Week
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Other Weeks
This Week in Planet Money (Jun 8 - Jun 14, 2026)
2 episodes · Jun 8 – Jun 14
This Week in Planet Money (Jun 1 - Jun 7, 2026)
2 episodes · Jun 1 – Jun 7
This Week in Planet Money (May 25 - May 31, 2026)
2 episodes · May 25 – May 31
This Week in Planet Money (May 18 - May 24, 2026)
2 episodes · May 18 – May 24
This Week in Planet Money (May 11 - May 17, 2026)
2 episodes · May 11 – May 17
This Week in Planet Money (May 4 - May 10, 2026)
2 episodes · May 4 – May 10
This Week in Planet Money (Apr 20 - Apr 26, 2026)
2 episodes · Apr 20 – Apr 26
This Week in Planet Money (Apr 13 - Apr 19, 2026)
2 episodes · Apr 13 – Apr 19
This Week in Planet Money (Apr 6 - Apr 12, 2026)
2 episodes · Apr 6 – Apr 12
This Week in Planet Money (Mar 30 - Apr 5, 2026)
2 episodes · Mar 30 – Apr 5
This Week in Planet Money (Mar 23 - Mar 29, 2026)
2 episodes · Mar 23 – Mar 29