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The biggest moments in travel, points, miles and cards since 2010

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April 2010

The Points Guy brand launches

Brian launches The Points Guy brand, initially as a points consultant where you'd fill out a Google Form and PayPal him $50 — and he'd help you book a trip using points and miles.

the points guy website

June 7, 2010

The first TPG story

TPG founder Brian Kelly publishes his first blog post.

the points guy website first blog post

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March 1, 2011

airport Southwest Airlines goes dynamic

Southwest changes its Rapid Rewards program from credits to points, becoming the first to shift to a revenue-based airline loyalty program.

March 10, 2011

card 6-figure card offer

Capital One launches a bonus of up to 110,000 points (now miles) on the Venture Rewards Credit Card — among the first to hit six figures.

April 6, 2011

wallet 100,000-mile offer

British Airways Visa launches 100,000-mile offer, a first among airline credit cards.

APRIL 12, 2011

new york times office First New York Times mention

TPG is mentioned in Seth Kugel's blog on The New York Times, the first of many mentions to come over the years.

JUNE 3, 2011

brian kelly TPG goes full time

Brian Kelly leaves his job as an investment bank recruiter to focus on TPG full time — and will turn his small business into a media powerhouse.

June 10, 2011

eric rosen Eric Rosen joins TPG

Eric Rosen becomes TPG's first managing editor; he's now a director on the editorial team, overseeing all travel content published on the site.

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dashboard

March 3, 2012

dashboard United-Continental merger

United Airlines and Continental Airlines officially combine, completing a merger that was first announced in 2010.

bankrate logo

May 1, 2012

bankrate logo

Bankrate acquires TPG

The Points Guy becomes a part of the Bankrate family, accelerating the site's growth trajectory.

Nick Ewen

May 22, 2012

First story from Nick Ewen

TPG's Nick Ewen publishes his first story as a contributor; he'll eventually join the team full time in 2018 and now serves as TPG's senior editorial director.

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January 17, 2013

airport Delta Air Lines goes revenue-based

Delta becomes the first major airline to announce a revenue component to qualifying for elite status; United followed the same year, with American Airlines making a similar change in 2016.

March 2013

brian kelly with dogs The Points Pups

The Points Pups begins with the introduction of the first Frenchie pup, Miles — the group would later expand to include Hootie (2016), Swisher (2017) and Charlie (2018).

March 19, 2013

the centurion lounge First issuer-branded lounge

American Express opens the first issuer-branded lounge in the U.S. — starting a battle that will escalate in the years to come.

December 2013

TSA PreCheck officially launches

After years of testing and targeting, TSA PreCheck formally opens for applications.

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June 2014

brian kelly with PeaceJam team

TPG launches PeaceJam partnership

TPG begins partnering with PeaceJam, which brings Nobel Peace Prize winners to developing countries to mentor youth to change the world. Since then, TPG has raised/donated over $2.4 million to PeaceJam and continues to sponsor youth conferences and programming in Guatemala, Ghana, Liberia and South Africa — impacting thousands of lives and creating young leaders committed to peace.

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plane

February 6, 2015

Delta removes award chart

Delta becomes the first major airline to remove published award charts, heralding a major shift toward dynamic award pricing.

October 30, 2015

plane seat Around the world and back

Business Insider shares how Brian Kelly leverages credit card rewards to travel the world for "free."

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January 26, 2016

brian kelly 20 years in points and miles

Brian celebrates 20 years since he booked his family on an epic vacation to the Cayman Islands — which started a lifelong passion and ultimately a successful business in The Points Guy.

August 23, 2016

brian kelly

Chase Sapphire Reserve launches

The Chase Sapphire Reserve launches, with Chase announcing the card by linking to an article on The Points Guy.

Sapphire Reserve card

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February 27, 2017

airport First best airlines report

TPG publishes its first-ever "best airlines" report, which is now an annual launch that sets the industry standard for excellence.

May 2, 2017

brian kelly New home for TPG

TPG moves out of a temporary home in a WeWork and into a new office on Park Avenue in New York City to accommodate the growing team.

June 20, 2017

brian kelly

Brian is named a Top Travel Influencer by Forbes

Recognized as a top travel influencer, Brian shares the strategies that propelled the brand.

July 20, 2017

brian kelly TPG launches new Facebook group

The TPG Lounge private group launches on Facebook and now boasts nearly 160,000 members.

November 8, 2017

TPG joins Red Ventures

The Points Guy becomes a part of Red Ventures, joining a diverse digital media and marketing company and positioning the brand for significant investment.

red ventures building

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Summer Hull

July 25, 2018

Summer Hull Mommy Points joins TPG

Summer Hull, the creator of Mommy Points, joins the TPG family as her small business grows; she's now a senior director overseeing multiple aspects of TPG's editorial operations.

Marriott logo

August 18, 2018

Marriott logo Marriott-SPG merger

The merger of Marriott and Starwood Preferred Guest begins — which ultimately would create the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.

December 4, 2018

First TPG Awards

The first TPG Awards ceremony is held on the USS Intrepid, recognizing the best of the best in the credit card, loyalty and travel industries.

brian kelly brian kelly

December 18, 2018

Capital One launches transfer partners

Capital One becomes the newest credit card issuer to allow rewards to be transferred to travel partners.

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March 24, 2019

The credit card kingmaker

The Wall Street Journal deems Brian "one of the most powerful people in the credit card business."

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people in airport terminal

April 25, 2019

people in airport terminal TPG launches international outpost

The Points Guy goes international with the launch of TPG UK, a site that eventually is integrated into our YouTube channels.

rainbow railroad

June 2019

rainbow railroad TPG raises money for Rainbow Railroad

TPG raises money and awareness with an airplane float in the World Pride Parade in New York City, bringing Rainbow Railroad refugees to their very first Pride event.

October 15, 2019

tpg small business group TPG launches small business group

TPG launches small-business group, a new private Facebook group dedicated to small-business owners, launches, creating a new community to share business-related tips on points and miles.

December 2, 2019

tpg team

TPG's growth continues

The Points Guy hires its 100th full-time employee less than 10 years after inception, a phenomenal growth trajectory.

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January 2, 2020

Gene Sloan TPG expands into cruising

Gene Sloan joins The Points Guy as the site expands its cruise coverage.

March 11, 2020

covid-19 image COVID-19 declared a pandemic

The World Health Organization officially classifies COVID-19 as a pandemic, leading to a precipitous drop in travel demand.

June 7, 2020

brian kelly TPG turns 10

The Points Guy celebrates its 10-year anniversary.

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lounge

November 2021

Capital One launches Venture X and opens new lounge

Capital One launches its first-ever premium card, the Venture X Rewards Credit Card, along with opening the first Capital One Lounge at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

lounge lounge lounge

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June 12, 2022

people in airport US drops COVID-19 testing requirement

Travelers no longer need to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test to enter the United States, a major milestone in easing travel restrictions coming out of the pandemic.

November 2022

brian kelly with the son

Dean Kelly arrives

Brian Kelly welcomes his first child, Dean Kelly, officially joining the growing ranks of TPGers with young families.

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September 12, 2023

Capital One launches Venture X Business

Capital One makes a splash with a new premium business card, Venture X Business — offering extensive rewards and benefits for small-business owners.

capital one business card

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Icon of the Sea cruise ship

January 27, 2024

Icon of the Sea cruise ship Icon of the Seas launches

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, departs on its maiden voyage.

tpg team

September 2024

tpg team TPG campaign supports Make-A-Wish

TPG's campaign to support Make-A-Wish raises over $500,000 in donations, all of which will go toward making dreams come true for wish kids and their families.

December 4, 2024

video poster with brian kelly The Points Guy reveals 2025 Travel Trends Report

Brian is featured on "Good Morning America" as he reveals TPG's 2025 trends report, a look at what travelers can expect in the upcoming year.

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February 5, 2025

brian kelly with the book 'How to Win at Travel' published

PG founder Brian Kelly publishes his first book called "How to Win at Travel" — quickly becoming a New York Times bestseller.

Buy now

Now available on Amazon!

June 7, 2025

brian kelly

TPG turns 15

The Points Guy celebrates 15 years of helping our audience maximize their rewards — with over 9 million monthly visitors, over 5 million followers on social media and nearly 1.6 million newsletter subscribers.