History
Brian Kelly became interested in frequent-flyer programs while attending college at the University of Pittsburgh.[5][6] After graduation, he went to work for Morgan Stanley,[7] where he developed a reputation with colleagues as the "points guy" due to his knowledge about how credit card usage allowed users to maximize travel points.[8]
Kelly launched The Points Guy as a personal website in 2010.[9] He began monetizing content through affiliate marketing partnerships in February 2011.[3][10] Shortly thereafter, Kelly left his job at Morgan Stanley.[3]
In 2012, Bankrate, a company that publishes and promotes financial content, acquired The Points Guy brand.[3] In a 2014 interview, Brian Kelly stated: "I still have a vested ownership interest in TPG and I retain 100% editorial control."[11]
Between 2012 and 2017, TPG acquired three competing websites: Million Mile Secrets, Mommy Points, and Travel is Free.[2]
In 2016, TPG started Points for Peace, a partnership with the nonprofit PeaceJam Foundation. The initiative allows users to donate frequent flyer miles to help Nobel Peace Prize winners travel to developing countries.[3][12] The next year TPG began a similar partnership with Rainbow Railroad, allowing users to donate miles to help LGBTQI people escape countries where they face violence and persecution.[13][14]
In 2017, Brian Kelly was named the top influencer for travel by Forbes.[4] Bankrate was acquired by digital marketing company Red Ventures in 2017.[15]
In 2020 Business Insider reported that multiple TPG employees had anonymously accused Kelly of fostering a toxic work environment, including drug use and abusive behavior toward staff.[16] Red Ventures responded with a statement saying Kelly unequivocally denied all allegations and that TPG did not tolerate any forms of harassment or discrimination.[16][17]
In September 2021, TPG released an app to track airline points and miles across multiple airlines.[18]
On January 11, 2022, TPG preemptively sued American Airlines, asking a Delaware court to make it legal for customers to manage their frequent flyer data on a third-party website.[19][20] The filing was in response to a cease and desist letter from American Airlines, demanding TPG not track the data of its AAdvantage members who opted-in to share their info with the TPG app.[20] On January 22, 2022, American Airlines filed suit against The Points Guy in a federal court in Texas, claiming the company's app violated its trademark and the terms of the airlines’ frequent flyer program.[19][18][20] The case was settled in November 2022, but no details of the settlement were disclosed.[21]
In 2025 Liza Landsman was appointed CEO.[1]
Operations
The Points Guy is a subsidiary of American media company Red Ventures.[22] Liza Landsman is the CEO.[23] The company is headquartered in New York City.[24] As of 2025, The Points Guy had around 150 employees.[25]
The Points Guy operates a travel-focused website and app. The website includes news and sponsored content, with a focus on tips for accumulating airline points and miles,[26] as well as more general aviation, hospitality, and credit card news.[24] The app allows users to track points and miles from different loyalty programs.[27] The Points Guy receives revenue through affiliate marketing partnerships with credit card companies.[28] These fees are based on traffic from the site related to credit cards participating in loyalty programs.[27] Among the company's partners are Citi, Bank of America, Chase, and Capital One.[27][29]
