Welcome to TPG!
So The Points Guy officially launched in April 2010 and the initial response has been amazing. Through word of mouth and referrals, I've helped numerous clients utilize their frequent flyer miles to realize a travel dream.
In fact, I recently helped a new client plan an amazing trip with his 90-year-old father. They are going to Europe in July to retrace his father's steps from World War II, where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. Even after I found Star Alliance availability and gave him flight numbers, the airline (United) still refused to book the ticket, stating that everything in business-class and first-class was sold out for the summer.
Understandably frustrated, my client came back to me for help. It took a while, but in the end, I walked the phone rep through the itinerary, and we got everything ticketed. Not only did this make me feel great, but it also underscored the need for TPG's services. Not to toot my own horn, but if it wasn't for my knowledge and persistence, my client would not have been going to Europe in business class — at least not at the low "saver" levels.
I also recently had the opportunity to attend the first-ever Google Travel Tweet Up at the La Bottega bar at the Maritime Hotel in New York City. This was my first travel industry event, so I was a bit nervous. The open bar helped, and I immediately met some amazing people, including the founder of Expertflyer.com (a site I use on a daily basis). I also connected with journalists and corporate social media executives. I had an incredible time meeting such dynamic people and learning more about the industry. The one main takeaway I got was that I needed to be blogging on a TPG website ... so here I am!
From here on out, I plan to blog the latest points deals and travel news, as well as information about my personal travels. My goal is to educate people on the world of loyalty points — whether or not they become one of my personal clients. There is so much to learn and so much to gain, so stay tuned! In the meantime, you can also follow me in real time on Twitter @thepointsguy.