My Trip to the Googleplex Headquarters — Plus My Google Talk (Video)
I've traveled all over the world, to some truly hard-to-reach locales, but one destination right here in the US had eluded me until recently: the Googleplex. The tech company's headquarters in Mountain View, California, is made up of a sprawling spread of buildings, bicycles (more on that later) and busy people — and feels more like a college campus than a Silicon Valley business operation. But it's not open to everyone: you need to know someone inside to get a tour.
Luckily, I was invited to speak at one of the company's "Talks at Google," a series of speeches and casual interviews inside auditoriums in their Bay Area, New York and Cambridge, Massachusetts offices.
I'm in good company: Google has hosted talks with all kinds of authors, artists, activists, filmmakers, chefs, musicians, politicians, scientists — and and apparently points and miles experts — including Salman Rushdie, Bill Nye, Lady Gaga, Conan O'Brien and Stephen Colbert.
You can watch the entire talk I gave in an auditorium full of Google employees in the hour-long clip, below. I touch on many topics: mistake fares, keeping track of miles, the value of elite status, the advantages of last-minute travel, how loyalty pays off, where to find great offers, manufactured spending, how our Points for Peace and PeaceJam charities work, why I love South Africa and why I won't be flying Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines) anytime soon.
Here are some more highlights from the tour:
The famous multicolored bicycles; there are more than 1,300 located throughout the campus.
Ultimately, I was honored to be invited to give a Google Talk and I think of it as just one more indication of how much TPG has grown over the last few years. Follow me on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to see what I'm working on next.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.