When you’re planning a trip, you probably want to find a way to get as much fun and adventure into your itinerary as possible—without splashing too much cash!
Whether you're a backpacker looking to travel cheaply or an organizer of a large group vacation, most travelers are always on the lookout for bargains. That’s where The Points Guy comes in with knowledge on credit cards, travel rewards and much more!
If you’ve never heard of The Points Guy, you'll wish you had sooner. I'll give you the full low-down on The Points Guy, plus my honest opinion about how useful this website can really be.
Ready to dive into the world of points for travel? Let’s get you some money-saving tips.
What is The Points Guy?
The Points Guy is a website that provides top tips and tricks to help travelers make the most of credit card rewards and airline miles to get free or discounted airline tickets and hotel stays. The website is packed with information to help people like you learn how to hack the system of credit cards, cashing in points to get more bang for your buck.
There are two websites for the company: The Points Guy and The Points Guy UK. Both websites are based on the same premise. The only real difference is that the specific credit card information provided on the UK site will be more relevant to people living in the UK. Meanwhile, the original site contains info for people in the United States.
As well as detailed credit card info and tips for getting more from your points, both websites provide hot-off-the-press travel news updates.
Looking for hotel, flight, and travel gear reviews? They've got it. Want to know about general travel tips, like where to go and what to see? There's articles about lots of different travel locations! They even provide updated COVID-19 information to help travelers plan their next trip.
Both the US and UK sites really are packed with all the information you need to take your budget traveling to the next level!
Who is The Points Guy?
Now that you’ve got a basic idea of what The Points Guy is, you’re probably wondering about who it is. Well, that depends.
The OG Points Guy is Brian Kelly. He’s the founder and CEO of the website. As you might expect, he’s a bit of an expert in loyalty schemes, credit cards, travel, and the intersection between all three.
Kelly started The Points Guy as a blog back in 2010, but he has since expanded operations and is now in charge of the site in its current, and much larger, form.
The Points Guy UK is run by a British travel enthusiast, Nicky Kelvin. Kelvin is a little newer to the role, as the UK site only launched in April 2019, but that doesn’t mean that the site isn’t full of useful tips!
How does The Points Guy make money?
The Points Guy websites are both free to use, with no subscription necessary. As well as the running costs of a website, The Points Guy is also thought to have around 100 staff members.
So how does The Points Guy company make enough money? Especially if everything continues to be free! The short answer is affiliate links.
If you’re reading a review of a hotel, the links to the hotel’s website will generate income for the website if you make a purchase. If you’re reading an article about the best US credit cards, you’ll find links to the various credit cards mentioned. When you click those links and sign up for a credit card from that page, The Points Guy will receive a commission.
All sponsored or affiliate content is signposted with a disclaimer at the top of the page.
It’s worth noting that the order these recommended cards appear in is dictated by how much money the site will make from your sign-up, meaning it’s not always going to have the best deals in the most obvious places.
Does this mean that the website is more likely to push the most expensive credit cards to visitors? Or can readers trust the information on the site?
Well, that’s a tough question without a straightforward answer. CEO Brian Kelly has previously said in an interview that he’s all about integrity. He wants users to know that he’s providing honest information about each card, even if he’s making money from you signing up. It’s one of his main values.
The Points Guy website also has a clear and up-front advertising disclaimer, which states that the site’s content has not been approved or endorsed by the credit card companies. This suggests that the information provided is probably going to be honest and reliable.
However, when money is involved, it’s always worth questioning how trustworthy a review of a product or card really is.
Does The Points Guy have an app?
The world was asking, and the team at The Points Guy has delivered! The brand new The Points Guy App came out late last year in September 2021, and it has some pretty cool features. All of these features and benefits are supposed to help consumers "learn, earn, and burn" about points, miles, and loyalty programs to make travel cheaper.
With over 2400 reviews and 4.5 stars on the App Store, the new app by The Points Guy seems to be taking the enthusiasts by storm!
It sounds like the app is incredibly useful to users, merging the wealth of information that you can find on the website with more practical and personalized software.
The pros and cons of The Points Guy
By now, you should have a pretty clear understanding of what The Points Guy is, so let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons of this website so you can figure out if it’s worth your time.
Pro: It’s free!
Another benefit of The Points Guy’s website is that it’s 100% free to use. Pages and pages of information that could help you save money and hit the road for next to nothing, all of it accessible at no cost.
Pro: Heaps of useful information
The main thing that jumps out as a pro of The Points Guy is just how much information is available. There’s a helpful Beginner’s Guide for anyone who has really no idea how to get started with loyalty points and Airmiles, but once you know how to get started, you could spend hours reading through the reviews and tips for maximizing your points.
Pro: App is now available
Released in late 2021, The Points Guy App is making budget traveling easily and accessible to more people across the globe. With multiple very useful features like a wallet for your cards, points tracking, and a curated newsfeed, you'll feel like you have all the credit card information you need right at your fingertips!
Make the most informed decisions by learning about credit cards and points systems right on the app. The Points Guy App will also help you find ways to maximize your point earnings. Lastly, it'll also make sure that you're burning your hard-earned rewards in an efficient and effective way.
Who knew redeeming points a certain way could make them thousands of dollars more valuable? Sounds like The Points Guy and their new app!
Con: Maybe too much information!
The downside with all this info being in one place is that it can be a bit overwhelming. The Beginner’s Guide is a good place to start, but if you’re a novice when it comes to credit cards, you’ll probably find that you don’t know where to go next.
Een the Beginner’s Guide contains links in almost every paragraph, so it’s easy to get distracted and confused about where to really start.
Con: Could lead to debt in the long-term
Now, this isn’t a downside of the website itself, but of the system it promotes.
The Points Guy’s whole premise is that you should be using a credit card, or multiple credit cards, to earn loyalty points. You can then exchange these points for flights, hotels, and other general travel.
If you’re not a responsible credit card user and you don’t pay off your credit card bill every month, using multiple credit cards could end up costing you a fortune in interest, and could have a huge impact on your credit score. Basically, the only way these point systems are worth it is if you pay off your credit cards every month.
The system only works if you know how to manage your money, how to spend responsibly, and how to keep on top of your spending. If this doesn’t sound like you, maybe paying full price is a safer bet!
However, if you are a savvy shopper and are convinced of your ability to play the system, the information on The Points Guy could save you vast sums of money and let you travel the world for next to nothing. It all depends on you, and you know yourself best.
Is The Points Guy worth it?
Despite the drawbacks mentioned above, The Points Guy is a fantastic resource for people looking to travel more for less money. Whether you’re a credit card newbie or an Amex expert, you can find tips, tricks, and hacks to help you cash in points for flights on The Points Guy.
Since there’s no cost to you, we really can’t see the downside to checking out The Points Guy—as long as you have time to invest in trawling through the reams of information. And you know you're a responsible spender who won't get sucked into credit card debt!
Whether you’re wondering how much Amex points are worth, what you need for an American Airlines flight, or what the best credit cards for your spending habits are, The Points Guy will probably have the answers for you.
Our rating: 4.1/5
Pros:
- Free to use
- In-depth & extensive articles
- Wide variety of credit card reviews
- Occasional exclusive point bonuses
- Useful app available on iOS
Cons:
- Amount of information can be overwhelming
- Use of complex terms at times
- Possibility of credit card debt
- App isn't available on Android yet
Earn points towards your next vacay!
Once you’re an expert in all things credit cards and point programs, it’ll be time to get planning your next trip. If you're a big fan of organization and planning ahead, you'll want a trip planner that you can store everything in one place!
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