Brian Kelly travel tips

Editor's note: TPG founder Brian Kelly is a Bilt adviser and investor. This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Here at TPG, we believe travel has the power to change the world. Since 2017, we have raised and donated more than $5,000,000 and 70,000,000 points and miles to charitable organizations, including one that is changing the world one family at a time by granting life-changing wishes to deserving kids.

At TPG, most of us have a wallet filled with credit cards. Some go all out (paging senior editorial director Nick Ewen with his 23 and counting credit cards), while some keep a smaller stockpile (insert a gif of me waving my six cards). But we all undoubtedly have a favorite card.

We're already busy booking summer trips here at TPG. In fact, some of us have even begun booking trips for the fall, winter holidays and even early 2025.

TPG founder Brian Kelly is a Bilt adviser and investor.

Although 2023 has ended, there may still be an opportunity to snag the next level of United Premier status for 2024. United has targeted some members with an offer to purchase the status level above what they earned in 2023.

The question of whether to save or to spend miles takes on new urgency this year as lawmakers consider the Credit Card Competition Act. The legislation targets transaction fees — usually 2 to 3 percent of a sale — that retailers pay to credit card companies such as Visa and Mastercard. The fees are partially used by the companies to run loyalty programs that award points to cardholders that can be redeemed for things like flights and hotels.

Talk about an upgrade! Delta Air Lines is proactively upgrading some Medallion members with a boost to the next elite status level.

I just returned from an incredible weekend in Guatemala for PeaceJam's annual conference in San Lucas Toliman with fellow TPGers Courtney Loughran (senior financial planning and analysis associate), Emily Thompson (credit cards writer) and Hannah Streck (senior SEO manager). We also were joined by The Points Guy founder Brian Kelly and his 1-year-old son Dean.

Luxury hotels and resorts, with all their amenities, are usually the playgrounds of the rich and famous and are reserved exclusively for overnight guests who pay top dollar to stay there.