Talking Points

On this round-table episode of Talking Points, co-CEO and co-founder Henrique Dubugras and head of Brex partnerships and rewards Thomas Piani explain what sets the Brex corporate card apart; what their latest product, Brex Cash, is; and how they've built a company worth over $2.5 billion. Host Brian Kelly shares his skepticism about whether this card holds up against other popular business cards, and looks into the strategy behind their generous bonus categories. He also finds out which of the seven airline partners Brex cardholders utilize the most and why they introduced a physical lounge right from the start.

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"Data is a currency, and you've got to get ready for a world where not just Google knows that, but travel brands capitalize on the fact that their information is key to making a better journey." That's from Jeff Katz, one of the most prominent figures in travel. He joins Talking Points this week to explain what his latest venture, Journera, is all about and what it was like to be a part of the industry during airline deregulation. He's been the CEO of Swiss Air, an executive at Sabre and American Airlines, and was the founding CEO of Orbitz.

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Talking Points welcomes its first airline alliance guest! The CEO of Star Alliance, Jeffrey Goh, explains how his team is determined to make traveling more seamless than ever. He tells Brian Kelly about the tech and app advancements passengers can expect in the future, like making it possible to search for partner availability all in one place or connecting elite travelers with express airport transportation. Goh also details how Star Alliance lounges operate, factors it considers when looking to add a new member, and the markets it's looking to infiltrate.

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The head of one of the most iconic brands in aviation stopped by the TPG office for an episode of Talking Points. Shai Weiss, the CEO of Virgin Atlantic, joined Brian Kelly, The Points Guy, to discuss why the Heathrow expansion is essential to the airline's plan become Britain's second flag carrier, the roll out of the Airbus A350s and the Upper Class Suites, and how the airline is committed to shrinking its carbon footprint.

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New Yorkers were introduced to Uber Elevate's latest development last week when Uber Copter rides to JFK airport became available to all riders with the Uber app. This comes just three months after the ride-hailing company began on-demand helicopter rides to NYC-based Platinum and Diamond rewards members in July. Brian Kelly, The Points Guy, invited Eric Allison, the head of Uber's Aviation Programs, on Talking Points, to find out why Uber decided to infiltrate this market, their plans for growth and how it differs from its competitors.

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Delta CEO Ed Bastian joins Talking Points during the Skift Global Forum to talk about the airline's growth since going bankrupt in 2005, the pains of airport infrastructure, and how Delta is freezing its carbon footprint.

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Cobranded airline cards have been getting more features as of late, so it’s great to see that today, Amex is announcing a host of changes across the entire portfolio of Delta credit cards, adding new perks and adjusting or removing a handful of existing ones. Sandeep Dube, who runs Delta SkyMiles, and Eva Reda from American Express swing by the TPG office in NYC to sit down with Brian Kelly to discuss the latest details on their announcement to relaunch their cards portfolio.

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Extra Extra! We have some big news on this episode of Talking Points. Brian Kelly sits down with Luc Bondar, United Airlines’ Vice President of Loyalty, to dig into some significant changes coming to the airline’s frequent-flyer program, MileagePlus.

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Ted Christie, the CEO of Spirit Airlines, joined Talking Points to share how "America's most hated airline" is now making strides to evolve from that once-infamous tagline, adding comfier seats and a revamped loyalty program in an aim to become your go-to for any and all leisure travel.

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As part of an exclusive TPG Reader Event at the Delta Flight Museum, Talking Points went live in front of an audience of more than 200 people, and we're sharing it with you! Brian Kelly, The Points Guy, sat down with Gil West, the Senior Executive VP and COO for Delta. West is responsible for Delta's worldwide operations — which means you can thank him for Delta's impressive on-time performance. Tune in to hear about Delta's decision behind the A220, where West thinks biometrics will fit in five years from now, and how he maintains a company culture of 70k employees.

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