American Express has announced a significant devaluation to its Membership Rewards transfer partnership with Emirates Skywards. From 1 February 2026, the transfer ratio will change from 4:3 to 2:1 – representing a depressing devaluation for Amex cardholders looking to convert their points to Emirates Skyward miles. What are Emirates Skywards? Emirates Skywards is the frequent flyer programme of Dubai-based Emirates, one of the world's largest airlines. The programme has long

It's here. British Airways have now introduced their new Avios prices across the board for reward seats. Our initial assessment of price rises of around 10%, both in Avios and taxes/fees, has proved to be broadly correct (if you discount the 100% rise in taxes/fees for short haul redemptions, from only 50p, to a whole £1!). So if you wondered how much do British Airways Avios seats cost, then down below you'll find the up to date pricing chart for reward seats on British Air

Flying with dietary restrictions like mine isn’t always easy. I’m lactose intolerant, so I know the struggle of finding safe and satisfying meals when travelling. To be fair, mine isn't the most difficult, and actual allergen is much trickier. On our flights with Qatar Airways in January, I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth the whole process was. Ordering a special meal was quick and straightforward, and the food itself was genuinely good, fresh, thoughtfully prepared, a

It's Friday then. Then Saturday, Sunday (what?) Yup, it's Sunday which means it is time for the weekly round up in case you have missed any of these news stories. We've got for you a rare bonus on the Avios Barclaycard, two ways to find British Airways Club Suites, a First Class (?) review of Qatar Airways, and an opportunity to win 300,000 Virgin Points! And one which may make you ponder, when should you use miles instead of points? As always if you enjoy this weeks round up

If you're redeeming Avios for British Airways business class, you probably want to end up in one of their new Club Suites rather than the older seats. The problem is that BA's website doesn't tell you which aircraft or seat type you're booking when you search for award availability. You just see "Business Class" and have to hope for the best. Or, you can do some manual detective work to figure out what you're actually getting (some of us plane nerds may in fact enjoy this). F

Can you believe it’s only two weeks until Christmas? The festive season is in full swing, and if you’re anything like me, your Christmas list might still be looking a little empty! Whether you’re shopping for someone who loves to create a cosy, inviting home, enjoys entertaining with style, or simply appreciates little luxuries that make everyday life feel special, this guide has you covered. From soothing wellbeing pods and elegant letterbox flowers to fun kitchen gadgets, i

Virgin Red is giving you the chance to win 300,000 Virgin Points, and entering takes about 30 seconds. All you need to do is link your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club account to your Virgin Red account by 31st December 2025, and you're automatically in the draw. That's it. No purchase necessary, no jumping through hoops, just link two accounts you probably already have and you're entered for a prize that could book you multiple flights in the cabins of your choosing. What's the P

For those of us who diligently collect Avios, Virgin Points, or any other points, there's an almost instinctive urge to redeem them whenever possible. After all, you've earned them, and using miles for flights feels like getting something for free.But here's most of you will already know: sometimes paying cash is actually the smarter choice. Knowing when to use cash instead of miles can mean the difference between maximising your rewards and squandering them on poor-value red

Qatar Airways markets a First Class product on some of its regional routes, including this route that I'm reviewing from Doha to Riyadh. When I had the chance to upgrade from economy for 16,000 Avios, I took it - partly for the flight itself, but mainly for access to the Al Safwa First Class lounge during a four-hour layover. But here's the uncomfortable truth that frequent flyers already know: Qatar's regional "First Class" is really just their Business Class seat with a dif

Barclaycard have an improved sign-up bonus running on the Barclaycard Avios Plus until mid-January, and it's the first time we've seen Barclays bump up this offer since late 2023. If you've been considering this card, this could be the time. The Enhanced Offer New cardholders can now collect 35,000 Avios by meeting two spending thresholds: Hit £3,000 spend in three months = 25,000 Avios Hit £6,000 spend in six months = an additional 10,000 Avios There's also a year's Apple TV

Hello Sunday. It can mean only one thing ... our weekly round up. This week has seen an Avios devaluation (boooooo), Qatar Airways drop a 65% bonus if you buy Avios with them, and not to be outdone Virgin Atlantic are also offering their own bonus. Please do enjoy this weeks round up, and if you would like to switch to weekly emails, rather for each news story, please email me sam@pointswellmade.co.uk . Frustrated That Not Everywhere Accepts Amex? Here’s How We Get Around Th

We aren’t really a couple for “date nights”. Cute concept, not us! But we do love nice food, and better than that, we love food where we don't have to pay!  Queue one of the best perks of the Platinum American Express Card. The annual dining credit. Giving cardmembers the chance to enjoy world-class meals at a wide range of participating restaurants, and with £400 in statement credits available every year, split into £100 for use abroad and £100 for use in the UK every six mo

So, let's address the elephant in the room. We are now in December, which is crazy, and I have genuinely only bought like 4 gifts so far so I am on catch up duty this weekend! Finding the perfect present for the foodie in your life can feel tricky, but it doesn’t have to be stressful, especially when you can earn Avios or Virgin Points while ticking off your list. Whether it’s for your coffee-loving cousin, aspiring home chef, or cocktail enthusiast friend, starting your shop

Thinking about your next trip? Whether it's somewhere tropical like the Maldives or a city you've been meaning to tick off, having a healthy stash of Virgin Points can make it happen a lot sooner. Virgin Atlantic (courtesy of Virgin Red) are once again offering up to 70% bonus points when you buy or gift Virgin Points. The deal runs until 31st December 2025, giving you the whole month decide whether to top up your account. Read to the bottom, where you'll find my bit of insig

This post may seem somewhat contrary considering we posted this morning about British Airways making Avios redemptions more expensive , but this could help you get that reward flight before 15th December when the increase kicks in. Qatar Airways Privilege Club members have the chance to boost their balance with a buy Avios promotion, and remember that you can transfer Avios from a Qatar Airways account to your BA Club account, making this offer great for British Airways trave

British Airways has announced another round of increases to their Avios redemption rates, effective from 15th December 2025. If you've been saving your points for any flight you'll now need more Avios and will pay higher taxes and fees. This affects all British Airways flights across all destinations and cabins, as well as partner airline redemptions. Look, in the grand scheme of things, we're talking about roughly 10% more Avios per redemption. It's not a catastrophic devalu

If you’ve ever searched for flights online and noticed that your ticket includes two different cabin classes, you might have stumbled across a mixed class fare. But what exactly does that mean, and why might airlines like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic offer them? Mixed fares may well give you the best of both worlds in terms of value and comfort Let’s dive in. What is a Mixed Class Fare on a plane? A mixed class fare is when your journey is made up of two or more differ

If you’re loyal to American Express and love earning points on every purchase, there’s nothing more deflating than hearing the dreaded line: “We don’t take Amex.” It happens far more often than any of us would like, whether you’re at a restaurant, a shop, or even certain online retailers. For anyone who’s serious about maximising rewards, this limitation can feel like a genuine roadblock. But why is Amex acceptance still inconsistent? And more importantly, what can you do ab

Its that time of the week again! We've got easy hacks to get you more points, easy ways to save some points, and plenty of ways to save you money this week at Points Well Made. As always, some housekeeping, just as a reminder we have a new weekly only email option on the website. If you are currently subscribed to our emails and would like to switch to weekly, please email me sam@pointswellmade.co.uk . Limited Time Offer: Unlock 9000 Avios With This Easy Trick With a BA Amex

We are back with another Bargain Bin, and if you’ve been patiently hoarding Virgin Points, your moment has absolutely arrived. From Christmas week steals to winter-sun escapes in January and February, there are some outrageously good-value redemptions hiding in plain sight right now. As always, we’ve been glued to vseats.io , the must-use tool for Virgin collectors that surfaces the “surely that’s a glitch?” level deals across cabins and routes. So, where should you be lookin