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If you've been sitting on the fence about the Barclaycard Avios Plus, time's running out. This enhanced 35,000 Avios sign-up bonus disappears in just under a week – 15th January – and given Barclays' track record, we might not see another boost like this for quite some time. Let's break down what's still on offer and why you might want to act quickly. The Enhanced Offer (Ending 15th January) New cardholders can collect 35,000 Avios by meeting two spending thresholds: Hit £3,0

I wasn't going to cover this, what with coming back from our Christmas break, wondering if you would be interested, and just thinking this would all blow past like a fart in the wind. But no, it's taken a rather funny turn. And to my colleagues in my real job, I promise to not to say anything wildly out of touch, honest. Let me rewind for you all... Don't you even dare ask for this! - Photo courtesy of BA On New Years Eve I stumbled across this post about British Airways cutt

American Express sign-up bonuses are some of the most valuable in the UK miles and points world. Whether you’re chasing Avios for long-haul flights, Membership Rewards points for flexibility, or hotel points for luxury stays, Amex welcome offers can unlock thousands of pounds of travel value. However, many applicants are surprised to find they’re not eligible for a bonus, even though they’re approved for the card. The reason almost always comes down to American Express’ 24-mo

Using American Express dining credits if you hold the Platinum Card should be straightforward, but in practice many cardholders find the Amex website awkward to use when trying to locate eligible restaurants. Also, the website does have this irritating habit of freezing regularly... although that could just be me? Lists are often hard to visualise geographically, making it difficult to tell which venues are actually nearby or convenient. The Amex Platinum Card includes £200 a

Our glorious overlords have just announced that the Great British Rail Sale is back for its fourth year, running from 6th to 12th January 2026. They've promised over 3 million discounted tickets offering savings of over 50% (oh how grateful you should be) on many advance and off-peak fares, making this a brilliant time to book your train tickets for the next few months, especially when you can earn Virgin Points or Avios while you're at it. Before we dive into the sale detail

Qatar Airways is giving UK travellers not one, but two separate chances to win right now. Whether your idea of the perfect prize is return Business Class flights for two anywhere on the Qatar Airways network, or an exclusive UEFA Champions League hospitality experience. Both competitions are free to enter, open to UK residents, and only require a Qatar Airways Privilege Club membership number, something you can sign up for in minutes if you’re not already a part of. Competit

I don't know anyone who hasn't had to rent at least once in their life. For most of us, that means setting up a direct debit and watching a chunk of our salary (hope) disappear each month. But what if you could pay your rent using a credit card instead? Depending on your card and circumstances, this could mean earning points, or working towards perks like a companion voucher. Whether this makes financial sense depends on the fees involved, which we'll cover below. Nuba Reward

Time's running out! If you've been sitting on the fence about those American Express sign-up bonuses, you've got just days left to act. These offers expire 13th January 2026 – giving you less than two weeks to snap up some serious points. Let's break down what's still on the table and why you might want to move quickly. Why Does This Matter? Membership Rewards points are one of the most flexible loyalty currencies out there. They convert 1:1 into Avios, plus you can convert

As Christmas approaches, we wanted to take a moment to pause, reflect and say a heartfelt thank you to every single person who has been part of the Points Well Made journey this year. Because what a year it has been. From the very beginning, Points Well Made was created to help people earn points in smarter, more exciting and often unexpected ways, and thanks to your incredible support, that mission has gone further than we ever imagined. Over the past year, our community has

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to talk with Virgin Voyages CEO Nirmal Saverimuttu in regards to their loyalty scheme, and their recent status matching promotion. But he also had time to answer some questions regarding their recent pullback from Portsmouth, and how they look to attract future travellers. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed our conversation together. CEO of Virgin Voyages Nirmal Saverimuttu You've spoken recently about brands having “gotten it

Imagine checking your British Airways Club account and seeing not just your usual static Avios balance, but a little notification: "You've earned 427 bonus Avios this month in interest." Sounds absurd, doesn't it? But when you think about it, loyalty programmes are very similar to bank accounts. You deposit value through spending, you maintain a balance, and you withdraw when you need something. There's just one thing missing: whilst your savings account pays interest, your

I'm sure just like you, we're starting to wind down for Christmas, and unsurprisingly, so are all the good deals and news that we usually bring you. So we thought we'd share with you the most read stories that we've brought you this year. Some may surprise you, but let us know in the comments if you've had any particular favourites, we'd love to hear! Equally, if you have an urge to contribute, or have any suggestions to what you want to see from us in the year ahead, or any

Christmas may be upon us, but here at Points Well Made, we've got a few more stories for you before the year is out. Below you’ll find out about a new way to spend your Avios to go to Australia, a tempting status match for anyone wanting to try a cruise, the full list of BA’s new Avios pricing (including a downloadable spreadsheet), and an explanation as to how American’s get all the good points deals. Qatar Airways Special Meals: How to Order and What You Need to Know Flying

If you've ever ventured into the world of online points and miles communities, you've likely experienced a familiar pang of envy. American members casually discuss earning 100,000 bonus points from a single credit card sign-up, stacking multiple cards to accumulate millions of points annually, and redeeming them for round-the-world business class adventures. Meanwhile, back here in Britain, we're celebrating a 25,000 Avios sign-up bonus and counting ourselves lucky if we mana

Christmas shopping for pets can be just as fun, and just as tricky, as shopping for people. Our animals are basically people too, with just as much personality and just as many opinions!! In this gift guide for pets, we've covered off some tasty treats and cosy blankets to fun toys and practical gear, the options are endless. But here’s the best part: this year, your gift-buying can do more than just make tails wag or cats purr, it can actually earn you rewards for your futur

Virgin Voyages is offering what might be the broadest status match programme ever launched by a cruise line, accepting elite status from over 35 airline, hotel and cruise loyalty programmes. Until 16th January 2026, you can apply for a status match that'll give you Blue Extras perks on your next Virgin Voyages sailing. Who Are Virgin Voyages? Virgin Voyages is Richard Branson's adults-only cruise line, launched in 2021 out of our home port, Portsmouth. The fleet currently con

Finnair has announced it'll start flying to Melbourne from October 2026, adding Australia to its network for the first time. The daily service will route via Bangkok using an A350, connecting Melbourne to Helsinki. Flights depart Helsinki just after midnight, stop briefly in Bangkok, and arrive in Melbourne the following morning. Return flights leave Melbourne in the afternoon, connecting neatly with Finnair's morning European departures from Helsinki. Finnair fly to Heathrow

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