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Latest Avios, Virgin Points & Travel News


The new Lufthansa Group Miles & More debit card is challenging the status quo, and that's fine by me
This article has been sponsored by Currensea. All words and opinions remain my own, and Currensea have not had advanced copy. Due to the successful launch of the Lufthansa Group Miles & More debit card by Currensea, the launch offer of 5,000 bonus miles has been extended for a limited time. You can apply for the Lufthansa Group Miles & More debit card here. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote that the card game was shifting from purely points to include some element of status. Thi

Sam
Sep 126 min read


The Lufthansa Group Miles & More debit card has launched: here's what UK travellers get
Currensea and the Lufthansa Group have launched the Miles & More debit card for UK travellers today. This is the fourth co-branded card from Currensea after Hilton, Marriott and United. We've had an early look ahead of launch, and here's everything the Lufthansa Group Miles & More debit card (catchy name) includes. Quick facts: Lufthansa Group Miles & More debit card at a glance Detail Summary Annual fee £180 (free for Senator in year one, free every year for HON Circle) Welc

Helena
Sep 710 min read


You were never supposed to be this good at collecting points, so they're changing the game to status
By now I'm sure you know the BA Premium Plus Amex is having its Avios earn rate trimmed, from 1.5 Avios per £1 down to 1.25 from 7 October, with the 3 Avios earn rate on BA and BA Holidays spend also being reduced down to 1.25 Avios per £1 spent. Whilst the cuts to the Avios earn rate captured most of our attention as points collectors, it is the other half of the announcement that I want to bring your focus towards. Amex isn't just taking Avios away with the change to the BA

Sam
Aug 285 min read


Hilton Honors Plus debit card welcome bonus jumps to 50,000 points, its highest ever, until 7 September
The Hilton Honors Plus debit card welcome bonus has been boosted again, and this time it has jumped to its highest ever level! The standard bonus for this card is 15,000 points. In March it was doubled to 30,000. It's now being offered with 50,000 points, and you have until 7 September 2026 to apply. You earn 20,000 points on your first transaction with the card. You will get the remaining 30,000 points when you spend £2,500 in foreign currency within six months. We covered b

Sam
Jul 105 min read


Which UK banks work with the United, Hilton and Marriott debit cards by Currensea?
The debit cards we keep banging on about, the United, Hilton and Marriott Bonvoy ones, are all run by Currensea. These cards don't come with a new bank account. Instead they link to the current account you already have. So before you get excited about 40,000 Bonvoy points or a heap of United miles, you'll need to check that Currensea works with your bank. The banks supported by Currensea AIB Bank of Ireland Bank of Scotland Barclays Chase Coutts Danske First Direct Halifax HS

Sam
Jul 62 min read


Marriott Bonvoy debit card welcome bonuses are boosted again, up to 40,000 points!
Marriott Bonvoy has boosted the welcome bonuses on both of its Currensea debit cards to the strongest levels we've ever seen. The Premium card now earns 40,000 points, the base card 15,000, and you've got until 15 September 2026 to apply. We covered the cards in full at launch: how they work, how they link to your bank, how they compare to the Hilton Honors debit cards, and how to turn the points into Avios or Virgin Points. If any of that is new to you, start there and come

Sam
Jun 154 min read


30,000 Welcome Bonus Points, Elite Qualifying Nights, Worse FX Fee: Hilton's Debit Cards Just Got Better for Loyalists, and Worse for Everyone Else
The Hilton Honors debit cards have gone through a mid-life refresh, makings changes for new and existing cardholders. They’re adding new features to both cards, cutting the fee for the standard card, and boosting the sign-up bonus on the Plus card until 28 May 2026. Overall, you may find the changes a bit marmite depending on if you're a Hilton roadwarrior, or more of a Hilton casual. If you're not familiar with these cards, a quick recap. Hilton partnered with Currensea in S

Sam
Mar 247 min read


Dear Amex: Please Add United Miles as a Transfer Partner
I wrote a couple of days ago about the new United Airlines debit card from Currensea, and if you haven't read that yet, click here to give it a read . It's a solid product for the right person, particularly if you fly United regularly or want access to Star Alliance redemptions. But there's a problem, and it's not with the card itself. It's with how difficult it is to earn United miles in the UK in any meaningful volume. The earning problem The debit card earns 0.67 miles per

Sam
Mar 203 min read


The United Airlines Debit Card Is Here: What UK Travellers Need to Know
United Airlines, Currensea, and Mastercard have launched the United Airlines Debit Card, the first rewards debit card offered to UK travellers by a US airline. It's available now. We've been keeping an eye on this one since the waitlist opened a few weeks ago. We wrote recently about why every major travel loyalty brand is launching debit cards in the UK , and United is the latest to follow Hilton and Marriott through that door. It's also the first airline-branded debit card

Sam
Mar 186 min read


Why Hilton, Marriott, IHG and United Airlines Are All Launching Points Earning Debit Cards in the UK
United Airlines and IHG (the hotel group behind Intercontinental, Holiday Inn, and Six Senses) are both launching new cards in the UK, exciting! Full details on earning rates and annual fees are still to come, so once we hear about the actual important details, we of course will give you the full write-up. But one thing is clear about these cards, they're both debit cards. That might sound like a footnote. But I don't think it is. United and IHG are joining Hilton, and Marrio

Sam
Mar 35 min read
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