News You May Have Missed at Points Well Made - 1st Feb
- Sam
- 50 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Is it that time of the week already? Those with good memories may remember that last week when I said,
"Today is your last day to get sign up for Tesco Clubcard to Virgin Points auto-conversion, bagging yourself a 5,000 Virgin Point bonus. This bonus does tend to repeat itself, so if you miss it, don't fret, we will let you know when it comes back round."
Well its back, already... So I've got a little moan for you all this week about it. Don't worry though, it's still a no-brainer of a deal.
In other news, we've got a guide for how you can turn your fuel stops into Avios, perhaps the best £60 hotel you'll ever find, a back to basics guide on "What is airline status?", a limited time offer to boost your Avios by up to 500%, and the Virgin Atlantic Bargain Bin is back! We've trawled through the next three months of offers to find you all the best bargains.
A bit of housekeeping, if you want to get in touch to change your subscription to a weekly only email, or from weekly to daily, then please do email me sam@pointswellmade.co.uk.
In fact, any questions, suggestions, and anything in between, please do just drop me an email.
Sam
Turning everyday spending into future travel is exactly what we do here, and BPme Rewards makes this game easy. Thanks to BP’s partnership with British Airways, every visit to a BP garage can help you edge closer to your next trip. Each fill-up or shop earns you BPme Rewards points, which can then be converted into Avios to use on flights, upgrades and travel extras.
The conversion itself is very straightforward. For every 40 BPme Rewards points, you can exchange them for 25 Avios. Better still, when you convert your points for the very first time, you’ll receive a bonus of 50 Avios, giving your balance a helpful boost.
And if you want 500 free points just for signing up, and 50 bonus Avios for your first conversion, then you're going to have to click here!
I recently spent two nights at the Maldron Hotel Cathedral Quarter in Manchester for £60 per night, and I'm genuinely struggling to think of better value at this price point. You'd be lucky to find a Travelodge for that money, yet here you're getting a proper deluxe double with walk-in shower, heated LED mirror, USB-C charging ports, a TV that lets you cast from your phone, and access to a full-service bar and gym. The room was spotlessly clean with contemporary design rather than the usual budget hotel dreariness, and breakfast was £13 for a full English plus continental spread.
For context, Maldron is an Irish chain owned by Dalata Hotel Group, and they're quietly expanding across the UK with what feels like a genuinely different proposition to the usual Premier Inn/Travelodge fare. This Manchester location opened in 2024, and comparing it to those chains feels unfair—it's more Hampton by Hilton or AC by Marriott territory, except you're paying half the price. Self-service check-in actually worked properly, everything felt fresh rather than worn, and nothing about the experience felt like corners were being cut.
Airline status is one of those things that sounds far more mysterious than it really is—you hear people mention they're "Silver with BA" and assume they live on planes, when actually it's just a loyalty reward system that may or may not fit how you already travel. We've broken down exactly how BA and Virgin Atlantic status tiers work (spoiler: BA Silver is the sweet spot for most UK travellers), what the real benefits are beyond the marketing fluff, and crucially, when chasing status is actually counterproductive to your travel goals.
The article covers what tier points are and how you earn them, the specific perks at each BA and Virgin level (lounge access, priority services, extra baggage, better disruption support), plus the often-overlooked reality that status rewards frequency and spend rather than smart travel. For many people who fly 2-3 times a year for leisure, a solid credit card strategy and points redemptions will deliver better value than grinding towards Silver. We also get into when status does make sense, how to earn it efficiently if you're going for it anyway, and why sometimes paying for Premium with points beats hoping for a status upgrade that probably won't materialise.
Are you following us social media? If not, why not! Go drop us a follow on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok so that you never miss any of your favourite content!
Full guide covering BA and Virgin status tiers, real-world benefits, strategic earning tips, and whether you should even bother by clicking here.
Avios has quietly rolled out a limited-time Boost Avios promotion, allowing members to retroactively boost eligible Avios earned since 1 January 2025, all the way up to 500%.
If you were earning Avios during 2025 through flights, credit cards, shopping portals or sign up bonuses, this could be one of the cheapest ways to top up your balance.
The offer runs for just 8 days, so it’s very much a “check your account now” situation.
The Avios Boost Offer at a Glance
Boost eligible Avios transactions earned since 1 January 2025
Increase those Avios by up to 500%
Boost up to 300,000 Avios per year at the cheapest rates
Limited-time promotion, ending in 8 days
This applies to existing Avios you’ve already earned, not future activity.
All other details, including whether you should can be found here!
The ever popular Tesco Clubcard to Virgin Points bonus promotion is back for another round! Virgin/Tesco are once again giving away 5,000 Virgin Points to new auto-exchange sign-ups.
But I do want to have a little moan this time... More on that at the bottom of the article.
Most of you will have taken advantage of these deals before, but it's worth sharing with you in case you haven't. Perhaps you know someone who would benefit from this?
If you're a Tesco Clubcard holder and love to travel, this is your chance to score an extra 5,000 Virgin Points. Virgin Red is offering a bonus of 5,000 Virgin Points when you sign up for the first time to auto transfer your Tesco Clubcard points into Virgin Points by 10th May 2026.
For all the details, and my moan, click here!
We’re back in the Bargain Bin once again, rummaging through Virgin Atlantic’s dynamic pricing in search for the really good, cheap fares that we know you love, and honestly, February through April 2026 is quietly stacked.
This time, we've also included some frankly laughable redemptions too with prices in the hundreds of thousands!
If you’ve been sitting on a pile of Virgin Points wondering when to strike, this could be your sign. From 6,000-point economy legs to Premium returns that cost less than some economy redemptions, they can all be found here!
Points Well Made is a passion project of Sam and Helena with a loyal following. If you like what we do, and wish to help us continue to create the content you love, please consider buying us a Kofi, or subscribing monthly. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
