News You May Have Missed at Points Well Made - 21st Dec
- Sam
- 35 minutes ago
- 4 min read
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.
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, and exactly what I needed (you can read the full review here). If you have dietary requirements, Qatar Airways makes it simple to enjoy your journey without the stress of worrying about what you’ll eat.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about ordering special meals on Qatar Airways, from the types of meals available to how to make a request, allergy policies, and pro travel tips.
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!).
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!
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 Airways using Avios, including the percentage increases for each route, and you can also download the spreadsheet of Avios pricing if that's something you'd want to keep handy.
Prices stated are one-way to/from London, and they, can be found here!
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.
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, Manchester, and Edinburgh, meaning you can be in the UK by lunchtime.
For those who don't know, Finnair use Avios for the reward currency. So if you're looking to use Avios for this route, that can be found here!
Virgin Voyages Launches Massive Status Match – Including BA, Virgin Atlantic, Marriott and 35 Others
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.
There's a slight catch, this isn't a permanent status match, but for more, you're just going to have to click here!
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 future adventures.
You've got just a few days left before Christmas, go go go!
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 manage to scrape together enough points for a weekend in Barcelona. The disparity isn't just noticeable, there's a chasm between the two countries.
A quick comparison tells the story: whilst the British Airways American Express offers 25,000 bonus Avios after spending £3,000 in the UK, the Chase Sapphire Preferred in the US offers 60,000 bonus points after spending just $4,000. The American Express Gold Card gives UK customers 20,000 Membership Rewards points; its US counterpart offers 60,000 points with a stronger earning rate on dining and groceries. It's enough to make you wonder: why do Americans get all the good points deals? Click here to find out more!
Sam
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.
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