News You May Have Missed at Points Well Made - 7th Dec
- Sam
- 57 minutes ago
- 4 min read
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.
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 about it?
Let’s break down why Amex is such a hit-and-miss card in the UK, and explore the best non-Amex credit cards to help you keep earning travel rewards wherever your Amex isn’t welcome.
Ever noticed your flight ticket shows two different cabin classes? That's a mixed class fare—and it might be your secret weapon for affordable luxury. Imagine flying Economy outbound but returning home in Business Class with lie-flat beds and lounge access. Both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic offer these flexible bookings, letting you splurge on the flights that matter most (like that overnight return journey) while keeping costs down on the others.
It's the perfect compromise between budget and comfort, and there are clever strategies to make mixed fares work even better for you - from using loyalty points to navigating baggage rules. Want to know which leg to upgrade and how to find the best deals?
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 devaluation that renders your points worthless overnight. But it's the principle. I know that you're diligently collecting Avios, watching your balance grow, planning that trip you've been saving for... and then BA moves the goalposts. It's frustrating, even if the actual impact is relatively modest.
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!
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 travellers too!
Running from 3rd December to 6th December 2025, this limited-time offer gives you up to 65% bonus Avios when you buy or gift points from Qatar Airways.
How the Bonus Works
The more Avios you buy, the greater the reward. Here's the breakdown of the current offer thresholds:
5,000 Avios for £110 – receive a 25% bonus (6,250 Avios total)
16,000 Avios for £296 – receive a 45% bonus (23,200 Avios total)
44,000 Avios for £770 – receive a 65% bonus (72,600 Avios total)
That means if you purchase 44,000 Avios, you'll see an additional 28,600 bonus Avios credited to your account – perfect for upgrading flights, booking reward tickets, or treating yourself to a more luxurious journey. Of course you're free to purchase as much or as little Avios as you wish.
Not to be outdone by Qatar, Virgin Atlantic 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.
So, what's the deal, how many bonus Virgin Points will I get?
Between now and 31st December 2025, here's what you'll get:
Buy 5,000 – 24,000 points: 20% bonus
Buy 25,000 – 69,000 points: 40% bonus
Buy 70,000 – 124,000 points: 60% bonus
Buy 125,000 – 300,000 points: 70% bonus
Read to the bottom, where you'll find my bit of insight on this whole offer, which you can find here!
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 months, this benefit can significantly offset the cost of the card while enhancing your dining experiences around the world.
Whether you enjoy fine dining or prefer relaxed international eateries, this credit makes the Platinum Card more appealing than ever. With a bit of planning, you can ensure you never miss a credit, turning your meals into genuine savings throughout the year.
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.
