The News This Week at Points Well Made - 26th Oct
- Sam
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Have you been paying attention to all that we've written this week at Points Well Made? Because this week was a big one! We've got how to save hundreds on hotels, the best Avios redemption we've ever done (we may never beat this one!), barking planes, earning 11,000 points on broadband, and much more!
"American Express is well known to all of you for being a great way of earning those oh so valuable points. But did you know they also offer valuable promotions through the Amex Offers section of its app? Be it travel, food or shop related, these offers can be added directly to your card and are an easy way to save money on without using discount codes.
Also included often are hotel offers and if you hold an American Express, you currently have access to a range of hotel deals that cover everything from affordable chains to premium luxury brands. By activating the offers before you book, you can enjoy meaningful savings on both domestic and international stays."
Want to know more about saving money? Click here!
"If you’ve ever tried to book a Qatar Airways flight using Avios and found yourself wondering why some seats seem to cost roughly double, you’ve stumbled upon the mysterious world of Flexi Awards. You haven't done anything wrong, and Qatar isn’t secretly charging you for extra legroom and a mint on the pillow. It’s simply their way of giving you another chance to redeem when the usual “cheap” seats are gone.
Two Types of Reward Seats
When booking a flight with Qatar Airways using Avios, there are actually two levels of award availability:
Standard Award Seats – These are the regular reward seats everyone wants. They cost the standard number of Avios and have the best value. Naturally, they also vanish faster than free biscuits in the office kitchen.
Flexi Award Seats – These appear once all the standard seats have been snapped up. The catch? They cost double the Avios, though the cash taxes and fees remain the same.
So, for example, if a Business Class seat from London to Doha usually costs 43,000 Avios + £358.62 (in taxes and fees), the Flexi version will set you back 86,000 Avios + £358.62. Same plane, same champagne, just a steeper points price."
Want to know why, and how to avoid these expensive fares? Click here!
For travellers who participate in multiple airline loyalty programs, a frustrating reality has emerged: not all airline partnerships work seamlessly when it comes to earning miles. Despite airlines being part of the same alliance, their booking systems often can't communicate with each other effectively.
We share first-hand experiences struggling to add frequent flyer numbers to British Airways and Malaysian Airlines bookings, highlighting how layers of legacy technology create unnecessary barriers. A recent example involves Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), which deliberately won't accept Virgin Atlantic Flying Club numbers through their app or website—despite both being SkyTeam alliance partners. According to SAS, "the integration of partner loyalty numbers during booking is limited on our digital platforms."
"Switching your home broadband could earn you thousands of Avios or Virgin Points in one go. If you’re paying for internet anyway (and let’s face it, we all are), you might as well let it take you closer to your next flight.
Broadband providers frequently partner with Avios and Virgin Red to offer large sign-up bonuses through their shopping portals. Unlike standard online shopping, which might earn a handful of points per pound, broadband switches often offer 4,000, 6,000, even 11,000+ points at once.
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Most people stay with the same provider after their contract ends, often paying more than new customers. By switching, you could save money and earn a major chunk of points without changing your daily routine."
We cashed in 360,000 Avios for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New Zealand, and spoiler alert: it was worth every single point. This review covers the second leg of our epic journey—the 17+ hour flight from Doha to Auckland aboard Qatar Airways' Airbus A350-1000, featuring their flagship Q-Suite business class product.
For just 90,000 Avios and £421.99 in taxes each (for the entire Heathrow to Auckland route), we experienced what many consider the world's best business class seat. The Q-Suite truly resembles a first-class experience more than business, with private doors, the ability to create double suites for couples, and enough storage to forget you're 35,000 feet in the air.
We explored both Al Mourjan lounges in Doha (the Garden Lounge was our favourite), experienced Qatar's "Dine on Demand" service that lets you eat whenever suits your body clock, and indulged in multiple meals including an excellent Qatari spiced chicken machboos. Helena shares her experience with the dairy-free special meal option... Two words, vegan gelatin.
From boarding separate buses for each class to watching the sunset over Australia with six hours still to go, this flight showcased why Qatar Airways consistently ranks among the world's best airlines. Would we recommend it? Absolutely. Click here to read the full review for booking tips, lounge details, and why this Avios redemption was an absolute bargain.
"You've probably heard it, that peculiar barking sound from an Airbus A320 (flown by easyJet, Jet2 BA, etc), usually just as you've settled in for a pleasant flight. It sounds rather like an indignant dog has taken up residence in the cabin. Rest assured, there is no dog. The noise is perfectly normal, though that may or may not be comforting depending on your attitude towards strange noises onboard aircraft.
The culprit is hydraulics. Airbus planes are essentially complicated plumbing systems with wings attached. The hydraulic systems that power the landing gear, flaps, and brakes (this is called the Power Transfer Unit) work under considerable pressure, and when fluid rushes through valves, it produces mechanical noises that vaguely resemble a rather opinionated dog. This is not a design flaw, it's simply what happens when you pressurise the hydraulic fluid to several thousand pounds per square inch."
For all the juicy nerdy details, click here!
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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