The News This Week at Points Well Made - 9th Nov
- Sam
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
From money off holidays, to bonus bonanza's, this week had it all at Points Well Made. Make sure to check out the first week of our Festive Friday series, helping you maximise your points over Christmas!
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American Express has launched an excellent offer with easyJet Holidays that's refreshingly accessible - spend £1,000 or more and receive £200 back as a statement credit. Valid until 20th November 2025, this 20% return applies to package holidays booked online at easyjet.com/en/holidays (flight-only bookings excluded). The offer is limited to the first 7,500 cardmembers who save it to their card, valid once per card, with statement credits appearing within 30 days of purchase.
To qualify, save the offer to your card before purchasing and pay directly with your Amex—third-party payment methods like Curve won't trigger the offer. Remember that Amex offers are personalized based on spending patterns and account history, so not every cardholder will see this deal. If you have the offer available, it's worth securing now if you're planning a holiday, as 20% back represents substantial savings on package holiday bookings.
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Thursday Travel Tips is taking a break for an exciting new series—Festive Fridays launches Friday 7th November to help you earn Avios and Virgin Points while Christmas shopping. Each Friday through the holiday season, we'll release curated gift guides featuring retailers where you can collect travel rewards on purchases you're making anyway. From advent calendars to gifts for kids, pets, foodies, home lovers, and more, every recommendation will include opportunities to turn your festive spending into flights, upgrades, and travel perks.
Why Festive Fridays?
Christmas shopping often involves significant spending on gifts for loved ones—why not earn points toward your next holiday while you shop? With boosted rates often available during the festive period, this is the perfect time to accumulate substantial rewards on money you'd spend regardless. We're launching early (unlike gift guides released just days before Christmas) to give you plenty of time to discover retailers, compare options, and maximize your points earnings throughout the season. Mark your calendars for Friday 7th November and make every gift count toward your travel goals.
Want to know more? Here be where you click!
Before my recent flight to Menorca, I spent a few hours reviewing the No 1 Lounge at Gatwick's North Terminal using my Priority Pass from the American Express Platinum Card. Located airside in the lounge corridor, it's accessible via Priority Pass, Lounge Key, DragonPass, or direct booking from £38 per adult for three hours. Open daily 04:00-20:00, the lounge features a striking central 360-degree bar, window seating with apron views, and a quieter "Library" area where I settled in to work. The buffet changes throughout the day—breakfast includes full English options with vegan alternatives and a tempting pancake station, while later service offers pasta, curry, or salads.
Arriving around 10:00 am during a busy period, I encountered everything from impressively quick staff service to an unfortunately sticky desk in the Library. With free showers, fast Wi-Fi perfect for streaming, complimentary Prosecco at the stylish circular bar, and family facilities, there's plenty to like. But how does the lounge really handle peak-time crowds? Are the purple-and-grey interiors holding up well? And is the £6 Priority Pass booking fee worth guaranteeing your space? From my peaceful work session to observing how staff managed the turnover, I'm sharing what you actually need to know before your next Gatwick departure.
Remember when Virgin Atlantic paused ticket sales for their Seoul route back in July, citing "pending South Korean permit approvals" with that cheeky "Seoul's calling – just not quite yet" message? Well, Seoul is officially calling now because tickets are finally on sale—properly this time. The new daily service launches 29 March 2026, and here's the good news: Virgin Points redemptions are now available too! After initially launching with cash-only bookings, you can finally use your hard-earned points to book this highly anticipated route. Virgin will operate daily Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners with the old "toast-rack" Upper Class configuration, departing Heathrow at 9:45am and arriving Seoul at 6:05am.
It's been quite the journey - first announced in April following the Korean Air-Asiana merger and UK competition requirements, and then delayed by regulatory hurdles. This marks Virgin's return to the Far East after ending Hong Kong and Shanghai services post-pandemic. Given Virgin's growing pile of cancelled routes (looking at you, Accra), we were sceptical. For now though, approvals are in place, both cash and points bookings are live, and if you've been dreaming of Seoul, now's your chance to book.
This is your final reminder that the enhanced British Airways American Express Credit Card offer ends 11th November 2025, just 6 days away!
New applicants who apply via a referral link will receive 15,000 Avios (up from the usual 6,000) after spending £2,000 in the first 3 months, while referrers earn double the usual bonus at 8,000 Avios per successful referral. With no annual fee, this no-fee card earns 1 Avios per £1 spent and gives access to Amex Offers and the British Airways Companion Voucher after £15,000 annual spend. Those 15,000 Avios are enough for an off-peak return flight to Paris, Amsterdam, or Dublin, or a significant boost toward upgrades and long-haul flights. After 11th November, bonuses drop back to standard levels (6,000 for new applicants, 4,000 for referrers), so if you've been considering this card or want to refer friends, now's the time to act before this generous promotion disappears.
Virgin Points collectors, listen up! Virgin Trains Ticketing is offering a seriously juicy bonus until 30th November: TRIPLE Virgin Points on all train bookings—and here's the best part, it works for any train operator, not just Virgin Trains. You'll earn a massive 9 Virgin Points per £1 spent (up from the usual 3 points) with zero booking fees, making it far better than using Trainline.
Even better, you can book tickets for travel at any time in the future and still earn the triple points now. So whether you're commuting next week or planning a trip to Manchester in March, book through the Virgin Trains Ticketing app before 30th November to supercharge your points balance. Simply download the free app (iOS or Android), link your Virgin Red account, and start collecting—it's a no-brainer for anyone who travels by train and loves earning Virgin Points toward flights and upgrades.
Welcome to the first week of our Festive Friday gift guides, where we're helping you earn Avios or Virgin Points on every Christmas purchase! Advent calendars have evolved far beyond simple chocolate treats, and this year you can rack up serious rewards while buying them for everyone on your list.
From wine lovers enjoying The Wine Flyer and Virgin Wines calendars (earning up to 500 Avios or 2 Virgin Points per £1) to beauty enthusiasts scoring Look Fantastic's £105 calendar worth over £600 (earning up to 12 Avios or 10 Virgin Points per £1), the options are endless. LEGO Harry Potter fans, coffee addicts, vegans loving NOMO chocolate, and pet parents treating their furry friends with Lily's Kitchen (earning an impressive 15 Avios or 12 Virgin Points per £1) can all turn their festive countdown into travel rewards. But which calendars offer the best points-earning potential? Which ones are worth the splurge, and are there any hidden gems at lower price points? Discover our full curated selection of ten brilliant advent calendars, complete with honest reviews and exactly how to maximize your rewards on each purchase.
"I’m, not saying they’re perfect, but hear me out.
British Airways was once the gold standard of aviation - flying with the slogan "The World's Favourite Airline". Then came decades of cost-cutting, IT disasters, catering fiascos, and a general sense that the airline had given up trying. BA became shorthand for past glory, the kind of brand that survives on geographic position, and corporate contracts rather than anyone actively choosing to fly with them. Now, after years of decline in the passenger experience, something is in the water. The airline is spending money again, on things you might actually notice...
BA are rolling through a £7 billion transformation programme, which sounds impressive until you remember this is an airline trying to claw back reputation lost over two decades of aggressive cost-cutting. Ever wondered what £7 billion buys you?"
Sam
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