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Bits: cheap one-way Avis rentals, more British Airways strikes

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News in brief:

Save up to £69 with Avis one-way rentals

Avis is currently running a ‘no one-way rental fee’ promotion.  This could come in handy if you want a cheap trip back home from Heathrow.

If you’re driving north from London’s airports this summer, you can save up to £69 which is the maximum standard one-way surcharge.

Your car needs to be picked up from Avis at Gatwick Airport, Heathrow Airport, Luton Airport or Stansted Airport and be dropped off at one of the following locations:

Airports: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Manchester and Prestwick;

Downtown: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Glasgow Queen Street Train Station, Inverness and Manchester

This offer expires on 12th August and can be booked here.  Thanks to Caroline.

rsz_qatar_a320

BA potential mixed fleet strike

British Airways Mixed Fleet cabin crew have announced another two week strike, starting on 2nd August.

If the strike goes ahead, it will be the 11th strike since 2016.

Flights from Gatwick, Stansted and London City are not impacted, and the number of Heathrow cancellations during the current action appears to be modest.

During the previous strikes BA has been cancelling flights to Doha, moving passengers to Qatar Airways and freeing up cabin crew, as well as leasing nine fully crewed aircraft from Qatar Airways.  This means that more of us will be getting the chance to fly on a Qatar Airways short haul plane this summer.

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2024)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus card

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard

Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios card

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 Read our full review

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, along with a sign-up bonus worth 10,500 Avios.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 12th May 2024, the Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa card is offering a bonus of 30,000 points, convertible into 30,000 Avios. You must have a Limited Company to apply. Click here to learn more and click here to apply.

Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa

Huge 30,000 points bonus until 12th May 2024 Read our full review

You should also consider the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card. This is open to sole traders as well as limited companies and has a 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus.

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.

Category

Avis and Avis Preferred, British Airways and Avios, Qatar Airways and Privilege Club

Comments (90)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Will says:
    22 Jul22 July 06:50

    Air NZ make the best in flight videos. Many to choose from including All Blacks or painted bodies among many. Get googling…

    • Ro says:
      22 Jul22 July 11:36

      couldnt agree more. i hate this qatar video… its so dull… and you have to watch it twice!

  • Roger says:
    22 Jul22 July 06:50

    OT

    1. IHG Black card – Does anyone know how long it takes to show manually topped up credit (by debit card) on the account. I am topping up account to make larger transaction but still within original credit limit.

    2. Does Virgin to IHG transfer still count as qualifying for Elite upgrade?

    3. If I achieve spire elite now, is it valid up to December 2018?

    • Genghis says:
      22 Jul22 July 07:03

      1. Normally 3 days
      2. Yes
      3. Yes

      • Genghis says:
        22 Jul22 July 07:06

        Should add to 1 that even if the balance is in credit, your credit limit does not increase by an equal corresponding amount (usually much less).

        • Roger says:
          22 Jul22 July 07:08

          Cheers, Genghis.

          • memesweeper says:
            22 Jul22 July 09:31

            My IHG card was completely blocked when I went significantly into credit. The subsequent customer service was abysmal. I will not try putting my card in credit again.

          • Roger says:
            22 Jul22 July 09:35

            Not putting my card into credit but just trying to replenish spent credit as DD is few days away and want to spend more than now available credit. so hoping that once the card available balance is still within original credit limit of the card, I will be able to make the required transaction.

    • Alan says:
      22 Jul22 July 08:25

      Takes about 3 days to process in my experience.

      Not heard of any change in Virgin transfers counting but doubt we’ll get any warning – you’ll hear here first though I’m sure!

      Yep until end of following year.

    • Mr Dee says:
      22 Jul22 July 19:40

      3 days usually and not necessarily working days either.

      Creation block cards if you put the account into too much credit.

  • Ceri Chaplin says:
    22 Jul22 July 07:39

    Re trying Qatar Airway short haul – be careful what you wish for. We flew to Budapest on a flight operated by Qatar and were downgraded to economy having originally used avios to upgrade the flights. (Only three rows of business class seats)

    BA staff handled it badly….the manager who had advised that we would be met at the gate to discuss ‘compensation’ didn’t show up and we were asked to leave an email address….we’ve still heard nothing 2 weeks later despite a complaint through the BA website. Any ideas?

    (on a plus side, the crew in economy on Qatar were outstanding and made a point of introducing themselves and trying to make the best of an awkward situation.)

    • Genghis says:
      22 Jul22 July 07:48

      Start EC261 proceedings?
      http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1812051-2017-ba-compensation-thread-your-guide-regulation-261-2004-a.html

    • JamesB says:
      22 Jul22 July 08:34

      And after you get your compensation the best idea might be to start flying with a different airline. My once a year longhaul BA redemption is coming up in September, if the patter continues they will be on strike and I’m exINV which is one flight a day. Dreading it already.

      • Liz says:
        22 Jul22 July 14:55

        That’s why I didn’t book our flights from Inverness – only one flight per day was too much of a risk for me – unless going the day before which cancels out any saving. We fly again from EDI on 21/8 for domestic leg only which is the day before our Virgin flight so fingers crossed we will be ok to get to London.

        • Kinkell says:
          22 Jul22 July 15:55

          I live near INV, so it’s my local. Plenty easyjet, but it’s a real pain with the one BA flight a day and at such a rubbish time. 20 years ago when we had a service, you could be in London by 9 am and home by 8 pm. However, we still fly from INV on BA if it’s redemptions, or using 241 but factor in an o/n Stay with my son. As you, Liz, we sometimes take the Aberdeen or Edinburgh route. All permutations to be taken into account!

          • JamesB says:
            22 Jul22 July 19:13

            I remember discussing this with Liz at the time we booked, it seemed less risky then as no strikes on the horizon. On the plus side I don’t think INV is mixed fleet. If it goes ok then timing is good with 2 hour transit time to BKK. If it all goes wrong I guess we have an overnight in London. I’ll check if there is a timely alternate route with KL via AMS but BA are known not to reaccommodate on other airlines despite their obligation to reroute asap. I doubt we will be repeating the experience again, next years trip to USA will likely be our last longhaul on BA. We will keep our avios for Cathay, MAS or JAL regional. From your perspective, I am sure I read someplace that BA were considering going to INV twice daily so if true a daily return might become a reality again.

      • I know your game says:
        22 Jul22 July 16:56

        Tax dodger

  • Chris P says:
    22 Jul22 July 07:41

    Seat pitch looks very good on Virgin America – not too sure about that collapsable exterior panel though!

    • Rob says:
      22 Jul22 July 07:49

      I flew them in F if you search for the review, was very impressive.

      • JamesB says:
        22 Jul22 July 08:38

        Alaska Airlines may decide to sell the aircraft though as they have traditionally been all Boeing.

        • Nick says:
          22 Jul22 July 10:45

          Maybe, but so were American and Continental, but they changed their minds after US/UA (respectively) and now have a dual-type policy.

  • ee says:
    22 Jul22 July 08:18

    OT any tips on how to get a nectar number to link for transferring Amex Rewards to it? We are struggling at the point it validates card number an date of birth

    • Genghis says:
      22 Jul22 July 08:21

      I’ve always had to do it over the phone

    • Funtime says:
      22 Jul22 July 09:17

      Just put the last 11 digits in

      • Rob says:
        22 Jul22 July 09:44

        Amex is very, very poor at telling you what digits to put in. I had to ask a similar question myself on here a few weeks ago about how to link a Starwood account – someone knew that you only put in the last x numbers. It when worked instantly.

        • Genghis says:
          22 Jul22 July 09:47

          I thought for SPG you put 0000 before the number? I had the same problem with Eurostar but Rob gave some great advice. Not sure about the Nectar last 11 digits (i.e. the same ones you use to login). I’ve tried that but still didn’t work…

    • Liz says:
      22 Jul22 July 14:59

      I just had to phone Amex again to link it to our Plat card. If it’s been linked to a previous card it often doesn’t get cancelled when the card is cancelled hence the problem trying to link it to a new card. Amex do it no problem.

  • Mikeact says:
    22 Jul22 July 08:27

    Very much OT but a significant BEWARE. Chasing up my Lloyds Avios Upgrade voucher yesterday, after much chasing around , I was staggered to be told that it will not show on my Avios account for SIX, yes, you read that right, six months. I immediately insisted on raising a formal complaint. I was called later by a lady from the complaints team who apologised that it was correct,unfortunately, but she would ensure that I received mine next week, together with some financial compensation.

    • Worzel says:
      22 Jul22 July 09:14

      Mikeact- good that your situation appears to have been resolved-however, a reminder about Lloyds!

      I’ve had a number of battles with them over the years, including this:

      https://headforpoints.com/2013/11/23/still-having-trouble-getting-lloyds-to-credit-your-credit-card-sign-up-avios-read-on/

      Lloyds=Shambles=Avoid!

      Though(Ahem!), the current account relationship has lasted for 40yrs, 🙂 .

    • Anna says:
      22 Jul22 July 10:15

      I was anticipating the same problem with Lloyds after avios not posting for several months, so I called them and asked them to manually apply my voucher this month as I want to make a booking with it in September. Waiting to see if it will happen or if I will have to go into battle over it! I’ve had avios posted manually plus £200 compo in the past few months, don’t understand why it’s so difficult to sort out.

      • Mikeact says:
        22 Jul22 July 12:15

        September? I assume you’re looking for a Business Class upgrade, good luck with that !

    • Liz says:
      22 Jul22 July 15:05

      They can definitely add it manually as I got mine added a couple of months ago.

    • Andy says:
      22 Jul22 July 20:54

      I got mine in the post last week. I only hit the spend the week before.
      Mind I won’t be using it don’t think. We only ever travel as a couple

      • Alan says:
        22 Jul22 July 21:00

        If not enough spend for your partner to also earn one, then why not use it for the two of you to upgrade in one direction? For example daytime westbound flight to US in WTP, then use voucher to upgrade the two of you on the way back to CW?

  • Sam says:
    22 Jul22 July 08:47

    My favourite is the Qantas video. It always reminds me of home when I watch it. https://youtu.be/Mg85u6ct_K0

    • Alan says:
      22 Jul22 July 17:36

      Agree, superb vid – loved it, brought back lots of fantastic memories of my year in Oz!

  • Nigel says:
    22 Jul22 July 08:51

    The BA safety vid is very good and certainly made me chuckle in parts – even so the Air NZ one featuring the All Blacks in a Men in Black themed video is brilliant. Shown during the 2015 rugby World Cup. Watch it here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ji65WI5QLZI

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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