Bits: MyFlights app forced to close, £5 UberPOOL trips, new Avios hotel deals

News in brief:

MyFlights app forced to close

The popular MyFlights app, which I have written about on HfP numerous times, has been forced to close.  Amadeus, the main global flight booking database, has blocked external access to its data – coincidentally on the same day that it launched a new version of its own Check My Trip app.

The problem with the Check My Trip app is that it is rubbish and has only a fraction of the functionality of MyFlights.  You would get a notification from MyFlights within a few hours of any change to your flight (seat number, aircraft type, cancellation, time change) and you would be at the front of the queue to get yourself rebooked.

If Amadeus had any sense it would have bought MyFlights or at least copied its functionality.  What you have now is a toy town app for a market which consists solely of switched on, smart, business travellers.   I feel bad for Chris who had genuinely created something useful here.

Ride with UberPOOL for just £5

Uber is keen to push its UberPOOL service in Central London.  UberPOOL is where you agree to let another passenger heading in the same direction share your ride in return for a discount on the fee.  You may or may not consider this a great idea ….

On weeknights until 10th June, all UberPOOL rides between 5pm and midnight in Zone 1-2 are just £5.  This means that you could travel from Turnham Green to Finsbury Park for £5, a ride which will take well over an hour.

The good news is that if no-one else is heading in your direction, you still pay the UberPOOL price even though you rode alone. To activate this deal on your Uber account, go to promotions in your Uber app menu and enter the code POOLFIVER.

If you are not already an Uber member, this Head for Points sign-up link gets you a free ride worth £15.  Alternatively, just download the app and enter ‘headforpoints’ on the promotional code page.  Best not to waste your free ride on a £5 UberPOOL trip though ….

New Avios hotel deals launched

avios.com has launched a number of new hotel deals.  These are attractive offers and only need a handful of Avios points to book.  Here are a sample:

Carlton Hotel Budapest (4 star), from 2,150 Avios + £235 (Expedia £444)   

Based on 3 nights with breakfast for 2 people in a standard double room

Pullman St Pancras London (4 star), from 7,700 Avios + £395  (Expedia £567)

Based on 3 nights with breakfast for 2 people in a classic king double room

InterContinental Vienna (5 star), from 2,750 Avios + £295  (Expedia £613)

Based on 3 nights with buffet breakfast for 2 people in a classic double room

Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort Dubai (5 star) from 2,350 Avios + £255 (Expedia £406)

Based on 4 nights with breakfast for 2 people in a standard twin room

If you get these prices to work on a date that suits you, these don’t seem at all bad.  Book via the hotel redemption page at avios.com.

PS. If you are reading this but are not a regular Head for Points visitor, please consider signing up for our FREE weekly or daily newsletters. They are full of the latest Avios, airline, hotel and credit card points news and deals to improve how you travel. To sign up, visit this page of the site or click any of the ‘Subscribe’ links on this page. Thank you.

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (January 2025)

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 Mastercard

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

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

Get 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

30,000 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

50,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large 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, and the standard card is FREE. Capital on Tap cards also have no FX fees.

Capital on Tap Visa

NO annual fee, NO FX fees and points worth 1 Avios per £1 Read our full review

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits Read our full review

There is also a British Airways American Express card for small businesses:

British Airways American Express Accelerating Business

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

50,000 points when you sign-up 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.