Bits: United cancels Manchester-Washington, Iberia Plus Avios refunds, change in HHA rules?
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News in brief:
United cancels Manchester – Washington
United Airlines has announced that it will drop its Manchester to Washington route for Summer 2017 after six years.
The airline has already announced its intention to drop its Belfast to New York service.
Demand for flights to the US from regional airports, which are more leisure driven than routes from London, is expected to fall next year due to the stronger $. These routes were both aimed at UK travellers flying to the US than US residents flying here and the fall in UK passengers cannot be balanced out by increased US visitors.
Don’t forget that you can now collect Avios on United Airlines services following the launch of the Aer Lingus AerClub.
BA redemptions via Iberia Plus now refundable
One of the more annoying things about Iberia Plus was that redemptions on British Airways were non-refundable. This seemed very harsh given that they share the same parent company.
At some point recently, Iberia changed its policy. Avios redemptions on BA made via Iberia Plus now appear to be refundable according to a message that comes up via the booking process.
Redemptions on other oneworld partners remain non-refundable so any bookings for Qatar, American etc should continue to be made via ba.com and not Iberia Plus.
Changes in the way household accounts treat children?
There also appears to have been a change in the way that British Airways Executive Club treats household accounts with children in them.
In the past, if you closed a household account, the Avios of any children would pass to the head of the account.
According to a reader who did it recently, this has changed. He removed a child from his household account and the Avios were not transferred.
This is the email he got:
We confirm that XXXXX has been removed from your Household Account as you requested.
If this Member is under 18, then their Executive Club membership and their Avios have been cancelled.
If you have removed the last Member of your Household Account, then your Household Account has been closed.
It seems that temporarily creating a household account for your children before a major trip and then cancelling it afterwards – to transfer all the Avios to the parents, who do not actually want to be in a household account long-term – is no longer a strategy.
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 Mastercard
Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review
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.
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