Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

Bits: Gatwick lounges open, avios.com Clubcard competition, use Avios with Amazon Echo

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News in brief:

New British Airways Gatwick lounges now open

The two new British Airways lounges at Gatwick had a soft opening over the weekend.  I understand that there is no table service food offering yet in the First / Gold lounge.  

It seems that Club Europe customers are not being allowed to use the Business Lounge but will be redirected to the Speedbird (ex Virgin) lounge.  Reports on Flyertalk suggest that the Business Lounge had to close entirely yesterday afternoon due to ‘toilet issues’.

Feedback is generally positive so far, which is good news.

If I can get down there this week I will do a report.  If not, I need to be in Gatwick next Saturday anyway and will do a review then.

Competition for converting Clubcard points to avios.com

Regular HFP readers won’t be surprised to learn that there is no bonus for converting Tesco Clubcard points into Avios this quarter.

There is a 10% bonus for converting points into Virgin Flying Club miles (see my article from Friday) but as this is only open to first time converters I doubt many readers will qualify.

If you are converting into Avios, it makes sense to convert via avios.com because of the competition they are running this month.  BA has not launched any sort of offer.

Remember that it doesn’t matter which route you take as you can move your points around, instantly and for free, using ‘Combine My Avios’ on either site.

This is how the competition works:

For every £2.50 of Clubcard vouchers you send to an avios.com account before 28th February, you receive one entry into a prize draw.

50 people will win 10,000 Avios points.

You convert via this page of tesco.com.  The competition is not mentioned there but it is on the Tesco page at avios.com.

Avios wing 10

Avios partners with Amazon Alexa

Avios has launched a new ‘skill’ for Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service.  It is now available in the UK through Amazon’s voice-controlled speakers, Amazon Echo and Amazon Echo Dot.

Alexa is the ‘brain’ behind Amazon Echo.  As you can see from the image above, it is basically a cross between Apple’s Siri service and a hi-fi speaker.  It allows customers to play music, get information, news, sports scores, weather and more, just by asking. Alexa also provides capabilities, or skills, that help customers to interact with services in a more intuitive way, using just their voice.

If you download the Avios ‘skill’, you will be able to ask your Amazon Echo or Echo Dot questions such as:

How many Avios are in my account?

How many Avios are needed for a particular award? 

How can I increase my Avios balance?

“Avios is passionate about embracing new technologies that enable our customers to interact with Avios in new and innovative ways” said Paul Miller, Director of Strategic Innovation at Avios, using that strange press release version of English which people never use in real life. “We believe that working with Amazon to offer the Avios skill for Alexa will increase our ability to make recommendations that will inspire customers to travel using their points.”

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

British Airways and Avios, Tesco Clubcard, Virgin Atlantic and Flying Club

Comments (64)

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

  • Rob says:
    6 Feb6 February 05:37

    I haven’t exchanged any vouchers this quarter but I received a competition email for BA last week.

    ”
    Wouldn’t it be nice to be packing a suitcase instead of unpacking a grocery bag? Well, now’s your chance. For every £5 worth of Tesco Clubcard vouchers you exchange for Avios by midnight, 28 February 2017, you’ll receive one entry into a prize draw to win a three night Club Europe holiday in a five star hotel in Madrid, between April and June 2017 – plus, 1,200 Avios.”

    So looks like they are doing something.

    Thanks

    Adam

    • Adam says:
      6 Feb6 February 05:41

      Sorry, was logged in under my brothers name, should check these things before posting.

    • Sergeant Major says:
      6 Feb6 February 05:49

      Yes, I received that too

      • James67 says:
        6 Feb6 February 06:37

        Me too, I commented on it in one if the posts last week after receiving the email.

    • melonfarmer says:
      6 Feb6 February 09:10

      I go this too, which is a bit odd if it is targeted because I only convert £1 – £3 per quarter so am excluded from the competition anyway due to minimum spend! Conclusion: not very well targeted.

  • Stu R says:
    6 Feb6 February 05:50

    It’d be great if for once, they’d announce these things in advance of the vouchers dropping into people’s CC accounts; I converted mine to BA yesterday! Grrrrr …..

    • Adam says:
      6 Feb6 February 05:54

      According to BA email I got you’ll still be eligible for their draw.

    • James67 says:
      6 Feb6 February 06:40

      They did, the emails came before the vouchers, however, it seems not everybody gets the emails. It was the same last quarter.

  • James67 says:
    6 Feb6 February 07:43

    OT Bit: new amex offers out including naked wine, heals, Kurt Geiger and appleyard flowers.

    • James67 says:
      6 Feb6 February 07:54

      +£50 off £250 at hilton, 1000 avios at oak furniture land, and somethingcalled boux avenue.

    • Matthew says:
      6 Feb6 February 09:13

      Oh no….not a dreaded Naked Wines offer after the last debacle!

      • Genghis says:
        6 Feb6 February 09:20

        Wasn’t that Laithwaites? Ie. Amex cash back and a code. This naked wines one is just a code

      • the real harry1 says:
        6 Feb6 February 09:21

        not sure what you mean? LY we got 2x the NW deal – stacks with other offers including the brilliant Amex discount (different to statement credit) – superb wines, even superber when you get £250 headline price for not much more than £50 🙂

        I’ll have a look later to see if we can get that working again

        • the real harry1 says:
          6 Feb6 February 09:26

          got it x2 again – BA cards – I suggest you earmark it straight away as it went unavailable quite quickly last time

        • Genghis says:
          6 Feb6 February 09:31

          Looking forward to your analysis, Harry.

          • Yuff says:
            6 Feb6 February 10:25

            So am I 🙂

          • the real harry1 says:
            6 Feb6 February 11:10

            https://www.nakedwines.com/amex

            gets you a £100 coucher, use a new email address

            judging by Matthew’s comment below it won’t combine with today’s deal as it’s not a statement credit this time

          • the real harry1 says:
            6 Feb6 February 11:14

            looks to be the case but it seems you therefore don’t need to register your Amex card to get an alternative £100 off – not bad if you can get close to £150, I’ll see if any of the wines appeal 🙂

            Click ‘Get this offer’ to reveal promo code. UK American Express Cardmembers are eligible to receive £100 off at Naked Wines, between 06/02/17 and 05/03/17. To redeem this offer, visit nakedwines.com/amx17 and quote promo code AMX17. Delivery cost is not included in this offer. Market Place deals and Angel orders are excluded from this offer. Offer not combinable with any other offer. Offer only valid on delivery within the UK. Full payment must be made on an American Express Card. This offer is fulfilled and promoted by nakedwines.com Ltd. Registered address: Majestic House, The Belfry, Colonial Way, Watford, WD24 4WH. Registered in England & Wales with Company No: 06672317. Full terms and conditions are available at nakedwines.com/terms. For UK residents aged 18 or over. This voucher can be used against your first order of £150 or more. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Full terms and conditions are available at nakedwines.com/terms.

          • the real harry1 says:
            6 Feb6 February 11:20

            so it’s £54.98 to get the recommended case incl delivery – not bad at all if you just wanted the wines – £4.58/ bottle for some excellent wines normally worth about £8

            probably best to see this for what it is – something of a loss leader for Naked Wines – Amex cardholders are desirable target consumers – just remember to phone & cancel your Angels membership if it gets confirmed after the waiting list – or just cancel it as soon as your wine arrives

          • James67 says:
            6 Feb6 February 12:24

            Will be his usual…all very drinkable 🙂

        • Matthew says:
          6 Feb6 February 09:42

          That’s what caused them to pull it on most people!

      • Matthew says:
        6 Feb6 February 09:36

        It was a £100 statement credit last year and lots including me spent the required £150 and then nakedwines split it into two transactions (despite being just one order) so the credit didn’t trigger. Then amex said they pulled the deal. It was honoured eventually but only after a prolonged battle.

        This year the deal is different and is a voucher code rather than a statement credit.

  • Mike P says:
    6 Feb6 February 07:59

    Guess the Speedbird lounge for CE is a temporary measure? Flying out to Malta from LGW in a couple of months in CE and wanted to check out the new lounge!

  • rotundo says:
    6 Feb6 February 07:59

    OT – 20% discount code for Uber, on rides until Friday, not clear if it’s targetted:
    “Make Uber a part of your work week this week. Enter code 17WKDAY in your Uber app to get up to 20% off 5 rides this week only.”

  • Anon says:
    6 Feb6 February 08:19

    Rob, I’m in LGW for 4+ hours in a couple of weeks time, so will be v keen to see your upcoming review on the new BA GC lounge.

    Is there a protocol for guesting people in? Also maybe a guest invite list on FT, or did that get pulled?

    • Rob says:
      6 Feb6 February 08:56

      Got pulled due to people trying to sell guesting.

      • TGLoyalty says:
        6 Feb6 February 23:34

        Not really part of the nature of the thread think theres an alternative airside meet up one but not ‘taking’ about guesting

  • Gulz says:
    6 Feb6 February 09:18

    Does anyone know if the rules for BA Combine My Avios are any different from IB or avios.com? I can transfer my points between IB and avios.com without issues, but when moving to/from BA to IB, or to/from BA to avios.com, get a message that it cannot be done.

  • rams1981 says:
    6 Feb6 February 10:23

    OT if I am BA silver and have malaysian airways bookings, can I choose seats now for those flights? The booking code doesn’t seem to work on the BA website.

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