Bits: new Heathrow Rewards offer, new BA Amex spend bonus, 6000 Avios with Tesco insurance

News in brief:

Heathrow Rewards launches new Virgin Flying Club offer

Heathrow Rewards is launching a promotion for Virgin Flying Club members today – but it isn’t bonus miles.

Anyone who transfers their Heathrow Rewards points to Virgin  Atlantic – at the standard 1:1 rate, in chunks of 250 – will be entered into a competition.

The prizes are:

First prize – 20,000 Virgin Flying Club miles

Second prize – 10,000 Virgin Flying Club miles

Third prize – 5 people will win 5,000 Virgin Flying Club miles

Anyone who makes a transfer to Virgin during September will be entered.  You will only be entered once, irrespective of the number or size of transfers you make.

If Virgin Flying Club miles don’t appeal, remember that the 50% conversion bonus on Heathrow Rewards transfers to Avios is still running until 30th September.

New BA Amex spend bonus

Some British Airways American Express cardholders will be contacted today about a new spending promotion.

Eligible British Airways American Express cardholders will be offered 2,500 bonus Avios for spending £5,000 between 1st September and 30th November

Eligible British Airways American Express Premium Plus cardholders will be offered 5,000 bonus Avios for spending £10,000 between 1st September and 30th November

Whilst these offers are worth having if you are targetted, you should think carefully before pursuing them.

If you have already hit your spending target for the year to trigger your 2-4-1 voucher, it might be better to get a new card and hit a new spend target:

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold charge card (£2,000 spend required to trigger 20,000 bonus Amex points, worth 20,000 Avios) or

Starwood Preferred Guest American Express credit card (£1,000 spend required to trigger 10,000 bonus SPG points, worth 10,000 Avios) Representative APR 36.2% variable including £75 fee based on a notional £1200 credit limit or

Lloyds Avios Rewards credit card (you receive a BA Avios upgrade voucher for spending £7,000) Representative APR 23.7% variable including £24 fee based on a notional £1200 credit limit or

IHG Rewards Club Premium MasterCard (20,000 IHG points for signing up and a free night voucher – potentially worth £250 at a top hotel – for spending £10,000)  Representative APR 41.5% variable including £99 fee based on a notional £1200 credit limit

Any of these would be more valuable than putting an extra £5,000 – £10,000 through your BA Amex.

6,000 Avios or 6,250 Virgin miles with Building & Contents Insurance

Tesco Bank is currently offering 2,500 bonus Clubcard points (converts into 6,000 Avios or 6,250 Virgin Flying Club miles) when you take out its Building & Contents Insurance for the first time.

You should compare the Tesco price with the current Alan Boswell Group insurance deal.  Boswell is an Avios partner and they are giving out 5,000 – 10,000 Avios with policies taken out this month.  Details are here.

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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:

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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