Bits: bigger BA Holidays discounts in the BA sale, Etihad Guest devalues

News in brief:

Extra British Airways sale discounts on holidays

Last week British Airways launched its latest World Sale with discounts on long-haul and short-haul flights in all classes as well as special deals on BA Holidays packages.

Until 12th September BA is running a further promotion with BA Holidays packages with savings of up to £100.

The savings are as follows:

Flight and Hotel:

extra £50 off with a minimum spend of £1250

extra £100 off with a minimum spend of £2500

Flight and Car:

extra £25 off with a minimum spend of £600

extra £50 off with a minimum spend of £1250

extra £100 off with a minimum spend of £2500

Unlike ‘flight only’, you can secure a BA Holidays package with a deposit as low as £150 per booking, not per person, with the balance only due five weeks before departure.

The BA Sale runs until 26th September but the special promotion ends at midnight 12th September.

Full details of the BA Sale are in this Head for Points article. The link to book is here.

Etihad Guest devalues, but details sketchy

If you are a member of Etihad Guest, you will have received an email this week about changes (ie primarily a devaluation) to the scheme benefits.

There appear to be no other details in the public domain at the moment beyond what was in that email.  Looking at the key points:

BAD NEWS – when you are promoted to a new tier, your membership will now last just one calendar year.  In the past, you would get all of the current membership year plus the next one or two years, depending on which level you reached.

GOOD NEWS – Gold members can now use the Business Class Lounges in Abu Dhabi when flying Etihad.  Gold members previously had to use a third party lounge.

GOOD NEWS – you will now earn more miles on fully flexible business and First Class tickets on Etihad

BAD NEWS – the cost of upgrading with Etihad Guest  miles will increase

GOOD AND BAD NEWS – the cost of redemptions will change, with some routes increasing and others decreasing

BAD NEWS – there will be a $50 increase in the carrier surcharge on some business and First Class redemptions.  This is per leg, so a flight from London to Bangkok via Abu Dhabi could potentially see a $200 rise in ‘taxes and charges’ – and these are already pretty chunky.

Etihad Guest stopped being great value at the time of the last devaluation a couple of years ago.  Because I rate their A380 business and First Class products so highly, it will probably still remain acceptable value as an occasional splurge (via an Amex Membership Rewards transfer) for myself.

That said, I can imagine that the cost of flying my whole family somewhere with a connection in Abu Dhabi is going to look pretty scary both in terms of miles and charges.

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How to earn Etihad Guest miles from UK credit cards (April 2025)

Etihad Guest does not have a UK credit card.  However, you can earn Etihad Guest miles by converting Membership Rewards points earned from selected UK American Express cards.

Cards earning Membership Rewards points include:

• American Express Preferred Rewards Gold (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 20,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 20,000 Etihad Guest miles. This card is FREE for your first year and also comes with four free airport lounge passes.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

• The Platinum Card from American Express (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 50,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 50,000 Etihad Guest miles.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

• American Express Rewards credit card (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 10,000 Etihad Guest miles. This card is FREE for life.

Membership Rewards points convert at 1:1 into Etihad Guest miles which is an attractive rate.  The cards above all earn 1 Membership Rewards point per £1 spent on your card, which converts to 1 Etihad Guest mile.

The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card earns double points (2 per £1) on all flights you charge to it, not just with Etihad but with any airline.