Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

Times change – Wizz Air becomes the biggest airline at Luton

Links on Head for Points may support the site by paying a commission.  See here for all partner links.

In a sign of the continuing shifting sands in the budget airline sector, Wizz Air is about to overtake easyJet to become the largest airline at Luton Airport.

easyJet was, of course, born at Luton Airport and the Head Office is still there, in what can most politely be called a shed.

It now sees Gatwick Airport as its core hub as it has moved upmarket in search of more corporate travellers.

Wizz Air announced yesterday that it is launching six new routes from Luton from Summer 2019.  These will be to:

  • Bergen – from 1st July
  • Oslo – from 16th September
  • Turku (Finland) – from 2nd July
  • Thessaloniki – from 1st July
  • Porto – from 2nd July
  • Catania – from 17th September

Two new A321 aircraft will take Wizz’s Luton fleet to 11 aircraft, which collectively serve 60 routes across 28 countries.  Wizz will account 42% of Luton’s capacity over the Summer season.


best credit card to use when buying flights

How to maximise your miles when paying for flights (March 2025)

Some UK credit cards offer special bonuses when used for buying flights. If you spend a lot on airline tickets, using one of these cards could sharply increase the credit card points you earn.

Booking flights on any airline?

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold earns double points (2 Membership Rewards points per £1) when used to buy flights directly from an airline website.

The card comes with a sign-up bonus of 20,000 Membership Rewards points. These would convert to 20,000 Avios or various other airline or hotel programmes. The standard earning rate is 1 point per £1.

You can apply here.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 30,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

Buying flights on British Airways?

The British Airways Premium Plus American Express card earns double Avios (3 Avios per £1) when used at ba.com.

The card comes with a sign-up bonus of 30,000 Avios. The standard earning rate is 1.5 Avios per £1.

You do not earn bonus Avios if you pay for BA flights on the free British Airways American Express card or either of the Barclaycard Avios Mastercards.

You can apply here.

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

30,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

Buying flights on Virgin Atlantic?

Both the free Virgin Atlantic Reward Mastercard and the annual fee Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard earn double Virgin Points when used at fly.virgin.com.

This means 1.5 Virgin Points per £1 on the free card and 3 Virgin Points per £1 on the paid card.

There is a sign-up bonus of 3,000 Virgin Points on the free card and 18,000 Virgin Points on the paid card.

You can apply for either of the cards here.

Virgin Atlantic Reward Mastercard

3,000 bonus points, no fee and 1 point for every £1 you spend Read our full review

Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard

18,000 bonus points and 1.5 points for every £1 you spend Read our full review

The UK's biggest frequent flyer website uses cookies, which you can block via your browser settings. Continuing implies your consent to this policy. Our privacy policy is here.