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Mobile app-only bank Monese launches an exclusive partnership with Avios Group

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The globally-connected banking service Monese has launched an exclusive partnership with Avios.

Back in December we wrote about how Avios Group had joined a £60m funding round for Monese and asked whether this was going to lead to an Avios earning partnership.

This week we got some answers.  Monese and Avios have announced that users can now link their Avios account to their Monese account and see their Avios earning and spending in the app. For now you cannot earn and spend via Monese, but watch this space …..

Earning Avios from Monese

What is Monese?

Monese is a globally connected banking service that was founded in 2013 by Norris Koppel.  It aims to simplify the process of getting a bank account in Europe.  It’s a ‘mobile app only’ bank that gives users a £ and a € account allowing them to bank like a local across the UK and Europe. Accounts can be opened within two minutes with a photo ID and a video selfie.

The company launched its banking product in 2015 and has currently 800,000 users in 30 countries and supports 12 languages.  Customers are currently moving $3 billion through their Monese accounts each year.

How does Monese work?

You can find full details of how Monese works on its website.

In summary, there are three different plans to choose from.

  • Starter – FREE
  • Plus – £4.95 / month
  • Premium – £14.95 / month

What are Monese’s key feature?

Monese accounts are linked to a contactless Mastercard that is accepted in 200 countries and territories. Users can make unlimited transactions with their card, but depending on the plan there might be charges for ATM usage and foreign exchange transactions.

Monese accounts can be operated like a traditional current account with your salary paid in.  If you don’t want to do this, you can also top up your balance from another bank account or with cash using PayPoint or over the counter at a Post Office.

Introducing the new Avios partnership

This week Monese and Avios launched the first stage of their partnership.  Users can now link their Avios account to their Monese account and track their Avios earning in the same app as their banking balance.  This includes Avios earned from flights, via the e-store and any Avios earned from credit cards.

The app currently lists your last five Avios transactions and Monese is working on increasing this.

Monese Avios

What does the future hold for Monese and Avios?

In the coming weeks Monese will introduce further benefits for Avios collectors. There will be various earning and spending opportunities including earning Avios for referring friends to Monese and earning Avios by paying for items with your Monese debit card.

Customers will also be able to send Avios to their friends as long as they have a Monese account.

Norris Koppel, CEO and Founder at Monese, says about the Avios partnership:

“We are delighted to be announcing this partnership with Avios, following our successful Series B fundraise. We serve a fast-growing and incredibly international audience who travel the world for study, work, family, or retirement. We’re proud to offer customers a smart, portable and seamless way to manage their lifestyles, as well as their finances. We know that these customers would value an easy and simple way to track and maximise Avios alongside their finances and travel. In the coming months, our Avios offering will become even smarter and stronger and it will help our customers make better decisions, wherever they may be in the world.”

Andrew Crawley, CEO, Avios Group, believes:

“Partnering with Monese is a significant move to making it even more convenient for customers to track their Avios while on the go. As Avios can be collected and spent in over 190 countries, we understand the need to have a banking account that’s as mobile as its customers. We look forward to working with Monese on our exciting plans to make collecting and spending even more rewarding.”

If you are reading this on a mobile device, you can get the Monese app by clicking here.

You can find out more about the company on its website here.

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

Comments (204)

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

  • Qwerty Bertie says:
    22 Feb22 February 12:24

    OT: Can two BA companion vouchers be used in one booking, eg: 3 people flying together, pay avios for one plus the two vouchers?

    • JAXBA says:
      22 Feb22 February 12:47

      No. It’d be one voucher, and Avios for two.

    • Rob says:
      22 Feb22 February 12:48

      No. Two can be used together if four are travelling, eg you plus 3 others even if both vouchers are in your name. Time for another kid.

    • JAXBA says:
      22 Feb22 February 12:50

      You could have 4 people; 2 vouchers, and Avios for 2. A 241 voucher always has its own associated Avios when redeemed.

    • Mr Dee says:
      22 Feb22 February 13:42

      that is pushing the hope factor to the limit.

      • Qwerty Bertie says:
        22 Feb22 February 17:16

        I have to keep pushing the envelope, think outside of the box, throw curveballs, move mountains, struggle uphill, and reinvent the wheel…until I find the path to redemption!

  • Optimus Prime says:
    22 Feb22 February 14:05

    OT – Does BA still use long-haul aircrafts on the LHR-SVO route?

  • EvilDoctorK says:
    22 Feb22 February 15:52

    OT – Creation IHG reward – is that book within 1 year of issue or book and use within one year of issue .. I seem to recall it’s just book within 1 year ?

    • Genghis says:
      22 Feb22 February 16:04

      Just book before expiry

      • EvilDoctorK says:
        22 Feb22 February 16:11

        Thanks Genghis … Copy that .. whereas the Ambassador free weekend one seems to require the stay to be within 12 months of the issue of the voucher

    • Alan says:
      23 Feb23 February 11:39

      Have to book before expiry, stay can be after however if you cancel you only get the voucher back if you do so before the expiry date.

  • funkypigeon says:
    22 Feb22 February 16:05

    OT: Looking to booking an Avios redemption from GLA – LHR – FCO – LHR – GLA.

    Was wondering if it is possible to just book the LHR – FCO – LHR segments as Club Europe and have the rest Euro Traveller?

    • marcw says:
      22 Feb22 February 17:24

      Not via BAEC. You can via IbPlus, but no RFS. You choose.

      • Shoestring says:
        22 Feb22 February 17:39

        funkypigeon could just book the segments as separate reward flights. The 2x Economy flights would still allow him/ her to get into the lounge before those flights because of flying in CE on the same day.

        Not a bad strategy, all the (important) benefits of CE – food & booze in the lounge plus a couple of tinnies for the flight – whilst paying ET prices (or HBO, for that matter).

        • TGLoyalty says:
          22 Feb22 February 21:22

          Fine if hand baggage only. Hassle if you need luggage.

        • Anna says:
          22 Feb22 February 21:42

          They won’t do that at MAN any more, if you’re not flying in CE down to LHR, you’re not getting in the lounge regardless of what class you’re in next.

        • Shoestring says:
          22 Feb22 February 21:46

          So complain & get some compo, it’s breaking BA’s own rules/ guidelines

        • BJ says:
          22 Feb22 February 21:50

          @Anna, I used to have problems with this at GLA from time to time a few years ago, always made them call to clarify and ended up getting in. Are you sure the policy has changed, might just be misinformed staff at Manchester too? Now it is not an issue as I always get CE on donestic too.

        • Shoestring says:
          22 Feb22 February 21:58

          ‘Customers arriving from, or connecting to a long haul oneworld First (F) or Business (J) class flight have lounge access at all departure airports even if their connecting oneworld flight is booked in Economy (Y). A valid ticket/ and or boarding pass for the onwardor previous long haul flight must be shown. Customers must connect on the same day’

        • Shoestring says:
          22 Feb22 February 21:59

          policy might only be where there’s LH involved

        • BJ says:
          22 Feb22 February 22:03

          I am sure Harry is right. The dragons are probably confusing it with tbe OneWorld rule where the flight needs to be longhaul. However, in the case of connections to BA there is no such requirement; this has not changed recently AFAIK.

    • BJ says:
      22 Feb22 February 21:37

      Never done mixed class redemptions myself but I think you might be able to do what you want online via BA. Just opt for a stopover in London and then choose the same date for the GLA-LHR and LHR-FCO flights. This lets you choose any flight (and presumably cabin) you want sector by sector.

      • BJ says:
        22 Feb22 February 21:42

        and also opt for the stopover on return journey too since you want both domestic sectors in Y.

      • Anna says:
        22 Feb22 February 21:44

        Yes and you get one PNR so can check luggage all the way through if you want to.

  • Boi says:
    22 Feb22 February 17:15

    OT: 2 days ago Jay asked for help with Amex £200 off 600. I have 2 if you are still looking for them. struggling to use mine

  • paul says:
    22 Feb22 February 19:25

    This whole thread has given me a good laugh so thanks all! 🙂

  • Mikeact says:
    22 Feb22 February 21:12

    Back to the topic of the day…which again has been hijacked.

    What I’m trying to understand is the rationale for Andrew Crawley, CEO, Avios Group signing up to a deal like this, with the Monese card of all things ? We’re no other operators interested

  • kate says:
    23 Feb23 February 02:08

    Why would anyone open account with a bank that you have to pay for things which are free elsewhere? The marketing manager of Monese didn’t do his homework…

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