Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

Qatar Airways offering flight and ticket packages to the Club World Cup

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The FIFA Club World Cup is taking place in Doha this year, from 11th to 21st December.

Qatar Airways has put together a range of packages which, importantly, include match tickets.  Liverpool, as the current Champions League title holders, will be representing Europe.

Headline prices from the UK, for economy flights, are:

  • Birmingham – Doha: £421 return
  • Cardiff – Doha: £430 return
  • Edinburgh – Doha: £420 return
  • London – Doha: £474 return
  • Manchester – Doha: £419 return

Full details are available on this page of the Qatar Airways website.


How to earn Avios from UK credit cards

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (February 2025)

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

Get 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

30,000 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

50,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large 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, and the standard card is FREE. Capital on Tap cards also have no FX fees.

Capital on Tap Visa

NO annual fee, NO FX fees and points worth 1 Avios per £1 Read our full review

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

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There is also a British Airways American Express card for small businesses:

British Airways American Express Accelerating Business

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

50,000 points when you sign-up 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.

Comments (114)

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

  • Dave says:

    OT. Name on Qatar tickets. My middle name are too long for the booking form on the Qatar website. I’m going to abbreviate the last name which I assume is ok?

    Also any tips on seating for q suite as a single and also the 2-2-2 layout?

    Thirdly. I’m arriving in Hong Kong quite late, staying at my brother’s but meant to be a surprise, so anybody have any tips for a cheap place to stay for the night of arrival?

    Cheers

    • Anna says:

      I don’t know about Qatar but normally it’s required that the first and last name on the ticket exactly matches those on your passport. The middle name has no bearing so I would leave that one out if you need the space. Of course there are anecdotal accounts of people travelling with different details on the ticket and passport, and not everyone’s last name fits on a boarding pass anyway, but I wouldn’t risk it unnecessarily!

    • Lumma says:

      2-2-2 as a solo traveller, one of the middle pair would be the most obvious for the direct aisle access and no one needing to step over you. However, for this reason you will pretty much certainly have a seatmate, so you could risk a window and have a pair to yourself. It’s no problem getting out of the window when the aisle seat isnt flat but you would need to climb over when that person is asleep

  • Andrew MS says:

    I followed the link to look at the Qatar packages but it just offers hotel accommodation with private transfers , no flights , and the option to enter into a lottery for football tickets only after booking the hotel and transfer . Hardly a great package .
    I was only looking at the prices out of interest . I feel a bit sorry for any football fan going to Qatar – not much to see or do …..and the price of beer !

    • Rob says:

      Weird. That is the link they sent. I am in Ras at the moment which means that the Qatar Airways website is blocked, as are VPNs, so I had to take their word for it.

      • Lumma says:

        Link works on my phone. Just book a regular flight (or even a stopover) and apply for your free ticket – need to pick your top 3 in order of preference.

        Might have been something I’d have went for if the final was guaranteed but I’m not so keen on seeing what’s likely to be a Mexican team play a South American team

      • Bagoly says:

        Perhaps Andrew MS is a handle used by KSA equivalent of IRA ?!

  • Colin MacKinnon says:

    HG query. To get Spire with card spend is it the spend in card year, or calendar year or even the 12 months from whatever the IHG account opening was?
    Just ended credit card year and free night has posted. Creation also says I have spent 39k but ihg still has me as plat? IHG says I am c15k points to go to get Spire.

    • Grant says:

      £39K spend should be good enough for at least 78k points assuming you are on the Premium card earning minimum of 2 points per £ spent. Spire triggers at 75k points.

      Can you check your points earning activity in your IHG account against Creation statements to match up when the points move across and see where the discrenpency is?

    • EwanG says:

      Spire is based on points earned in the calendar year. The card statements are generally around the 23rd of the month (± 2 days typically) with points usually moving across the next day.
      So any spend in late December (after Dec statement date) will be on your January statement and points post in January.
      You have spent £39k in your statement year, but need to make another £7.5k of spend before your December statement to get those 15k points (or achieve through stays), in order to obtain Spire.

      • Grant says:

        ^^ This is helpful and probably saves you going through all your statements. Guessing you’ll have c. £7.5k spend over the last couple of statements in 2018.

        • Colin MacKinnon says:

          Thanks. Yes, now using Revolut to pay mum’s care home fees, so 7.5k by end of year no problem!

    • Anna says:

      Still fairly new to the IHG card. Would you say it’s better for 2 of us to spend on just one and get Spire, or get a second card and aim for a second free night?

      • Grant says:

        If you are happy to use it with Curve then you could probably do both – £10k spend on one card and then £37.5k on the other gets two certicates and one Spire member.

      • Lyn says:

        I think personally I’d aim for the second free night, it you are able to use it at a hotel where it saves you a reasonable amount of money that you’d otherwise have to spend.

        Spire can be really useful sometimes, but it really depends on the hotel and isn’t necessarily that much better than platinum in some cases.

        • Lyn says:

          Sorry, forgot to mention that it has to be worth paying the second annual fee for the second “free” night.

          And that the value of Spire tends to depend on where you are travelling. I doubt if it is as useful in the UK or US where IHG offers credit cards with spending counting towards Spire. In our experience it works well in France and Spain, for instance, but then so does Platinum.

      • Sundar says:

        If Spend is about 20K, then splitting across 2 cards to get 2 nights free might make sense as the value of the free night could potentially be > 25K bonus received with Spire.
        Post that, pushing all on 1 card to hit spire to get the 25K bonus might be an option.

  • LewisB says:

    OT: Anyone else just get a survey about the BAPP? Changes incoming…

  • Rash says:

    OT: Any recommendations for hotels in Bangkok with a family (two young kids). I’ve a bunch of IHG and Hilton points and was thinking about the Conrad Bangkok?

    • Chris says:

      In Bangkok the hotels are generally all pretty good (by UK standards.) The biggest issue tends to be transport so being close to metro or bts is all but essential.

      For IHG points the Intercontinental / Holiday inn on Ploen CHit are better for getting onto the BTS. The Conrad is a bit of a hike to public transport – and in the day forget about using the roads close by they are generally grid locked. That said the HI/IC are worse for using taxi’s as the road outside is split by a concrete barrier left / right.

      For kids there is a might be a bonus to the IHG hotels in that there is more western amenities close by – a McDonalds over the road (via an elevated cross walk); and a Starbucks in the mall outside. Its very close to the main shopping malls.

      If your Hilton points will stretch to it the Waldorf is VERY nice and closer to the bts than the Conrad.

      I haven’t stayed at the HI on Phloen chit I have the IC and Waldorf; the Waldorf is nicer. All have pools; ac etc. IC a lot of stays and they treat ambassadors well. Been staying at the park Hyatt most recently though as it is a bit closer to where i need to get for work.

      • John says:

        Conrad has a free bus to BTS.

      • Aston100 says:

        I don’t have IC Ambassador, but I am IHG platinum.
        Do you reckon the IC would do us a room upgrade or something in summer 2020, or is that likely to be a busy time for them hence unable to accommodate?
        I’m not that keen on the IC when compared to the location of some other hotels, and the value for money seems a bit poor too. But an upgrade might change things.

        • BP says:

          Taxis are a nightmare from the IC. Flat out refuse to use the meter.

        • BJ says:

          Where do you want to stay then? There is nothing on the river from IHG or Hilton except the Millennium which can be great value for cash these days but has spotty reptation for upgrades. I generally agree with Chris. IC and HI Bangkok have arguably the best location of any hotels in Bangkok if you want to be central and convenient for public transport. IC is also good value on points when compared to other IHG options. I am quite certain that you will have almost zero chance of an upgrade at the IC with platinum, lots of money there happy to pay for suites year round. Would stick my neck out and say HI Sukhumvit is your best chance at a decent upgrade with plati.

    • John says:

      Stay near to where you want to be. Conrad and WA for shopping malls and Millennium for river attrractions

      • Rash says:

        Thanks Chris and all, I might try to stay closer to Phloen chit in that case and have a look at the IHG hotels close. There’s also a doubletree there I’ve seen

        • FlyingChris says:

          I quite enjoyed the Millennium Hilton. Great breakfast with the option to sit outside by the river – likewise good location for the river based attractions (although often need to take the free shuttle to get back and forth). Good, albeit expensive skybar with views of the city and often live music at night.

        • Brian says:

          The river is the place to be in Bangkok. The place is so crowded and polluted that the river offers a welcome respite. Great views, too. Free shuttle boat to the Sky train. Nice Executive lounge.

          • Aston100 says:

            Someone recommended the Chatrium Riverside, which looks to have been refurbished recently and is a fair bit cheaper than most.
            I’m tempted to book there. Do you have any knowledge of it?

          • Lyn says:

            Agree that near the river is the place to be. The inexpensive river buses are a good way to get to places along the river, like the Grand Palace.

            We also use the actual buses but it can be tricky identifying routes. Can’t recommend an actual hotel because our hotel in China Town is not part of a chain, and we also haven’t stayed recently.

            Try to go to the Jim Thompson House for a glimpse into the Bangkok of earlier times and a serene break from the hustle and bustle.

        • BJ says:

          I’d avoid the DT Sukhumvit, it is a dreary place and not a good pool location. The other DT you mention is quute hoo location wise for grabbing a taxi, it is the old Majestic Grand so check out reviews on that.

    • Chuck says:

      @Rash … just to add my thoughts, not that you’re short of advice !
      Waldorf Astoria is a stunning hotel, v smart all round and new so really fresh and great service, no problem for cabs, tuk tuk or sky train.
      IC is really in the thick of it, not ideal … for reasons others posted.
      Saying that if I decided on the River, which is the ideal you are going to pay more for less …
      I had a wonderful week at the Peninsula a few years ago at a great rate, not likely to be replicated but
      it was lovely.

  • Terry S says:

    No emails this morning from HFP for some reason.

  • Aston100 says:

    O/T.
    Very shortly I need to make some overseas hotel bookings costing just over £3k.
    Most likely through Expedia or possibly Amex Travel.
    While I do have a preferred rewards gold card for the triple MR bonus (at least I think hotel bookings on Amex Travel count for triple points right?), I am wondering if I should instead signup for the Virgin premium card as I understand a £3k spend gives a decent amount of Virgin miles.
    The thing is, I am very unlikely to ever travel with Virgin. However, there is a chance I would fly with Air France, FlyBe and possibly KLM.
    So, can the Virgin miles be used towards any of those airlines? if not now, what about by the start of summer 2020? (vaguely aware of FlyBe becoming Virgin Connect, and Virgin themselves being associated with KLM/AF/Delta but don’t know exact details or impact to me).

    Or else, is there some other card that gives a decent bonus for £3k spend within the first month or so? I already have a BAPP by the way as does the wife. We both have the preferred rewards gold too, so I guess this rules out any Amex cards.
    I’m just a bit reluctant to spend £160 to get the Virgin card, especially as I hear you don’t get the fee refunded pro rata if you quit after the bonus is achieved.

    Thanks.

    • Aston100 says:

      Oh by the way, I’m just a few quid away from triggering the 2 for 1 on my BAPP, so reluctant to continue spending on that card.
      I just realised I accidentally cancelled the wife’s BAPP after the signup bonus, so that was a mistake.
      Hence I have little incentive to put that £3k spend on my own BAPP or the preferred rewards gold cards.

      • Spaghetti Town says:

        If your going to use amex travel i’d put it on the Gold card so you have flexibility in transferring to any scheme you like at a later date.

        • Aston100 says:

          And forego any signup bonus on other cards?

          • Spaghetti Town says:

            Depends if you fancy the virgin miles sign up bonus or not, or you can put enough spend through to get miles bonus at another point.

  • Markpeterborough says:

    O/T
    By my reckoning based upon previous events, there should be an IHG points break going live on Monday. Has anyone seen anything on social media to confirm this? If so it would be 4pm UK time as our clocks go back this week and they don’t do so in the states until the following weekend.

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