Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

British Airways delays Boeing 787-10 aircraft introduction – again

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As we covered here, British Airways is soon to receive its first Boeing 787-10 aircraft.  It is the larger but shorter-range version of the Boeing 787-9 and Boeing 787-8 which are already in the BA fleet.

The key difference for passengers is that the 787-10 is being delivered with the new Club Suite business class seat.  The rest of the Boeing 787 fleet is well down the list of aircraft to be refurbished because they are, of course, still relatively new.

British Airways Boeing 787-10

The first 787-10 will go onto the Atlanta route.

This was originally timetabled for 25th February.   It then moved to 10th March, as we covered a few weeks ago.  This date has also been missed and, according to AirlineRoute, the aircraft is now due to enter service on 14th April.

This means that anyone who was expecting the new Club Suite on their 787-10 to Atlanta will now be stuck with the old Club World seat and a Boeing 787-9.  There is no change for First Class passengers as the same seat is being used on the 787-10 and 787-9.


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.

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.

Comments (136)

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

  • Adam says:

    I remember having quite the argument with the staff at the Thistle over the charge for the Pod and even more so over the fee being per person – specifically when there is room for up to 4 in one pod.
    I think in my more juvenile days I only paid one on the way back to get the door open but 2 of us got through… wild I know.

    • the_real_a says:

      3 people are simply “seeing off” the 4th person, so only one fee is required!

      And since you are a polite person you simply must hold the door open for the group of three to come through 🙂

      • Lady London says:

        Someone said last time they took their kids on the pod – but started at T5 then returned.
        Sounds like a way of getting the fun without actually having to choose a particular hotel 🙂

  • MattB says:

    I noticed the pod fee increase a few weeks ago. I did post a mention but it got lost in the sea of revolut comments.

  • mark2 says:

    re Thistle hotel: it is possible (or was a few years ago) to pay about £13 for a refurbished room when booking through Holiday Extras or direct.

  • N says:

    OT – what’s the sweet spot for redemptions for getting to DXB/AUH on points in J/F?

    • xcalx says:

      Krisflyer miles

      • xcalx says:

        25K for J oneway Swiss Lufthansa etc

        • Rob says:

          Correct. However, with kids Miles and More is closer (but still more) as they get 25% off.

          For low taxes (but still a lot of Avios) look at Finnair but only on days when it is a long haul plane. And book a separate ticket from UK to avoid APD.

          If Doha would do instead, any sub 3000 mile route on Qatar falls into the cheaper Avios band. This includes much of Germany.

          • Harry T says:

            Thanks Rob. I’m trying to get reward flights to Abu Dhabi or Dubai for my stay at the W for the race weekend. Any chance BA availability will open up? Would like to use my 241 on business or first on that route.

    • babyg says:

      @N, looking to get to the W hotel to watch the F1?

      • N says:

        Was hoping to but it seems like searching on marriott site brings up phantom availability until you click through to confirm. Mightily annoying.

  • Secret Squirrel says:

    Anyone else having issues getting into their IHG account today?

    • meta says:

      I can’t log in on the app or web.

    • Michael says:

      I can’t get into the app. That explains why Awardwallet wouldn’t update my IHG balance this morning.

    • stevenhp1987 says:

      Cannot login to app or website. Think they’re having issues.

      • Secret Squirrel says:

        Reply from IHG:
        Please try logging in again at a later time today. The relevant teams are already aware of the issue and are now working on a fix.

        • Lady London says:

          It’s Monday so guessing IHG was updating their system over the weekend and it’s overrun due to problems encountered NM

    • Roy says:

      App seems to be back for me. Still can’t log in to the website though.

    • Lyn says:

      I was able to log in to the website a few minutes ago.

      • Liz says:

        I called this morning and was told there were issues and that they were working it – to try again in a couple of hrs.

        • Leigh says:

          Now able to log in. Points from free card (Feb statement) are posted but no points from premium card yet. Has anyone received Feb points from premium card yet? I’m about to make a booking but a few hundreds points short so awaiting for premium card points.

          • Dave B says:

            Yes mine have posted

          • Scallder says:

            Mine have posted from premium card however it’s the first time I’ve had FX transactions on there and they have only given me 2x rather than 4x. Anyone else had similar issues in the past? TIA!

          • Secret Squirrel says:

            I find when you see your points zero in your creation account, the points will credit to your IHG account by tonight, try after 6pm

          • Leigh says:

            Thanks for all replies. Both free and premium cards points zeroed (at the same time) but only the free card (first statement) points posted. Will check again tonight.

  • Matthew says:

    I sometimes stay at the Thistle, rooms can be very good value. I always use the bus, from the stop just by the entrance. It is free to use both ways, and is quite regular, with the 423 and the slough X7 I think stopping. Just check the timetables on the stop for first and last buses.

    • Jody says:

      Do you just say you are going to the airport? Or do you have to tap in, but it’s just that you don’t get charged?

      • the_real_a says:

        You dont tap in on the free zone for the buses. Feels odd, but just get in – drivers dont care and are used to it as everybody does it.

  • Deb says:

    OT – Newcastle Council about to increase its loan to almost £30m to keep Crowne Plaza going – do lots of cities do this? https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/newcastle-council-crowne-plaza-loan-17785753

    • Chrisasaurus says:

      Dont know about cities but I’ve ‘loaned ‘them half that much for a room the weekend of GNR…

  • Rhys says:

    “Speaking of which, can I buy @Rhys a beer in Sydney?”
    When are you in Sydney, Harry?

    • Harry T says:

      Hi Rhys, I’m in Sydney from the 5th to the 8th March. Briefly at the airport on the 17th too. In Tasmania from the 8th to 12th March, and then Melbourne from 12th to 17th.

      • Rhys says:

        I was responding to Shoestring but looks like a lot of us will be in Australia that week! I’m on the flight on the 6th and return on the 16th. Anyone on my flight?!

        • The Original David says:

          Maybe you need to organise a HfP Australia party! Hopefully will satisfy all the regular non-Londoners complaining that everything is too London-centric…

        • Harry T says:

          Ah, I think Shoestring may have been repeating my comment because I don’t think he’s going to Sydney!

          • Rhys says:

            Ah he may have been then! I’m not actually spending any time in Sydney (done it!) – heading straight to Jervis Bay after I land

          • Harry T says:

            Enjoy! My gf hasn’t done it, so we are doing all the tourist stuff before heading to Tassie.

            Did you manage to get a good seat on the plane? I’m balking at paying £110 for extra legroom seats…

          • Rhys says:

            Yes, on the way out I’m on the top deck – seat 36F. This is normally a bad seat because it is a middle section and the other side of it doesn’t have aisle access, but at the moment the two seats next to me are blocked so I hope I have the entire row to myself! Haven’t decided where I want to sit on the return, however….

          • Harry T says:

            I assume you’re BA silver, so you’ve been able to book for free? Sounds like the upper cabin is the place to be so I hope it works out for you. I’ll have to take my chances at OLCI…

          • Rhys says:

            I believe Qantas releases more seats at T-60, so your best bet is to check then rather than at OLCI!

          • Harry T says:

            Thanks, Rhys. Looked it up and it seems like they sometimes open seats at T-80, so I’ll check then. Appreciate the advice.

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

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