News: catch Rhys on the Simple Flying podcast, contactless payment limit raised to £45

News in brief:

Catch Rhys on the Simple Flying podcast

A couple of weeks ago Rhys recorded an edition of the Simple Flying podcast to discuss British Airways’ premium offerings and lounges and how to earn status. You can listen to it online here.  It is 23 minutes long.

It is an introduction into the world of premium customer experiences and frequent flyer status, including a look at the new (ish?!) Club Suite and whether it supersedes First, the First Wing at Heathrow and the various different lounges….  The BA Premier status card also gets a mention.

It is a good starting point if you are new to the world of British Airways Executive Club, although don’t expect any incisive insights if you have been in the game for a long time.  Simple Flying is a generalist and global aviation news site and Rhys tries to spell things out in layman’s terms as much as possible.

Contactless payment limit raised to £45

The payment limit when using a contactless credit or debit card in the UK was raised to £45 yesterday.

The increase from £30 was rushed through by the payments industry as a response to the coronavirus outbreak, as bank notes are a source of transmission.

Individual retailers will still need to make changes to their payment infrastructure before the £45 limit applies, so it may take a while for smaller shops to catch up.

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Want to earn more points from credit cards? – April 2024 update

If you are looking to apply for a new credit card, here are our top recommendations based on the current 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:

You can see our full directory of all UK cards which earn airline or hotel points here. Here are the best of the other deals currently available.

Earning miles and points from small business cards

If you are a sole trader or run a small company, you may also want to check out these offers:

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.

For a non-American Express option, we also recommend the Barclaycard Select Cashback card for sole traders and small businesses. It is FREE and you receive 1% cashback on your spending.