BA route news: Agadir launches, Kos added at Heathrow, Riga and Belgrade extended to summer

Three bits of British Airways route news:

British Airways launches flights to Agadir, Morocco

The BA Euroflyer network at London Gatwick continues to grow, with more aircraft joining the fleet next year.

One of the new routes it will be launching is to Agadir in Morocco, just across the water from the Canary Islands. It is the first time British Airways has flown to Agadir in over a decade.

The flights will operate four times weekly and start on 31st March 2024.

Flight timings are different every day. On Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays it is a morning departure, between 6am and 9am, whilst the Saturday flight is in the afternoon, at 15:25.

If you’re wondering what Agadir has to offer, Tom Stoddart, CEO of BA Euroflyer, says:

“Agadir is a coastal destination that enjoys 300 days of sunshine per year, so we know it will see strong demand from our leisure customers and particularly those seeking holiday packages. It offers beaches, golf courses and water sports alongside the opportunity to experience cultural landmarks, such as Agadir Kasbah.”

Flights are now available to book (including Avios redemptions) on the BA website. Club Europe tickets would earn 160 tier points return.

BA Euroflyer, if you’re not familiar with it, is – in theory – identical to the BA Heathrow short haul operation from the point of view of the passenger. Service, meals (in Business), lounges, elite privileges …. all as you’d expect. The ‘low cost’ nature of the airline is purely in terms of what the staff and service providers are paid.

British Airways launches Kos flights from Heathrow

Services to Kos in Greece are currently operated from London Gatwick by BA Euroflyer.

This will not change, but additional Kos services will operate from Heathrow next year. Image below.

There will be one flight per week, on a Saturday.

It will operate from Heathrow Terminal 5. The first flight will be on 18th May and the last on 28th September.

It is down for a 6.10am departure, landing at 12.15pm. The return leaves Kos at 1.15pm, arriving at 3.25pm.

Flights are bookable now at ba.com for cash or Avios. For some reason only Economy flights are currently available.

British Airways extends Belgrade and Riga flights into summer 2024

Belgrade and Riga are two new routes added for the winter 2023 flying season at Heathrow.

They appear to be going well, because both will continue into the summer. Neither will end on 30th March as originally planned.

Belgrade will operate three times per week from 31st March, on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.

Riga will also operate three times per week, and also on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. This is a change from the current days of operaton.

Tickets for the new services, for cash or Avios, are now available at ba.com.

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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:

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

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.

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.

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.

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.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.