What you missed on Head for Points last week
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Welcome to the Head for Points weekly newsletter, full of the latest Avios, travel loyalty and travel credit card news, hints and tips.
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Special report:
My Airbus factory tour: see the first Malaysia Airlines’ A330neo being built in Toulouse
This week’s top travel news stories:
British Airways launches direct flights to Finnish Lapland, image above
…. as well as London Gatwick to Larnaca
Virgin Atlantic’s celebrates its 40th anniversary this weekend
Air Canada launches flights from Heathrow to Delhi
BA’s first Boeing 787-8 with Club Suite starts flying this month – we show you where
Fiji Airways announces it will become a full member of oneworld
See inside the new My Lounge at Luton Airport – it’s open now
British Airways is now using the Aer Lingus lounge in Dublin as it moves to Terminal 2
Virgin and EL AL announce a codeshare arrangement
Virgin Red permanently closes its Red Room VIP Box at AO Arena Manchester
Travel deals of the week:
Book Virgin Voyages new UK cruises from 85,000 points, image above
Marriott announces a flash sale – book by Sunday
British Airways & Avios news:
British Airways opens its renovated Lagos lounge
Get 200 bonus Avios with your first conversion from BPme Rewards
Earn double Nectar Points this month after you make conversion to Avios
Credit card news:
New: get a 25% bonus on HSBC Premier credit card points conversions to Avios
Get £50 Amex cashback credit with Hilton hotels in Asia Pacific
Our series of UK travel rewards credit cards continues:
Review: the Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard
Reviews:
Rob reviews the Holiday Inn Manchester Airport and calls it “surprisingly accomplished”, image above
And Conny heads to Frankfurt to review the fully refurbished Westin Grand Frankfurt
Hotel news:
Hilton gains a new hotel in York, image above
Our round-up of the best hotel promotions in June is here
What happened when Rob’s son joined the Hilton Honors training day at Chelsea FC?
Other travel news:
BrewDog in Gatwick North joins Priority Pass – but not for Amex cardholders
Virgin Atlantic devalues ANA business class redemptions to Japan
STILL RUNNING: Get 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points sign-up bonus with the Marriott Bonvoy American Express card
You can currently get a huge sign-up bonus of 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points on the Marriott Bonvoy American Express card. You can apply here.
This is the biggest bonus ever offered on this credit card, and is TRIPLE the standard amount.
This is worth roughly £300 of free Marriott stays, based on our 0.5p per point valuation, or 25,000 Avios or other airline miles if converted.
There are four good reasons to hold this card long term, and not just for the sign-up bonus:
- you get 15 elite night credits EVERY YEAR in Marriott Bonvoy – this means, for example, that Platinum only requres 35 nights instead of the usual 50. Even better, these nights count towards Lifetime Status.
- you get Silver Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy every year, because it is triggered automatically by the 15 elite night credits
- you get Gold Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy if you spend £15,000 on the card in a membership year
- you get a free night voucher worth up to 25,000 Bonvoy points if you spend £25,000 on the card in a membership year
There is an annual fee of £95 per year. The on-going earning rate is 2 Bonvoy points per £1 spent.
To learn more, click here for our full article on the offer. Please read the bit about whether you qualify for the sign-up bonus.
You can apply here.
The representative APR is 54.1% variable, including the annual fee. The representative APR on purchases is 30.4% variable.
That’s all, folks
Our latest round-up of miles and points offers closing soon is here.
Don’t forget to visit our forum if you have any questions relating to frequent flyer or hotel loyalty programmes or loyalty credit cards.
See you next Saturday,
Rob, Rhys and Katie @ Head for Points
