Latest news with #frequentflyer
Times
a day ago
- Business
- Times
BA has finally revealed the Amex spend for reward scheme tier points
British Airways has finally revealed details of how frequent flyers can earn extra status points via their American Express credit card spend, six months after the airline announced it was changing its loyalty scheme. Flyers who hold the British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card, which comes with a £300 annual fee, can earn up to 2,500 'tier' points — which confer perks such as lounge access and priority boarding — when they spend £25,000 on the card between today and next February. In addition, all cardholders will be given 500 extra tier points this month. If cardholders spend the full amount in the next seven months it will give them a 3,000-tier point bounce meaning that they could almost reach BA bronze status without flying a single mile. However, spend isn't backdated to when the Club relaunched in April — cardholders will need to start from scratch today, June 18. At the end of last year the flag carrier announced it was switching its loyalty scheme, now called the Club. In a move that irritated frequent flyers, BA said that tier points, or status points, would instead be awarded on spend with the carrier, rather than distance flown, which it argued brings it into line with most other airline loyalty schemes. Tier points, or status points, would be given at a rate of one point per £1 of net spend with the airline; as a result BA adjusted the thresholds required to achieve bronze, silver and gold status (3,500, 7,500 and 20,000 tier points respectively), which many argued made them much harder to reach. Broadly, it means that for frequent flyers to achieve silver status — which offers lounge access, a beloved perk for many — members need to buy the equivalent of either an uber-luxury BA Holiday to the Caribbean for one or, for example, more than eight return flights to Cape Town. Flyers must spend each year to retain their status, the collection for which runs from April to end-March. The new Club came into effect from April 1; some frequent flyers even held a mock funeral for the old scheme. At the end of December, BA also announced various other ways to earn tier points, including spending on extras like seat selection and baggage, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) credits, and holiday packages including hotels and car hire. In a nod to its longstanding partnership with Amex, BA said it would announce details of how many tier points would be earned via Amex spend 'closer to the launch date' — which was not, as most assumed, the launch of the Club in April. More than ten weeks after the official relaunch of the Club, it has finally revealed the details. • British Airways frequent flyer scheme changes: everything you need to know Premium cardholders can earn up to 750 tier points when they spend £15,000 on their card between today and next February; an additional 750 when they hit £20,000 spend; and an extra 1,000 tier points when they reach £25,000 — totalling 2,500 status points. An extra 500 tier points — which BA says is a 'thank you for their loyalty' — means they can get 3,000 additional tier points in all. With bronze set at 3,500 tier points, flyers need to spend only an extra £500 on BA products — which crucially doesn't include taxes and fees on flights — to reach the lowest status tier, which offers perks such as priority boarding and special customer service phone lines until the collection year renews in April. The 3,000 Amex tier points also go more than a third of the way to reaching silver. • Travellers are obsessed with status — and airlines are going into battle for their loyalty Reaction to the Amex spend offer from frequent flyers has been muted, with many concerned about the impact on companion vouchers — a BA perk for Amex cardholders that is a two-for-one flight deal. The companion vouchers expire a year after the moment a cardholder triggers them by spending £15,000 on their credit card, which means many frequent flyers delay using their card until they want to use the voucher. Companion vouchers for Premium Plus Card holders have a two-year expiry. Rob Burgess, founder of the frequent-flyer website Head For Points, says the BA Amex offer caters to a 'niche market', appealing only to travellers who can get bronze by 'topping it up with the card'; although Gilbert Ott from the loyalty website God Save The Points calls it a 'meaningful new addition' for 'anyone not obsessed with gold'. • How to hack the new BA club rules — lounges and priority boarding included Cardholders have to sign up for the offer to be eligible. Note that this is a temporary offer running until next February — although it's expected that BA and Amex will roll out a similar deal from next April, which marks the start of the next point collection year. The airline has promised there will be 'further opportunity to earn tier points using the card starting in April 2026', but wouldn't provide further details. How do you make the most of airline loyalty schemes? Let us know in the comments
Khaleej Times
11-06-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Loyyal launches global partner network across USA and UK for Air India's Maharaja Club members
Loyyal, a leader in blockchain-powered loyalty solutions, has announced the launch of its partnership network for Air India's Maharaja Club frequent flyer programme. This initiative allows Maharaja Club's members to earn loyalty points through everyday purchases across popular brands across the USA and UK beyond India. With Loyyals' ecosystem of leading brands like Alamo, New Balance, Walmart, Victorinox, Victoria's Secret and GAP, Maharaja Club members can now enjoy earning Maharaja points on their purcases with these brands. More partner brands are joining soon, further expanding opportunities to earn and enjoy exclusive rewards. This landmark initiative showcases Air India's commitment to enhancing the loyalty experience for its members by allowing them to earn points through purchases in markets across the USA and UK. The new partnerships are designed to maximise the earning potential of Maharaja Club members by extending opportunities beyond air travel. Members can earn points across various categories including fashion, health and beauty, dining, entertainment, and retail. This broadened scope adds significant value to the Maharaja Club, aligning with the lifestyles and preferences of its members. 'We are thrilled to work with Air India to enhance the Maharaja Club experience through our expanded network of partners across the globe to enrich each member's journey,' said Loyyal CEO Ashish Kumar Singh. 'This initiative significantly boosts the earning potential for Maharaja Club's members, allowing them to earn points through everyday purchases across the USA and UK. The Maharaja Club is designed to go the extra mile, ensuring members feel recognized, acknowledged, and privileged at every step. Together, we reaffirm our commitment to making every journey with Air India exceptional, enriching the daily lives of members with meaningful opportunities that ultimately enhance their travel experiences.' Using Loyyal's Access Point platform, which leverages blockchain technology, the onboarding of new partners is seamless and efficient, allowing members to effortlessly engage with a variety of merchants. This innovation ensures that Maharaja Club members have access to a wealth of attractive rewards that complement their spending habits. 'We're happy to partner with Loyyal as we continue to make Maharaja Club even more rewarding for our rapidly expanding member base across the globe,' said Shailesh Kumar Singh, Head of Loyalty, Air India. 'This partnership makes it easier for our members to earn Maharaja Points on everyday essentials and shopping, without needing to fly frequently. By combining points earned from such purchases with those from flying, members can quickly unlock free flights or cabin upgrades and enjoy a transforming Air India experience.'
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Post-Brexit passport rule is still causing people to miss flights - here's how to avoid getting caught out
As a frequent flyer, I thought I was pretty clued up about travel rules. I'm organised when it comes to visa and vaccinations, always turn up early for flights and read up regularly on the travel industry, from trending destinations to new hotel openings. I was therefore quite surprised when, after a recent flight back to London Gatwick, I walked through passport control and was warned by the man on the desk that I needed to get my passport renewed as soon as possible. I had it on my radar that my passport was due to expire mid-2026, so I'd need to get a new on towards the end of this year, but certainly didn't realise that it needed to be done any sooner. 'It's the 10-year rule', the passport control officer patiently explained. 'Your passport needs to be under 10 years old to fly in the EU'. Although I had paid attention to the expiry date of my passport, it turns out the date of issue is just as significant – and mine showed that the passport would be 10 years old some months before it actually expired. Of course I felt very silly for not knowing about this rule before – since doing my research I discovered it has been in place for some time – but it turns out I am very much not alone. In recent weeks, I have spoken to at least three (very intelligent!) people who have been turned away from flights because they had no idea about the rule, none of whom had received any warning from their airline when they checked in online before the flight. In fact most had got to the actual gate for boarding before they found out they couldn't travel. With the summer holidays on the way therefore, it seems worth restating the rules, in case like me this had completely passed you by. And if you're much cleverer than me and already knew, then well done! When travelling to the EU, a 10-year British passport is only valid for entry for exactly 10 years after the date of issue, regardless of the date of expiry. Before September 2018, passport holders could have up to nine months added to their passport expiry date if they renewed their 10-year passport early. Post-Brexit, however, although the official validity of your passport may be beyond 10 years, the EU does not recognise these extra months if your passport is older than 10 years on the date that you enter the EU. On top of this, you must also have at least three months' validity on your passport beyond the date you intend to leave the EU's free-movement Schengen territory. Outside of the EU, the rules vary by country, so it is always worth visiting the website for specific entry requirements. For instance, while most countries such as Australia, Canada and the USA just need your passport to be valid for the length of your stay, other countries such as China, Thailand, Egypt and Turkey need at least six months. If you realise the rule is going to impact you, then you can renew your passport online for £94.50 or using a paper application form for £107. If it's urgent, you can also pay £222 for the 'one day premium' service where you visit the passport office (the earliest you can get an appointment is two days after you apply) or pay £178 for a 'one week fast track' passport to be sent to you. All the information is on the government website. To get more of what you love from your favourite Sunday supplement, follow us on Instagram (@youmagazine), Facebook (YOU Magazine) and X (@YOUMagSocial).
News.com.au
02-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Qantas frequent flyers able to cash in points on a trip with Hawaiian Airlines in new partnership
Australians looking to escape the cold are now eligible to cash in their Qantas frequent flyer points on trips with another airline. From Thursday, holidaygoers will be able to book hundreds of thousands of new reward seats across Hawaiian Airlines' global network, spanning all four major Hawaiian Islands, 15 cities in the US and 10 international destinations. Qantas Loyalty chief executive Andrew Glance said the number of classic reward seats booked with partner airlines had doubled in the last five years. 'We know how important it is that we continue to invest in growing our network and provide members with more opportunities to use their points,' he said. 'We know Hawaii is one of the most sought-after destinations for our frequent flyers and the partnership with Hawaiian Airlines will be welcome news for members eyeing up their next overseas trip. 'Our members will be able to use their points to connect to one or all four major Hawaiian Islands or look to build Honolulu into their itinerary as a convenient stopover en route to North America. 'The partnership with Hawaiian Airlines also builds on the recent launch of our direct Melbourne to Honolulu Qantas service in May and gives our members more routes, more choice and more access to travel rewards using their points.' Qantas frequent flyers will also earn points and status credits on Hawaiian Airlines-operated flights for travel to Hawaii and mainland US. The addition of the new reward seats adds to the 20 million already available across Qantas, Jetstar and 45 partner airlines, including Emirates, American Airlines and Cathay Pacific.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New deal for Qantas frequent flyers
Australians looking to escape the cold are now eligible to cash in their Qantas frequent flyer points on trips with another airline. From Thursday, holidaygoers will be able to book hundreds of thousands of new reward seats across Hawaiian Airlines' global network, spanning all four major Hawaiian Islands, 15 cities in the US and 10 international destinations. Qantas Loyalty chief executive Andrew Glance said the number of classic reward seats booked with partner airlines had doubled in the last five years. 'We know how important it is that we continue to invest in growing our network and provide members with more opportunities to use their points,' he said. 'We know Hawaii is one of the most sought-after destinations for our frequent flyers and the partnership with Hawaiian Airlines will be welcome news for members eyeing up their next overseas trip. 'Our members will be able to use their points to connect to one or all four major Hawaiian Islands or look to build Honolulu into their itinerary as a convenient stopover en route to North America. 'The partnership with Hawaiian Airlines also builds on the recent launch of our direct Melbourne to Honolulu Qantas service in May and gives our members more routes, more choice and more access to travel rewards using their points.' Qantas frequent flyers will also earn points and status credits on Hawaiian Airlines-operated flights for travel to Hawaii and mainland US. The addition of the new reward seats adds to the 20 million already available across Qantas, Jetstar and 45 partner airlines, including Emirates, American Airlines and Cathay Pacific.
