If you ever needed proof that this hobby was worth pursuing ….

If you ever try to discuss miles and points with your friends, you may find their eyes glaze over, or they grumble that ‘it’s all too complicated’ or something similar ….

Next time the subject comes up, send them a link to this post.

The pictures below are from Etihad‘s First Class service, as operated on the London to Abu Dhabi route:

and

and

and

And here is the impressive bit:

You can fly this (one way) to Abu Dhabi, for free*, simply by getting the free American Airlines credit card with the current 35,000 miles bonus that I wrote about on Saturday.

Etihad even let you use their free chauffeur service on redemption flights which will pick you up and take you to Heathrow (max 150 mile journey) and take you wherever you want from Abu Dhabi (even to Dubai).  The Etihad website says that this is available for ‘Etihad Guest redemptions’ but it appears to be OK for redemptions via American Airlines as well.

Not bad for getting a free credit card!  In fact, it is the most generous sign-up deal I have ever seen for a free airline card.  And if an Etihad First Class trip doesn’t persuade people that miles and points is a great hobby, then there really is no hope for them!

(* Taxes and surcharges WILL, unfortunately, apply!)

(PS.  You will need to come back to London, of course.  But if you have no other miles, some airlines do sell cheap one-way economy fares to the UK from Dubai or Abu Dhabi for roughly £235.  It won’t be as pleasant as Etihad First Class, though …..)

Want to earn more points from credit cards? – December 2021 update

If you are looking to apply for a new credit or charge card, here are our November 2021 recommendations based on the current sign-up bonus. 

You can see our full directory of all UK cards which earn airline or hotel points here. Here are the top current deals:

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up, no annual fee and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending ….. Read our full review

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the UK’s most valuable credit card perk – the 2-4-1 companion voucher Read our full review

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & two airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

30,000 points and an unbeatable set of travel benefits – for a fee Read our full review

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.

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and free for a year Read our full review

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and a long list of travel benefits Read our full review

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

Capital On Tap Business Rewards Visa

The most generous Avios Visa or Mastercard for a limited company Read our full review

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:

Barclaycard Select Cashback Credit Card

1% cashback and no annual fee Read our full review