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.

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