What you missed on Head for Points last week

Welcome to our weekly newsletter.

Whilst we encourage email readers to sign up to our daily emails so that you don’t miss out on any short-notice deals or offers, we offer this weekly summary as an alternative. It also runs on the website every Saturday.

You can sign up to this weekly summary email by clicking here.

(If you want to switch from the weekly summary email to the daily emails, create a fresh subscription to the daily emails via this link. You will then need to unsubscribe from the weekly email by clicking the ‘Unsubscribe’ link at the bottom of the last weekly summary you received.)

NEW CARD DEAL #1 – Get a huge 30,000 Virgin Points with the Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard

Virgin Atlantic has launched its first special credit card sign-up bonus for 18 months. With travel to the US on the verge of opening up, it is a good time to think about building up your Virgin Points as an alternative to Avios.

The £160 Reward+ card now has a bonus of 30,000 Virgin Points (usually 15,000 points).

The free Reward card now has a bonus of 2,000 Virgin Points (usually nothing).

Our main article on the 30,000 Virgin Points bonus is here.

You can apply on this page of the Virgin Money website.

NEW CARD DEAL #2 – Get 30,000 Membership Rewards points with ‘free for a year’ American Express Gold

American Express has also launched a 30,000 points bonus – this time on Preferred Rewards Gold.

This card is FREE for year 1. The points transfer 1:1 into Avios, Virgin Atlantic and various other airline schemes. They also convert into Hilton (1:2), Marriott (2:3) and Radisson (1:3).

The snag is that you may well not qualify for the bonus. If you have had any personal Amex card in the past 24 months, you can’t get this bonus. However, be creative – perhaps your partner could apply? Or your parents or adult children? It is a big bonus to miss.

Our main article on the 30,000 points Amex Gold bonus is here.

You can apply for American Express Preferred Rewards Gold with the special bonus on this page of the Amex website.

The latest travel and aviation news:

The huge news this week was the decision by British Airways to permanently close its short-haul operation at London Gatwick. Take a look at our analysis of why it happened and what happens next.

Avis and Hotels.com have launched a status match!

Credit card news:

American Express launched a new Marriott cashback offer, worth £100 back on a £400 spend at certain luxury hotels.

There is also £100 cashback on £250 spend at WorldHotels, which includes some UK properties.

There is also a great new £100 cashback on £250 Hyatt spend offer. And a Thistle offer, if you have any reason to be in one of those!

Business Gold and Business Platinum also have an offer of £100 back on a £400 spend at Amex Travel.

If you have Amex Gold and use the free monthly £10 Deliveroo credit, learn how (if you have Amazon Prime) you can get a free upgrade to Deliveroo Plus.

British Airways news:

British Airways has extended Executive Club status – but only for some. Learn if you’re included.

If you have Silver, Gold or Gold Guest List status with BA, you just got some new lounge benefits.

With the BP partnership now live, do you earn more Avios buying petrol at Esso or BP? And is it even worth bothering?

You can pick up 6,000 Avios (or get €120 off a hotel stay) with the new Accor Live Limitless promotion. 3 x 2-night stays are required.

Do you know you can save a fortune in cash AND Avios by flying to New York on Iberia instead of BA? Learn how.

Hotel news:

Hotels.com Rewards is being killed off. Expedia Group has announced plans to merge its multiple loyalty schemes into one combined programme, and it is unlikely to be as good as Hotels.com Rewards.

IHG is taking over a luxury Maldives resort, which is already bookable.

Heading to the Nordics? Radisson Rewards has launched a very generous promotion.

IHG has a new ‘buy points’ bonus – is it worth it?

As has Hyatt …..

Accor Live Limitless has relaxed its points expiry rules.

Other interesting bits:

In light of the new 30,000 points bonus on the Virgin credit card, we looked at where you can fly with Virgin Points – both with Virgin Atlantic and its partners.

Eurostar is offering double or triple points on trips booked by 5th October.

Offers you missed:

Hotels.com launched a ‘bonus stamps’ offer, but it was only available until Thursday. Sorry!

You can see a list of other offers closing soon here.

See you next Saturday.