Reward credit cards including Avios points - worth it?

[redrabbit29]

Hi,

Just booked a holiday for two to Turkey which was £5k. I did use topcashback for the holiday, parking, a few other bits. Afterwards I wondered if I could have done a bit more such as used a rewards credit card.

I've never used or had any Avios points. However, I have a few possible trips I am thinking about:

• Possibly Italy in July for my 40th
• September holiday somewhere
• December maybe
• Next April: Japan maybe

Also, with work I sometimes go abroad, maybe 1-2 times per year. I pay myself and claim it all back.

I can see some Avios threads on the forum but they're from 2018 and 2019, so a lot may have changed.

What are your views on them?
Are there certain caveats or better options?

Thanks

[//j17]

If you book flights separately (i.e. DIY rather than package holidays), don't have an almost religous objection to BA or other airlines that takes Avios, and just treat them as free money they are. Certainly with BA once you've chosen your flights and gone through to the payment stage you get offered paying 100% cash or different cash/points splits that you can use to either make the cash price lower or pay the same but fly business, etc.

[cashmax]

As said above, if you are happy flying with a single airline group, then it's worth doing. If you spend a fair bit on a credit card then something like the Amex PP card is worthwhile. BA have made changes to reward seat availability to make avios much better to use and also decreased the cash contribution. Coupled with the 241 voucher and reasonable annual spend would easily pay for business class anywhere in the world for 2 people.

[The G Kid]

For 2024 and using Avios I have got 4x Club Europe flights to Greece for £2 (and points and 241 voucher), 4 x Club World flights to LA/Seattle for £1800 (and points and 241 voucher) and 4 x one way US internal flight for £17.60 (and points) that would have cost £1100 otherwise. It's much better to use the 241 vouchers for long haul business class but the ones I used for Greece would have expired if I hadn't used them.

All of these are based almost 100% on spending from the BA Amex (the paid one, so you need to factor the cost of the cards into the above). Unfortunately for the vast majority of my business travel I don't use BA, so I don't get any points from work trips. The spending level to get the 241 vouchers is going up from £10K to £15K soon, however we stick every bit of household spending on the cards, so those levels won't really be an issue.

I'm always astonished by people who just use a standard credit card with no rewards, or even people who use a debit card. Seems like throwing away money!

[Trustmeimadoctor]

we just booked an adhoc florida trip using avios 42500 points, companion voucher and £635 for return man - mco with aer lingus

we were going to use BA from lgw but that was 65k miles but only £300 but financially it made more sense to fly from manchester as ba wanted over £100pp each way to select seats and the saving in airmiles isnt to be sniffed at and the fuel costs and shorter drive back home etc

and next year return BC flights lhr-mia with a 241 for £900

as above we stick all our spend where possible through the paid amex then i cancel mine and the mrs takes one out rince and repeat every 2 years then also have the Barcleycard avios card too inbetween

also remember to check the ba rewards site to boost point spend as ba hotel search is 10 points to the pound other day booked a hotel was £750 so thats 7500 avios or the equivalent of £7500 of normal spending i could have got the hotel slightly cheaper but then lost out on the points but there are many places that also give increased returns when using them like booking.com is 4x if you go through there rather than going direct also i think if you register your card on there it may pick up and award for any spend thats done via them anyway


but yeah for us avios are worth it

[Jordie Barretts sock]

Or get a cash back Amex? Gives you a percentage back on all your spending. I buy everything on it and clear it at the end of each month.

Get about £250/300 back every year just for using it.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

if you have no interest in flying yeah but i get a much bigger return from avios than i would from that cash

[Jordie Barretts sock]

It's not a case if having no interest in flying, not everyone flies often.

I'd rather have the cashback.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

i dont fly that often once or twice a year but it helps use get BC on long haul rather than economy so for us its a big benefit