I have recently been talking to my friends who have booked their family holidays for next year. They have been using their points to maximise their family travel, for example upgrading their seats to business class (for free), having a companion fly with you for free and that’s just the flights! There are lots of amazing ways to use your points, I cannot believe I have never thought about this before.
Terms like airmiles, frequent flyer points and Avios all describe pretty much the same thing. They’re points you collect that you can then use to pay, or part-pay, for something related to travel. Typically, that’s flights, but it can also mean hotels, although the latter isn’t always the best way of using your points (more on that later).
In the past, you would collect points by actually travelling. Airlines gave you points when you paid for a flight to reward you for your custom. That was very decent of them, but it meant that the rewards (getting free flights) were limited to people who travelled a lot. That was typically it was businesspeople who travelled the world.
Now you can collect points in hundreds of different ways. From your shopping, to your insurance, hotels that you book or when you get a new mobile phone. The list is endless. That means there’s a huge opportunity for families to leverage points and get free flights.
What are the best ways to collect points?
My first bit of advice is to get yourself a points earning credit card. There are lots of different cards out there, from American Express and Barclaycard but they all function in the same way. Every time you put something on your card you will earn between 1 and 1.5 points per pound you have spent.
It’s absolutely worth saying that you should consider your finances before you open a credit card, and some of these cards have annual fees. If you can’t afford it, or you’re not good with debt, then don’t make a bad decision.
Some of these cards come with additional perks, for example one of the Amex cards will give you a voucher each year if you hit a certain spend level. That voucher will cut in half the number of points you need for a flight.
On top of earning points via a credit card, the airlines also operate “shopping” websites. These sites list a load of retailers (most of the big ones are on there) and if you click the link, then you’ll earn points when you buy from that company. It’s that simple! The number of points you get varies, but in some cases it can be 10 or 20 points per pound you spend with the retailer.
These shopping websites, and the UK’s biggest airlines British Airways and Virgin Atlantic both have then, aren’t just about shopping. They list mobile phone companies, insurance companies and even companies like Sky and Virgin Media. If you’re renewing your insurance or your TV package each year, you could get thousands of points.
There’s one more way to earn points that I want to flag, and that’s through hotel bookings. British Airways operates a hotel website which is basically a clone of Experian. It lists the same hotels, with the same prices, but there’s something extra special about the BA website: you earn 15 points for every pound you spend on a hotel.
That’s an enormous number of points. Whether you’re just booking a couple of nights for a romantic getaway without the kids, or a week-long family trip to Europe, use this site and your points balance will get a significant boost.
Spending your points
Earning points is great, but what we’re all here for is the free flights. Spending points is relatively easy, but as you might have guessed, there are some nuances and some tricks.
Each airline limits the number of seats that you can book using points. Of course, they do, as they want as much cash coming in as possible. That’s not to say you can’t book flights, though. British Airways is the most generous, as they guarantee a set number of points seats on every single flight.
The first thing to mention is that as families, we’re a little disadvantaged. We’re tied into school holidays, and that’s the busiest period, which means there’s more competition for those seats we yearn for. Looking at less popular destinations is a good tip, as there’s more likely to be seats available. Long haul, if you can stomach it, is usually a little easier than intra-Europe flights during peak times.
If you have your heart set on heading to a particular destination, then there are some third-party websites that will monitor flights and let you know when seats become available. Airlines will often release more points seats as the year goes on, so you might look today and see nothing, then in a week’s time those magical free flights become possible.
The actual process of booking a flight is no more complex than booking it using cash. The airlines make it easy, and you can do everything you need online.
Which airlines and destinations can you collect and use points on?
Most airline allows you to collect points, but there are some standout ones for families in the UK.
- British Airways has a strong route network, although they are a little London-centric. They’re the best option for European flights but also have a lot of availability for North America.
- Virgin have fewer flights, but they do have long-haul flights from Manchester as well as London. Their route network is very North American-heavy.
- Emirates is another interesting option, as they connect from Dubai to hundreds of destinations worldwide. If you’re thinking of Dubai or Asia, then they’re a good option. Emirates First Class, on their huge A380, is the absolute dream.
- Qatar are similar to Emirates, and they fly from a number of UK airports. Again, good for the Middle East or Asia.
Should you spend points on things other than flights?
The best bang for your buck happens when you swap points for flights, but that doesn’t stop you from using your points for all sorts of things. Hotels are one way to utilise them, and you can even swap your points for wine.
If you have some points left over and you just need to get rid of them, then swapping them for a case of wine makes sense. If your goal is to take the family away on a business class flight, then preserve those valuable points.
Is it worth it?
Earning and spending points both take up a bit of time. We’re not talking days and days, but it’s a little bit of extra effort, so the big question is, is it actually worth it? I say YES and I am off to get us a new credit card as we speak!
For most families, flying in Business Class is just a dream, but utilising points can get you into Business (or even First) without having to sell a kidney. Yes, it might take some time to build up the points you need, but it is absolutely worth it.
