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Hey everyone, and welcome back to Smart With Points, the podcast where we help you travel smarter using miles and points. I'm Jack, and I have to say, the timing of today's main story is absolutely fascinating. Just when British Airways seems to be testing the loyalty of its most dedicated members, American Express rolls out some genuinely attractive sign-up bonuses. Coincidence? I think not. But we'll get into that in just a moment.
Today, we're covering enhanced BA Amex card bonuses that could net you up to fifty thousand Avios, Wizz Air's attempt at premium seating, and IHG's hundred percent points bonus. Plus, we've got some quick hits on status matching and free Wi-Fi from Lufthansa. So let's dive in.
Let's start with the big news. American Express has launched enhanced sign-up bonuses across all three British Airways credit cards, and they're available until February the twenty-fourth, twenty twenty-six. Now here's something really important you need to know right away: these enhanced offers aren't actually visible on the Amex website. You have to go through the British Airways website to see them. Navigate to their credit cards section, and you'll find the enhanced bonuses waiting there.
So what are we looking at? Let's break down each card.
First up, the BA Premium Plus card. This one costs three hundred pounds per year, and if you spend six thousand pounds in three months, you'll receive fifty thousand Avios. That's up from the usual thirty thousand bonus. The card earns one point five Avios per pound normally, or three Avios per pound on BA and BA Holidays spending.
But honestly, the real prize here is still the Companion Voucher. Spend fifteen thousand pounds in a card year and you'll earn one that works on all cabins, including Club World and First. That's where the proper value lives. Let me give you a quick value check here. Let's say you book two Club World seats to New York. A single redemption would cost around fifty thousand Avios plus three hundred and fifty pounds in taxes per person. With the Companion Voucher, you're paying for one person in Avios and the second for just the taxes. That's roughly one thousand pounds or more in saved value from the voucher alone.
Now, here's the catch: you must not have held a BA Amex card in the past twenty-four months to qualify for this bonus. You can get this card by clicking the link in the shownotes.
Next, we have the BA Amex Credit Card, which is the free option. If six thousand pounds spend sounds too ambitious, this card now offers ten thousand Avios when you spend two thousand pounds in three months. That's double the usual five thousand bonus. The card earns one Avios per pound, and there's also a Companion Voucher available at fifteen thousand pounds spend, though this one only works for Economy redemptions.
The limitation here is that you can't have held any personal Amex card in the past twenty-four months. That's actually a wider restriction than the Premium Plus. Again, you can get this card through the link in the shownotes.
Finally, for business owners, there's the BA Accelerating Business Card, which costs two hundred and fifty pounds per year. This card now delivers forty thousand Avios when you spend five thousand pounds in three months, up from thirty thousand. The ongoing earn is strong: one point five Avios per pound, plus an extra ten thousand Avios for every twenty thousand pounds spent, up to three times per year. You also earn double On Business Points when booking BA flights.
The restriction here is actually shorter: you can't have held an Amex Business card in the past twelve months. You can get this card through the link in the shownotes as well.
Bottom line: these are some of the strongest BA Amex bonuses we've seen. If you've been sitting on the fence about getting one of these cards, this is probably your window. The Premium Plus with fifty thousand Avios and the Companion Voucher remains the standout for most people who can meet the spend requirement. And honestly, I suspect this won't be the last time we see enhanced bonuses this year. BA needs to keep cardholders engaged, and bigger sign-up offers are one of the easiest levers to pull.
Now let's talk about something rather interesting from the budget airline world. Wizz Air has joined the growing list of budget carriers experimenting with premium products, launching a new offering called Wizz Class.
Let's be clear upfront: this is not Club Europe. It's not even close. But for a budget airline, it's an interesting move.
Here's what you get: a blocked middle seat, so you get a guaranteed empty seat next to you. You also get a complimentary snack and non-alcoholic drink, dedicated overhead compartment space, and front row seating, though you'll still pay the seat selection fee.
What you don't get: lounge access, fast-track security, or any loyalty programme benefits. Wizz Air doesn't have a frequent flyer scheme, so you won't be earning miles on these flights.
The routes are limited for now, covering Budapest, Bucharest, Warsaw, Luton, Gatwick, and Rome Fiumicino. Fares start at forty-three pounds, though pricing is dynamic and will fluctuate based on demand.
The booking process is a bit convoluted. You first need to select either Wizz Smart or Wizz Plus, which already include benefits like a ten kilogram cabin bag and priority boarding. Then you add your details, and only after that can you see if Wizz Class is available on your route.
My take on this: it's clearly aimed at business travellers flying routes where BA or other full-service carriers don't operate, or where Wizz's schedule is significantly more convenient. If you're travelling on a Wizz route anyway and value the extra space, forty-three pounds isn't unreasonable for a blocked middle seat and some snacks. Just don't expect it to replace proper European business class. It won't.
Moving on to hotel news. IHG is running its best points purchase offer again: a hundred percent bonus when you buy five thousand points or more. The sale runs until February the fifth, twenty twenty-six.
This offer comes around fairly often, so if you've seen it before, you're not imagining things. But it's still worth running the numbers if you're planning an IHG stay.
Here's the pricing breakdown: for five thousand to ten thousand points, it's five pounds and four pence per one thousand points. For eleven thousand to twenty-five thousand points, it's five pounds thirty-nine pence per one thousand points. And for twenty-six thousand to two hundred thousand points, it's four pounds eighty-three pence per one thousand points.
With the hundred percent bonus, you're effectively getting double the points. So if you buy one hundred thousand points at the top tier, you'll pay around four hundred and eighty-three pounds but receive two hundred thousand points.
The key is to always compare the points rate to the cash rate before you buy. Look up the hotel you're considering and check both the cash price and the points price. Then calculate whether buying points works out cheaper.
Here's a quick example: let's say a hotel costs one hundred and fifty pounds per night in cash or forty thousand points per night. If you buy forty thousand points, receiving eighty thousand with the bonus, you'd pay roughly one hundred and ninety-three pounds. That means you're paying more than the cash rate, so buying points wouldn't make sense.
But if that same hotel costs two hundred and fifty pounds per night in cash, suddenly buying points at one hundred and ninety-three pounds for the same stay saves you fifty-seven pounds. That's when it works.
One warning: IHG is also running a cash sale on stays until January twenty-first, which might reduce the value of buying points for those specific properties. Always check both options. You can purchase up to two hundred thousand points per calendar year, though some targeted members may have higher limits.
Now for a few quick hits.
First, the BA to Flying Blue status match is back. Flying Blue has reopened its status match offer for BA Executive Club members living in the UK. You can match BA Bronze to Flying Blue Silver for seventy-nine pounds, BA Silver to Flying Blue Gold for one hundred and forty-nine pounds, or BA Gold to Flying Blue Platinum for two hundred and forty-nine pounds. The matched status lasts twelve months and gives you access to SkyTeam benefits. If you're flying Air France or KLM regularly, this could be worth exploring, particularly for lounge access.
Next, Marriott has introduced partial Elite Night Credits. They've improved how Elite Night Credits work across four brands that previously required two nights for one credit. You'll now earn zero point five Elite Night Credit per qualifying night at City Express by Marriott, Four Points Flex by Sheraton, Protea Hotels by Marriott, and Series by Marriott. Two separate one-night stays now combine into a full Elite Night Credit, even at different hotels within those brands. It's a small change, but helpful if you're chasing Marriott Bonvoy status.
And finally, Lufthansa Group airlines are adding free Starlink Wi-Fi. Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines are rolling out Starlink Wi-Fi across their fleets, with free access for all passengers. The rollout started this month and will continue through twenty twenty-five and twenty twenty-six. If you're flying long-haul with any of these carriers, this is a genuinely useful upgrade, particularly for business travellers who need reliable connectivity.
Before we wrap up, let me quickly mention a few current buy points offers worth considering. Avianca LifeMiles is offering a one hundred and sixty percent bonus at just one point two seven cents per point until January the nineteenth, twenty twenty-six. JetBlue TrueBlue has a one hundred and twenty-five percent bonus priced at one point four three cents, ending February the twenty-third, twenty twenty-six. And Lufthansa Miles and More has a fifty percent bonus at one point three nine cents through February the twelfth, twenty twenty-six.
Other notable offers include IHG with a hundred percent bonus at zero point five cents, ending February the fifth. Hilton Honors has an eighty percent bonus at zero point five six cents, ending February the eighteenth. And Choice Privileges has a forty percent bonus at zero point seven four cents, ending January the twenty-seventh.
So that's it for today's episode. Are you tempted by any of these BA Amex bonuses, or have the recent BA changes put you off entirely? I'm genuinely curious where you all stand on this.
Thanks so much for listening to