Traveling efficiently and economically is a goal for many, and leveraging rewards programs can significantly enhance your experience. In this post, we'll explore how to effectively use SeatSpy and BA Avios, along with smart American Express (AMEX) credit card strategies and the Choice Points system to maximise your travel rewards. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or just starting, these tips will help you secure the best flight deals and companion vouchers.
Utilising SeatSpy for Optimal Flight Bookings
One of the most effective tools for managing your Avios is SeatSpy. Here's how you can make the most of it:
Step-by-Step Guide to Using SeatSpy
Step-by-Step Guide to Using SeatSpy
- Create a SeatSpy Account: SeatSpy offers a free account option. Sign up to access its powerful flight search capabilities.
- Select Your Travel Dates: Enter the days you plan to fly. SeatSpy will display available options for economy, premium, and business class seats.
- Monitor Seat Availability: SeatSpy provides real-time updates on seat availability, helping you snag the best deals before they sell out.
Setting Up Your BA Avios Account
To fully utilise your Avios points, ensure your British Airways (BA) Avios account is set up correctly:
- Visit the British Airways Website: Navigate to the BA website to set up or access your Avios account.
- Contact Support for Portal Access: If you haven't received access via email, use the BA chatbot to request access to the Avios portal.
- Plan Your Bookings in Advance: Aim to book your flights 9-12 months in advance to secure prime locations and dates, especially for economy seats.
Maximising AMEX Points with Smart Hacks
Earning a companion voucher with AMEX requires spending a certain amount annually. Here's how to achieve this without overspending:
Achieving the £15,000 Spending Threshold
To qualify for a companion voucher, you need to hit £15,000 in annual spending. If your regular expenses don't reach this amount, consider the following hack:
Timing Your Travel Companion Voucher
Timing Your Travel Companion Voucher
One crucial aspect of maximising your travel companion voucher is timing. Once you receive your voucher, you have one year to book and embark on your trip. Proper planning ensures you make the most of this opportunity without missing out.
For example, if you accumulate over £15,000 in spending by December 2024, you must use your voucher by December 2025. While a year might seem ample, remember that securing the best flights often requires booking 9 to 12 months in advance. Tools like the SeatSpy application can help you find optimal flight deals, but timing is still critical.
Avoid the common pitfall of surpassing the £15,000 threshold before you're ready to book your flights. Don’t wait until the last minute to plan your trip. We learned this lesson the hard way: when we aimed to travel between late December and early January, we hit our spending limit in December. This prevented us from using our companion voucher for our next Christmas and New Year’s trip—a frustrating issue to resolve. To avoid such scenarios, ensure you plan your travel well within the voucher's validity period or be prepared to quickly accumulate points on another card if necessary.
The AMEX Points Hack
Set Up Two PayPal Accounts:
Set Up Two PayPal Accounts:
PayPal Account 1: Connect this account to your AMEX card.
PayPal Account 2: Link this account to your bank account and set it to auto-pay your AMEX bill monthly.
Transfer Funds Between Accounts:
Send money from PayPal Account 1 to PayPal Account 2 using your AMEX-connected card.
Withdraw the funds from PayPal Account 2 to your bank account.
Ensure Compliance:
Limit transfers to £2,500 per month.
Use separate PayPal accounts for two different individuals and have a legitimate reason for the transfers to avoid any issues.
Track Your Spending:
We maintained a spreadsheet to monitor our spending (as 2 people were both spending on 1 card) and also set up the direct debit monthly so we never paid the ludicrous interest rate on our AMEX purchases.
Additional Tips to Earn More Points
Refer Friends During Promotions:
Take advantage of referral programs, especially when they offer double points or special bonuses.
Strategic Point Usage:
Use accumulated points wisely, such as redeeming 70,000 points for flights to the Bahamas and utilising a companion voucher for additional savings.
Choice Points for Hotel Savings
Choice Points for Hotel Savings
In addition to flight rewards, we found that saving on hotel costs can significantly reduce our overall travel expenses. Choice Points offers a unique way to pay for hotels using points, providing substantial savings.
How Choice Points Work
Choice Points allowed us to purchase points, to redeem against our stay, for our hotel in the Bahamas. The only down side is that you can only use Choice Points for hotel stays 100 days before your trip, so this does leave a little bit of a delay between when you book your flight and have secured your hotel, but most hotels have availability so it's a risk worth taking. Here's how you can leverage this system:
Purchase Choice Points:
We bought 16,000 points per night, which drastically reduced our hotel costs.
Our Savings:
Regular Cost: $395 per night (including taxes)
With Choice Points: $100 for the room + $50 for taxes
Total Paid: $150
Savings: $245 per night
In total, we should have paid about $3,160 for our 8 night hotel stay but we actually spent approx $1,200 (using the Choice points) which is a saving on hotels of $1,960!
In total, we should have paid about $3,160 for our 8 night hotel stay but we actually spent approx $1,200 (using the Choice points) which is a saving on hotels of $1,960!
The Multiplayer Hack: Discount on a Discount
To maximise your savings, use the multiplayer hack when purchasing Choice Points:
Stack Discounts:
Combine Choice Points purchases with ongoing promotions or discounts to get a "discount on a discount!"
Example Strategy:
Purchase Choice Points during a promotional period offering bonus points or reduced prices. The more points you purchase, the cheaper they are!
This double discount approach can lead to even greater savings on your hotel stays. By implementing Choice Points, we massively reduced our hotel bill.
Real-World Success: Flying to the Bahamas with Avios and AMEX
By implementing the strategies above, me and my partner successfully accumulated 70,000 Avios points and secured a companion voucher, making our flights to Bahamas from the UK £300 for 2 people! These flights would have cost about £3,000 if we would have booked the flight normally through BA. That gave us a saving of approx £2,700! This allowed us to enjoy a memorable trip to the Bahamas without compromising on quality.
Benefits Observed
Cost-Effective Travel:
Significant savings on flight bookings through strategic point usage.
Enhanced Travel Experience:
We chose not to because we didn't think it was worth it, but that is a personal preference but you also have the ability to fly in premium classes without the hefty price tag, if you are prepared to use your points for that luxury.
Maximised Rewards:
Effective use of AMEX points to achieve higher spending thresholds without overspending.
Transform Your Travel with Smart Rewards Strategies
Maximising your Avios and credit card points requires strategic planning and the right tools. By leveraging SeatSpy for optimal flight bookings and employing clever AMEX hacks to achieve spending thresholds, you can significantly enhance your travel experience. Implement these proven strategies to secure the best deals, enjoy premium flights, and make the most of your rewards programs.
External Links
SeatSpy Official Website
British Airways Avois Programme
American Express Rewards
How to Use Avios Points
Companion Voucher Explained
Choice Points
External Links
SeatSpy Official Website
British Airways Avois Programme
American Express Rewards
How to Use Avios Points
Companion Voucher Explained
Choice Points
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