Let's Just Go

How to save your points and miles and make them go further!

I funded most of my long haul trip to Asia in January and February 2026 by using a points-earning strategy – which anyone else can do!

I have been a member of the British Airways Executive Club for a number of years, earning Silver status with them for the past few years – which allows for free seat choices with any booking, access to lounges no matter what class you are flying, earning extra Avios (the British Airways, Iberia, Finnair, Qatar and Aer Lingus equivalent of points or air-miles) on each flight, and earlier boarding than most other passengers.

In December 2024, BA announced that the Executive Club would be “enhanced” – and re-named to the Club (loss of executive!) with a whole raft of other changes. For now I am not going to discuss these changes but will come back to this later on!

One of the best ways to get value for money for your flights is to use an airline branded credit card, to help you accrue points. You can then use these points to spend on Reward Flights with the airline – paying for the flight with points/miles, but paying a small amount in cash to cover airline and airport taxes.

British Airways have two co-branded cards with American Express – here are the details of the benefits of using one of the two cards.

Blue / Economy Reward Credit Card

The Blue BA Amex card lets you earn 1 Avios per £1 purchased on it, to help towards redeeming them for flights. The Avios are transferred to your BA account once a month, at the start of the month.

If you spend £15,000 in a year on the card, you are eligible to receive what is called the “Companion Voucher” – a voucher letting you purchase a flight or trip for two people for the avios price of one, in Economy – and can be redeemed on any flight where there is availability. If you are a solo traveller you can use it for 50% off of your trip. There are no yearly fees, and you can also collect 5000 bonus avios when you spend £2000 in the first three months, on your card.

For an example – at the beginning of 2026 (after some flight cost in Avios have increased) – here are some destinations and the cost in Avios for off peak (usually not school-holiday) and peak (usually school holiday) travel times:

I have not listed European destinations here – as you are getting a half-price ticket it is much better to spend this on a long-haul trip rather than a shorter one!

So, if you’re a solo traveller it would only cost you 60,500 avios to travel on a return ticket in peak times to Sydney via Singapore, plus £320 in taxes.

If you are a couple, it would only cost you together 88,000 avios plus £540 for a return trip to Buenos Aires!

Black / Premium Plus Reward Credit Card

There is also the British Airways Premium Plus credit card – which has a few more benefits and a few more drawbacks! The points accrued each month are transferred over to your BA account once a month, at the start of the month.

The Black BA Amex earns you 1.5 Avios per £1 spent on it, on general purchases, and 3 Avios per £1 spent on British Airways flights, and British Airways Holidays.

If you spend £15,000 in a year on the card, you are eligible to receive the “Companion Voucher” – a voucher letting you purchase a flight or trip for two people for the avios price of one, in Premium Economy, Business, or First – and can be redeemed on any flight where there is availability. If you are a solo traveller you can use it for 50% off of your trip.

There is a £300 yearly fee, taken at the start of your credit agreement and on the same date every year after, and you can also collect 30,000 bonus avios when you spend £6000 in the first three months on your card.

If you are interested in signing up for the card – please click here to use my referral code and sign up for the credit card.

Here are some current (Early 2026) Avios prices for some longhaul destinations across the world for Premium Economy seats:

So, if you’re a solo traveller it would only cost you 126,500 avios to travel in a Premium Economy seat on a return ticket in peak times to Sydney via Singapore, plus £550 in taxes.

If you are a couple, it would only cost you together 121,000 avios plus £1000 to travel in a Premium Economy class seat on an off peak return trip to Buenos Aires!

And lastly, here’s the equivalents to fly on a points redemption in Business class:

So, if you’re a solo traveller it would only cost you 187,000 avios to travel in a business class seat on a return ticket in peak times to Sydney via Singapore, plus £1000 in taxes.

If you are a couple, it would only cost you together 242,000 avios plus £1340 to travel in a business class seat on an off peak return trip to Buenos Aires!

If you are looking to go on a long-haul trip using this strategy, it helps to get the most Avios you possibly can. Check out Other Methods to Earn Avios too – this will help your balance get to what you need for a redemption!