Bits: Avios / Tesco competition, 1200 free Avios with PayQwiq, Etihad ‘all A380’ from Heathrow

News in brief:

Avios.com launches its own Tesco conversion competition

We have already seen the competition launched by British Airways to encourage Avios transfers to British Airways Executive Club this quarter.  One person will win 1,000,000 Avios whilst 10 will win 10,000 points.

Avios.com has now launched its own competition.

This competition looks more generous so you may want to transfer your Clubcard vouchers into avios.com this quarter and move them across to BA via ‘Combine My Avios’.

Between 1st and 14th August, 10 people PER DAY will win 18,000 Avios points.  This means that there are 13 x more winners than with the BA competition.

You receive one entry for every £2.50 you exchange into Avios points via avios.com.  The link to convert is here.

Earn 1,200 Avios via Tesco with PayQwiq

If you are based in London or Edinburgh, you can earn 1,200 Avios points by signing up to the PayQwiq app and using it to make five purchases at Tesco before 16th October.

If you live elsewhere in the country then you miss out, but Tesco is hoping to launch PayQwiq nationwide soon.

Etihad to go ‘all A380’ this Autumn from Heathrow

According to this Business Traveller report, 20 of the 21 weekly Etihad flights a week from Heathrow will be operated by an A380 from 18th November.

This is presumably to bring the airline in line with Emirates which has a 100% A380 Heathrow service.

As I wrote, the Business Class Studio on the Etihad A380 is, in my view, the best business class seat out there.  Whilst I found the First Class Apartment to be too large (!) when I flew it, it also remains an amazing product to try.

As well as using Etihad Guest miles – they have a UK credit card and it is an American Express Membership Rewards and Heathrow Rewards partner – you can also book Etihad redemptions using American Airlines miles.

My plan for the Winter is to do an Emirates First Class / Etihad First Class comparison trip (yeah, I know, tough life) which would also let me visit the new Etihad First Class Lounge in Abu Dhabi.

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How to earn Etihad Guest miles from UK credit cards (April 2025)

Etihad Guest does not have a UK credit card.  However, you can earn Etihad Guest miles by converting Membership Rewards points earned from selected UK American Express cards.

Cards earning Membership Rewards points include:

• American Express Preferred Rewards Gold (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 20,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 20,000 Etihad Guest miles. This card is FREE for your first year and also comes with four free airport lounge passes.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

• The Platinum Card from American Express (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 50,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 50,000 Etihad Guest miles.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

• American Express Rewards credit card (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 10,000 Etihad Guest miles. This card is FREE for life.

Membership Rewards points convert at 1:1 into Etihad Guest miles which is an attractive rate.  The cards above all earn 1 Membership Rewards point per £1 spent on your card, which converts to 1 Etihad Guest mile.

The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card earns double points (2 per £1) on all flights you charge to it, not just with Etihad but with any airline.