As Christmas approaches, Hannah Taylor, 27, is preparing to step on a 10-hour flight to Atlanta in the US to spend the New Year with her partner’s family in nearby Alabama.
Christmas is expensive enough without factoring in the cost of transatlantic flights. Yet Hannah is feeling fortunate this year to have cut the cost significantly by using reward points.
She and her partner, Emma, usually make an annual trip to the US to see Emma’s family, and this year Hannah has managed to cover one return ticket using points – a saving of around £900. The couple are splitting the price of Emma’s ticket.
Hannah, a proposal manager who lives in London, has managed to get the free return flight from Heathrow to Atlanta by building up reward points through Virgin Red, the rewards programme offered by Virgin.
By combining points from train travel, high-street spending and other loyalty partners, Hannah has collected around 60,000 points in a year.
Hannah Taylor travels to America to stay with her partner’s familyAs well as the upcoming Atlanta flight, Hannah has also used the points to book two free return trips to Seattle in the summer for a three-week break in July, saving about £1,400 on the couple’s flights. The only cost they will have to pay is taxes, which come in at around £450.
“At the end of the year, money can feel tighter but at the same time we always book an annual trip to the US to see Emma’s family. Points make it feel like I’m getting something back from day-to-day spending,” says Hannah, who has been with Emma for four years.
Hannah also has a Virgin credit card and American Express (Amex) card, which each offer points on everyday spending. Amex points can be converted into points with a variety of airlines including Virgin. Hannah repays the spending on her cards in full each month to avoid interest charges.
“I travel a lot for work by train, and for years I booked everything through the Trainline platform without really thinking about it. Then earlier this year, I realised I could book trains through Virgin’s app and collect points that feed into Virgin Atlantic points.
“That was a game-changer because train travel is one of those unavoidable costs. If I’m going to spend the money anyway, I’d rather it quietly helps fund the December flight home. Emma can also add her train bookings too. We set up a household account, so the points go into one shared pot.”
Hannah and Emma, who works in compliance, will spend Christmas in the UK this year before flying out to Atlanta on the 27th. They will then travel a further short journey by car to Emma’s family in Birmingham, Alabama.
The plan is to have another Christmas celebration with Emma’s family, which will involve local favourites such as green bean casserole and sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows.
Hannah says the key to being successful with rewards points is to plan ahead. She typically books reward flights about six months in advance, when availability is better, and says she’s never had any problems getting the flight she wants.
When booking with points, you’ll always pay taxes and some fees charged by the carrier, although Hannah says it’s still worth it because you’ll get a hefty discount.
“If you’re in a similar situation where you travel for work or you regularly travel to see family, then this kind of easy points-earning adds up without you really changing your life. It can meaningfully change what you can afford, and how often you can see the people who matter,” says Hannah.
How reward schemes work
Reward schemes are typically offered by companies directly (such as retailers, airlines or hotels) or by credit cards that let you earn points on your spending.
The reward scheme might offer a certain number of points for every £1 you spend with the company or selected partners. You can then exchange these points for a freebie or discount.
Airline rewards, also known as frequent flyer schemes, allow you to collect points or miles when you fly – and often when you spend with partner companies such as supermarkets or hotels.
These points can usually be exchanged for perks such as free or discounted flights, seat upgrades, lounge access or hotel stays.
You still have to pay taxes and some fees on flights though, and only a limited number of reward tickets are available.
Virgin Red, for example, is free to join. Members collect Virgin points when spending across Virgin brands and partner brands including Dyson, Asos, Apple, M&S and John Lewis. The earning rates vary depending on the retailer. Spending using the Virgin Atlantic Credit Card can boost points further.
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These points can be exchanged for experiences, Eurostar vouchers, airline tickets and holidays. At the top end, 310,000 points will get you a seven-night cruise in the Caribbean.
American Express also offers a popular reward scheme. Amex credit card points can be exchanged across multiple airlines, retailers and travel operators. Some Amex cards are free but some charge an annual fee.
The Amex Gold card, for example, offers 4 airport lounge passes a year, 1 point for every £1 you spend and comes with a £195 annual fee (but is free for the first year).
The British Airways American Express Credit Card has no annual fee and allows you to collect 1 Avios point for every £1 spent. These points can be exchanged for reward flights and upgrades with BA and partners.
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