Smart With Points Podcast - Boost Your Miles & Points

Welcome to Smart With Points, the podcast that helps you travel the world using miles and points. I'm your host Jack, and if you've ever wondered whether booking a holiday ten months in advance is excessive, well, you're clearly not a points enthusiast. Because today, we're diving into British Airways' just-announced summer two thousand and twenty-six schedule, and trust me, for those of us who get genuinely excited about award seat releases, this is the sweet spot territory we live for.

British Airways has just dropped their summer two thousand and twenty-six schedule, and whilst booking holidays ten months in advance might seem excessive to some, for us points enthusiasts, this is precisely the sweet spot for snagging those elusive award seats. Having spent the last few years navigating BA's award availability, sometimes successfully, sometimes less so, I've learned that these schedule announcements are absolute gold dust for planning future redemptions.

Let's start with the headline news that has me particularly excited. Bangkok is transitioning from a winter-only route to year-round service from Gatwick. We're talking three times weekly in summer, bumping up to six times weekly in winter. That's nearly sixty thousand additional seats annually.

Now, why does this matter for points collectors? Bangkok is already one of the better value long-haul redemptions at thirty-five thousand Avios in economy or one hundred thousand in business class. With more frequencies, we should see improved award availability, particularly in those shoulder seasons when the weather's still decent but the crowds have thinned.

Plus, with BA's expanded codeshare with Bangkok Airways, you can now seamlessly connect to Phuket, Phnom Penh, or even further afield. Here's a pro tip: these onwards connections often price separately, so you might find better value booking Bangkok to Phuket as a cash ticket or using a different programme entirely.

Moving on to the Caribbean and Americas, Jamaica gets an extra weekly service from Gatwick, now four times weekly, whilst Miami returns to double-daily from Heathrow. For those of us chasing tier points, these Caribbean routes from Gatwick are particularly interesting. They're operated by BA's seven seven sevens with the older Club World product, but at one hundred and forty tier points in business class, based on the lowest fare bands, they're solid options for maintaining status.

Miami going double-daily is brilliant news. It's already one of the easier US destinations to find award space to, and doubling the frequency should help even more. At thirty thousand Avios off-peak in economy or ninety thousand in business class, plus taxes, it remains one of the better value US redemptions, especially if you can snag a Club Suite seat on the newer aircraft.

Kingston, Jamaica also prices at thirty thousand Avios off-peak in economy or ninety thousand in business, consistent with other Caribbean destinations. With the additional flights, the airline is adding over three hundred seats weekly for customers travelling between Jamaica and London.

The Middle East sees massive growth with Bahrain going daily, more than doubling current service, Riyadh hitting fourteen weekly flights, and Doha matching that frequency. Here's where it gets interesting for points strategy: these Middle East routes are often overlooked for award redemptions, meaning availability can be decent.

Bahrain, at twenty-five thousand Avios in economy off-peak plus taxes, is actually priced the same as Dubai and Doha, making it decent value for the region. Plus, with Oman Air being a oneworld partner, you've got excellent onwards connections throughout the Middle East.

The Doha expansion to fourteen weekly is particularly noteworthy given Qatar Airways' oneworld membership. Whilst I'd generally recommend flying Qatar's own metal to Doha, their Q-suites are phenomenal, having BA as a backup option for award bookings is valuable, especially during peak periods. Both Doha and Dubai price at twenty-five thousand Avios off-peak in economy or eighty thousand in business.

Looking at these expansions through my BA Gold status lens, here's what excites me most. First, better positioning opportunities. More flights generally mean more award space, but they also create better positioning opportunities. That daily Bahrain service? Perfect for connecting to the Maldives or Sri Lanka on other oneworld carriers.

Second, tier point runs. Those considering tier point runs should mark their calendars. Austin and San Diego going fourteen times weekly creates more opportunities for those lucrative US West Coast runs. Both destinations require thirty thousand Avios off-peak in economy or ninety thousand in business.

Third, off-peak sweet spots. With increased frequencies, hunting for off-peak award space becomes easier. You can use Award Travel Finder to track availability across multiple dates. I've found it invaluable for spotting patterns in BA's release schedule.

What BA hasn't mentioned, but what's worth noting, is how these expansions position them against competitors. Virgin Atlantic already flies to Austin and Miami, whilst Emirates and Qatar dominate Middle East routes. More BA flights mean more competition, which historically has led to better award availability as airlines work to fill seats.

Don't overlook the winter two thousand and twenty-five additions of Rabat and Graz. Rabat, in particular, could be a hidden gem. Morocco in winter is delightful, and at just thirteen thousand seven hundred and fifty Avios in economy off-peak, plus fifty pence in taxes, it's excellent value.

Graz, as an Austrian destination, would likely price at nine thousand two hundred and fifty Avios off-peak in economy, opening up easy access to Austrian skiing without the Innsbruck crowds.

So when should you book? BA typically releases award seats three hundred and fifty-five days in advance, meaning summer two thousand and twenty-six availability should start appearing from early September two thousand and twenty-five. Set those calendar reminders now.

These schedule expansions feel substantial and strategic. BA seems to be doubling down on leisure destinations whilst maintaining strong business routes. For points collectors, more flights almost always mean more opportunities.

My plan? I'm eyeing that year-round Bangkok service for a winter two thousand and twenty-six escape. At thirty-five thousand Avios in economy or one hundred thousand in business off-peak, it's reasonable value for Southeast Asia. With my Amex cards working overtime to build my Avios balance, and these new routes opening up, two thousand and twenty-six is shaping up to be a very good year for redemptions.

The key takeaway? Start planning now. With award space for summer two thousand and twenty-six opening soon, having a strategy ready means you'll be first in the queue when those seats drop. And trust me, for routes like Bangkok and Miami, you'll want to be quick.

If you're interested in any of the credit cards I mentioned, you can find links to current sign-up bonuses in the show notes.

Thanks for listening to Smart With Points. If you enjoyed today's episode, please subscribe to the podcast on all major platforms or visit our website at smartwithpoints.co.uk. Until next time, happy booking, and may the award space odds be ever in your favour.

Looking for the best award flights? Use AwardTravelFinder.com to search availability across Qatar Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and more. Try it for free with our link in the shownotes.