Smart With Points Podcast - Boost Your Miles & Points

Welcome to Smart With Points, the podcast that helps you travel the world for less using miles and points. I'm Jack, and today I've got some exciting news that might just save you money and earn you some serious points. We're talking about a massive American Express bonus that's just doubled, some significant changes coming to travel fees, and why Gatwick Airport's latest approval could mean better award flights for all of us. Let's dive straight in.

First up, and this is a big one - American Express has just doubled the sign-up bonus on their Gold Credit Card to forty thousand Membership Rewards points. Now, if you transfer these to British Airways, that's forty thousand Avios right there. Even better? The first year's fee is completely waived. You'll need to spend five thousand pounds within six months to trigger this bonus, but for anyone who's been thinking about getting an Amex card or wondering about their eligibility, this is a fantastic opportunity to seriously boost your points balance. If you're interested in this offer, you can get the card by clicking the link in our show notes.

Now, let's talk about some changes at Gatwick Airport that could be great news for UK travellers. Gatwick has just received approval to convert its emergency runway into a proper second runway. This is massive - it should mean more flight options and, crucially for us points and miles enthusiasts, potentially better award availability in the future. More flights generally mean more award seats, so this could be a real win for anyone looking to use their points for flights from London.

Here's something that needs your immediate attention if you're planning any trips to the United States. The ESTA fee is jumping from twenty-one dollars to forty dollars from the thirtieth of September. That's nearly double the current fee. If you're even thinking about visiting the US in the next two years, my advice is to get your ESTA application in before this increase kicks in. An ESTA lasts for two years, so even if you're not travelling immediately, it's worth sorting this out now to save yourself nineteen dollars.

In other news, there's been some interesting developments in the fintech world that might affect some of you. Curve's one hundred and twenty million pound sale to Lloyds Banking Group is now in doubt as shareholders are pushing for a change in CEO. Curve, if you're not familiar, is the card that lets you combine all your other cards into one, and many points enthusiasts use it for manufactured spending. We'll keep an eye on how this develops.

That's all from me today. Thanks for listening to Smart With Points. If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast on all major platforms, or visit our website at smartwithpoints.co.uk to stay updated with the latest UK miles and points news.

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.