AMEX Gold
Free Year 1, 20k MR bonus, transfers 1:1 to 13+ airlines. Best starter card. Four lounge passes, £120 Deliveroo credit.
BA Amex Premium Plus
£300 fee, 1.5 Avios/£1, Companion Voucher at £15k spend. The most valuable UK credit card benefit for couples flying premium cabins.
Amex Membership Rewards Strategy
The master currency connecting every programme on this site. 13 UK transfer partners mapped — Avios, Virgin Points, Flying Blue, Etihad at 1:1, KrisFlyer at 3:2, Emirates at 2:1. Plus the five US-only partners UK cards cannot reach.
Buying Points
Every major programme lets you buy points directly. Here’s when the maths works, when it doesn’t, and the decision framework to use before spending a penny.
Partners
Beyond shopping portals, direct partnerships with hotels, car hire companies, Airbnb and retail programmes create earning streams that require nothing more than linking your loyalty number.
Transfers
Transfers move points from flexible earning currencies into airline or hotel programmes, or reposition them within partner networks. Used at the right moment, they unlock availability, improve pricing and preserve booking flexibility.