easyJet has just been added to aether's checked-baggage list at Manchester - which means you can now do the whole private terminal thing (private check-in, own security, chauffeured BMW to the plane, Adam Reid menu) on a low-cost fare with a hold bag, without ever setting foot in T2.

The Inclusive package is from £199 per person. That's the bit I keep going back and forth on.

For a solo traveller facing a 6am departure, or a proper special occasion, I can see it. For a family of four it's £796 before you've bought a single flight - which is a lot for two hours to Alicante.

There's also a workaround worth knowing: aether works with any airline on a cabin-baggage-only basis, and easyJet offers twilight bag drop at Manchester the night before. Drop the bag in the main terminal the evening before, turn up at aether the next morning as "hand baggage only", pay the cheaper way in.

We also put this on Instagram here if you want the short version.

So - genuine question for the Manchester flyers here:

• Has anyone actually been through aether? Worth it?

• What's your personal price point where this stops being silly and starts being sensible?

• Anyone tried the twilight check-in route into aether already?

Full write-up attached below.

New Marriott Bonvoy / Emirates Skywards promo went live on 15 July. Register, complete one eligible paid stay by 30 September, and you get 5,000 bonus points.

The terms are specific about a few things worth knowing before you get excited:

• You need to register first — bookings made before the promo period count, but only stays consumed during it.

• Award nights and Cash + Points nights don't qualify. It has to be an eligible paid stay.

• If you're set to earn Skywards Miles rather than points, you're not eligible.

• Points credit two to four weeks after the promo ends, not after your stay.

Now the odd bit. I registered yesterday and 5,000 points landed in my account today — no qualifying stay involved. That directly contradicts the payout timing in the terms, so I'm not calling it a bug yet. It could be a system quirk, or it could be something unrelated in my account posting at the same time and me joining dots that aren't there.

Registering is free and takes about ten seconds, so there's no downside to getting signed up either way. But don't book a stay expecting instant points — the terms are clear that a paid stay is required and that crediting happens well after September.

Register here

Has anyone else had a 5k posting land early on this? Keen to know if it's real or if I've misread my own activity feed.

Hi, I'm Kelvin from Belfast.

Love to travel when I get the opportunity. Currently have 2 x cap on tap cards from my two pubs and am amassing approx 15-20k cap on tap points on an average week - transferrable to Avios or Virgin. Have approx 1m points at the moment plus 100k Avios in Aer Lingus and BA clubs.

Thinking of an Asian Cruise next April to celebrate my 50th so trying to find ways for 4 of us to travel business class to departure port and back (if we can)

Hello! I’m Fiona from Manchester and new to points. I am saving Virgin and Amex points to try and reduce the cost / increase the comfort of my family of five’s flights from

Manchester to Orlando next July. Tough ask I understand, so any tips would be very welcome!

I am based in Cambridgeshire UK and am looking forward to hearing everyone’s ideas and travel plans.

Ask your questions and we will try to help. Answers should be easier to find too and you will be able to search for help.

As for me? I am currently in limbo travel wise as we have an old doggie that we can no longer leave with anyone when we go away. So the points and the vouchers are building up, waiting for a future trip.

With BA, Qatar and Virgin all tinkering with their programmes lately, there's plenty to chew over.

Quick one to start: if you had 100,000 Avios burning a hole right now, where would you spend them — and why?

Short-haul Club Europe efficiency, a Qatar long-haul splurge, or holding out for an Avios-only flight? Make your case below.

New to points, or just hit a wall on a booking? This is the channel to ask — no question is too basic.

To get the best answer fast, it helps to include:

• Where you're flying from and to, and rough dates

• What points/miles or cards you already have

• What you've tried so far

Post your question below and the community will jump in. 👇

Let's get this channel rolling. 🔥

Drop your best-value points redemption ever below — the one that still makes you grin. Route, cabin, points paid, and roughly what the cash fare would've been.

I'll start: happy to compare notes on the Qatar Q-Suites sweet spots and where Avios still punches above its weight right now. What's yours?

Welcome aboard! This is the new home for the Smart With Points community — the place to swap deals, ask questions, and figure out how to actually use your Avios, miles and hotel points to travel better.

Start here: introduce yourself

Start a new post in this channel and tell us:

• Your name and where you're based

• What points or miles you're sitting on right now (or if you're starting from zero — equally welcome)

• The one trip you're dreaming of booking with them

Post it as its own thread rather than a comment here — that way everyone can see it and jump in. Someone will always reply. 👇

What goes where

• Deals & Sweet Spots — found a great redemption or a live sale? Share it.

• Ask the Community (Q&A) — stuck on a booking or a transfer? Ask here.

• Avios & Airlines — BA, Qatar, Virgin, frequent flyer chat.

• Hotels & Status — Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and status runs.

• Newsletters — every Smart With Points issue, as it goes out.

House rules (keep it good)

• Be helpful and kind. We were all beginners once.

• No spam, no referral-link dumping, no self-promo without permission.

• Deals and data points welcome — dodgy schemes are not.