What is a Curve Card? 70% Bonus Virgin Points and BA Amex Premium Spend Increase

Hello, Adventurous Travellers, and Happy Thursday!

This week, we've got a fantastic Virgin Red offer to share with you + BA Amex Updates. We’ll also help you decide whether a Curve card is right for you.

Hopefully, these offers will help you supercharge your travel rewards and make the most of your points.

Let's get started:

• Get a 70% Bonus When You Purchase Virgin Red Points Before 7th July: Boost your points with a 70% bonus and explore amazing rewards.

• BAPP Amex Sign-Up Bonus Permanently Increased to 30,000 Avios: The new sign-up bonus and key changes to the British Airways American Express Premium Plus card.

• Is the Curve Card Right for You? What is a Curve Card? What are the different cards available + how can Curve help you redeem credit card rewards?

Get a 70% Bonus When You Purchase Virgin Red Points Before 7th July

Virgin Red is offering an incredible deal to boost your points with a 70% bonus when you purchase points before 7th July. There's no better time to buy points.

The purchase limit of 100,000 points per year has been doubled to 200,000 points for the duration of this offer.

Until 4th August, the offer will continue, but the bonus will be reduced to 60%.

To unlock more value, combine purchases with points earned from other Virgin Red activities, such as shopping with partners.

Here are the current bonus tiers:

Points are £15 per 1000 points plus a one-off £15 transaction fee.

• 5,000-24,000 = 20% bonus points

• 25,000-69,000 = 40% bonus points

• 70,000 - 124,000 = 60% bonus points

• 125,000 - 200,000 = 70% bonus points

What You Could Buy With Your Virgin Points

Virgin Points can be used for flights, hotel stays, and experiences.

Flights

There are 12 guaranteed reward seats on EVERY flight.

• Fly Business to Paris with Air France from 4000 points + £37 or business class for 8000 points + £37.

• Fly to Amsterdam with KLM from 4000 points and £37.

• Fly to North Africa with Air France from 18,000 points.

• Fly to LA with Virgin for 30,000 points and £286.

Virgin Hotels

• A 2-night boutique escape for two from 50,000 points.

• Three nights on Richard Branson’s private island (Necker Island) from 630,000 points.

Experiences

• From 20,000 points, enjoy an unforgettable night at the world's no.1 music and entertainment venue with access to the exclusive Virgin Red Room.

• From 22,500 points, grab three friends and experience the UK's most thrilling theme park with over 25 rides and attractions.

Cruises

• 16-night Rome to Miami Voyage from 320,000 points

• 14-night Rome to Miami Voyage from 280,000 points

• Six nights from Portsmouth to Spain and France for 170,000 points.

How to Buy Virgin Red Points and Get Your Bonus

1. Log into Your Virgin Red Account: Visit the Virgin Red website or app and log into your account. You can sign up for free if you’re not a member yet.

2. Go to the Points Purchase Section: Find the option to purchase points under the “My Account” or “Points” tab.

3. Select the Amount of Points: Choose the number of points you wish to purchase. Virgin Red offers different tiers, and during this offer, you can buy up to 200,000 points per year, thanks to the doubled limit.

4. Complete the Purchase: Enter your payment information and confirm the purchase. Points, including bonus points, are typically added to your account within 24 hours but could take up to 7 days.

Combine Your Virgin Red and Virgin Atlantic Points

Linking your accounts will allow you to maximise rewards by easily transferring points between the two programs. Transfer points from Virgin Red to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club to top up your balance for a reward flight, or Use Virgin Red points for unique experiences like VIP events or adventure packages.

How to Link Virgin Red with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

1. Go to the account linking section in the Virgin Red app or website. Select the option to link your Virgin Atlantic Flying Club account.

2. Follow the prompts to enter your Flying Club account details and confirm the linking process.

BAPP Amex Sign-Up Bonus Permanently Increased to 30,000 Avios

The second announcement is that the sign-up bonus for the British Airways American Express Premium Plus card has been permanently increased to 30,000 Avios.

However, there are also some more major changes:

• To be eligible for the bonus, you must spend £6,000 in the first three months, double the previous £3000. The spend has also doubled from £1000 to £2000 for the free card.

• From 1st August, new or existing cardholders will pay an increased fee of £300 from £250 on their next renewal.

• A new higher £15,000 spend threshold for a 2-4-1 companion voucher. If you haven’t triggered your current voucher by 31st October, the target jumps to £15,000 on 1st November, even if you were just £1 short.

If this card tempts you, the minimum income is £35,000 per year for the premium card and £20,000 for the free card. 

What is a Curve Card? + New 1% Cashback Offer

Curve is an all-in-one payment card that links to most credit AND debit cards, so you only need to carry one card. 

Curve is not a current account like Revolut, Monzo, or Starling. It’s an intermediary card linking your existing cards.

Curve cards are really good for overseas spending, and you can earn reward points on your credit card at places that don’t accept credit cards!

There are several Curve cards to choose from, including a free option

The Benefits of Having a Curve Card

• Universal Acceptance: Use Curve anywhere Mastercard is accepted, including places where credit cards may not be accepted, as Curve appears as a Mastercard debit card.

• Overseas Spending: Spend fee-free abroad on weekdays up to £250 per month. Curve uses the near-perfect Mastercard exchange rate. ATM withdrawals abroad cost £2 or 2% per withdrawal, whichever is higher. 

• Rewards and Points: Earn rewards on your existing credit cards, even at places that don’t accept credit cards, by using Curve. 

• 'Go Back in Time' Feature: Move transactions from one card to another up to four months after making a purchase.

• Anti-Embarrassment Mode: Set a backup card to avoid declines. Curve will automatically switch to your backup card if your primary card is declined.

• Foreign Transaction Fees: Only 1% on foreign transactions, lower than the typical 3% charged by most UK & European credit cards. Curve processes transactions in your local currency.

• Cash Withdrawals: Cash withdrawals on your Curve debit Mastercard are treated as purchases on your linked card. Free for £200 per 30-day period on the free plan.

• Pay Government Bills: Use Curve to pay bills where credit cards aren’t usually accepted, such as taxes, allowing you to earn rewards on these transactions.

How to Use Curve

1. Register and Link Cards: Sign up for Curve, link your existing Visa and Mastercard cards, and receive your physical Curve Mastercard.

2. Set Default Card or Choose Before Paying: Set a default card or select a specific card via the app before making a purchase.

3. Spend and Earn: Use Curve for transactions to earn rewards on your linked cards, enjoy lower foreign transaction fees, and have added flexibility.

The 1% Cashback Offer

When you invite a friend, you can now earn cashback on ALL your spending for 30 days. They will also get 1% cashback for 30 days.

Final Words

Keep exploring, and we’ll keep bringing you the best ways to get the most out of your travel adventures.

Safe travels, and always aim for the upgrade! 

Bye for now!