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NEWS & OFFERS: Earn Avios with Natwest, Global Entry rise, Easy 250 Avios and Offers on Marriott’s Vegas hotels

Earn Avios with Natwest

One thing I have not covered recently is how you can earn Avios with Natwest. The option to earn Avios disappeared for a while, but it is now back with a new exchange rate.

To earn Avios, it requires you to have one of the Natwest Rewards bank accounts or credit cards:

  • a Reward, Reward Silver, Reward Platinum, Premier Reward or Premier Reward Black account (monthly fee applies).
  • a Reward credit card. Representative 31.0% APR (variable). Annual fee applies – but we’ll refund it if you have a Reward current account.
  • a Reward Black credit card. Representative 40.7% APR (variable). Annual fee applies – but we’ll refund it if you have a Premier Reward Black current account. 

You earn rewards for different things:

  • Earn £4 in Rewards a month when you pay 2 or more Direct Debits from your Reward account – 2 of those Direct Debits need to be at least £2 each.
  • Earn £1 in Rewards a month by logging into your mobile banking app once a month.
  • Earn between 1-15% in Rewards when you use your debit card to spend at partner retailers.

Black accounts/cards earn more.

You can then exchange for Avios with the British Airways Executive Club at the following rates:

£10 Rewards = 900 Avios when you exchange with the British Airways Executive Club

£20 Rewards = 1,800 Avios when you exchange with the British Airways Executive Club

£50 Rewards = 4,500 Avios when you exchange with the British Airways Executive Club

Exchange balances are in increments of £10, £20 or £50 Rewards which equate to an Avios voucher of 900 Avios, 1,800 Avios or 4,500 Avios. Avios points will be credited to your British Airways Executive Club account within 2 working days.

You can find further details here.

 

Global Entry price rise

Tom Bradley International Terminal Los Angeles at Los Angeles Airport

If you travel to the US every year and hate the immigration queues, I can’t recommend Global Entry highly enough. At many airports, such as Los Angeles, you walk straight up to a cubicle, stare at the screen, and a few seconds later, you are free to go. You may occasionally get asked a question by the officer at the exit, but that’s it. Not only this, but you also get TSA Pre-check security, which means usually a shorter queue, and you don’t need to take anything out of your hand luggage or take off shoes/coats, etc. 

The program gives you five years of access for $100 total, plus the fee for a UK security check. You can apply online, but you will need an interview, which can be done on arrival at most major US airports and last around 10 minutes. 

The price is due to rise to $120 on 1 October, so if you have been considering it, you may want to do it now to save the price rise. 

 

Easy 250 Avios

If you are a member of the BA Executive Club but not a member of Marriott Bonvoy, you can get 250 Avios when you sign up. You could also get a member of your household account to apply if you are already a member. 

However, you will need to select Avios as your earning preference when you join. This means that you will not earn Marriott points, but you will instead earn Avios. If you had been thinking about switching to Marriott for your stays, you may want to switch the earning back to Bonvoy points once the bonus comes through.

The bonus should be credited within 60 days. You can find the sign-up form here.

HT: Head for Points

 

Offers on Marriott’s Vegas hotels (and elsewhere)

Aria Sky Suites Las Vegas review
Aria Spa pool

I have written a number of times about the MGM/Marriott partnership in Las Vegas and beyond which sees most of the MGM hotels on the strip get Marriott Bonvoy benefits and be bookable using Marriott points.

Most luxury and mid-range Marriott brands are bookable through our luxury travel agent partner, GTC, with extra benefits, which is ideal if you don’t have high (or any) Marriott status. Even if you do have status, it is worth using these rates in Vegas as Marriott don’t offer the full Bonvoy benefits at MGM hotels. 

The STARS and Luminous schemes are only bookable through select travel agents and give extra perks depending on the brand.

STARS

This is available for the following hotel brands: BVLGARI, EDITION, The Luxury Collection, The Ritz-Carlton, The Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and St. Regis properties

  • $100 USD or USD equivalent property credit per stay (conversion rate is determined by the hotel)

  • Priority for complimentary room upgrade (based on availability upon arrival)

  • Daily complimentary breakfast for 2 guests per day

  • Complimentary WIFI

  • Personalized welcome amenity & letter

  • Early Check-in/late Check-out, based on availability

Luminous

This scheme is applicable to Autograph Collection, Le Meridien, Marriott, Renaissance, Tribute Portfolio Hotels, W Hotels, and Westin properties. 

  • Room upgrade, subject to availability at check-in

  • $100 USD or USD equivalent property credit, per stay (conversion rate is determined by the hotel – credit available at select properties)

  • Daily complimentary breakfast for 2 guests per day

  • Complimentary WIFI

  • Local welcome amenity

 

MGM hotels Las Vegas

Now, there are number of MGM hotels on the strip available under these schemes:

Luminous

  • ARIA Resort & Casino, Autograph Collection,
  • MGM Grand Hotel & Casino,
  • Vdara Hotel & Spa,
  • Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and
  • Park MGM Las Vegas, a Tribute Portfolio Resort

These hotels require two nights or more for Marriott Luminous benefits and will offer:

  • a $100 resort credit (once per stay),
  • room upgrade if available
  • check-in and early check-in and late check-out, if available.

STARS

  • ARIA Sky Suites
  • Skylofts at MGM Grand
  • The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
  • Bellagio, a Luxury Collection Resort & Casino 

You will receive:

  • $100 resort credit (once per stay),
  • up to a $60 daily breakfast credit,
  • room upgrade if available at check-in
  • early check-in and late check-out, if available.

You can check pricing with GTC here.

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15 comments

  1. Have you done an article before, Michelle, about Global Entry?

    A quick search shows there’s a £42 application fee to UK Govt before you can apply for the GE, with a non-refundable $100 application fee – which is quite an outlay for a potential knockback from CBP

    1. I’ve talked about it a few times but not done a specific stand alone article. I’ve not known anyone be refused so far. Obviously if you have something like a criminal record you may be but otherwise rejections seem to be very rare. Yes you have to apply for the UK check first. When you add up the cost over 5 years I think it’s very reasonable.

  2. Hello,

    I don’t think this offer – Earn Avios with Natwest is available, I have a Natwest Reward Platinum account and the only airline reward available is for Emirates (this can be accessible when you go to exchange options in my reward dashboard – See details below
    Exchanges can be done in increments of £10, £50 or £100 Rewards equivalent to 770 Skywards Miles, 3,850 Skywards Miles or 7,700 Skywards Miles.. More information on this can be found here. https://myrewards.natwest.com/Redeem/Item/7288. I can’t see anywhere with the offer for Avios conversion, please point me to where and how to get this

    Thanks

      1. Yes I was aware they scrapped it but recently it has reappaeared on the official Natwest Rewards page as a partner. It may be a mistake or they have put it there before it comes back. I will try to find out.

  3. The application waiting time for Global Entry seems to be a lottery – myself and my partner applied 3 days apart in early January this year. I got provisionally approved in 5 working days and I’m having my interview on arrival in Boston next month, but she is still waiting to hear back! 🤷‍♂️

    1. That’s unusual now. Mosty people I hear applyimng recently have had similar timescales to yours.

  4. 15 April just checked my NATWEST REWARDS and no option to trade for Avios
    only airline is EMIRATES

    1. It is interesting as it is showing as one of the reward partners in the main Rewards page.

      1. Hi Michelle, I can see the details when I follow the link you give, but when I log into my Natwest Rewards account, the option is not there for Avios, only airline is Emirates. Seems very strange.

  5. I have been a black card holder for many years and have exchanged into avios before. Today, I see only options with Emirates.

  6. I can’t sign-up the OH for Marriott Bonvoy; the error msg says the BAEC number is invalid. It isn’t.

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