This page explains the practical, real-world strategy behind how personal and business spending is routed to earn travel rewards, hotel points, Avios, transferable points and loyalty benefits.
The purpose of this page is not to encourage unnecessary spending. The aim is to show how normal spending can be organised more intelligently so that money already being spent contributes towards future travel.
The basic idea
Most of the points and loyalty benefits used across Hotel Motel Holiday Ian come from a combination of personal spending, business spending, selected current-account benefits, hotel loyalty programmes and carefully chosen reward cards.
The strategy is not about collecting points for the sake of it. It is about deciding where each type of spend should go: Avios for flights and companion vouchers, IHG points for hotel stays, transferable points for flexibility, and selected loyalty conversions for extra mileage from everyday spending.
Two Holiday Inn Express mattress runs in Bristol
In June 2026 I booked two separate one-night stays at Holiday Inn Express Bristol – Filton to move closer to an IHG One Rewards milestone. Both were mattress runs: the qualifying nights were the main reason for booking. What is a mattress run and why would I do one? explains the calculation and the limits.
| Stay | Room cost | Posted stay points | Qualifying points | Qualifying nights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-15 June 2026 | £55.29 | 1,238 | 619 | 1 |
| 21-22 June 2026 | £60.14 | 1,346 | 673 | 1 |
| Total | £115.43 | 2,584 | 1,292 | 2 |
I had the included breakfast on both mornings, which added practical value to the nights. I also received 300 welcome-amenity points on each stay, and the first stay posted a 2,000-point promotional bonus. The combined result was 5,184 points: 2,584 stay points + 2,000 promotion points + 600 amenity points. Of these, 1,292 were elite-qualifying points. A further 2,000-point promotional bonus had not appeared in the record checked on 24 June, so it is not included. The IHG activity also displayed a zero-point “Overlapping stay” entry for each night; the qualifying-night total nevertheless rose by two.
After a £75 Amex statement credit, the cost was £40.43 for both rooms (£115.43 − £75), or about £20.22 per qualifying night before assigning any value to the points or the breakfasts I actually had. This was a particular card offer, not a normal mattress-run price. I was working towards the 40-night IHG milestone and its Annual Lounge Membership, so the value of the nights depended on actually reaching and using that benefit.
How referral links fit into the site
Some of the products I use have referral links. Where that is the case, the site should make those links easy to find, but they should be included naturally and honestly. The strongest approach is to explain how each product was used in real trips, then link to the detailed product page for readers who want to apply or learn more.
For example, a trip report could say: “As usual, I had my Airalo eSIM ready before we landed,” or “This hotel was paid for using my American Express Business Platinum card, which helped earn transferable Membership Rewards points.” Those mentions can then link to the relevant page on the site.
This means the commercial side of the site is built around genuine use rather than generic affiliate-style recommendations.
If you want to compare the main UK business cards and accounts side by side, see my UK business cards and bank accounts for travel rewards guide.
Products I use
- British Airways American Express Premium Plus personal card: used to earn Avios and work towards a British Airways Companion Voucher. See my full guide for the fee, earning rate, Companion Voucher rules and the October 2026 changes.
- IHG One Rewards Revolut Elite card: used to earn IHG One Rewards points on eligible card spending, with a focus on hotel stays and wider travel value. Spending on the IHG co-branded card earns IHG points rather than RevPoints. See my standalone IHG Revolut guide for the points, status, spend rewards and foreign-currency rules.
- Barclays Premier current account: used as part of an Avios-earning banking setup.
- American Express Business Platinum: used for business spending, transferable Membership Rewards points and travel benefits including airport lounge access. See my standalone Amex Business Platinum guide for travel credits, hotel status, lounges, FHR, insurance, employee cards and the current referral link. The personal Platinum guide is separate.
- Capital on Tap Business card: used for business spending and transferable points. This is particularly useful where American Express acceptance is not ideal or for foreign-currency spend. See my standalone Capital on Tap guide for Free vs Pro, Daily Repay, Bill Pay, transfer partners and the current referral link.
Waiting for transfer bonuses
Where I can choose when to convert flexible points, I watch for limited-time transfer bonuses. I used a 30% Amex to Virgin Points bonus in November 2024 and a 30% Capital on Tap to Qatar Avios bonus in June 2026. I also received a March 2026 Capital on Tap offer for a boosted 1:4 Radisson Rewards conversion, although I did not use it. A bonus is most useful when I have a worthwhile reward in mind and have checked the terms, availability and cash alternative. I explain this in How I Use Points Transfer Bonuses.
Everyday loyalty points I convert
Some travel value also comes from everyday loyalty schemes, not just card spend. Two useful examples are Tesco Clubcard and Nectar.
- Tesco Clubcard to Virgin Points: Tesco Clubcard points can be set to auto-convert into Virgin Points. This is useful where supermarket spend can gradually build a Virgin Red / Virgin Atlantic Flying Club balance without needing to manually move points each time.
- Nectar to Avios: Nectar points can be converted into Avios through the Nectar and British Airways Executive Club partnership. This makes Nectar useful as another route into Avios, especially where points are earned through normal shopping or promotional offers.
Conversion rates, transfer rules and auto-conversion settings can change, so I check the live terms before moving points.
Travel tools linked to the points strategy
Not every useful travel recommendation is a points product. Some tools make travel smoother, cheaper or easier. A good example is Airalo, which I use for eSIM data when travelling. It should sit on a separate “Travel Tools I Use” page, but it can also be mentioned in trip reports where it was part of the actual journey.
Suggested wording for trip reports: “As usual, I had my Airalo eSIM ready before landing, which made it easy to use maps, messages and transfer details straight away.”
Buying points and miles
Earning is only one side of the decision. My guide to buying points and miles compares ordinary purchase prices, sale prices, Avios Balance Boost and subscriptions with realistic redemption targets.
Reward cards only make sense when balances are paid in full and spending remains affordable. Fees, earning rates, eligibility rules and partner conversion rates can change.