The destination: the Maldives

Swaying palms and porcelain white sands, sunsets that transform the sky into a gigantic canvas brushed with rainbow hues... If anywhere was made for romance, it’s the Maldives – especially if you opt for a remote sand islet (such as Hideaway Beach Resort) where you’re more likely to encounter a Hawksbill turtle than another human. But whatever your style of seduction, there’s a soul-mate resort to match, from eco-luxe retreat Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru to wellness paradise Naladhu and Ibiza-esque islands with buzzing beach clubs, such as Hard Rock. Along the way, expect the world’s best overwater villas, private pools, Michelin-starred restaurants, spectacular diving, open-air cinemas and world-class observatories.

Avios: how many do you need?

For an off-peak return World Traveller flight to the archipelago’s capital, Malé, you’ll need 60,000 Avios plus £150. Alternatively, it’s 95,000 Avios plus £355 for World Traveller Plus – our premium economy cabin with extra leg room.¹ Spending your Avios to purchase flights is simple enough: visit ba.com, sign into your Executive Club account, click ‘Book your Reward Flight’ and go from there (you can also check Reward Flight availability throughout the year using your Avios app). And it’s not just flights that can be covered with Avios – now, you can lavish them on a British Airways Holidays package, meaning your hotel can join in the fun.

Step one: switch on ‘Barclays Avios Rewards’ — and let the Avios come to you

It’s time to let your banking elevate you to 35,000 feet, with Barclays Avios Rewards.² For just £12 a month, Barclays Premier Banking³ customers can stash away 1,500 Avios every month to put towards their Maldivian getaway simply by having the account and switching on Barclays Avios Rewards. There’s also a joining bonus (25,000 Avios if you’re opening your first Barclays account and you complete a full switch via the Current Account Switch Service, or 2,500 if you’re an existing customer⁴) and even an anniversary reward (either an additional 7,000 Avios or a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher⁵ – your pick). So, for a £12 monthly fee, you could be looking at 43,000 Avios in your first year if you are new to the bank – two thirds of the way to Malé.

Eligibility, conditions and a £12 monthly fee apply.

Step two: let your wedding shopping pay for the honeymoon

Last year, the average British wedding cost £20,700, which could translate into a lot of Avios if you know where to shop. You can find said stores via the Avios app: log in, hit ‘collect’, and explore more than 2,000 online retailers that will give you Avios in return for your spends.

There’s Kate Middleton’s favourite, Aspinal of London (collect 8 Avios per £1 spent), or the pretty and playful Papier (up to 10 Avios/£1) for wedding stationery. Beauty brands, including Yves Saint Laurent Beauty (up to 8 Avios/£1), Space NK (up to 9 Avios/£1), Kiehl’s (5 Avios/£1) and Charlotte Tilbury (1 Avios/£1) will have the wedding hair and makeup sorted. You can also shop the best bridesmaid dresses for every sort of wedding aesthetic. For a taste of the bridal calibre on offer, check out NET-A-PORTER (up to 12 Avios/£1). Finally, Mr PORTER (up to 6 Avios/£1) has everything any stylish groom could need, including the world’s finest classic suits and tuxedos.⁶

Step three: make your wedding toasts courtesy of The Wine Flyer

Whether you’re toasting the groomsmen or maid of honour, or indeed anyone and everyone who contributed to the big day, do it with a Champagne from The Wine Flyer. You’ll not only be treating your guests, but also yourself, by collecting Avios on every bottle. A magnum of Moët & Chandon Champagne costs £89.99, collecting up to 435 Avios. Alternatively, Whispering Angel costs £19.99 for a summer wedding and will net you up to 100 Avios per bottle (plus, there’s a respectable range of whisky for the guest who only drinks Scotch). Connect your Executive Club Membership to a Wine Flyer account and enjoy 2,500 bonus Avios for each friend you refer (and they’ll also get 2,500 bonus Avios when they spend more than £125).⁷ And don’t forget to pay a visit to the Balance Booster afterwards, which allows you to treble your Avios pot from the last 30 days.⁸

Step four: sort the wedding list in one easy step

While Admiral reports that money is now the most frequently given wedding gift, we reckon you can do a lot better with something more thoughtful and practical – something that could help fast-track the honeymoon of all honeymoons: Avios. For a quick and easy way to add to your account, ask wedding guests to gift Avios – or be the guest who gives the gift of future travels, with purchases available from 2,000 Avios (costing £49), usually available to spend immediately.⁹

Step five: put your points into sixth gear with BPme Rewards

Hopefully you’re heading off for your Maldivian honeymoon in an Aston Martin DB6 MkII convertible (well, if it’s good enough for Prince William, it’s good enough for you) but, whatever you’re driving, make your next petrol stop at bp and collect BPme Rewards points, which can be converted into Avios.¹⁰ The conversion rate is 40 BPme Rewards points into 25 Avios and points can be converted automatically. Just link your British Airways Executive Club and BPme Rewards account together to start converting. Your next pit stop? The Maldives.