Bits: interesting Barclays business card, Avios on ferry tickets

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

• Daniel says:

  13 Jul13 July 03:57

  In relation to the Direct Ferries would booking this way mean you can’t collect the ferry company’s own points scheme. For example Stena have a scheme that gives lounge access onboard and points worth up to 10% of the ticket cost.

• RussellH says:

  13 Jul13 July 04:43

  A MyFerryLink picture?? How long is it since they ceased operation???

  Thanks for the pointer about Direct Ferries, though. Must give them a try now that I longer can get commission on bookings with ferries!

  As to the business Barclaycard, remember that the amount charged by a business’s merchant acquirer are far higher than for personal cards. IMHO they are all a rip off!

• Callum says:

  13 Jul13 July 06:43

  While I certainly don’t blame Rob (particularly as I would do exactly the same thing!), it irritates me that it’s apparently allowable for companies to inflate their costs to reduce their tax bill while getting a personal kick-back from it.

  Nothing in the grand scheme of things with the multinationals etc., but irritating none-the-less.

  • Lady London says:

    13 Jul13 July 09:38

    OK…. I’ll bite.

    @Callum I doubt costs are inflated. Small businesses can’t afford it. And if anyone is increasing spend unnecessarily that is put through a business, what about all those frequent flyers out there,there, deliberately demanding flexible tickets from their employer’s corporate travel agent with spurious excuses, just so they can get a ticket that earns them personally more miles when the company has more restricted highly discounted fares available?

    • Rob says:

      13 Jul13 July 09:57

      I lose 2 days a year doing VAT returns, for a start. Happy to trade you the tax benefit of recharging some IT and cards in return for sick pay, paternity pay, someone doing my VAT and accounts etc ……

      • Camille says:

        13 Jul13 July 10:46

        Copy that!

        Anyone other employees out there wanna have a moan about what SME businesses can/can’t expense, then I’d be happy to offer a contra view!

        The test is “wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the business”…..and since only HfP expenses are charged, Rob’s practice here is perfectly legit.

        c55

    • Callum says:

      14 Jul14 July 05:26

      Lady London – Because it’s so unreasonable to overtly state I have no criticism whatsoever with the person doing it and that I would do it myself, yet I don’t like the tax loopholes existing…

      Costs are inflated… There are credit cards with no annual fee yet they’re choosing a credit card with a fee so they can get kickbacks from their business spend. And what about those people demanding flexible fares? That’s the same thing and I can’t recall ever justifying that either.

      Rob – Trade with who? If you’re saying you miss out on legitimate tax exemptions/deductions so feel you can use this as compensation then yes, I’d rather you did trade them – even if it meant you paid less tax than you do now! Though as I clearly said I have no issue with you personally so I have no idea why this is being viewed as an attack by all 3 of you!

      Camille – It’s not necessarily perfectly legit – it’s perfectly legal. How about expensing the fee for an Amex Centurion? I’m sure you’d agree that’s immoral, which means there’s clearly a line somewhere, my line is just slightly different to yours.

  • the_real_a says:

    13 Jul13 July 14:52

    Its irritating to me that i cannot claim a tax rebate when i USE personally obtained “kickbacks” (priority pass or my gold card for example) to save the company money thus paying more tax than otherwise would be necessary.

• Ross Brown says:

  13 Jul13 July 06:43

  Rob, in regards to using Amex platinum for business expenses is there any reason you don’t use the dedicated Amex business platinum (it may be called something slightly different) I was looking at it the other day. Seems identical except has larger sign up bonus.

  • The Original Nick. says:

    13 Jul13 July 08:26

    There’s lots of differences between the Amex Platinum charge card and the Amex Platinun business card. If you travel alot the Platinum charge card is the best by far.

    • Genghis says:

      13 Jul13 July 10:18

      Not if aged 70-80. As with everything, it depends…

      • imbruce says:

        13 Jul13 July 12:52

        Axa Insurance have had some bad reviews lately both travel and other types of insurances, also they don’t cover pre-existing health conditions so its no good to me.
        I have decided to close my Amex Platinum card this month, it is just not worth £450 for hotel status or lounge passes as I don’t travel enough

        • the_real_a says:

          13 Jul13 July 14:55

          Just to give a personal experience – i have now had 4 claims paid in full by AXA/Amex including one quite serious. They have been nothing short of superb and paid even when strictly they did not need to. As with all insurance policies ensure you are within the terms and conditions and collect proofs. You can pay extra to cover pre-existing medical conditions btw

        • Rob says:

          13 Jul13 July 20:21

          Agreed. As I have written before, I’ve never had trouble with Axa even when clearly breaking their rules, ie not getting pre-approval for a doctor and not using one on their list.

    • Bus Platinum Holder says:

      13 Jul13 July 12:51

      Is there any particular benefit which stands out on the current 2017 personal vs. business range? Look almost identical – just reworded for business. As a small business owner – there is no issue, as Rob does, using the personal card purely for business expenses – but apart from robs 2002 BAPP saving, what are the main benefits today?

      • Rob says:

        13 Jul13 July 13:28

        Priority Pass – personal gets a guest, business charges £15 for a guest

        Hotel statuses are fewer with business (not clear which ones at moment)

        Business insurance covers you to 80 and does not insist flights and hotels are booked on Amex if you need to make minor claims (medical claims are covered regardless on both cards)

        There may be other differences but these are the main ones.

        • Bus Platinum Holder says:

          13 Jul13 July 13:38

          Free guest is enough for me to switch, must spend £100+ a year in guest access – and a good 50+ years off the travel insurance expiring. Send me a referral link for AMEX personal plat if you have one please Rob.

        • Rob says:

          13 Jul13 July 14:12

          Will do, thanks

        • Talay says:

          14 Jul14 July 19:51

          Called them yesterday about something else and asked for the differences.

          Hotels. Only Club Carlson and Starwood

          Priority Pass: Primary and 1st supplementary both get PP and can thus both bring in one guest free of charge.

          Insurance: Stated that for both cards, travel insurance was in place whether Amex used or not, for BOTH cards, the added pre flight insurance would not apply if the Amex card was not used.

          I still don’t believe this is 100% true and queried her but she was adamant. I will seek further clarification.

        • Rob says:

          14 Jul14 July 21:41

          What do you mean “Priority Pass: Primary and 1st supplementary both get PP and can thus both bring in one guest free of charge”? My understanding is that the PP on the Business Plat does NOT allow a guest. Yes, your partner gets their own PP, but if you want to bring in a kid you’re paying.

          Insurance – you can download the documents from the application page on the Amex website.

  • Rob says:

    13 Jul13 July 09:36

    I can’t cancel my personal Plat as I get my BAPP Amex free, saving £195, under a 2002 deal.

    • Talay says:

      14 Jul14 July 10:40

      We had it free under Centurion from the late 1990s I think. We went straight from the Gold Card for Business Travellers to Centurion. Not sure Platinum was even around back then.

      That card (and that wife) were dropped by 2003 so it must have been before then.

• Nick M says:

  13 Jul13 July 06:56

  As it is a card description goes specifically for business use, although you’d be able to claim the £100 cost as an expense would you also need to offset the cash back against this?

  • Genghis says:

    13 Jul13 July 07:29

    I know points are specifically excluded as far as HMRC are concerned. Not sure about hard cash…

  • Rob says:

    13 Jul13 July 09:35

    Technically yes. Realistically ….

• the real harry1 says:

  13 Jul13 July 06:58

  worth a mention: http://www.barclays.co.uk/TravelPlusPack/TravelPlusPack/P1242609324028

  £15.50 a month
  6 DragonPass lounge passes – 1 or all can be used at the same time
  travel insurance, incl for under 80s
  RAC roadside assistance

  minimum 6 months – so if you time it right you can get the travel insurance benefits for half a year, 6 lounge passes (= c. £105), the RAC deal (= c.£40) for £93
  http://www.barclays.co.uk/TravelPlusPack/TravelPlusPack/P1242609324028

  you might value the lounge passes higher depending on your usage – and if you are in the 70-80 age bracket, the travel insurance is useful as over 70s are often excluded on other policies

• Roger says:

  13 Jul13 July 07:05

  OT- AAdvantage

  A couple of negative development for AA miles collector.
  AA is ending their partnership with Jet Airways (India based), which is definitely negative development from customer’s point of view.
  It was to be expected however with Jet partnering with Delta.

  Another negative is AA just announced that they are ending code share with both Etihad and Qatar.
  There is no word on miles earning and redemption yet; and I hope it survives otherwise for many people who travel further east it would make no sense to collect AA Miles.

• the real harry1 says:

  13 Jul13 July 07:29

  worth a mention: http://www.barclays.co.uk/TravelPlusPack/TravelPlusPack/P1242609324028

  £15.50 a month
  6 DragonPass lounge passes – 1 or all can be used at the same time
  travel insurance, incl for under 80s
  RAC roadside assistance

  minimum 6 months – so if you time it right you can get the travel insurance benefits for half a year, 6 lounge passes (= c. £105), the RAC deal (= c.£40) for £93

  you might value the lounge passes higher depending on your usage – and if you are in the 70-80 age bracket, the travel insurance is useful as over 70s are often excluded on other policies

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.