The new HFP chat thread – Tuesday 7th April

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• Brasov says:

  7 Apr7 April 12:51

  Hi, does anyone know how safe the prepaid cards are to leave funds in? Revolut is FSCS protected, I guess?

  • Genghis says:

    7 Apr7 April 13:16

    I wouldn’t leave a large amount there. Revolut does not have FSCS protection given it’s not a bank in the UK (and doesn’t use passporting from Lithuania).

    However, monies are held in a client money account with Barclays IIRC (in the UK). Should Revolut and Barclays go bust at the same time you’ll lose money.

    The greatest risk, however, IMO is assets being frozen if you look a bit dodgy and with not great customer service it might be a while before you can actually get your cash back.

• Peter K says:

  7 Apr7 April 12:58

  Tried connecting Virgin Money about the changes to the miles earning on their Virgin Plus credit card and some other changes to t&c. I never received any notification of these.

  What a load of rubbish. I tried twice by in account message. It was like I had spoken a different language and the person the other end could not read.

  They then decided to escalate it as a complaint (which I had not made) for interest charged (not had any).

  The reply by letter to that ‘complaint’ was by someone who obviously had read the original messages. However they basically said the miles awarded are done so by Virgin Atlantic, not by the credit card company, that an email had been sent out to everyone about the changes to awarding miles (it hadn’t to us) and that the miles awarded are not part of the terms and conditions of the card!

  It did say that on the plus side, we could ask for a (non-guaranteed) credit limit rise. Thanks 🙄

  No one at any point replied to my saying I was not happy with other t&c changes made on 11th March.

  It’s amazing how many companies cover themselves with shame rather than glory and don’t consider the long term effect.

  • Neil Cullen says:

    7 Apr7 April 14:16

    I’ve not seen any changes to miles warning on the Virgin + card can someone enlighten me please

    • Peter K says:

      7 Apr7 April 14:39

      It’s where you can only earn miles on spend up to your credit limit. Ones like Mrs K who were given a stupidly low limit (£1000 !) used to cash cycle to effectively raise this and could then earn more miles.
      Limiting what can be earned to 1500 miles a month, without any communication, is basically daylight robbery.

      • Neil Cullen says:

        7 Apr7 April 16:20

        Thanks, I thought they had changed again

      • Ryan Berry says:

        7 Apr7 April 19:37

        I had this but had been awarded c. 10k miles less in the month I found out!

        Their excuse was that I hadn’t spent more than my credit limit before (only recently started spending large amounts)

        After a lot of ‘discussion’ with a couple of employees at their help centre I managed to raise a formal complaint to which after 3-4 weeks they phoned to say the additional miles will be credited at my next statement date… They were very keen to close the case as “there wasn’t anything they could do” (turns out there was) just stand your ground and don’t agree to anything but a formal complaint raised up to the highest levels

        Let’s hope they hang around long enough for that to be actually worth something… or at least until I move them to IHG!

• Simon says:

  7 Apr7 April 13:54

  HI all, I have a 5 figure purchase sum to put through a points earning card.

  I have BAPP, Green Amex, Amex SPG and HSBC PWE. All bonuses have been earned. I’m thinking about security of points.

  Which card would you use for the purchase and why?

  • Rob says:

    7 Apr7 April 14:02

    BA’s not going bust so I wouldn’t worry about any security. Ignore HSBC as the Green Amex gives you the same transfer options plus a lot more besides (UNLESS you want to gamble on HSBC running another Avios transfer bonus).

    So it’s really 1.5 Avios on the BAPP or 1 Avios BUT with lots of alternative options via Green Amex or 0.8ish Avios BUT with lots of alternative options via SPG Amex. Really depends how much you’d value Marriott points or obscure airline miles, both of which make the SPG Amex better.

    I might lean towards Bonvoy although my recent drop to Gold status makes their points less valuable now I have lost free breakfast and 4pm check out.

  • memesweeper says:

    7 Apr7 April 14:11

    I have a similar selection of cards. No major purchases planned however!

    If you have an immediate or likely soon use for Avios, use the BAPP. If you have an immediate or likely soon use for Bonvoys, use the SPG Amex. If no to both, and you are planning to maintain an MR balance in the long run, Green Amex. Otherwise SPG/Bonvoy for long term fee-free flexibility.

    Don’t forget Bonvoy have some niche but very nice non-travel redemptions. If you have no travel plans that might make for a memorable night out — I think the O2 will reopen before LHR Terminal 3.

    • Simon says:

      7 Apr7 April 14:37

      Thank Rob and Meme. I think I will use the SPG as that’s the place I have least points, and when this whole CV thing comes to an end, and will really value a 5 for 4 night stay on points.

  • Lady London says:

    7 Apr7 April 15:21

    Which card?
    A new one. Such as IHG.

    Very nice free hotel night available WYS £10k. Can pair with Ambassador free night somewhere really nice if you want to as well. Rob has a link and an article on here

    • Harry T says:

      7 Apr7 April 17:01

      Creation appeared to pull the premium IHG card yesterday. Only the free card is now offered on their website.

      • EwanG says:

        7 Apr7 April 17:36

        “Unfortunately, we are no longer accepting applications for this card and we apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.”
        Only the basic IHG card and Maximiles card currently open for applications, Creation have stopped all others.

        • Rob says:

          7 Apr7 April 17:53

          Article tomorrow. Current cardholders not impacted. There are some interesting potential reasons behind all this.

• Peter North says:

  7 Apr7 April 14:08

  Poor from Bonvoy

  • TGLoyalty says:

    7 Apr7 April 15:17

    Care to elaborate?

    • Ronald Jeremy says:

      7 Apr7 April 15:48

      no extension such to status such as Hiltons recent extension I think

      • TGLoyalty says:

        7 Apr7 April 15:57

        I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

• Scallder says:

  7 Apr7 April 15:48

  Just had an email from IHG with the following in it about credit card nights:

  “Anniversary night certificates earned through IHG Rewards Club credit cards (USA & UK):

  We are extending the expiration date of anniversary certificates that are set to expire in 2020. Certificates expiring from 1 March 2020 can now be used through 31 December 2020.

  Certificates issued in 2020 will have an 18-month redemption time period.

  We will be reaching out to cardmembers directly with more information.”

  I used one earned June 2018 and expired June 2019 for a stay in Vienna at the start of May this year. Have just called them and they have essentially said, tough luck. The policy doesn’t allow them to do anything.

  So whilst it’s a positive step them extending vouchers earned from 1st March 2019 (or whatever date would have given an expiry of 1st March 2020), this does nothing for anyone with vouchers attached to existing bookings earned in good faith from 1st March 2018 to 31st December 2018.

  Even asked for the 35k points that the voucher had saved me (would have been worth 55k if they’d given me the voucher back and I could attach it to an existing points booking in November, which is within 6 months of the existing date in May, so is inline with the extensions they’re giving vouchers earned this year).

  Was finally (after a long hold) told to email the Rewards Club to see whether they could sort anything out, but I’m not too hopeful right now which is extremely frustrating…

• Peter K says:

  7 Apr7 April 16:28

  I’ve not read the piece you mention, but if that is the conclusion then it’s been mentioned a few times in the comments that Rob doesn’t agree with that conclusion.

  • jamie says:

    7 Apr7 April 17:01

    Well I think Rob said he didn’t know about the liquidity of the loyalty club company. Bigger question is if you book on Delta with FC miles will Delta honour the booking if VA goes under

  • Rob says:

    7 Apr7 April 20:15

    I like Michele but there is a massive hole in their thinking. The reason Delta etc accept Virgin miles for redemptions is because of their airline joint venture. Why in the world would an airline continue to give away flights for peanuts when that has all gone?

    All I’d say is that IIRC there was a window where you could use India’s JetPrivilege miles on Etihad after Jet Airways went bust. Possibly Delta might give you a window purely to redeem on their metal. However, as there is (in normal times) virtually no premium transatlantic availability anyway this won’t help.

    • Jack says:

      7 Apr7 April 22:36

      So for a reward flight with FC miles say in October this year best to book on Delta.com

      How do you transfer miles from FC or what is the process for booking with FC miles on delta site?

      • Rob says:

        7 Apr7 April 22:41

        You don’t. You book them on the Virgin site in the same way you’d book a Virgin flight.

• Ron says:

  7 Apr7 April 16:32

  BA premium card holder apply for supplementary card, if I apply via the app, will it trigger the 3000 bonus point or do I need to do it via Amex website? Thanks.

• Liz says:

  7 Apr7 April 16:43

  I just called You First again about my refund of Avios and cash which I requested on 13/3. I was told that India normally do all the refunds but as all the centres in India are now closed they brought all the refund cases back to the UK about 10 days ago and there are teams of people purely working on refunds. He has geed mine up again and said I should have my Avios back within the hour!

  • Liz says:

    7 Apr7 April 18:34

    Whoop! Avios back in my account!

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