Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

The HfP chat thread – Monday 24th August

Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. A list of partners is here.

We have decided to run this daily chat thread on Head for Points during the coronavirus outbreak.

Historically, the daily ‘Bits’ articles were the de facto repository for random comments and questions.  With the news flow being lighter, we are running fewer ‘Bits’ articles.

The comments under this article are where you should post questions about travel and, indeed, anything else on your mind.  At this tricky time, and given that many of you are at home, we want the HfP community to have a place to chat.

HFP-Wordmark-Black

Please only comment under the main articles on the site if your comment is directly related to the topic of the article.  This has long-term benefits as it keeps the commentary relevant for people who read those articles in the future.

By default, HfP shows the last page of comments under the article.  If you want to see the first page of comments and read them all from beginning to end in order, click here: https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/08/24/the-hfp-chat-thread-monday-24th-august/comment-page-1.  The page will refresh with this article but the comments will now show the first page and not the last page.

Old chat threads are hidden from the HfP home page.  If you want to look for something in an old thread, click here.  This brings up all the articles in our ‘General’ category which includes the chat threads.

Comments (123)

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

  • Guy G says:

    Does anyone know when HSBC might be running their Avios conversion bonus this year?

    Thanks

    • Andrew M says:

      I certainly hope so. I’ve been waiting patiently for it. There was a bonus on conversions in August 2019 but strangely not this year. Fingers crossed for September.

  • Aston100 says:

    Hello, 3 questions:
    1. is it possible to pay card bills to the bunch down on the south coast using the free blue Curve and my free white IHG card, without incurring any penalties/charges/fees etc? (intend to pay off the IHG immediately).
    2. As above but for premium bonds.
    3. What is the HFP referral code for Curve please?

    This isn’t for MS. I don’t do that. I have realised that I have a bunch of regular expenditure that I am not getting any points for and it seems to me from my limited research that this is possibly easy-ish to accommodate, especially as this is all genuine purchases.
    I was only recently made aware that my local authority council tax is payable with a debit card, and apparently my car lease with VWFS is also payable with a card.
    So this is me looking to get some points from things that I normally purchase or pay for anyway.

    Thanks in advance.

    • Simon Fisher says:

      Paying your credit card with Curve will incur charges from Curve.
      Buying your Premium Bonds with Curve should incur charges but I have not had any (yet) most recent purchase 1/8/20
      My Curve fronted is switched off, so hopefully I will be told before I incur charges.
      Feel free to use my Curve code FFPUF 😉

      • BrianW says:

        Another beginner who thinks is above the belt to throw their referral beg out there on HFP 🙄

    • TGLoyalty says:

      Paying off the gulls is MS 🙂

    • Anna says:

      Most car finance monthly payments can be made by credit card. I pay my £300 pm on my IHG premium MC (direct, you don’t need Curve), which amounts to a few extra points!

    • BrianW says:

      1. is it possible to pay card bills to the bunch down on the south coast using the free blue Curve and my free white IHG card, without incurring any penalties/charges/fees etc? (intend to pay off the IHG immediately).

      Not any longer on free and if it was, it would be MS.

      2. As above but for premium bonds.

      Yes albeit its not supposed to be, also MS.

      “This isn’t for MS” – Clearly it is 🤷🏼‍♂️Need to have a look at your moral compass again Aston100, its gone off kilter again.

  • Grimz says:

    I know this has already been asked but currently when are people finding it best to call BA regarding cancelled flights and on what phone number. BA have cancelled INV-LHR-LA on a 241 in November this year, Ideally I want this changed to next November but I know these flights are not available yet!

    • Rob says:

      You can’t ‘change’ to next November as tickets cannot be moved more than 355 days from the day you first booked. Needs to be a refund and new booking.

      • Grimz says:

        My 241 voucher runs out May 2021 so would it have to be a voucher? Would this give you a 241 at same price as you paid for this year if it’s the same route.

        • Rob says:

          No. Taking the voucher simply locks in everything you paid, and it is unlocked when you rebook. If the price is different (in Avios or cash) you pay or are refunded the extra.

    • Dave says:

      I cllaed Saturday p.m. 13:30 wait time of around 15 minutes. Avios and 241 returned in about 10 minutes after the call.

  • Tom says:

    I have seen people mention that it is possible to merge your FTVs into one e-voucher, is this true and if so how? Even converting my FTVs to individual e-vouchers will help! TIA.

    • Rob says:

      BA is emailing people with CASH FTVs to offer this.

      • Tom says:

        Mine are cash FTVs, is there any way of requesting it ahead of them emailing?

        • Rob says:

          BA emails you a link to the special page of BA.com. The link goes to the BA homepage!

          • Tom says:

            Typical BA IT then! Any chance of me being able to request this over the phone you think?

  • Simon Fisher says:

    Morning….just!
    Does anyone know when IHG will make Mr & Mrs Smith sites available to book? I have a couple of free nights I want to use. They have been shown as “Coming soon” for a while now.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      I wouldn’t wait for Mr & Mrs Smith.

      IHG will be paying cash equivalent and I really can’t see the credit card free nights working

  • eligold says:

    I tried using my Harrods Amex offer all day yesterday, but Harrods wouldn’t accept my payment.
    Has anyone else had trouble?

    it’s expired now, and AMEX CS proved useless yet again

    • Rob says:

      Harrods online has mega-strict card security. Forget it if you want delivery to a different address to billing address. I have stopped trying now after a few years of getting nowhere trying to send stuff to our office.

      • Charlieface says:

        Just put in the same address as delivery. Amex don’t do address verification

      • eligold says:

        Oh I see. Thanks for that.
        what i did is, I sold the voucher and wanted to order it straight to the ebay buyer. Had to cancel the purchase. Never mind

        I’m in this kind of thing for the huge Avios giveaway at the BA Store – 8 Avios per £1 at Harrods currently

        Thanks

  • Qwertyknowsbest says:

    Can anyone help with a Curve escalation contact?

    £3K refund of which around 50% credited to Curve cash remainder who knows where. Merchant refund showing correctly in timeline.

    2 weeks of chasing a response and nothing meaningfull back from Curve.

    Beware all Curve users.

    Thanks for any assistance.

  • Genghis says:

    Offer on Amex Gold
    Santander Cycles – spend 3 times for 1k MRs.
    3 x £2 = £6 spend for 1k MRs ain’t bad even if you don’t need to make the journeys.

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