The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 29th September

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• Boi says:

  29 Sep29 September 03:20

  HH Barclaycard linked to curve for Ernie… does it earn points? I see it listed as Govt services. I dont know what MCC that would be? I am used to seeing financial services which is ok and no fees

  • John says:

    29 Sep29 September 05:33

    Yes everything curve earns points

    • TGLoyalty says:

      29 Sep29 September 12:31

      That’s not correct. Points earning depends on the merchant MCC being eligible for points earning on the underlying card.

      Curve does not mask the MCC so if you wouldn’t earn directly you won’t earn by just going through curve either.

• Harold R says:

  29 Sep29 September 06:16

  My avios account isn’t qualified for RFS what options are there for instant transfers and would buying points work instantly?

  • Anna says:

    29 Sep29 September 07:48

    Yes buying points should work instantly. Depending on how urgently you need the avios, Tesco Clubcard vouchers can transfer in a couple of days, as can Amex MR points.

  • Matt says:

    29 Sep29 September 07:50

    Buying points should work. Alternatively converting clubcard vouchers or MR points are probably the quickest options, but they’ll take a day or two.

• Ron says:

  29 Sep29 September 06:18

  Another bendy question, my creation seems to be blanket blocking all my bendy ernie payments. No issues with purchases with pther merchants. updated my details last week so they do match. Anyone has any bright ideas given its not really something to highlight to creation?

  • mr_jetlag says:

    29 Sep29 September 06:39

    fronted on or off? metal or blue?

    • Ron says:

      29 Sep29 September 07:45

      blue with fronted off which has worked previously till recently. theres actually no way for me to turn front on as the bendy app just shows an error page for me on that screen!

  • The Urbanite says:

    29 Sep29 September 14:00

    Try calling Creation, it might be a security block.

• Krystian Kozlowski says:

  29 Sep29 September 07:47

  Travelled in Club Europe yesterday with wife and infant and I think this class has come into its own due to covid. Whilst fast track was closed, empty lounge and table service (and ordering via app) was a huge improvement and felt a premium experience. On board service was great and crew showed genuine care. And a row to ourselves without another ‘guest’ is exactly what you want in covid times. Wasn’t drinking so can’t comment on the quality or otherwise of champagne. And wasn’t hungry so the lunchbox, about as good as a visit to Pret (which is now a distant memory rather than a daily occurrence), was more than good enough. And boarding and Disembarking wasn’t the Usual free-for-all – rather undertaken in batches where class of travel was respected. Just my thoughts.

  • The Urbanite says:

    29 Sep29 September 14:00

    Nice to hear a positive review!

• JohnT says:

  29 Sep29 September 08:05

  Dragonpass has extended my card to May21 now.
  PS searching on this site on mobile Chrome doesn’t action any change to search target or sequence? So can’t see if anyone else mentioned this recently.

  • Rob says:

    29 Sep29 September 08:19

    On the list of bug fixes! Fine on desktop.

    • JohnT says:

      29 Sep29 September 10:16

      🙂

  • Jane says:

    29 Sep29 September 08:22

    did you have to ask them or did they just do it automatically ? mine are still showing January.

    • JohnT says:

      29 Sep29 September 10:17

      Automatic!

    • Jody says:

      29 Sep29 September 10:37

      Mine too.

      • Jody says:

        29 Sep29 September 10:38

        Sorry, thought that would post under the not extended post. Mine have also not been automatically extended, still showing January, as do my husband’s.

        • Jane says:

          29 Sep29 September 11:12

          still not sure I’d use them by May 21 so I suspect I’ll just get a refund.

    • Yorkieflyer says:

      29 Sep29 September 22:58

      Mine still shows January

• Chris Cannon says:

  29 Sep29 September 08:06

  HIlton question. Staying at Conrad London St James. Dream Away Rate is £195. Points rate is 56,000. I know there’s an Amex cash back deal but prefer to keep cash flow low. But with current promos would I be better doing points and cash? Rate jumps to £225. Am Diamond status

  • Travel Strong says:

    29 Sep29 September 08:17

    If you have the amex £50 off 200 spend offer then I would stick with the dream away rate (and spend £5 more on something to trigger the offer). You’d then be paying £150 vs 56k points, so the points redemption is 0.27p/point value, which is only ‘ok’, not great. Personally I would therefore keep the points because I know I would get better value from them another time.

    • Chris Cannon says:

      29 Sep29 September 09:13

      Thanks. Still leaning towards points as the Amex deal is cumulative until the end of the year and there are some great £70 / night deals out there for London. Just was thinking am I missing points if I use a little cash?

      • Heather says:

        29 Sep29 September 09:26

        i think the impresario deal is still working if you stay 3 nights until end of Dec? Its 3 for 2 nights plus double base points and $100 credit. Higher night rate but will work with Amex offer too?

  • Harry T says:

    29 Sep29 September 12:08

    I’d definitely pay cash here. But I only use my points for situations when the cash rate is high, and I can get above average value for the points. Rob assigns a value of 0.33p per point to Hilton points and I aim for above that.

    • Genghis says:

      29 Sep29 September 12:26

      whereas i’d probably pay with points, even at 0.27p. it depends how many you have.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        29 Sep29 September 12:36

        I find these Amex offers sway me towards cash. Probably to my detriment but the cash rate the hotel sees is higher therefore higher ca$hback and higher points earning from hotel and card but lower outlay from me

      • Chris Cannon says:

        29 Sep29 September 19:06

        Yes. It’s where my heads at. Got 600k+ so less than 10%

        • TGLoyalty says:

          29 Sep29 September 23:08

          Unless you’re saving for WA Maldives or something go for it on points.

• Colski says:

  29 Sep29 September 08:28

  BA question. We booked Club Europe flights in January, flying to Oslo on October 30th, then Qatar to BKK for 3 weeks. Qatar were brilliant and we already have our voucher. BA on the other hand… as we booked in January and flying out in Oct and back in Nov, the flights are outside of their voucher scheme. Happy to take a BA future travel voucher, but at the moment they are saying we would have to pay to change flights. Bit odd as when we booked, COVID was nowhere near the issue it currently is now. Anyone have any ideas on what to do, or if BA are planning on updating their policy?

  • Dave says:

    29 Sep29 September 09:51

    What about travel insurance?

  • Jonathan says:

    29 Sep29 September 12:51

    Said this a few times but BA’s position is entirely logical (& correct in my eyes). Book with confidence was introduced once Covid was a known event & therefore most travel insurance not valid. The only way a sane person would book in that situation is if there was flexibility included. In other words they have to provide the FTV scheme to maintain bookings & therefore cashflow.

    If you booked prior to Covid then you’re essentially asking BA to take the liability for an unforeseen event on behalf of your insurer. Why should they? If you didn’t have travel insurance then that’s an expensive lesson you’ve learned!

• Makrxx says:

  29 Sep29 September 08:39

  I’m £200 away to hit my £10k on the BAPP in which I’ll call to downgrade (10 months pro-rata refund of the AF). Also, does the voucher get trigged automatically as it hit £10k? Wanting to get it before month end for the automatic 6 months extension.

  I’ve hit the bonus spend for my HSBC Premier WEMC + Amex Gold (downgraded to Rewards).

  What card should I be going for next? I was thinking Virgin but I really don’t see myself flying Virgin too much. Other cards like the IHG, Bonvoy Amex don’t seem very attractive…

  • Anna says:

    29 Sep29 September 08:52

    You realise month end is tomorrow?! There’s no guarantee of a transaction clearing by then, but good luck. Vouchers seem to be taking a week or more to post at the moment for some people but the expiry date should correlate with when the spend target was hit.

  • Rhys says:

    29 Sep29 September 08:52

    Yes it gets triggered automatically but you have to wait until it posts to your BA Exec Club account. If you want to continue with sign up bonuses you might still be eligible for the bonus on the Platinum card.

  • memesweeper says:

    29 Sep29 September 08:54

    I’m very happy with the Bonvoy + IHG, but if that doesn’t appeal…

    – go Amex Gold again for the 10k annual bonus?
    – go Amex Green and then upgrade to Plat for the upgrade bonus?

    • MAKRXX says:

      29 Sep29 September 11:47

      Thanks all. Might actually just go with Bonvoy + IHG then… Wouldn’t be travelling that much so can’t quite justify the AF for the Plat.

  • Lee says:

    29 Sep29 September 10:48

    Do you have to call Amex for downgrading?

    • Rhys says:

      29 Sep29 September 11:02

      Yes, or use their online chat.

      • aDifferentSimon says:

        29 Sep29 September 14:11

        chat refused and told be to call. So might depend on the agent.

        • Rhys says:

          29 Sep29 September 14:30

          Pretty sure I was able to do it via online chat a while back!

        • Sandra says:

          29 Sep29 September 18:53

          +1, last week told me I needed to call now too so not sure if this is a temporary thing due to COVID although you would have thought online would be easier as it cuts calls!

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