The HfP chat thread – Saturday 10th October

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• Peter says:

  10 Oct10 October 12:03

  Please, is somebody able to confirm if you can use Avios points to make an Avianca booking? If so, how do I go about doing this?
  Do I need to contact Avianca or Iberia?

  I am trying to book a flight from MEX to BOG.

  Thank you in advance!

  • Rob says:

    10 Oct10 October 15:01

    You can’t normally do this (as Avianca is in Star Alliance) but as you say you CAN do it via Iberia due to their partnership.

    Details are here https://www.iberia.com/us/iberiaplus/partners/flights/avianca/

    You need to call IB to book and move your Avios to Iberia Plus first.

• YC says:

  10 Oct10 October 12:13

  Looking for some insight- Flight times to Amman aren’t great (arrive midnight, dep am) so potentially left with 4 full days in Jordan. Is this enough to explore Dead Sea, petra and amman? 2021 planning. Should I be spending more than a night at either Dead Sea or Petra?

  • Zana says:

    10 Oct10 October 12:28

    Jerash is a good day trip from Amman & interesting if you’re into history. As for Petra, I would recommend at least a full day, starting as early as possible. This means that you might want to arrive in Petra the night before and stay there, to allow for an early start. Alternatively, if you arrive in Petra in the middle of the day and opt to stay overnight instead, I would recommend doing “Petra by night” as it’s quite an experience. It’s weather dependent, so it may not happen – regardless Petra is huge and won’t be short of things to see if you spend two days there.

    • memesweeper says:

      10 Oct10 October 12:52

      Definitely overnight in Petra before going. Get in early and spend the whole day.

      Dead Sea is day-trippable from Amman (just) and you’re halfway to Petra too.

      Tons to see in Amman. Don’t miss the falafel.

      I rented a car from Dead Sea to Petra, taxi transfers are a reasonable alternative. Shop around.

      • YC says:

        10 Oct10 October 14:09

        Thanks both. So it sounds like 4 full days is probably a minimum amount of time to cover these 3 places. Will have a look at Jerash too

        • memesweeper says:

          10 Oct10 October 15:19

          If you’re arriving late consider a transfer direct to the Dead Sea, and staying only one night there. Then a night or two at Petra and the remainder in Amman.

• Kay Melville says:

  10 Oct10 October 12:30

  I tried to book flights from Edinburgh to Paphos last weekend. £393 online if paying cash. I had a future travel voucher so had to phone. The customer service rep said she’d get the tickets issued by the BA ticket office. I asked her to note the price on my file as I suspected they’d try to increase it. They finally got back to me this morning (after I tweeted!), less than 48 hours before I’m due to leave and after I have paid £160 for a Covid test and they are charging me over £150 more! There is no budging them. Anyone else found this?

  • YC says:

    10 Oct10 October 12:55

    Similar-ish. Apparently they didn’t know how much value was on the FTV so had to get back office to complete, I raised the fact that prices could increase. No budging on trying to fix the current price. Ended paying online cash and keeping FTV for next time (another agent told me that I just have to quote the previous booking ref that the FTV was obtained from and they could book immediately). I would not be happy at all if i was with you.

  • AJA says:

    10 Oct10 October 13:21

    Kay, I’m sorry to read that. I’m not sure if you have any more FTV’s to use but next time hold the flights for £10 when booking online which will lock in the price and then phone BA to apply the voucher and pay any difference.

• BJ says:

  10 Oct10 October 12:32

  A lot of good Hilton redemption rates at key London hotels in March for anybody who fancies locking down a speculative early spring break. Park Lane, Bankside, Hilton Tower Bridge amongst others are all under 50k/night for many nights. Cash rates are good too though and with flexibility on them also available, there is a need to exercise caution on value unless you are getting your Hilton points for next to nothing.

  • Harry T says:

    10 Oct10 October 12:42

    Thanks. I believe I can still book several five star Marriott Bonvoy properties for £150 into Feb/March. I’m also about to be a shiny platinum. But I’m always looking out for a sweet hotel deal, so thank you. I’ve booked Conrad Tokyo again on points…

    • BJ says:

      10 Oct10 October 13:15

      So you decided you are going to Japan after all? I’ve not confirmed anything for Tokyo yet, everything seems to be standard rates and poor value. I am sure better options will come. Only things I locked in so far are Hilton Odawara Resort at 53k/night and the new Holiday Inn & Suites Shin-Osaka which is currently the Oakwood Hotel & Apartments. Couldn’t resist it at only 12.5k/night; cash rates were crazy cheap for Osaka too. Hoping I will get to change Odawara to Indigo Gora at some point.

      • Harry T says:

        10 Oct10 October 16:23

        12.5k a night is obscene value. Our flights to HKG for Nov got cancelled, but we are still keen on visiting Japan (which would have been part of our HKG trip), so I booked a 241 to Tokyo for June. Cost 75,000 Avios and £940. We are leaving from Inverness (thanks for your advice on this over the years).

        We are visiting Edinburgh a fair bit at the moment and I think it’s a shame we can’t meet you for a coffee now!

        • BJ says:

          10 Oct10 October 16:47

          Costing 75k it looks like you will be gone and possibly back before we are leaving (20th). Hopefully, things will eventually get more settled again, it is all very demoralising. It is a pity Covid came along just in time to spoil the potential HfP get together in Edinburgh too but obviously there are more important things for people to worry about than that.

  • Harry T says:

    10 Oct10 October 21:03

    @BJ
    Ah, shame we are not overlapping. I have booked 13th to 23rd June – hopefully the outbound remains Club Suite.

    It is very depressing being in a city that feels like the sinking titanic at times. I feel very powerless. I just obey the rules at work and around town, but it seems we are slaves to those who do not.

    On the positive side, an Edinburgh get together is definitely something to look forward to – hopefully next spring/summer!

• Rahaney says:

  10 Oct10 October 12:33

  I saw yesterday someone said you could pay VA with creation without bendy? I can’t see how this works, can someone elaborate?? Both online and the VM app require a debit…

  Naturally I know the reverse direction works fine with or without bendy.
  Ta

  • Nick says:

    10 Oct10 October 13:06

    Pardon my ignorance, but what is a Bendy? Do you mean Curve here or something else?

  • Peter K says:

    10 Oct10 October 13:33

    They were wrong. It only works one direction without an intermediary.

    • Rahaney says:

      10 Oct10 October 13:42

      Thought so.
      Thanks Peter

• memesweeper says:

  10 Oct10 October 12:46

  Curve Twitter team doing that thing you’re not supposed to do drunk on a Friday night:

  https://twitter.com/imaginecurve/status/1314702300577959937?s=20

  • Super Secret Stuff says:

    10 Oct10 October 15:01

    That is hillarious!

  • Neil Donoghue says:

    10 Oct10 October 18:11

    Tweet of the week! Someone deserves a pay rise

  • Doug M says:

    10 Oct10 October 19:12

    Very good

  • Lady London says:

    10 Oct10 October 21:10

    Evil… in a good way

• Pid says:

  10 Oct10 October 13:13

  Looking to go to Dubai in June. Never been before so grateful for any recommendations for hotels. Will be travelling with a 2 & 1 year old so probably beach focused would be good. Have the Spire Ambassador, Hilton Gold and all the other benefits that come with Amex Plat.

  • meta says:

    10 Oct10 October 13:27

    Unless you plan to stay inside your room during the day or in a shopping mall, I wouldn’t go June-September! It’s extremely hot.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      10 Oct10 October 13:48

      I’ve been in august it was lovely in the shade 😂

    • Anna says:

      10 Oct10 October 13:55

      Also if you’re UK or Europe based you have the entire Med region with perfect weather 2 – 3 hours away in June.

      • Rob says:

        10 Oct10 October 14:56

        St Regis Mallorca starts at €900 per night in July, as an example of high end pricing. Dubai would be 1/3rd of that.

  • Anna says:

    10 Oct10 October 13:29

    Emyr has good offers on UAE hotels, got us a nice deal to the Ritz Carlton in Abu Dhabi for next April. June in Dubai is going to be VERY hot though, you’ll be limited as to how long you can spend on the beach with 2 infants.

  • John says:

    10 Oct10 October 14:19

    Been to Dubai every summer for last 15 years from when our sons were 8 and 11.
    Stayed at Burj/Jumeriah Beach/ Dar Al Masyaf / Residence at Royal Mirage /Atlantis.
    Yes it is hot. June not as hot as July.
    Spent lot of time in water.
    Will be there next hopefully next June and September.
    It is each to their own!

    • Anna says:

      10 Oct10 October 14:42

      With respect, 8 and 11 year olds are a lot less vulnerable to heat than babies, and much easier to entertain away from the beach!

    • Rob says:

      10 Oct10 October 14:54

      To be honest, I can see the attraction. You are looking at £500+ per night for a decent luxury hotel in Spain in peak season, and closer to £1,000 per night for something equivalent to the hotels you mention.

      Dubai is £200ish and you’ll often get meals thrown in.

      If you can deal with the heat, which really means moving your day around so you’re inside for 4-5 hours around lunch, it is a better deal than Europe.

      • Anna says:

        10 Oct10 October 17:10

        OP is travelling in June though, so as long as it’s not half term week prices should be much lower.

  • Pid says:

    11 Oct11 October 13:45

    Thanks for all of the advice. I will check with Emyr, although I have had quotes before I have never booked. Normally because I have gone with advance saver bookings or points,

• Anna says:

  10 Oct10 October 13:30

  Emyr has good offers on UAE hotels, got us a nice deal to the Ritz Carlton in Abu Dhabi for next April. June in Dubai is going to be VERY hot though, you’ll be limited as to how long you can spend on the beach with 2 infants.

  • Anna says:

    10 Oct10 October 13:32

    Not sure why this posted twice! Though just to add Emyr has booked us a suite with separate living area for our son so we’re not all sleeping in the same room – might be an idea to get something similar so you’ll be right next to the babies but you can put the travel cots in the living room so you can turn on the bedroom light without disturbing them and save banging your shins in the night! (I remember those days).

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