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The HfP chat thread – Friday 18th December

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

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Comments (233)

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

  • Anna says:
    18 Dec18 December 08:40

    Ok – final post about DXB but this might also be useful to other readers! I noticed there was a new DT on Jumeirah Beach listed as “coming soon”. It’s now bookable and I’ve just bagged 10 nights in a 1 bedroom family suite for 560k HH points. Today is turning out really well!

    • Anna says:
      18 Dec18 December 08:58

      Seriously … the last … 🤣 but worth pointing out that (I think) as the cash price for the suite was £6k for 10 nights I seem to have got over 1p of value for the points – correct me if I’m wrong Ghengis!

    • John says:
      18 Dec18 December 09:04

      Hi
      Which hotel is this?
      Assuming not doubletree as that has been open some time?
      Thanks

      • Algor says:
        18 Dec18 December 09:15

        I would think it’s DT Jumeirah Beach, the entry level ‘standard room’ is One Bedroom Family Suite and with pricing 70k per night it would be 560k (standard room so fifth night free 8*70=560).

    • Andrew says:
      18 Dec18 December 09:11

      Remember that many new hotels end up pushing back their opening date despite taking bookings, so worth having a backup in mind.

      • Rob says:
        18 Dec18 December 09:40

        They’d move you to another possibly better Hilton though!

        • Andrew says:
          18 Dec18 December 09:43

          Not my experience – they just cancelled the booking and refunded the points and after I moaned a bit gave me a few thousand points compo. But hopefully others have better experiences.

        • John says:
          18 Dec18 December 09:44

          My point was that this is not a new hotel.

          • Anna says:
            18 Dec18 December 11:06

            Sorry John – I had been looking at the various Hiltons and thought I had seen this one showing as “coming soon”. But if it’s definitely up and running, all the better!

          • fivebobbill says:
            18 Dec18 December 11:09

            Ditto John, Anna started a thread on this on the previous comments page which I commented on, I don’t think it’s a new hotel either.

          • fivebobbill says:
            18 Dec18 December 11:13

            Anna, my earlier post again…

            Anna, when you say “new” DT Jumeirah, is that a new hotel or it just the DT Jumeriah now taking new bookings?

            I ask because I stayed at the Hilton Jumeriah for last New Year and took a stroll down to the DT Jumeriah for a nosey. If that’s where you are staying be aware of the HUGE “The Address” just built next door (that’s if it’s even finished). the DT has/had a great site to the extreme left of JBR, the last hotel before the bridge to Bluewaters Island where you can watch the boats entering the Marina. The hotel also has a really nice open pool/sunbathing area with access to the beach and views of the big wheel. However… “The Address” next door, because of it’s sheer size, completely overshadows the pool/sun area of the DT, and you will now be sitting in the shade all day long!

          • Anna says:
            18 Dec18 December 14:34

            Apologies all, yes it’s the Doubletree Jumeirah. Many thanks for the heads up, I will make sure I scope out the best sunny spots on day 1. Shaded pool is actually a bonus for my son who is weirdly very fair-skinned and doesn’t like hot places (I sometimes wonder if he was swapped at birth 🤣)

  • Michael C says:
    18 Dec18 December 08:45

    So my m-i-l is shortly flying GRU-LHR-GRU in Club: what’s the best way of passing her Avios onto us (bearing in mind she never ever flies otherwise!)?

    She’s on “family & friends”. Would it be by trying to add her as a Household member? (proved a little tricky so far). Or simply open an Exec account for her, and she can “buy” a flight for one of us at some point?

    • Anna says:
      18 Dec18 December 08:50

      Hi Michael C – my understanding is that she could open a BAEC account and add you as family and use her avios to pay for your flight. I think this would be better than adding her to your HHA as bookings take avios pro rata from each account so her avios would not be fully used unless all the other accounts were empty!

      • Nick_C says:
        18 Dec18 December 09:09

        If all the people currently in Michael’s HH account also have AerClub (Aer Lingus) accounts, then you move any excess Avios from BA to AerClub, make the redemption and then move Avios back to BA. This gives you total control over who pays for what, and allows you to empty the accounts of individual members should you want to.

        (Did this with my husband who ended up with two BA accounts when a friend booked a flight for him using his short common name instead of his very long legal name.)

        • Genghis says:
          18 Dec18 December 09:36

          My MIL is a permanent member of our HHA so I can use the avios she earns from her flights. Like other posters have said, I move avios around so I can fully empty her account each time I make a booking.

          Now she got 30k Virgin miles after volunteering to nurse a passenger mid-flight: if only I could so easily get my hands on those… for a few Mr Muscles, of course.

      • Michael C says:
        18 Dec18 December 09:54

        Thanks everyone – god bless you one and all!

      • Chris Heyes says:
        18 Dec18 December 10:12

        Mornin Anna, We have a Friends & Family Account when we book flights for the 3 off us (partners brother)
        I ask BA can i use my points to pay for all (sometimes Daughter and 2 children as well) or sometimes we each use our points
        I don’t think BA mind whichever method used
        (Note we also have household acc for partner and i)
        not quite 500k Hilton points but 460k lol for Hilton Dubrovnik 2022 think going to need double that for the week, was tempted to buy points in sale but resisted as 2022 long way off

        • Anna says:
          18 Dec18 December 11:13

          Morning Chris – my long term plan was to save HH points for 10 nights in SEZ or MRU but seeing that the suite I’ve just booked is £587 per night at Easter, I’m delighted to pay 560k points instead! 100% bonus is always tempting but I’m sure there will be another one along in a few months!

    • Rhys says:
      18 Dec18 December 09:14

      She needs an Exec account either way – every member needs one for the household account.

      • Algor says:
        18 Dec18 December 09:20

        Pool Avios on BA and transfer your miles to Iberia acordinly. Once flights on miles are booked dissolve HHA and move Avios back from Iberia.

  • Sandgrounder says:
    18 Dec18 December 09:19

    Back to the UAE for a mo, now that AUH has started to allow visa on arrival again, with no quarantine if you travel straight on to the northern Emirates, there is an opportunity for a bargain break for Christmas- 250 off 500 with Amex, and free Etihad Chauffeur until the end of the year for economy passengers: https://www.etihad.com/en-gb/book/special-offers/promotion/dubai-and-northern-emirates-offers
    But you would need a PCR before the flight, adding additional cost.

  • Simon Barlow says:
    18 Dec18 December 09:23

    I’ve looked to transfer some avios from Iberia to BA exec club, but currently they can only go BA to Iberia. Anyone else had this issue and is there a work around? My avios.com account won’t let me in. TIA
    S

    • Rob says:
      18 Dec18 December 09:37

      You need to go via Avios. I imagine you have a household account which is why you cannot transfer into BA direct from IB.

  • Manya says:
    18 Dec18 December 09:35

    Shop small Q. Up until recently I would almost immediately get an email each time I made a ‘qualifying’ shop small purchase. The last few times/days I haven’t received the email even though I am fairly certain that the purchase is a valid one.

    Are other people also experiencing something similar?

    • Genghis says:
      18 Dec18 December 09:37

      I wouldn’t worry at this stage.

      • Manya says:
        18 Dec18 December 09:43

        Thanks – is there a defined period of time between purchase and when the £5 refund should hit?

        My only worry is that the between the wife and myself we have about 7 cards so it gets easy to lose track of shop names versus company names which show up for the transaction and which purchases to open claims on etc. (if that is indeed what is required.)

        • Phil says:
          18 Dec18 December 10:12

          It’s for this reason, and because I am a massive geek, I maintain a spreadsheet with the various transactions and cards. Though Genghis is correct not to worry yet, Amex email issuance can be sporadic, for me not receiving the confirmation email within a matter of minutes of an offer being redeemed (incl. Shop Small) is usually a sure fire signal that there is something wrong.
          Personally I’d create a spreadsheet if and track the credits, if you are concerned.

          • Nick_C says:
            18 Dec18 December 11:09

            So you’re spreadsheet Phil!

            I completely agree, with 7 CCs, a dozen current accounts, and 26 savings accounts spread across 18 institutions, I would be lost without my spreadsheet. I reconcile against Yolt on a daily basis, and know to the penny how much will be in each of my current accounts a week next Thursday.

            I know that I need to spend £15.88 before 26 Feb to trigger my next 241, and that I’ve had £102.29 c@$hb@ck on my BAPP in the current year (I’ve also had £104.72 on my ARCC).

            Always amazes me when I read about people paying DDs for things they cancelled months ago and not noticing.

          • Crafty says:
            18 Dec18 December 18:36

            Nick_C, how much do you bill yourself for your time? Or have you set up data entry automation?

          • Polly says:
            19 Dec19 December 01:16

            Same here, with 13 cards between us. Incl supps. Spreadsheet essential. My dentist popped up today on my card after a huge bill. So am going back tomorrow to get credit with the other cards. Hope amex don’t ban me. Like our pal above…
            Also, got a GC with each one at COOK today, handy for jan Feb cheering up meals…

    • n_g says:
      18 Dec18 December 09:38

      I’ve only made two purchases this year but both times I got an email immediately.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      18 Dec18 December 09:39

      Emails are always hit and miss.

      • mark2 says:
        18 Dec18 December 12:56

        That is true, but I have had emails for all this year that paid out.
        However, some previous Shop Small merchants were on the list without a logo and these yielded no email and no rebate.

  • avstar says:
    18 Dec18 December 09:38

    regarding virgin companion/upgrade vouchers earnt via the credit card – can you only earn one per 12 month period?

  • Doug M says:
    18 Dec18 December 09:43

    Website pretty laggy again today. A very perceptible gap between click and response. Not seeing this on other sites so don’t think it’s me.

  • AndyGWP says:
    18 Dec18 December 10:02

    Doesn’t affect me, but noticed the What A Buy website used for the sale of BA crockery now has a statement on it, essentially saying:
    – not everyone’s order made it into the system
    – people won’t be informed that their order files (because of GDPR?! huh?)

    • Lady London says:
      18 Dec18 December 12:12

      they need to catch up and use “Covid” as their excuse. GDPR is so Yesterday.

    • Rhys says:
      18 Dec18 December 12:31

      I saw that. Very bizarre!

    • Andrew says:
      18 Dec18 December 14:20

      And that some people are just being issued a refund and now that everything is out of stock they will basically be left without anything which I’m sure will be disappointing for them.

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