Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

The HfP chat thread – Thursday 21st January

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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.

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.

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 (197)

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

  • Will says:

    can someone also please give info on the upgrade from rewards gold to platinum – eg full annual fee (£575) and 20k points if you spend 4k – seems expensive at this stage if all the marriott £400 and waitrose £175 spend promos won’t be offered to a new plat cardholder

    • Dan says:

      You’re only eligible for the 20k upgrade if you haven’r before, you need to do this by calling as online link is not there anymore – assuming you have the Gold charge and not the credit card (not eligible). Marriott offer is not a guarantee in the future (may be a one-off) and the spend rebates are all done until July 2021. I think it’s pretty obvious the equation here…

      • Alan says:

        Why are the spend rebates done until July 21, it there an annual cycle to these offers?

        • Andrew says:

          These kind of rebates are totally new since Covid – and unlikely to continue once normal travel is resumed. The reason we are assuming that there won’t be another rebate of this type before July is that the current one runs until July, so they won’t have two running at the same time. Should the travel situation not have improved by the summer then we may see another one in August.

  • Mco says:

    Can I use BA lounge if I land at LHR in Club but domestic on separate BA ticket is Y.

  • chef says:

    Does anybody have an Octopus referral code please?

  • chef says:

    Thanks Carol, ill use it now

  • Super Secret Stuff says:

    Best wait and see, in 2 weeks time if they haven’t rung you (which they often don’t), ring back and pestor them

  • chef says:

    i presume ill be asked for this code during the sign up process?

  • EDA says:

    Anyone’s had any luck with HSBC WE retention bonuses?

    • Polly says:

      Never do them! In fact you don’t even get your first bonus until after you have paid the 2nd year fee.. Unless, you can get hold of an understanding manager who might let you downgrade to premier and keep the points!

    • Bigmaggot says:

      https://share.octopus.energy/ready-sky-403

      Hope that helps with a £50 brucie bonus:)

    • Bigmaggot says:

      It’s been reported a few times here recently that you can phone and get £195 refunded if you point out the card has been worthless since covid

  • Kevin says:

    Does anyone know how the Hotel Status upgrades work when getting the Platinum Card? When I got the Marriot Bonvoy Amex, my (new) Marriot Bonvoy account got 15 nights credit. I’m still on 15 nights due to lockdown! But today I applied for and approved for Platinum Card. How do Marriot know I’m now entitled to Gold status? Do they just credit more nights to hit the 25 nights required for Gold Status? (Apologies for long winded question!)

    • Rob says:

      You fill in an online form for each status you want. Give your existing account and you will get Gold with the 15 nights still there.

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