The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 24th February

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.

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.

Category

General

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

Genghis says:

24 Feb24 February 09:28

Tesco home insurance. 2.5k cc. HOM21. Don’t think it’s targeted. I need to look into it in a couple of weeks.
HarryUps says:

24 Feb24 February 09:44

Hi all – hoping you can help me with a query. I am BA Gold, and looking to book an Avios redemption on a Domestic US flight with AA – When booking it states that I will not receive any checked luggage allowance, but remember reading on here somewhere some years ago that this may not actually be the case? Thanks in advance!
- Anna says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 10:00
  
  Yes I remember that! I think if you check on the AA website it has details about this, and take a print out with you for check in as ground crew may well not be aware.
- Louise K says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 10:01
  
  I’ve travelled AA domestic as a bronze and had my first bag free on an Avios ticket.
- ChrisA says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 11:21
  
  I haven’t done this sort of redemption for a few years, but remember wondering the same and establishing that there was indeed a checked luggage allowance.
747_Brat says:

24 Feb24 February 10:08

Thanks Rhys & Genghis 🙂
Alexis says:

24 Feb24 February 10:13

Never bothered with hotels and hotels points in the past.

Does it worth it? What’s the best strategy for a hotel points beginner?
- Rhys says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 10:21
  
  This is a good starting point: https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/best-uk-hotel-points-promotions/
- Harry T says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 11:12
  
  How many nights do you spend in a hotel a year? And where do you stay? It is for business or leisure travel?
- Rob says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 12:10
  
  In our menu bar under Hotel Offers you will see links to articles looking at the Hilton, IHG and Marriott schemes.
  
  It is worth comparing with Hotels.com Rewards – https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/05/01/review-hotels-com-rewards/
  
  Then look at this – https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/09/15/how-to-get-free-hotel-elite-status-from-uk-credit-cards/
- memesweeper says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 12:48
  
  For independents and chains you stay with occasionally, hotels.com may be best. The big chains all have decent in-house schemes for status except Accor. IHG’s scheme is good for earning points for free stays at a later date, but poor status.
- Crafty says:
  
  25 Feb25 February 10:27
  
  You will quite soon be kicking yourself!
  
  I still occasionally do so about the 6 weeks I spent in the Marriott in Mumbai about 10 years ago on a work trip, at a point when I didn’t even really know loyalty programmes existed…
Doug M says:

24 Feb24 February 10:18

A slightly odd Curve change for me. The app now shows a transaction limit of £2K, with a daily limit of £1.4 million. Odd relative amounts. The transaction limit is definitely lower than previous, no idea what that was but have exceeded £2K before, as little as a week ago.
- Alan says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 10:29
  
  I have had the 2000 limit since i got my card two months ago. It’s a pain and there doesent seem to be any way of raising it
  - cinereus says:
    
    24 Feb24 February 11:49
    
    The obvious way to raise it is to contact them.
    - mark2 says:
      
      24 Feb24 February 12:02
      
      good luck with that!
      - JD says:
        
        24 Feb24 February 12:40
        
        Lol, so true. My card hasn’t been working all month. I’ve just had 2 emails saying “we’re looking into it”. Although were my card to work I’d have the 9k limit apparently. Joy
    - Alan says:
      
      24 Feb24 February 12:16
      
      Three weeks for a reply that said £2k is the limit.
- Jay says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 10:31
  
  Was at £9k / day and £1.4m / annum. new card arrived and dropped to £2k / day but still £1.4m / annum. Wifi had her new card and stayed at £9k / day and £1.4m / annum…. no logic.
- Doug M says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 10:50
  
  I think the 1.4M is a 365 limit and I read the page wrong. But it’s definitely a lower daily limit than previously.
  - Toaster says:
    
    24 Feb24 February 14:20
    
    For those with the £2k limit, is that per DAY or per TRANSACTION?
    
    If it’s per day then you cannot get anywhere near the annual limit of £1.4m. May as well have an annual limit of $100 billion.
    - Jay says:
      
      24 Feb24 February 18:04
      
      Per day😞
Alan says:

24 Feb24 February 10:35

Had 3 sets of Easyjet flights, April departures, cancelled last night. All were made before the cabin luggage policy change.

Does anyone know if they are carrying over the free cabin bag when you rebook.
- Lady London says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 10:51
  
  They are supposed to I would say.
  - Yorkieflyer says:
    
    24 Feb24 February 13:33
    
    You retain the same booking reference so keep the email confirming complimentary hands free and argue if necessary
    - Yorkieflyer says:
      
      24 Feb24 February 13:33
      
      It’s what I will be doing 😀
Chrism20 says:

24 Feb24 February 10:38

Have to update my card in award wallet as the old one has expired. Where do you do this on the app? I’m probably being dim but I can’t seem to find where you do it. Thanks
- Genghis says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 10:59
  
  Website only I believe. I updated a month or so ago ready for renewal.
  - Chrism20 says:
    
    24 Feb24 February 12:02
    
    Thanks, managed to do it on the web.
Venturelog says:

24 Feb24 February 10:41

BA’s cancellation policy seems to include refund in the shape of Avios with 100% bonus. Has anyone taken this up?
- Rhys says:
  
  24 Feb24 February 11:02
  
  We wrote about it when it launched: https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/05/20/british-airways-offering-avios-instead-of-cash-refunds/
  - Jay says:
    
    24 Feb24 February 12:23
    
    So one ‘could’ book a flight likely to be cancelled, put spend on Bus Plat card for 100k points to hit target, flight gets cancelled and refunded with 100% extra Avios plus 100K MR points.
    - Phil says:
      
      24 Feb24 February 13:17
      
      Imagine if the flight went thought!!!
    - Rob says:
      
      24 Feb24 February 13:28
      
      Amex would remove the 100k points if they were still in your account.
      - Genghis says:
        
        24 Feb24 February 13:47
        
        Why? BA’s kept your cash.
        You’ll have just paid say £10k for 100k MRs + 1.25m avios = 1.35m avios for 0.74p / avios (+ some fees for the card).
      - Jonathan says:
        
        24 Feb24 February 13:49
        
        Not if you took the refund from BA in Avios though? You would then be paying £10k for 1,250,000 Avios + 100,000 MR. Essentially 1.35 million Avios for £10k or 0.74p/Avios. It’s a good deal but a hefty outlay for a currency that BA have complete control over your spending options & price.
        
        Even if you treat Nectar as pseudo cash I’d want more than a 7% margin for the risk/hassle involved.
      - Rob says:
        
        24 Feb24 February 15:31
        
        That’s true, but as you say it is too much bother.