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The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 3rd March

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Comments (292)

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

  • The Hunter says:
    3 Mar3 March 14:04

    Before I bother waiting on hold for BA CS, does anyone know if possible to retrospectively apply a 241 to an avios redemption already booked..?

  • Ikaz says:
    3 Mar3 March 14:23

    I am missing 28 points to book an IHG night, is there an easy way of getting the points fast before the hotel sells out other than buying the missing points? I only have ~2000 virgin points so not worth transferring Amex points over that way

    • Alex D says:
      3 Mar3 March 14:39

      There was a deal getting 150 points booking through open table for a restaurant, not sure if that’s even possible at the moment though. Maybe just call and see if they can do anything?

      • Rob says:
        3 Mar3 March 15:18

        Ring. A lot of companies will comp you.

        Or pay $5 to transfer 1000 points from your partner or family member.

  • Michael C says:
    3 Mar3 March 14:45

    Quick budget query for the financey people!
    So if a company has profits of 75k, is that 50k @ 19% + 25k @ 25%?

  • Phil says:
    3 Mar3 March 14:50

    Accor Booking – I have the Novotel York City Centre booked for early May. This was a speculative booking made sometime ago with a fully flexible rate. I now wish to cancel the booking. When I attempt to go to MMB on either the Website (Chrome) or the Mobile app – the page fails to load. This has been happening for a few days now. The rest of the Website and App work fine. It looks like an attempt to block cancellations/refunds.

    Anyone else experiencing this?

    • kitten says:
      3 Mar3 March 15:29

      late last year Accor messed with their systems, or someone did, and lots of people could log in and accrue points but nothing else. Accor claims this was some sort of security issue. They never bothered contacting anyone proactively (this is Accor, remember). What you are unable to do could be one of the ways this problem shows to you in
      Call their service centre to get the cancellation done. Whilst there find out if they are going to give you loads of hassle demanding ID when there was no good reason they could possibly give for you finding out only when you need to get something done they did this stuff for no good reason.

  • KBuffett says:
    3 Mar3 March 15:29

    I know this gets asked a lot, just difficult to find the relevant comments. Where can I use my Bendy/HHonors? Does Ernie work? Any other recommendations, for example, brokerages?

    • Jay says:
      3 Mar3 March 18:00

      Ernie = yes, HL = yes.

      • The Urbanite says:
        3 Mar3 March 18:13

        Does ERNIE work?

        • cinereus says:
          3 Mar3 March 18:40

          Not any more.

        • Secret Squirrel says:
          3 Mar3 March 18:47

          Yes still

        • babyg says:
          3 Mar3 March 19:36

          not if we keep talking about, why dont people just try a small amount?

          • Neil Spellings says:
            4 Mar4 March 16:16

            Curious as to why people are putting money into Ernie near the start of the month when you only need money to be present when the month rolls over, so can deposit near the end and still qualify for the following months draw, and make your money work harder in the meantime?

  • Freddy says:
    3 Mar3 March 15:34

    Avios not allowing transfers online to nectar, only by phone. Trying to close the floodgates I presume. Can transfer the other way online

    • PaulH says:
      3 Mar3 March 15:38

      …. i called and got thru after 25 mins.. transferred 50 avios to nectar… she said they are updating the website and you will be able to do this online again mid march… hope this is the case as it is a pain to be on hold!

      • Andrew says:
        3 Mar3 March 16:11

        I wonder if the regular gold exec club line can do this for you too, rather than calling the number the nectar app gives you – I just called them for a flight refund and it was answered immediately once I had listened to all the recorded messages and options etc.

      • Guernsey Globetrotter says:
        3 Mar3 March 18:36

        I hope that was meant to read 50k avios or that really was a long phone hold for 40p worth of Nectar!

    • Rob says:
      3 Mar3 March 16:27

      This is fraud prevention – they are building in 2FA, which is tricky when you retrofit it like this.

  • Harry T says:
    3 Mar3 March 15:46

    Has anyone noticed that the new IHG dynamic pricing often forces you to only get 0.5p per point? I booked the new Kimpton in Paris when it first opened up for bookings (40k a night) and now it’s 60-70k a night, tracking the cash price. A lot of places seem to have become proper value for points due to the dynamic model.

    • Aston100 says:
      3 Mar3 March 16:16

      So working as intended finally? (Unfortunately for us).

      • Rob says:
        3 Mar3 March 16:26

        As long as there is a cap in place it can work OK. Look at Hilton – you can still get outsized value at hotels on peak dates because the category cap kicks in.

        If there are no category caps then, yes, most of the value disappears – although 0.5p per point is still more than IHG sells you points for during a 100% bonus! The IHG credit card would become a 0.5% return credit card which is also pretty good for a free card at the moment.

        • Aston100 says:
          3 Mar3 March 16:29

          Is 100k still the most expensive IHG redemption price?
          Think the IC Maldives charges that. Not sure which other properties.
          But 100k points for an overwater Villa worth upwards of £700 (and over £1k peak) is pretty decent value IMO.
          So, as long as the dynamic pricing doesn’t take the points price above the previous maximums for a property (any property, not just Maldives), it should be OK right?

        • Harry T says:
          3 Mar3 March 17:48

          Yes, I’ve booked the Waldorf Amsterdam for 76k a night (five for four) when it’s over €600 a night, so even Hilton pricing can have value due to that cap. But it does feel like the sweet spots are slowly being eradicated.

    • Ash Raj says:
      3 Mar3 March 16:47

      I think the Kimpton Paris would have been an introductory offer at the rate of 40k which was very low for a 5* in Paris.

      • Harry T says:
        3 Mar3 March 17:46

        @Ash I think it was an IT error. It’s now 70k most nights in the summer with cash prices of 400 euros plus a night.

        • meta says:
          3 Mar3 March 18:00

          It’s 70k next February for Valentines when cash prices are 950 euros+ so it appeares to be capped.

          However, I have previously looked at Mr&Mrs Smith property in Mozambique and the cash cost was about $1.4k but there were no availability on points ever. I checked over course of month for all dates. You can book for cash though. I think the system can’t price these more expensive properties.

          • Aston100 says:
            3 Mar3 March 18:21

            I think you are right. Looked at a bunch of properties through Mr & Mrs Smith that were eye wateringly pricey (cash). No reward nights available ever.

          • Harry T says:
            3 Mar3 March 18:54

            It’s definitely capped at 70k, like most upscale Kimptons appear to be. I hope I can get a couple of cheeky nights in for the weekends I booked at 40k this summer:

  • NC says:
    3 Mar3 March 16:19

    Am getting “invalid card number” error which suggests Ernie no longer supports Bendy. Anyone else?

    • Dave B says:
      3 Mar3 March 16:22

      Also, “invalid card number”

      • NC says:
        3 Mar3 March 16:22

        This could be catastrophic news.

        • Aston100 says:
          3 Mar3 March 16:25

          Well, I think catastrophic might be a tad dramatic, but certainly would be an end to some of the fun anyway.

          • cinereus says:
            3 Mar3 March 18:40

            It’s worth five figs p.a. so yeah it’s pretty sad.

    • Aston100 says:
      3 Mar3 March 16:22

      Who was underlying?

    • Lee says:
      3 Mar3 March 16:46

      Worked for me just now

      • Dave B says:
        3 Mar3 March 16:59

        “invalid card number” just now , don’t think its the underlying card.

      • cinereus says:
        3 Mar3 March 18:42

        Lee can you give digits five and six please?

    • Sean says:
      3 Mar3 March 17:20

      all fine here basic blue solihull

    • BP says:
      3 Mar3 March 17:20

      Also getting Invalid card 🙁 Bendy corporate starting 5375

      • Dave B says:
        3 Mar3 March 17:56

        Also getting Invalid card 🙁 Bendy corporate starting 5375

        • BP says:
          3 Mar3 March 18:02

          Bugger. Hello Curve support, can I downgrade to personal please?

        • Suck My Points says:
          3 Mar3 March 18:17

          Also getting Invalid card 🙁 Bendy corporate starting 5375

          Bad timing with a few weeks of the M&M card left

      • Jay says:
        3 Mar3 March 21:37

        Corp and Personal start 5375. Is it 5375 9000 as this is personal ?

    • TGLoyalty says:
      3 Mar3 March 17:21

      Nope fine here

    • The Urbanite says:
      3 Mar3 March 18:14

      This happens with NS&I block BINs. Same happened with 3V and GSI cards. At least this time people aren’t sitting on hordes of prepaid cards!

      • BP says:
        3 Mar3 March 18:17

        Only a matter of time until curve personal gets hot and the party is over

      • Suck My Points says:
        3 Mar3 March 18:24

        I have Curve Legacy Black, with “Commercial” on the back

        If I change to Curve Blue is that a personal card rather than commercial?

        Is there any reason to keep Black Legacy?

    • cinereus says:
      3 Mar3 March 18:57

      Seems only 5375 91 are blocked by Ernie at the moment.

      • Jay says:
        3 Mar3 March 21:39

        5375 9100 are Commercial, just tried 5375 9000 and worked fine with HH behind. There could be a final last minute rush before the gates are closed 🙁

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

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