Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

The HfP chat thread – Friday 16th April

Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. A list of partners is here.

We are running 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

Comments (258)

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

  • Louie says:
    16 Apr16 April 08:38

    Does anyone know when Awardwallet do and don’t warn you of changes to flights? I can’t see any consistency and if there isn’t any I can’t rely on them.

    For example, I changed a flight on SQ yesterday. I’ve had an email from AW about hubby’s flight but not mine (presume I will get one for mine later) but if I log in to AW it shows the new flights, with just the second flight ringed in red. That might be because the first flight was a change of flight number, whilst the second is just a change of date with the same flight number. Does that sound feasible?

    However, I have BA flights which have changed time and from LGW to LHR which are now reflected on AW (in my case, twice) without anything to draw my attention to it had BA not emailed me, and with no email from AW.

    I can’t work out in what circumstances they email and when they red-ring flights. Anyone know?

    • The Savage Squirrel says:
      16 Apr16 April 13:06

      I can’t add much except to say I definitely wouldn’t be relying on AW for this in any way as it also seems highly variable for different airlines.

      • Sukes says:
        16 Apr16 April 15:15

        Similarly I can’t comment on AW in this regard. But I have had BA and EZJ flights cancelled & I have received the cancellation notifications from Kayak Trips (it’s free to use) before I received them from the airlines.

  • rob says:
    16 Apr16 April 09:28

    On the Amex site does the card referral link work for any card application or just the one that it links too?
    My referral link with the bonus looks like its for BAPP card as that’s the one I hold but my friend wants the gold card and when you use the link its not clear if I will get a bonus for a gold card application?

    • Rob says:
      16 Apr16 April 09:48

      Any card – but the bonus you get is fixed regardless.

    • Mike says:
      16 Apr16 April 10:15

      If I have a Gold and refer someone for BAPP – I’ll get the equivalent in MR instead?

      • FFoxSake says:
        16 Apr16 April 10:35

        You’ll always get the fixed MR for referring FROM Gold. Doesn’t matter what they apply for.
        They’ll get the applicable bonus MR/Avios offer (if eligible) depending on the card they choose.

  • mark says:
    16 Apr16 April 09:35

    Can one do a self referral with Amex? Looking at Gold to Bapp?

  • fivebobbill says:
    16 Apr16 April 09:46

    PCR tests? 🙂

  • Will says:
    16 Apr16 April 09:55

    Set up amazon.com account as professional seller account, find a cheap category. List something expensive, sell it to yourself.

    Computers are 6% I think, watches 3% on the buy over $1500

    • memesweeper says:
      16 Apr16 April 10:12

      “sell it to yourself“

      … and wave goodbye to all your Amex cards forever if they cotton on.

      • TGLoyalty says:
        16 Apr16 April 10:29

        Amazon might cottton on but how would Amex know what you are buying from Amazon and who from

      • will says:
        16 Apr16 April 11:02

        OP didn’t mention Amex, but the billing company would just see Amazon on the statement. If it were me I’d be doing it a bit less obviously than putting the seller and buyer accounts in my own name. Partner, family member etc.

        I’d use a buyer account that had been long established.

        Also be careful of VAT these days, Amazon should be deducting it at source to UK shipping addresses.

  • Saiz says:
    16 Apr16 April 09:59

    How long is the referral bonus taking to appear. Referred someone who got approved early morning today. Is the earliest Monday or do they appear in the account over the weekend too?

    • IanM says:
      16 Apr16 April 10:11

      I referred someone who got approved 2 days ago and no bonus yet, usually it’s quick but ive had issues before with the referral link not being picked up which will cause problems

    • Nadeshka says:
      16 Apr16 April 10:18

      #1 Referred Friday evening, points posted on Sunday.
      #2 Referred Wednesday afternoon, points posted by Friday morning.
      So 36 hours/2 days from both which were instant approvals.

      • meta says:
        16 Apr16 April 10:40

        My experience is on the day the card is shipped. I referred someone who was instantly approved, but their card was posted a week after. I received the points on day 7, they received the card on day 8.

      • Patrick Cold says:
        16 Apr16 April 16:38

        I referred on Wednesday, points arrived yesterday!

    • James says:
      16 Apr16 April 10:43

      Why the desperation?

    • Saiz says:
      16 Apr16 April 10:54

      Thank you all for you replies.
      @ John, it’s not desperation. I want to make an Avios redemption so don’t want the availability to go.

      • Anna says:
        16 Apr16 April 11:09

        Which referral bonus do you mean? You’ll also need to wait for a MR transfer to complete or your monthly avios sweep if a BA card.

  • Colin MacKinnon says:
    16 Apr16 April 10:40

    TUI, EasyJet and HfP readers all getting excited about reopening in May, but ….

    Will UK passport holders be allowed into EU countries?

    And if allowed into just Spain, say, will we then be free to go onto Portugal or France?

    Or will we be able to use the Common Travel Area loophole and go via Dublin?

    • Aston100 says:
      16 Apr16 April 10:43

      Might be just my own opinion, but I feel you’d be bonkers to want to go into Europe for tourism in May. Assuming you were allowed to.

    • The Lord says:
      16 Apr16 April 11:03

      Greece opening up for UK passport holders next week

    • Anna says:
      16 Apr16 April 11:11

      I simply cannot see many EU countries turning UK tourists away this summer, especially of vaccinated and/or with a negative test.

    • Alan says:
      16 Apr16 April 11:52

      There is no Dublin loophole, as final destination data is being shared.

      • TGLoyalty says:
        16 Apr16 April 16:07

        Right and who is sharing what when you are on separate flights?

    • Stanley says:
      16 Apr16 April 12:05

      Malta often discussed as a Green List potential destination. They have said UK tourists welcome from June 1st – double jabbed or negative PCR.

    • Blair says:
      16 Apr16 April 13:02

      Dublin loophole is viable if self-connecting. Also much of the rest of the EU, Ireland included, have national ID cards/passport cards as well as passport books. So no need to hand over a passport book (with foreign entry stamps) at Dublin as such.

    • Sukes says:
      16 Apr16 April 15:23

      Ireland continues to ban all non-essential international travel with no end date announced. Travel press today have Aer Lingus & Ryanair lobbying Gov to try and lift it in June. Northern Ireland gov has also not announced any date for lifting their guidance against non-essential intl travel.

  • Andrew MS says:
    16 Apr16 April 10:44

    Now the Butcher , the baker and my newsagent all accept AMEX . No candlestick maker in the village though . Baker was frightened to try my Amex card (or Americano Express as she called it) this morning despite her colleague telling her that their new machine accepts AMEX . Baker asked me to use another card but i put my foot down and bingo, 7 MR !

    • Aston100 says:
      16 Apr16 April 11:50

      7 MR you say?
      I trust this was more than a single crusty roll?

    • Alex says:
      16 Apr16 April 12:20

      I have gotten into the habit of just putting my Amex into the machine and seeing if it works or gets declined. Lots of places take it without knowing or don’t like to but can. Easier just to do it and if it doesn’t work just say “oops wrong card”

    • IanM says:
      16 Apr16 April 12:56

      They’ll be accepting DOGE before Amex LOL!

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

New to Head for Points?

Welcome!  We’re the UK’s most-read source of business travel, Avios, frequent flyer and hotel loyalty news. Let us improve how you travel. Learn more on our About page.

VAA

Latest comments

Latest Forum Posts

Get 30,000 points bonus with American Express Platinum

Amex Gold

Check reward flight availability instantly for free!

See a whole year of reward seat availability on one page at SeatSpy.com

Booking a luxury hotel?

Our luxury hotel booking service offers you GUARANTEED extra benefits over booking direct. Works with Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, The Ritz Carlton, St Regis and more. We've booked £1.3 million of rooms to date. Click for details.

Get 20,000 bonus points and your first year free with American Express Gold

Amex Gold