The HfP chat thread – Saturday 1st May

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Secret Squirrel says:

1 May1 May 09:03

For anyone taken out Amex Platinum recently, you can get switched onto paying monthly the annual fee before first statement. I done this yesterday, CS mentioned it if I had left it any longer they would of charged the entire annual fee then would of had to refund by 2nd statement.
- Reeferman says:
  
  1 May1 May 11:24
  
  I’ve just done this. Oddly, Amex is sending me a new card – identical in all ways (including the card number/PIN etc – as well as the benefits) but their system requires a new card to be sent. I was assured everything is identical – the agent didn’t know why a new card had to be sent out, rather than just a notification of a variation in terms.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    1 May1 May 12:50
    
    Didn’t get a new card when I changed to monthly last September.
  - Secret Squirrel says:
    
    1 May1 May 13:46
    
    Yep, new card also here being sent.
The Original Nick. says:

1 May1 May 09:07

Morning. Amex card question: I currently hold the Amex Plat, BA Blue Amex, ARCC. What are my chances in getting accepted for the BAPP? Credit score is 900 +.
- Sean says:
  
  1 May1 May 09:21
  
  dont think you can hold the BA blue and BAPP at the same time – presumbly you can just upgrade the blue to BAPP and keep the spend on the clock.
  - The Original Nick. says:
    
    1 May1 May 09:35
    
    Yep, I’ve just realised that but thanks anyway.
- AJA says:
  
  1 May1 May 09:35
  
  As Sean says you can’t hold both at the same time, just phone Amex to upgrade the BA blue to BAPP.
- Alex says:
  
  1 May1 May 09:36
  
  Better off upgrading your BA blue to BAPP, firstly you keep your spending towards the 10K for 241. Also many people get a mystery 6000 bonus for “upgrading”
- MattB says:
  
  1 May1 May 09:56
  
  Credit score is irrelevant
- Chrisasaurus says:
  
  1 May1 May 10:17
  
  Either 100% or 0% but unfortunately you won’t know which until after applying
747_Brat says:

1 May1 May 09:10

What is the referral bonus for referring someone for Amex Bonvoy card from PRG, as I understand the enhanced referral bonuses don’t apply for Bonvoy card referrals?
Thanks.
- Andrew says:
  
  1 May1 May 09:28
  
  The referee still gets the enhanced bonus but there is no enhanced welcome bonus for the applicant.
Paul says:

1 May1 May 09:26

A payment last night was declined on my Virgin Money VS credit card, and both then and now when I try to open the Virgin Money app I get a “Something’s Up” message. Before I call them, would another card holder be kind enough to report back if the app is working for them currently, please?
- Jaime says:
  
  1 May1 May 09:31
  
  Working fine for me
- The Original Nick. says:
  
  1 May1 May 09:34
  
  I’ve had this problem a few times. I have had to uninstall the app and then reinstall. It’s a nuisance.
  - Paul says:
    
    1 May1 May 09:46
    
    Thanks Jaime and Nick, much appreciated. Just reinstalled the app and now working fine (plus my payment has gone through!).
    - Jaime says:
      
      1 May1 May 10:19
      
      No problem Paul. The app is rubbish, too many problems
  - Secret Squirrel says:
    
    1 May1 May 10:28
    
    I have to delete & install the app also from time to time.
    - Sean says:
      
      1 May1 May 12:10
      
      I just have to turn my phone off and on again (android) rather than uninstall app
Bobri says:

1 May1 May 09:29

Is there a way to bend the top ups of the HL ISA / GIA?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  1 May1 May 09:41
  
  Yes but not with creation
  - Bobri says:
    
    1 May1 May 16:27
    
    Have a blue bendy but regardless of the underlying (even with a debit one) it just says payment unsuccessful and bendy app shows no attempts to charge the card
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      1 May1 May 16:38
      
      Could be address related then are you sure the address with HL matches address with bendy?
      - Bobri says:
        
        1 May1 May 17:01
        
        Pretty sure it’s the same address, but will double check with bendy to be 100% sure it’s written the same way
      - Bobri says:
        
        1 May1 May 17:01
        
        And thanks a lot!
- Steve says:
  
  1 May1 May 10:21
  
  Try HK
  - Bobri says:
    
    1 May1 May 16:14
    
    Thanks, planning to get that one
Mark Peterborough says:

1 May1 May 09:47

Somebody mentioned yesterday that their Spire status expiry was unexpectedly showing as Dec 31st 2022.

I’ve checked mine , it’s also Dec 2022 and my option to take the 25000 bonus points was available and I’ve selected and received them .

For info I re-qualified for spire towards the end of 2021 successfully and claimed those points and at the moment I have 28000 points towards this year’s qualification .
- Froggee says:
  
  1 May1 May 19:53
  
  Weird – your comment made me check my status having also read the previous one. My status is also showing to Dec 2022 and the 25,000 points were available which I accepted with alacrity. I got spire through quite a lot or Ernie bending last year but have stopped for now so only 8,000 points earned this year all through normal credit card spend. A very unexpected bonus this!
- Travel Strong says:
  
  1 May1 May 23:16
  
  I also just checked this and landed 25k IHG points! I qualified last year on CC spend, and have not yet qualified this year on spend.
  This award was *not* waiting in the account when I checked a month or so ago – it is new.
Dave says:

1 May1 May 10:15

Having problems bending Solihull into Ernie after changing my address – getting the error “The record status does not allow this action” – any ideas?
- Steve says:
  
  1 May1 May 10:25
  
  See Page 2 from Wednesdays chat for a lengthy discussion of this.
  - Dave says:
    
    1 May1 May 10:35
    
    Thanks, I had updated my address with bendy but Ernie still only worked with my old address. All good so far.
    
    Then as a result of Wednesday’s thread, I got bendy to double-check and turns out they’d only changed my shipping address not billing address. When bendy updated my billing address, Ernie stopped working with the old address, cue update the new address but then I get that error message.
    
    Have asked bendy to ‘search and destroy’ the old address and see if that helps.
- Harry T says:
  
  1 May1 May 10:27
  
  Did you change your address on both Solihull and Ernie?
swifty says:

1 May1 May 10:25

Hi Rob, any one pls. I have ba blue, with 20yo son on supplemental. I have a new bus gold amex from recent promo this month. What is the best order for me to go about things (and I have only just realised the other opportunities I might be able to do re creation and other ones) which should I go for first? I also have another offspring 18yo so can use them too. I’ve been reading and it seems I should get ihg but what else next please
- Harry T says:
  
  1 May1 May 10:27
  
  Depends what points you want to earn!
  - swifty says:
    
    1 May1 May 10:33
    
    Hi Harry, avios mainly, as have 3 241 vouchers, and looking for some kind of hotel status for a trip to Asia/America on a couple of them. I won’t have the budget of most of the readers on here though
    - Harry T says:
      
      1 May1 May 10:39
      
      IHG card isn’t the best way to earn Avios but the points could be useful for points stays. If you don’t have any hotel status, you could buy Intercontinental Ambassador, which also comes with IHG Platinum. Taking out the Amex platinum would give you Hilton Gold (decent), Marriott Gold (pretty rubbish) and some others. A lot depends on what sort of hotels you like to stay in, which hotels are around the area you’re travelling to, and what benefits you would derive from status.
      
      Ironically the free (for first year) Nectar amex is now a better card for earning Avios than the free BA blue card.
      - Doug M says:
        
        1 May1 May 12:31
        
        @Swifty. As you mention budget it’s worth mentioning that I find with hotels the outsize points value is always on more expensive brands. If you stay at Hampton or HIE type places there’s typically in my experience little value in points. I’d add that most of my travel is USA where hotel status is common place from credit cards, so any status recognition is less beneficial than ROW. There are exceptions, but generally I find better deals from the likes of hotels com.
- Steve says:
  
  1 May1 May 10:57
  
  Follow this for your sons:
  https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2021/01/22/how-a-couple-can-earn-186875-avios-from-american-express/
  
  For yourself you can still get the Platinum sign up bonus