The HfP chat thread – Sunday 2nd May

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• The Original Nick. says:

  2 May2 May 09:36

  Can anyone help me here please? I have hit the 20k spend on my Virgin CC for a voucher. How do I find the voucher? Do I need to wait for my statement to be generated?
  Thanks.

  • Rob says:

    2 May2 May 09:46

    It will show on your Virgin Points statement (not your card statement) on the VA website or the Virgin Red app. You will see a one-line entry on your statement that says something like “Credit card voucher issued – 0 miles”. This tells you that the call centre will be able to see the voucher when you ring to book.

    • The Original Nick says:

      2 May2 May 14:38

      Thanks Rob.

  • Jonathan says:

    2 May2 May 09:46

    Log into your Virgin Atlantic account & it should appear as a line on the activity statement.

    “ You’ve spent £10,000 on your credit card – call to redeem your Reward”

    That is it, you have to call up to use, it’s not like the BA 241 voucher. I can’t remember if it appears immediately you pass the threshold or at the next statement.

    • Mart says:

      2 May2 May 09:49

      I really wish the voucher system was clearer on your statement,I had to fight them this week to use mine ,they said I’d redeemed it then it had expired.

    • The Original Nick says:

      2 May2 May 14:40

      Excellent thanks. I’ve just logged in And found it.

  • Roger W says:

    2 May2 May 09:50

    I had this conundrum recently. Went through all the statements online etc and could not find anything. May have been an email. They do not make it obvious.

    I ended up using the Virgins Whatsapp number

    Also a reminder. I am about to get another voucher. Presumably can cancel the card (paid for). Am in a Amex cycle so will not be using the Virgin much in the next year.

    • James. says:

      2 May2 May 10:20

      I have had the BA cards since they moved to Virgin Money. In the last year they have been very slow at adding the voucher to my Flying Club accounts. They used to post within 1 month of the statement generated past the approved spend. Since COVID this now seems to be 1 month after your anniversary date. I have never received any confirmation from Virgin Money of the reward it just appears. I can currently waiting on 3 to post.

      • Andrew M says:

        2 May2 May 11:02

        I think you mean the VS cards. I can’t see BA credit cards ever being operated by Virgin Money!

        • James. says:

          2 May2 May 12:10

          Correct, sorry VA changed to BA

        • Harry T says:

          2 May2 May 17:33

          This is why we should all use VS, as god intended.

• ash says:

  2 May2 May 09:41

  Did someone say the bicester village Amex offer works if you buy the voucher? Anyone got confirmation of this?

  • Carol says:

    2 May2 May 10:01

    Yes. I bought one on Monday and £50 was credited to my Amex on Thursday.

    • Carol says:

      2 May2 May 10:02

      Though got confirmation immediately after purchase

    • JB says:

      2 May2 May 10:45

      Hi C. Did you buy the £500 Bicester Village Gift Card online and have it delivered to an address or did you buy it when you visited Bicester Village?

      • Carol says:

        2 May2 May 10:52

        I bought it at Bicester

      • ash says:

        2 May2 May 18:47

        Word of advice JB if you go at the weekend go early, when we left at 2pm today the queue to get in was so long I would turned around and gone home!

  • Andrew says:

    2 May2 May 10:08

    If you click on the list of participating boutiques (the PDF) in the Amex app, it says at the bottom that gift cards are included and to buy them from the visitor centre. So for once it’s not gaming the system to buy a gift card but specifically included in the offer.

    • ash says:

      2 May2 May 17:08

      Thanks got the email though in seconds

• Jonny says:

  2 May2 May 09:41

  I have to fly to Glasgow from Heathrow in a fortnight.

  I found the BA site quite confusing about special requirements due to COVID (mostly it was about travelling in and out of the UK, although some of the details seemed to be only related to England).

  Anyone know anything about specific problems/ issues when flying this route, or is it just turn up and obey COVID protocols (mask wearing etc.)?

  Thanks

  • Rob says:

    2 May2 May 09:43

    You just turn up. Scotland is fully open, as per our hotel review today.

    • Jonny says:

      2 May2 May 15:17

      Thanks, Rob.

• Fm says:

  2 May2 May 10:04

  Trying to work out whether it’s worth joining IC Ambassador. We’ve got two upcoming reward stays at Dublin and the O2. Both are traveling with kids so have booked a deluxe suite (paid upgrade) and 2 Queen bed rooms respectively. Does anyone know of the potential for upgrades at these properties, am I right in saying it’s not guaranteed on reward stays? Also, does Club access ever come with a complimentary upgrade?

  • Rob says:

    2 May2 May 10:10

    Not guaranteed on reward stays althoughr realistically I’ve never had a problem.

    The Ambassador T&Cs list which suites are not eligible for upgrades so see if the O2 has already blocked you from going any higher.

    No club – bizarrely you can even be upgraded to a ‘club’ room, as I was in Abu Dhabi, and still be refused club access. This meant that I hadn’t actually been upgraded at all, unless you count the slightly better toiletries and coffee machine (the room was identical to a normal one). Does the O2 suite come with Club though? Many hotels include it automatically with suite bookings. This assumes the lounge is open of course …

    • Fm says:

      2 May2 May 12:00

      Thanks Rob, seems the suite I booked doesn’t have club access so upgrade would be for larger room.

    • Anna says:

      2 May2 May 12:00

      The O2 gives club access for the 1 bed suite and above (or the standard Club Room, obviously), but not for upgrades.

    • Pid says:

      2 May2 May 12:41

      At the O2 when using 241 have often found it better to pay for the city suite which comes with lounge access but no upgrade, than pay for the lower suite get upgrade to city suite and then add club at hotel.

• NC says:

  2 May2 May 10:10

  Is there any way of transferring Avios to Nectar online yet? Or does this still require a call? I thought I saw a comment ages about a browser workaround to do it online but I could be imagining things. Thanks in advance.

  • Rob says:

    2 May2 May 10:23

    No workaround, need to call.

• Graham says:

  2 May2 May 10:16

  So an outward AVIOS flight has become available on the date/destination I want.

  Is it possible to book it using a 241 voucher and then if the return leg opens up I can add it to the booking with the 241?

  Or do I simply have to book two separate legs as can’t use 241 voucher in this way?

  • Rob says:

    2 May2 May 10:22

    Yes – book the outbound now as a one-way with the 241 then call back to add the return when it appears.

• Craig says:

  2 May2 May 10:19

  Bit of advice please? Looking to book Singapore to Bali next year, Singapore Airlines are showing 15000 points each and if I booked before the end of June I get a bit more flexibility. I’d have to transfer from Amex MR and I have plenty of points, shame I didn’t get in before the devaluation. Is the 15 days stated by Amex about right and any other ways of earning some Krisflyer points quickly? Thanks.

  • Sam G says:

    2 May2 May 11:49

    It’s usually quicker than this from Amex. You can also try calling in or the web chat and tell them you are transferring in, they should be willing to put them on hold for you for a couple of days though I’ve read elsewhere that experiences are a bit patchy with this, but I’ve done it a couple of times no problem

  • Alex says:

    2 May2 May 11:50

    If you MR and Krisflyer account is already linked, ie you’ve done a transfer before. It should be much faster, within a week. If you haven’t done it before then it might take longer.

  • BuildBackBetter says:

    2 May2 May 17:53

    Wouldn’t worry too much for a 2 and half hour flight. You can even get a premium seat in one of the low cost carriers.
    Marriott and hsbc points can be transferred, if you have them.

• Mart says:

  2 May2 May 10:20

  I have spent approx 12k on blue amex so I am going to apply for the bapp in the hope amex connects the dots, converts the card, issues my 241 and I will then cancel the card.

  The question is, if my OH who has a platinum refers me and I select the bapp, will she get the 24k for my referral?

  • AJA says:

    2 May2 May 11:19

    No I don’t think that will work. You would not be applying for a new card, you would simply be upgrading an existing BA card account. Also you can’t hold both BA free and BAPP card at the same time.

    Upgrading the card will however automatically trigger the 2 4 1 but you might find it shows as only valid for 12 months instead of 24 which will require a phone call to resolve. In future it is better to upgrade before the £10k threshold.

    • Alex says:

      2 May2 May 11:52

      Yeah I agree, you’re upgrading not getting a new card, a referral will not work!
      Also agree you should really upgrade at £9K, once you go over it can be a hassle with the expiry date.

      Small bonus of “upgrading” is you can often get a 6000 avios bonus for the upgrade. Not guaranteed but it does often happen.

      • xcalx says:

        2 May2 May 15:11

        I am just short of the 10k on free BA card just called to upgrade to paid card and was told ” This service is not available at the moment please try again in seven days” Have I been fobbed off by the phillipine call centre or have I had my first refusal as an Amex customer in the 13 years I have been with them.

        • AJA says:

          2 May2 May 17:00

          Try again tomorrow. Best to call the UK Amex call centre for the upgrade from BA Blue to BAPP. The Philippines call centre won’t know the difference between the two cards.

        • Humdum says:

          6 May6 May 12:34

          You need to upgrade online. Two phonecalls have taught me this. No credit check is run – you start to fill out the form and when you hit submit for credit check, the next page recognises you already have a card and gives a different link to upgrade.

  • mark2 says:

    2 May2 May 14:15

    but she can refer you for another card just for her 24,000.

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