Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

The HfP chat thread – Thursday 15th July

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.

Comments (381)

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

  • Charles says:

    Hi Rob,
    I booked 4 first class reward tickets with BA for later July. But the flights were cancelled by BA.
    I am trying to rebook 4 first class reward tickets for the same period next year.
    I found that there’s no first class reward tickets available for any date. But when I use the rebooking option I can see first class available to rebook for early July. Does it mean cash tickets are available to rebooking option even for reward flight bookings?
    The original departure date of my booking is 21st July 2021. Is it possible to rebook for 22nd July 2022?
    What would happen if I don’t do anything after the cancelled departure date?
    Many thanks

    • Rob says:

      BA will rebook on any day up to 12 months from the date you paid the taxes. Beyond that you need Avios availability unless you want to take them to court.

      • Charles says:

        The tickets were booked and paid for tax on 13th Nov 2020. So I can rebook a flight for 22nd July 2022 if I do it before 13th Nov 2021?

        • Anna says:

          I’m pretty sure this is travel date, not the booking date, but some people have got round this via MMB.

        • Rob says:

          No

          • Charles says:

            What should I do if I want to book for 22nd July 2022 flight?

          • Jonny says:

            I believe the policy has changed (recently) – as per various posts here today/yesterday. A rare BA enhancement that actually is an enhancement!

            BA agent said validity now re-dated to 1 year from travel date of ticket with cancellation, all sectors of re-booked travel to be completed within this. I was discussing an Avios redemption flight. Agent appeared to suggest this policy does not apply to BA-cancelled cash flights (and not to voluntary changes).

      • Jonathan says:

        BA staffer on Flyertalk reporting BA now treating ticket validity as 365 days from original outbound departure date not ticketing.

        • Harry T says:

          That’s a huge change, if so. Makes me cross I had to take a refund for a cancelled booking in the past (didn’t have the appetite/time for legal action tbh)

        • Aston100 says:

          Huge if true.

      • Lee says:

        Hi Rob I got mine changed today for an avios booking . That was originally booked Sept 2020 they cancelled 2 times and was told couldn’t change beyond validity of 1 year but seems a change of policy has come about this week . They rebooked me for April 22 and also the same for my cash booking also .

    • Gary says:

      Also see page 7, interesting chat thread started by Lee

    • Ron says:

      I’m in a similar situation, our original flight 30/7 to SFO (4 CW with 241s) is cancelled, it looks like MMB let you rebook any dates in the next 355 days, but I need to wait until after 30/7/21 to book 30/7/22. Hopefully it works, if not, worst case, BA will just refund everything.

    • VerdantBacon says:

      Are you saying you booked in November 2020, for July 2021, which has now been cancelled and right now you can see July 2022 options to rebook to when you look online through the rebook option? So you are able to see beyond November 2021?

      In regards to your question about cash tickets on cancelled avios tickets, yes BA will allow you to book onto any flight regardless of reward availability

      • Charles says:

        Yes, I booked in Nov 2020 for 21st July 2021, which has now been cancelled. The rebooking option shows the latest flight I can rebook is 4th July 2022 at the moment. Should I wait until 2nd August to rebook flight for 22nd July 2022?

        • Ron says:

          I would wait till your 2022 date is available and rebook via MMB. Please report back if successful! Fingers crossed!!

  • Colin MacKinnon says:

    Well done HfPers: Revolut is the UK’s biggest start-up – worth £24 billion!!

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57854969

    Personally, having been chucked out by Che and the wife (who has never done a single penny of manufacturered spend – having to give almost every piece of paper she – and me! – have in a Know Your Client request to keep her account open, I agree with the later part of the BBC article.

    Don’t leave more money that you are not worried about seeing again in Revolut, and don’t pay your salary in!

  • fw says:

    Hi, has anyone triggered the Hyatt £100 on £250 spend with two different stays (I will be staying two separate nights in the same hotel). Thanks!

  • Ian says:

    Way to go BA… Need to cancel car hire that starts in 9 days… phone up, sit listening to canned announcements for 2 minutes, then get told they can’t take my call right now and call gets ended. Tried 4 times today, same story each time… Grrr…

  • Super Secret Stuff says:

    If this is true, free airport Chaufers for economy tickets is a pretty sweet deal!

    https://www.secretflying.com/posts/etihad-offers-free-chauffeur-service-for-economy-class-passengers/

  • Grant Blackshire says:

    Hi all – having a bit of difficulty finding a complete answer here so wondered if you might know? I’m travelling Alitalia in business between LHR and FCO next month with the family and wanted to know which lounges (if any) I have access to in Terminal 2?

    • Sam G says:

      I believe at the moment none ! Usually Lufthansa but it’s still closed along with the T2B lounges

  • Grant says:

    Any recent experiences of what Executive Elite Emerald Club status gives you on Enterprise car rentals at uk airports?

    Would normally book with Hertz but never see much benefit from having five start status so wondering if Enterprise may be better. Rates are very similar between the two for my dates.

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