The HfP chat thread – Thursday 7th October

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• Phil says:

  7 Oct7 October 17:39

  Red List to be cut to just 7 countries!!! https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/10/07/red-list-slashed-just-seven-countries/

  Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, Haiti, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.

  • Cambridge Dad says:

    7 Oct7 October 17:53

    Mostly yesterday’s news – but otoh great that Transport Minister got his way on the lateral flow tests. We got a load more free ones last week as I have a strong inkling they won’t be free much longer. Sounds like the NHS LFTs will be accepted (& why not?) & no need to go to more expensive sources.

    Still no goodbye PCR date, though.

    • Anna says:

      7 Oct7 October 18:04

      Telegraph reports that they’ll still need to be ordered and paid for privately as you’ll still need a reference number for the PLF. Supposedly a “review” of pricing is in the offing.

      • Cambridge Dad says:

        7 Oct7 October 18:07

        The NHS LFTs all have a unique identifier. If your eyesight is good enough.

      • r* says:

        7 Oct7 October 19:01

        The whole thing is a farce. Their pricing reviews are worthless as they just take the standard price and work off that, like when they reviewed pcr test prices they based it on the £80 ones, not the £35 dodgy jeans shop ones that everyone had been using so when they review lft pricing it wont be the £23 prenetics ones, itll be the £40 one sold at boots or whatever.

        • TGLoyalty says:

          7 Oct7 October 21:27

          They actually reduced the cost of the NHS ones via CTM by £20

          If CTM can offer an At home LFT for £20 that’ll do nicely. They must be picking the nhs ones up for peanuts.

• Secret Squirrel says:

  7 Oct7 October 17:45

  Sorry, not been keeping up with chat recently but how are Amex self referrals going recently?
  Good to go or not?
  Thx

  • Rich says:

    7 Oct7 October 17:49

    Works but not recommended. People have been shut down for it in the US. Caveat emptor.

  • Harrier25 says:

    7 Oct7 October 19:42

    …and that’s where your long term relationship ends with Amex.

• Rich says:

  7 Oct7 October 17:50

  Govt have ‘confirmed’ that Day 2 test need only be a LFT, verified by uploading photo from later in October. Still haven’t said *when* though!

  • Anna says:

    7 Oct7 October 17:55

    Can we use ones we already have or do we have to pay through the nose to the government’s mates?
    They do know that LFT tests are unreliable and you could be uploading a picture of anyone’s result, right?

    • Rich says:

      7 Oct7 October 18:00

      https://www.gov.uk/government/news/travel-update-47-countries-and-territories-removed-from-red-list

      Doesn’t exactly specify, but my reading would be it still needs to be private.

      Fraud is no different from an at-home PCR. If someone wants to get someone else to perform it, I’m sure they will.

      Reliability – I agree. They’re certainly less likely to find a positive than a PCR, but more than nothing. They’ve clearly decided that now is the time to move down the ladder of cost and reliability, but not all the way.

      • Anna says:

        7 Oct7 October 18:06

        Well it’s not fraud because there’s no material gain to be had but my point was more that it seems a pointless exercise because it would be so easy to get round.
        Yes, Telegraph reporting that they will still need to be ordered privately for the PLF.

        • Rich says:

          7 Oct7 October 18:30

          Fakery, whatever.

          My point being it’s no different from a home PCR test.

    • Lady London says:

      7 Oct7 October 20:45

      Right, Anna

  • TGLoyalty says:

    7 Oct7 October 18:15

    It just says it can be verified by picture if it’s mail order which is exactly what Chronomics do for current pre departure.

    • Michael C says:

      7 Oct7 October 19:07

      So we do an NHS-style test on (or before?) day 2, which we’ve paid for before travelling in order to have a reference number for the PLF, then upload a pic of the thingy that indicates negative? Is that a fair summary?!

      • TGLoyalty says:

        7 Oct7 October 19:39

        Yup anytime between the second you pass border force and Day 2.

        Hopefully less than £20 via Chronomics et al with a result within 20 mins in comfort of your own home.

• Tonyb says:

  7 Oct7 October 19:09

  Evening all,
  Looking for a bit of advice on hotel rewards programs, due to there being 5 of us generally we have hired villas etc but with the kids getting older and travelling less with us and having plenty of Avios saved l’m thinking it’s time to look at hotels. We are heading to New York just before Xmas I have lots of Amex points which I am thinking of transferring to a hotel program which one would give the best value? TIA

  • Harry T says:

    7 Oct7 October 19:17

    Probably Marriott Bonvoy. Hilton points are less valuable and can be regular purchased cheaply in sales. People say Radisson redemptions can be good value as well, but I don’t usually find their hotels appealing.

    • Rob says:

      7 Oct7 October 20:04

      There is no ‘right’ answer with hotels. IHG and Accor are less valuable as they are basically fixed value now – peak days need peak numbers of points. Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt still cap their rooms so on mega pricey days you get a great deal.

      Remember though that you can buy hotel points on a regular basis with big bonuses. Just buying and immediately redeeming can be a huge saving.

      • BJ says:

        7 Oct7 October 20:25

        While it can be a huge saving, in key locations like NYC you often cone unstuck on the best Hilton options as there are few standard room rewards available. I am also surprised at the number of Hilton hotels that I am currently seeing that claim to have Diamond only guaranteed rooms available 9-11 moths out, clearly they are not all fully booked.

  • Anna says:

    7 Oct7 October 19:22

    I think Marriott & Hilton have the most properties and both do the 5 for 4 deal if you have status.
    Will you definitely get into the US?

    • Anna says:

      7 Oct7 October 19:23

      I would agree on Marriott, I think they’re harder to earn.

    • Tonyb says:

      7 Oct7 October 19:25

      I hope so Anna it’s Dec 15th we are due to fly so hopefully they will still open in November

  • BJ says:

    7 Oct7 October 19:47

    None of them. My suggestion is amex MR to avios to nectar to spend at Sainsbury group. Subsequently spend the money saved on groceries etc on hotel of choice either 1. in a port@@l when it boosts, 2. via a hotel loyalty scheme earning further points of chouce, or 3. via the HfP or other luxury travel providers that can generate extra value if you wish to stay at the luxury end. Two reasons for my advice: firstly, hotels in NYC are generally pretty rubbish and don’t measure up unless you go super luxury, and secondly these pretty rubbish hotels are generally overpriced on points in NYC regardless of whether it’s Marriott or Hilton.

    • tonyb says:

      7 Oct7 October 21:44

      Thanks for that Harry, Anna, BJ and Rob, food for thought there.

    • AnotherUser says:

      7 Oct7 October 21:53

      I’d also rather cash out as nectar (or store as avios for potential use) than transfer to hotel points, unless I had a particular redemption in mind. If your dates are fixed, do you see any good redemptions then?

• Graham Walsh says:

  7 Oct7 October 19:27

  Went to use my Curve Card in Google Pay today and it says Card Suspended. Looks fine in the Curve app. Maybe I just need to remove and add back

  • Save East Coast Rewards says:

    7 Oct7 October 21:19

    Happened to me on Apple Pay, I told bendy about it and they said just remove and re-add (which I would have done anyway, I just wanted to make them aware of the issue)

• Grimz says:

  7 Oct7 October 19:33

  I recently upgraded the BA blue to BAPP and bagged the voucher. Is it a risk downgrading again as I would like to keep the card for shop small.

  • Rob says:

    7 Oct7 October 20:01

    No

  • BJ says:

    7 Oct7 October 20:07

    No evidence from the comments whatsoever to suggest voucher is at risk from downgrade or cancellation, quite the contrary. However, mixed reports on whether amex now let’s you downgrade the BAPP, some reporting no problems while others reporting refusals.

    • Magarathea says:

      7 Oct7 October 23:20

      Downgraded my BAPP this week no problem. Amex chat and phone staff offered this option.

• Gothbe says:

  7 Oct7 October 19:54

  Question on easyJet. Are there only two ways to access speedy bag drop, either you join easyJet plus or you purchase one of the limited numbers of up front or extra leg room seats?

  • Travel Strong says:

    7 Oct7 October 19:59

    Yes. Same if you want 2 cabin bags.
    However the dedicated bag drop is a very marginal benefit. Half the time it will be zero difference from the standard bag drop.

    • Gothbe says:

      7 Oct7 October 21:24

      Recent trip to canaries and the bag drop at the local airport was very busy and very slow moving. I’d rather spend the extra 40 minutes at home or in the bar/lounge!

• The Original Nick. says:

  7 Oct7 October 19:59

  Amex MR to Marriott question. How long does it take for the points to transfer over please?

  • BJ says:

    7 Oct7 October 20:08

    Overnight.

    • The Original Nick. says:

      7 Oct7 October 20:09

      Thanks BJ.

  • N says:

    7 Oct7 October 20:20

    Instant

    • BJ says:

      7 Oct7 October 20:31

      Interesting, my partner did an MR to Hilton transfers yesterday and on checking his account a few hours later those were there too despite him having just registered Hilton as a partner. Perhaps they were instant too and many of the transfers have speeded up.

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