Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

The HfP chat thread – Thursday 7th October

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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 (503)

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

  • BP says:

    Just had a letter from Creation increasing my credit limit. This is laughable!!

  • Andrew H says:

    Anyone got a referral code for Freetrade?

    (I have interactive investor but why not freetrade to get a free share…)

      • Andrew H says:

        Done.

        Interesting – does it/Curve allow Apple Pay top up using Curve/VACC+?

        • Super Secret Stuff says:

          From what I can tell uses open banking to transfer the money out of a debit card account

          • Andrew H says:

            uses open banking out of other bank accounts

            I have an instant access tandem savings account (0.65%) that also basically sucks money out of my main bank accounts (when you ask it) … so easy

        • Andrew H says:

          Also – they pay 3% on £4000… not far off covering the cost of premium (though that 3% is taxable of course)

    • Rich says:

      Have always meant to have a look at this. Does anyone actually get a free share worth anything?

      I have a few paper shares that I want to transfer into somewhere. Was going to use HL.

      • Super Secret Stuff says:

        I got a weed company in Canada, started off at £4.50 and now at £5.50 ish. Peaked at £6 once

      • Andrew H says:

        If you want to sign up with my link (both get a free share)

        https://magic.freetrade.io/join/andrew/8f975078
        Join me and invest commission-free with Freetrade. Get started with a free share worth £3-£200.

      • Andrew H says:

        I didn’t use HL out of principle.. in the same way I won’t buy from Next or go to a Wetherspoons… or buy a JCB

        • Rich says:

          Sadly I’m stuck with them for my LISA. Rules prevent you from switching to another provider if you’re >40, even though you can pay into an existing LISA until you’re 50.

          They’ve also stopped accepting Curve, at least IME.

        • AL says:

          And their service is woeful and costs high.

      • Laura says:

        I got a Japanese bank, currently worth £5.18. I think it was worth £5.16 when I got it!

    • Super Secret Stuff says:

      Damn too slow was reading the news! 99% it is against there T&Cs to publish online though

  • Keely says:

    Datapoint – I’d been overcharged for BA fee – (charged new higher rate when approved in Aug) but hadn’t got around to calling to dispute . It has been credited to my account today without me calling. Might save someone else a call …

  • Josu says:

    Hi all,

    What’s the lowest tax/fees way of getting from NY to London in business?

    Have a bunch of chase and Amex points that can transfer to any partner.

    BA And a virgin taxes and fees are so high and I’d like to lower my cash contribution!

    Thanks

    • Rob says:

      Aer Lingus from Dublin, booked via BA on the phone. Historically under £100 return.

      Iberia from Madrid is £140ish plus the cost of getting to Madrid.

      • andyT says:

        Josu specifically said “getting from NY to London”!

        • Toddy says:

          London to Dublin/Madrid to New York IS “from london”
          Have a nice day

          • TGLoyalty says:

            Right but TO London not FROM

            Thought delta had low taxes still if not really high points prices. Might be cheaper/easier to get availability to Dublin/Edinburgh/Paris/Amsterdam then use Avios or cash from there to London.

        • stevenhp1987 says:

          Yup, which will cost over $1k in “taxes”.

          Is it cheaper if you start in Canada/Mexico?

        • Rob says:

          Do it in reverse then!

    • Jonathan says:

      AA or DL will have much lower charges than BA or VS & are Amex transfer partners. Availability at the cheap redemption rates is lower though.

      Delta is 50k Virgin miles plus about $50 if you fly to somewhere in Europe like Amsterdam. Easy hop back to London from there.

      • Liam says:

        AA is not an Amex transfer partner, which is a shame because you can fly to LHR in J for 57,500 miles + $5. The only real way to earn AA points in the US is by using one of the AA-branded credit cards (or by flying).

        Rumours abound of an upcoming AA devaluation, sadly.

    • Lady London says:

      Delta OW using miles
      Taxes practically 0
      Not sure if VS overloads Delta taxes if bookef through them rather than Delta

      • Lady London says:

        TGLoyalty’s right. Check taxes to AMS, CDG as well as London -both are easy and cheap to do a final leg to London on if London taxes turn out to be artificially jacked high on Delta, maybe DUB worth a look to land in too

  • AndyW says:

    Has anyone ever experienced, with MasterCard ID check with creation IHG, simply not being able to click submit even with the details completed?

    • TGLoyalty says:

      Yeah it’s a crap site. Try using Go on your iPhone keyboard or equivalent for other phones or enter on keyboard.

      • AndyW says:

        No joy. They really don’t want me to use it..

        • Dan says:

          Sometimes sites don’t acknowledge an autofill. If the entry is coloured (for autofill) add a space and then backspace so it is no longer an autofill. That might open up the submit button.

  • Stu N says:

    Do BA eVouchers appear in your BAEC account for revenue flights you’ve cancelled? Or do you have to track them separately?

    • ChrisC says:

      Track them separatly.

      I have mine listed on the spread sheet I use to track my flights/ TPs and avios.

    • Rich says:

      I have mine listed as a manual entry in Award Wallet, along with expiry date.

      I don’t know about eVouchers, but FTV don’t appear anywhere in your account, and the cancellation email doesn’t say what it’s worth. You have to be on your toes and refer back to the original booking.

    • Richie says:

      I think it’s track separately.

  • LEE says:

    Just spoken with Creation management via the call centre and they have confirmed 100% no free night certificate or pro rata refund on the cancelled cards .

    • TGLoyalty says:

      So now you have their stance did you open a formal complaint with them?

      They would then state you’ve reached an impasse and FOS would be next (costs you 0)

    • Sina says:

      Just complain and ask for a final response letter confirming this!
      They will get a lot of FOS cases with that attitude!

    • Lady London says:

      Fools

    • Anna says:

      If they think they are going to charge me £99 in November then shut me down in December with no refund and no free night they are in for a surprise …

      • Anna says:

        Looking forward to all these cases being followed by HFP over the coming months!

      • DJ says:

        Opened a case with resolver, need to wait for two months until I can escalate it with a third party.

  • lee says:

    Yes opened a case but they won’t put in writing . They just told me I had to wait around 4 weeks for them to deal with my complaint .

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