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The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 3rd November

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Comments (464)

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

  • Gtellez says:
    3 Nov3 November 08:54

    Does anyone know if Nutmeg will offer a new avios promo before year end? I would like to transfer an ISA to them, but I could wait a month or so if an offer is coming. Thanks!

    • Rob says:
      3 Nov3 November 09:15

      Unlikely. They usually like to run a promo in March in the run up to the end of the tax year. The end of the calendar year doesn’t mean much in tax-land.

      • Gtellez says:
        3 Nov3 November 13:43

        Thanks, then I’ll think I transfer it now, since I have a cash ISA that finishes at the end of the month and the interest is so low that I prefer to move it to a stock ISA. Any other ideas similar to Nutmeg? I have had good returns with them over the last few months with their socially responsible fund.

  • Swiss Jim says:
    3 Nov3 November 08:54

    Just used one of my IHG free nights. Room selling for £999/night 👍 shame I’ll be losing the card soon with many others….

    • BP says:
      3 Nov3 November 09:16

      Good use! What hotel was that for?

      • Swiss Jim says:
        3 Nov3 November 16:12

        It’s only IC Park Lane sadly. But the hotel I wanted (nearest hotel to alcohol fueled party….) and prices are crazy…

    • ianM says:
      3 Nov3 November 09:39

      Agreed, looking at Z-Ocean Crowne Plaza in Miami SoBe for November at $785 and included as free !!

      • LEWIS says:
        3 Nov3 November 09:56

        999 for a crowne plaza? Is there a special event happening that week?

      • AP says:
        3 Nov3 November 12:22

        I used a free night voucher at Z-Ocean in 2019 enticed by the very high rate. The hotel was terribly run down and not worth anything like the room rate. The only positive was the excellent location if you want to be on SoBe.

        • APPL says:
          3 Nov3 November 12:33

          I’m going to Florida in early December, and managed to book Crowne Plaza Key West using the certificate. Surprisingly, I was able to pick a Suite going for $900+/night. Will miss this card too.

  • Heidi says:
    3 Nov3 November 09:06

    I was in a household account with my husband, who died last month. He had the majority of our Avios points in his account as well as the companion vouchers.

    What’s the safest way of closing down his Amex card so that the Avios points are secure. Is there any way I can use the companion vouchers??

    • Rhys says:
      3 Nov3 November 09:10

      I’m sorry to hear that. Here is an article that goes into how an Avios account is treated after death: https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2021/08/09/what-happens-to-avios-points-when-you-die-4/

      Assuming his Avios are in his BA account you should be able to close his Amex card no problem, unless there are still points that need transferring. You can use the Avios for yourself – the best way is not to tell BA that your husband has passed and just book flights for yourself until you’ve spent everything, as technically unused Avios are cancelled at the time of death.

      The companion voucher is harder because this normally requires the cardholder to travel, so I’m not sure you’ll be able to use it.

      • TGLoyalty says:
        3 Nov3 November 09:13

        Important to remember points are used pro rata so one way to clear out the account quicker is to move your points to Iberia or Aer Lingus so the account balance is 0 and just use up your husbands balance for any redemptions until it’s empty.

        • John says:
          3 Nov3 November 09:54

          How do I transfer out my points to Aer Lingus from an household account?

          • Rob says:
            3 Nov3 November 10:51

            Open an Aer Lingus or Vueling account. Log in at avios.com using those details. Use Combine My Avios to pull from BA.

    • TGLoyalty says:
      3 Nov3 November 09:11

      Firstly sorry for your loss.

      Amex won’t tell Avios why the card was closed so from that aspect it’s just about securing the points in an Avios account.

      If it’s an MR card you can probably just transfer all the points to your own Avios account especially if you shared a surname.

      If it’s a BA card you can safely close it once it shows 0 points and they have swept over for the month.

      Unfortunately no way to use companion voucher earned by your husband as the person who earned the voucher must be a traveller.

    • AJA says:
      3 Nov3 November 09:38

      So sorry for your loss. Another way to transfer the Avios is to link your husband’s account to your nectar card and transfer them out. You can only transfer 50k Avios per month so it may take a while depending on the number.

      You can also pay to transfer 27k Avios to your account but TGLoyalty’s post is a better no cost way. Or just book some flights for you using your husband’s Avios.

      Unfortunately unless you have a son with the same name as your husband you won’t be able to use the companion voucher(s).

      • Craig V says:
        3 Nov3 November 10:22

        Heidi so sorry for your loss. When my wife died two years ago, I didn’t want to risk getting a solicitor to write to BA to transfer her 600K Avios.
        The Nectar transfer route is slow but it works fine. I closed the household account before making any transfers or booking any flights from her account. Amex were brilliant.

    • Allan says:
      3 Nov3 November 09:43

      My experience is that if you contact BA they will transfer all avios and the 241 voucher to the spouse assuming the will covers it – this may have been an exception but was possible

    • xcalx says:
      3 Nov3 November 14:13

      Sorry to hear of your loss. Be sure to transfer any Amex points before. filling in the .Gov tell us once service. Amex will close the account and not transfer points or (issue a M&S voucher as they said they would 3 months ago for our loss)

  • berneslai says:
    3 Nov3 November 09:14

    Did anyone use the 20% Buyagift offer on Amex Plat? If so, could you tell me how long it took for the credit to be applied?

  • HAK says:
    3 Nov3 November 09:18

    Just had on the Amex Gold spend a quid get 50 MR points. Won’t look a gift horse and all that.

  • Louie says:
    3 Nov3 November 09:22

    I posted this late yesterday “My sister has just heard back from BA CS, denying reimbursement after they cancelled the route she was booked on and refused to rebook them on an alternative flight, leaving them no choice but book with another airline. I know LadyLondon has (and others have) many times explained how to pursue this, but without a search facility (and yes I’ve tried site: headforpoints etc), I’m struggling to find one of the “idiots guides”. Has anyone bookmarked one of these discussions and could guide me there please?”.

    The only answer I got was to go through recent posts on the chat thread, which is exactly what I was hoping to avoid, not least because the posts I was thinking of were months ago. I didn’t take a note of them at the time because I was stuck in Oz and didn’t think they would be relevant to me (which in fact they are not as it’s my sister with the issue!). So I’m asking again, can anyone please help by pointing me to relevant posts?

  • PerkyPat says:
    3 Nov3 November 09:53

    Someone was asking yesterday about transit in Schiphol. I came through last night from Italy to NCL and there were no Covid document checks at all. All very smooth down in the D6 dungeon.

  • Rob says:
    3 Nov3 November 09:54

    Have a tour in Morocco starting 10 December and I booked my own BA flights to get there. At the moment Morocco will not allow direct flights. Does anyone know if I do nothing that BA will re-route me, probably via Madrid, closer to the date?

    • Pete M says:
      3 Nov3 November 09:59

      I would suggest being proactive and getting in touch with BA for a re-route now, doubt Morocco will allow direct flights by early December given how things are going.

      • Sam G says:
        3 Nov3 November 11:03

        If the flight hasn’t been cancelled yet then they won’t be proactive about it FOC. If/when it gets cancelled then you can reroute via Madrid no problem but that’ll probably need a call

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