The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 9th November

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

• Steven says:

  9 Nov9 November 07:57

  Question re HH points – I have some points and was wondering whether to redeem them for multiple nights across cheaper hotels or save them up for a more expensive hotel. I see Rob’s article re HH states that standard rooms at hotels are capped at 95,000.

  However, when I look for example at the WA Edinburgh, the cheapest room comes out at 142,000 points.

  Did the cap change?

  It would be redeeming for a family of four so maybe the price cap would not assist us here in any event.

  Many thanks.

  • Genghis says:

    9 Nov9 November 07:59

    Doesn’t look like a standard room to me. Ie likely a premium redemption, which is effectively linked to cash rate.

  • Anna says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:08

    I’ve got nearly a million HH points and my plan is to use them for 10 days somewhere fabulous so I feel as though I’ve got a free holiday! But also may use them for Xmas 2022 if there’s availability at one of the higher end Florida Hiltons as we’ll need 2 rooms and cash prices will probably be high.
    Of course only you can decide what’s the best value for your circs.

    • ianM says:

      9 Nov9 November 08:38

      Really only Miami where it is going to be warm and prices can be high, I just checked for early December and the Hilton Bentley resort on South Beach was 500k points a night!! Okay that was an extreme example 🙂

  • John says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:25

    The cap is on standard / basic rooms, which a room for 4 will not be.

    If you want the best value you need to be logical and work out what you would want to pay for the cheaper hotels or a more expensive hotels then compare.

    If you just want a feel good factor then just do whatever makes you feel happiest

    • Anna says:

      9 Nov9 November 09:32

      You can get standard rooms with 2 double beds at plenty of properties.
      IanM – yes hopefully booking early for Xmas 2022 will help!

  • The Savage Squirrel says:

    9 Nov9 November 09:59

    Hilton will serve you relatively well compared to most points options.
    The key thing is that every hotel has a points rate for standard rooms then premium rates for premium rooms that are always terrible – if ever you see “premium reward” the rate will be silly – don’t bother, use cash.
    Guaranteed interconnected rooms is a biggie for families. 99% of the time you will be better off getting two standard rooms for a family of 4 rather than using premium redemptions; unless you have a standard room that sleeps 4 (common particularly in the USA) – which is even better.
    Best value will be anywhere you can get “standard” room in big cities and popular resort locations in-season. In terms of absolute £/point tthe top end will get you the most, but as ever, the best redemption is something you really wanted, would enjoy, or found useful, not something solely because it’s expensive for cash; so start there.
    The WA Edi is often very frugal/naughty with standard inventory so that it doesn’t exist – often only premium rooms are available.

  • Steven says:

    9 Nov9 November 11:41

    Great, many thanks all. I just wasn’t sure whether all properties should have standard room availability but note from TSS’s post that some hotels restrict advertising such availability, which explains why I can’t see reference to the points cap on some properties.

• Mikeact says:

  9 Nov9 November 07:59

  Vueling doing an Easyjet ?
  We are writing to inform you that from 23 November we will be making changes to our Basic Fare, so you can both travel light and get the lowest fare possible.
  From this date, the fare will only include a bag which must fit under the seat in front of you (40x20x30 cm). This means that you can choose to add another cabin bag onboard or checked-in baggage only if you need to do so, enabling you to get the lowest fare and also cutting down airport waiting times. Etc.etc.

  • Richie says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:09

    Sort of, getting rid of the check-in of the larger bag. They were more confusing than easyJet.

  • Rich says:

    9 Nov9 November 10:17

    The TimeFlex fare is usually very good value.

    Cabin baggage, seat selection, fast-track, completely free same-day flight change, free cancellation (for credit). Was only €15 supplement when I looked.

  • r* says:

    9 Nov9 November 10:42

    It amuses me that they try to paint it as an improvement as you can now add a cabbin bag ‘only if you need to’, as opposed to before were you were forced to take one? lol

• Robman says:

  9 Nov9 November 07:59

  How quickly does the BAPP 10,000 Avios points reach your account for surpassing the £5k spend target. I’m sure I’ve spent thr £5k over a week ago, but I’ve not even received a notification that the target is achieved.

  • Graham says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:02

    Mine was within days. I received an email saying I’d hit the offer.

  • Andrew says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:03

    I received the email today, not sure when I spent the money, so I’ll see how long it takes to credit. I am finding many of the offers very slow at the moment, the £100 travel credit took nearly 2 weeks and Matches Fashion is heading in that direction too. 3 days into Selfridges. They used to work like clockwork, email instantly and then a day or two after the debit, you’d get the credit. I hope they don’t start becoming a bit hit and miss.

    • Jody says:

      9 Nov9 November 08:07

      Also received the email today. Hit the spend on Sunday. Hoping the points are awarded quickly.

      • JohnT says:

        9 Nov9 November 08:12

        Hit spend (pending) last Mon, email Sun and points posted this morning.

  • Rob says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:35

    It will show as part of your pending Avios total in the Amex app. Note that mine triggered late and it wasn’t clear if they had disqualified part of my spend (perhaps PayPal spend) or they were simply slow.

  • Paul says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:53

    Received email then points next day.

    • Jody says:

      9 Nov9 November 09:32

      That would be great if it happened for me. My points go over to BA on the 12th, so if I could get them before then it means I could cancel the card straight after.

  • MD says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:53

    It’s been a strangely erratic offer. I was tracking my spend and passed the £5k on 22/10, but without acknowledgment. Then on 31/10, deadline day, the offer finally moved to ‘redeemed’, but I didn’t get an email to confirm until 01/11. My 10k avios posted on 03/11.

    The recent Amazon offer was even stranger. Did the spend on 23/10, no acknowledgment. The offer even moved to ‘expired’ status on 01/11 so was getting ready to dispute but gave it a week to sort itself out, and lo, the miles posted on 05/11. The offer didn’t move from expired to redeemed until 06/11! Never did get an email, but those are much more hit and miss these days.

    Like Andrew, I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come. Offers used to work pretty much perfectly. It will be a pain to keep track of them all if they become this unreliable.

    • Andrew says:

      9 Nov9 November 09:02

      Deadline day for this offer is 30/11 not 30/10.

      • MD says:

        9 Nov9 November 19:10

        Well spotted Andrew, just testing… 🧐

  • SwissJim says:

    9 Nov9 November 10:26

    Part of the issue I here I guess in tracking is being certain when you signed up from the offer. From memory it runs from something like 23 August (?) but I’m not sure if I opted in on that date (though I’ve usually pretty quick). Also refunds come off, and it’s hard to know what refunds are coming. I guess I’ll just need to make sure I go well over – but also need to start building up spend on Platinum card….

  • Ghosty says:

    9 Nov9 November 11:52

    I had the offer on my BAPP but downgraded to blue after my latest 2-4-1 triggered (pre-Sept anniversary). The offer still shows on my blue card and saved (same card number for blue as BAPP) .
    My question is will I still get the reward for the £5k spend?. My calculations show I passed it on Sunday. Screenshot of offer has been saved for any chase up after deadline day.

• vlcnc says:

  9 Nov9 November 08:03

  Does anyone know the taxes roughly to redeem a reward flight from London to Cork on Aer Lingus? BA codeshare on this flight but doesn’t seem to be bookable via BAEC with RFS. I’m guessing I would have to transfer to AerClub to book it or is calling BA still better??

  • Sandgrounder says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:31

    Avios.com is showing 4k and £82.03 for the 9th of December. LH is certainly cheaper when you call BA, I’ve not booked a SH standalone flight with Aer Lingus though so can’t comment.

    • Stu N says:

      9 Nov9 November 09:17

      Short haul taxes, fees and charges for UK-Ireland flights have always been about the same between BAEC and AerClub in my experience over past couple of years, within £10 per person for a return. Sometimes BA are cheaper, sometimes AerClub are, no obvious pattern to it.

      BA do have less availability too based on my small sample size. Depends how much time you have and how willing you are to sit on hold with the BAEC music….

    • vlcnc says:

      9 Nov9 November 09:23

      Ah thanks! Seems like a cash ticket would probably be better in that case. Refuse to use Ryanair, and not many options to Ireland generally from London.

  • Damian says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:18

    I don’t know what the taxes works be if you managed to get through to BA on the phone but if you transfer to Avios.com then they will be £106 per person plus the Avios. Normally works out better cash for these routes.

    However for Christmas they have ramped up the fares. I booked return flights for my wife and I to Cork 23- 28 December using Avios. The total for the two of us was 18000 Avios plus £212 taxes/charges. The cash fares for the exact same flights would have cost £1215.96! Ryanair with bags, the same dates would have been £799.92. So a great redemption for this period.

• Colin says:

  9 Nov9 November 08:05

  Received this email overnight and would just like to share my good fortune –
  Greetings My Friend,

  I am Mr. Kai Wen, I work with a bank here in China as head of audit department.
  During our bank general account auditing i discovered an overdue funds sum of
  USD19,500,000.00 Million belonging to my bank late customer who died over 10 years
  ago leaving no body to inherit his funds.

  I am contacting you that we may have an agreement for this is the best time to
  execute such a deal due to the Pandemic situation here in China right now, note 50%
  of the sum will be for you while the other 50% will be my share as well.

  I will be waiting for your quick response in order to update you with full detail.

  Yours Sincerely,
  Mr. Kai Wen.

  Thought that maybe we could all head (First of course) to say the Maldives for a party? All expenses on me …… subject of course to my new friend Mr Kai Wen being good to his word!

  • Always_in_the_air says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:07

    Seems legit! I’m in, just say the word and i’ll pack for a trip!

  • Joe says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:11

    Done – where do I sign?

    • Genghis says:

      9 Nov9 November 08:29

      Now all you guys need to do is pay a £500 advance deposit to confirm intent but Colin will pay you back and settle the final bill when you’re all there.

      • Sandgrounder says:

        9 Nov9 November 08:56

        If I can pay using Shiba Inu, I’m in.

        • Joe says:

          9 Nov9 November 10:37

          Am I the only one wondering how the customer managed to die and not leave his body!?

      • Ghosty says:

        9 Nov9 November 11:56

        Can I pay by Curve? or Creation

• G says:

  9 Nov9 November 08:15

  Hi,

  My membership year ends on 8 July 2022 and I would like to achieve Silver status ahead of that date. Does the June 2022 reduction in status qualification apply even though my membership year renews/tier points reset in July?

  I.e. If I earn 450 tier points ahead of 1 June 2022; will I achieve Silver Status?

  Currently have 100 Tier Points, getting 80 from a trip to Lisbon and 320 from 2 return trips in business to Sofia/Athens. So will have 500 by 1 June.

  • AJA says:

    9 Nov9 November 10:29

    Yes, I think that you should get Silver status as long as you get over 450TP before 30 June.

• Ali M says:

  9 Nov9 November 08:20

  Hilton Diamond.how long does it last for?Haven’t received the email,just noticed in the app yesterday

  • John says:

    9 Nov9 November 08:26

    Until March 2023

• Rob says:

  9 Nov9 November 08:38

  Perks At Work. If you don’t know what it is, you don’t have it.

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