Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

The HfP chat thread – Monday 15th November

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Comments (408)

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

  • PaulC says:

    What to do with 2,499 Accor points that are due to expire 15th Dec?

  • Anuj says:

    After I’ve hit £10k spend on Amex gold, do any of the other Amex cards have a similar spend target bonus?

  • Bill says:

    Any data points on how long an Amex credit offer takes for. Craft Gin Club purchase ? If I cancel the Amex will the credit still take place or is it lost ?

    • Swiss Jim says:

      Mine (both of them) took 2 days – not sure why you wouldn’t just wait (or chase…)

      • Bill says:

        I want to cancel the BAPP in the very near future

        • Graham C says:

          They have up until 90 days in the terms IIRC. I sometimes find asking on chat will magically help the next day. Worth a punt.

  • N says:

    I expect I know the question to this, but I’ll ask nonetheless. A while ago we booked the intern flights from CDG-HNL in J at around £1k each with BA. My partner has, since booking, become pregnant (yay!) but the flights are in mid-March which is just after her “flying window” closes. Obviously we can get an FTV, and since there’s a while to go there may be schedule changes that will mean we can get a refund, but is there anyway to “protect” the CDG-HNL flights so we can move them into 2023?

    • ChrisC says:

      Those low ex CDG (and AMS) fares were too widespread to be an error.

      Anyway a reminder that an FTV would just preserve the value and not get you a future flight for the same price.

      If there is a cancellaion then BA will rebook you for a future date or indeed fully refund you.

      TBH I’d wait closer to the trip date before doing anything and then use the unable to fly due to pregnancy / new baby and then see what BA will do for pushing the trip back

    • Harry T says:

      If any of the segments are cancelled, you may find you are given greater booking flexibility (you used to be able to change the whole booking with BA if they cancelled one segment, but recent reports indicate lower generosity). I would play the waiting game for now. Taking a voucher just gives you the cash value of your fare.

      • Lady London says:

        Legally if even one flight on the booking ia cancelled you have the right to choose a later date that is convenient to yourself – not the airline – to be rerouted onto and this naturally then applies to the whole booking.

        That right is granted to passenger by statute which overrides airline contract terms, wishes, preferences or incapacities. Generosity has nothing to do with it

  • Sina says:

    5000 Bonus MR up to 5 times on Amex Plat Business! not sure if this was mentioned before!?

  • Thywillbedone says:

    Data point: BA Twitter direct messaging response time c4 days. Had to cancel an avios booking. Definitely a good route to go if you are not in a hurry – saves the aggravation of the phone lines.

    • Anna says:

      I’ve used Twitter for this and also for getting the 50% avios back on the return leg of a 241 booking (non-USA so not fleeced on “taxes”)

  • George K says:

    Hey folks – Will be having regular 7am flights from Heathrow for the next few months and I’m looking to avoid the drop-off charge (since I’ll have to be getting taxis with no trains running that early).

    Short of getting off at Hatton Cross and tubing it from there at 5am, does anyone have any other ways I could consider? Many thanks!

    • ChrisC says:

      If they drop you off at long stay parking and then take the shuttle bus to the terminal then the fee doesn’t apply.

      • George K says:

        That was the first thing I checked, but it appears that the fare is exactly the same via Uber and AddLee whether I opt for the car park, Sofitel, or T5 dropoff (and I’m assuming these firms have the fiver embedded now). Hatton Cross shaves about £15 with Uber, which is why I mentioned it.

        • Sarah says:

          The fee may not be embedded in the price if that’s the case. Do look at Bolt as well – similar service to Uber but they often have discounts which would negate the drop-off fee.

    • Sarah says:

      If you drive then you could look at using Zipcar (car sharing service, you can do a one-way to T5 with Zipcar Flex) – you do pay a drop-off fee, but I always find it considerably cheaper overall than taking a taxi (assuming you live in London within the Zipcar flex zone of course)

      • George K says:

        Unfortunately not an option in my borough… and also haven’t driven for a few years. Thank you though!

    • John says:

      If you’re going to rely on the tube anyway, maybe it’s cheaper to go to Osterley / Hounslow stations?

      You could try getting dropped off in Stanwell village and walk to the bus stop “Sealand Road”, or even walk all the way to T5 (not particularly nice in winter, but doable in summer)

      • George K says:

        It would have been better if I was coming from that direction, but I’m arriving from deepest south-south-west, so Osterley is a bit off course. Hounslow may not be a bad idea actually, as I’ve used it to get a cab from there back home, when all Uber drivers were artificially pumping up prices by gaming the surge. I’ll keep it in mind.

        I was also more interested in experiments with Sofitel and other surrounding areas that people have found to be cheaper than a T5 arrivals drop-off…

    • Roy says:

      Are taxis still a thing? Only half-joking…

  • Steve says:

    BAPP Supplementary card holder – it has now been 3 weeks and I still have not received 3000 points. Is this normal?

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