Bits: £1 BA ‘hold your fare’ offer, new Barclays credit card rules, Premier Inn ‘stay 3, get 1 free’

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• Bhavin says:

  25 Sep25 September 06:41

  I much rather use the 24h cooling off period. This covers you all the way along as your booking is not in 24 hours. Also remember that the £1/£10 is taken off the fate of you do choose to issue the ticket so all is not lost!

  • Jy says:

    25 Sep25 September 06:47

    Hi slightly OT – does anyone know when I will get the free night certificate when I hit the £750 spend for the Hilton card – I’ve hit it a couple of weeks ago but nothing on my account / email – thanks!

    • Nick M says:

      25 Sep25 September 07:24

      I think they do them in batches… I got mine within a couple of weeks of hitting the spend. My wife had to wait a bit longer. Shouldn’t be too long, but HHonours are pretty good if you email them to ask when to expect it.

      • Balazs says:

        25 Sep25 September 14:25

        You should get it pretty fast!
        For me it hasn’t been the first full month yet since got the card, but got my certificate already.
        Might worth to drop them an email. 😉
        Good luck!

    • Rob says:

      25 Sep25 September 08:50

      I think they do them once a month or so – I got mine quickly but when I wrote about it, others reported it was slow. I also get batches of email queries about the vouchers at the same time which implies the emails go out at once.

      Vouchers currently have a 12 month expiry rather than the promised 6 months. Not sure if a glitch or a new policy and they forgot to update the website.

      • Liz says:

        25 Sep25 September 09:27

        What is the rule with redeeming the free vouchers for IHG and Hilton. If you hit the target spend in, say Sept 15, do you have to redeem and stay by Sept 16 or can you redeem by Sept 16 and stay after Sept? It’s not clear on the T&C’s. Thanks

      • Nick says:

        25 Sep25 September 18:59

        That’s handy to know Rob as I’m waiting for mine. If it is valid for 12 months that’d be good.

  • flyforfun says:

    25 Sep25 September 14:26

    Having 72 hours to hold your flight is great when you have an a*hole of a boss that doesn’t sign off holiday leave requests quickly enough. I lost many sale fares in my last company because every time I requested it, he’d take days to come back, even when I prompted him.

• ee says:

  25 Sep25 September 07:03

  Re Premier Inn, are qualifying rates a minimum of £39 or over £39? My reading of the website was ‘over’ and that therefore bookings of £39/night (of which I already have 2) are not eligible.

  • Rob says:

    25 Sep25 September 08:48

    I think it is bad wording. If £39 rooms were excluded, anyone sensible would say ‘Spend over £40’ so it was crystal clear. But I could be wrong …..

    For some reason Premier Inn doesn’t want to be involved with HFP so I can’t approach anyone to ask.

    • David says:

      25 Sep25 September 09:23

      I read it that bookings must be £40 or above. I see no wording which suggests that £39 rates are included (phrases include “over £39” and “above £39”). I don’t see why a clarifying call to the Great Night Giveaway helpdesk should be an issue (via the 0333 number stated on website), even if they don’t want to “be involved with HFP”?

    • @alastairtravel says:

      25 Sep25 September 13:25

      Premier Inn like to do their own thing – they don’t really work with travel agents / TMCs either unless there is no alternative due to major corporate deals

    • Nick says:

      25 Sep25 September 19:02

      That’s their loss Rob.

• Tony says:

  25 Sep25 September 07:19

  The Barclaycard rules. Can you close the IHG card and immediately apply for the Hilton?

  • Rob says:

    25 Sep25 September 08:46

    As long as you had held the IHG card for 6 months, so there is a 6 month gap between apps, it reads as if you are ok.

    • James says:

      25 Sep25 September 09:15

      Where on the site is the 6 month cooling off detailed? Can’t see it in any of the links on the front page?

      Does this mean if you have a standard Barclaycard, you need to wait 6 months before applying to the HIlton again? Or just 6 months between HIlton cards?

    • Jason says:

      25 Sep25 September 18:31

      That’s handy to know 🙂
      Wife and I both took out premium cards and I cancelled hers, have ended up spending over 20k on mine and only got 1 voucher……what a silly billy I am 🙁

  • tim says:

    25 Sep25 September 14:09

    I assume the Barclays rule will be for new cards only – or will they shut off one of my IHG or Hilton cards suddenly?

  • World Traveller says:

    27 Sep27 September 10:16

    It seems it’s now only possible to take out a new Barclaycard issued credit card if you don’t already have one. The following is copied from their website…

    Best suited for people:
    Who do not already have a credit card provided by us, including one of our partner cards. Our partnership cards include Hilton HHonorsTM, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Littlewoods and Caravan Club.

    • scott says:

      28 Sep28 September 15:43

      i applied last week and already have the platinum card got home from work and the new card is on my doormat already and they did not even tell me if i was approved or not lol ,thanks for the heads up about the extra points raffles

• Nick M says:

  25 Sep25 September 07:22

  OT – I registered for SPG as recommended a few weeks ago & have been offered 2x “stay a night, get a free category 1-5 redemption”… is there a link to see which hotels this includes? Can’t seem to find it at the moment! Thanks!

  • Rob says:

    25 Sep25 September 08:45

    Not sure if there is a Cat 5 list. However, this is not a bad offer. In London, for eg, Cat 5 includes Sheraton Park Lane. You will get something at the four star level. Outside major cities most hotels are 1-5.

    • Nick M says:

      25 Sep25 September 12:45

      Thanks both!

• Jonathan says:

  25 Sep25 September 07:31

  OT: what’s everyone’s view of the Swissport lounge at LHR T3? Is it as busy as the notorious T5 Prioritypass accessible lounges?

  I have a flight with CX in October and see that’s the only option with my LoungeClub Card that came with the Amex gold card.

  Thanks

  • Nick says:

    25 Sep25 September 10:28

    I think the only priority pass lounge in T5 is the Aspire lounge – is that particularly busy?

    I’ve not been to the Swissport lounge at T3, but I have been to the Servisair lounge. The Swissport one cannot be any worse than the Servisair lounge, it’s just not possible.

• MARY ELLEN HOCKENHULL says:

  25 Sep25 September 07:51

  This is the most depressing update I’ve read all day. I knew about the premier Inn offer but I had not registered yet until I saw that current bookings count if you had spent over £39. I had 2 bookings already so I signed up and went to my bookings – both £35! This particular Premier Inn I stay at a few times a year so I hang on for the sale rooms which are either £29 or £35. I think to take advantage of this offer you need to know which PIs have sale rooms above the £39 level.

  • Rob says:

    25 Sep25 September 08:41

    On the upside, if this is the worse thing that happens to you all day then life can’t be too bad 🙂

  • Brian says:

    25 Sep25 September 12:26

    You should try reading the news. Hundreds of people crushed on a bridge in the Middle East, the refugee crisis showing no signs of abating, people drowning, bombs exploding, David Cameron STILL Prime Minister…

    Slightly more depressing than the fact that you have two bookings at 35 pounds….

    • Mr(s) Entitled says:

      25 Sep25 September 21:24

      Could be worse. You could be a pig who recently accepted an apparent innocuous invitation to tour No. 10

• Paul Irving says:

  25 Sep25 September 08:16

  If you spend 3 nights at say £40, can you then use your free night at a central London hotel that normally costs circa £120 a night?

  • cheekychappie says:

    25 Sep25 September 08:26

    Can I redeem my free stay at any Premier Inn?
    Free stays can be redeemed in over 700 UK Premier Inn sites, excluding Preston West, Wakefield Central, Warrington Centre, Wigan West (M6, Jct 26) and Wirral (Bromborough) and any hub by Premier Inn hotels.

  • Chris says:

    25 Sep25 September 08:39

    In the previous two years when they have ran this Promotion I have found that availability in “Central” London is very low.

    Two years ago I ended up at Beckton and last year was Stratford.

    • David says:

      25 Sep25 September 09:27

      I redeemed with no issues for a central London property two years ago. As I recall the availability matched those available for sale on the website, although perhaps this has changed since?

• Mark Phillips says:

  25 Sep25 September 08:21

  What happens if you already hold both a Hilton Honors and an IHG Barclaycard? Can you keep them both or will one have to be closed down?

  • Rob says:

    25 Sep25 September 08:37

    You can keep them, but you won’t be allowed to get back into that position if you cancel one.

    Hilton is biggest loser as the IHG card is the only one worth keeping because of the annual free night.

    • Solo says:

      26 Sep26 September 08:17

      I’m surprised the hotel chains will sit and let barclaycard do this. Especially given this point

  • Jason says:

    25 Sep25 September 08:40

    I suspect it’s meant to be like the 6 month rule to stop sign on bonuses.
    If people were getting the cards, and keeping them, I doubt this rule would have been introduced 🙁

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