Bits: new Qatar & Hilton Amex deals, Tesco Clubcard to Virgin bonus confirmed

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• MarkH says:

  24 Aug24 August 11:37

  OT – a friend of mine has Amex Platinum as do I but he gets monthly emails for special Amex events such as a day at Chapel Down, Bollinger tasting event etc but I don’t and I can’t see where to sign up to them.

  The email subject is “VISTA, your benefit guide for exclusive events – xxxxxxxx 2017”.

  Some of the events seem pretty good value although I’ve never seen anyone on here mention them.

  Does anyone know where or how to sign up? (My friend can’t very helpfully can’t remember…)

  • Rob says:

    24 Aug24 August 12:23

    I agree, the events seem to be getting better. Oddly, they don’t get listed on the americanexpress.co.uk/platinum events page.

    The recent Bollinger one looked good for £65 but the date didn’t work.

    • MarkH says:

      24 Aug24 August 16:12

      The one at Chapel Down sounded really good from what my friend told me. 3 course meal for £65 with matching wines (and not just the cheaper ones).

      Do you know how to sign up to get the offer emails? Or are they targeted?

      • Rob says:

        24 Aug24 August 18:14

        Should be in your profile. Remember that EACH Amex you have has different marketing preferences, so you need to be on the Plat page on the Amex website and then go into the marketing menu dropdown.

  • Alan says:

    24 Aug24 August 21:59

    I get those but find them totally useless – everything seems to be in London. If you just make sure all your Amex preferences are set to allow emails you should get them – if all looks OK then consider switching the email address you use with them as that sometimes seems to reset things.

• Pangolin says:

  24 Aug24 August 12:02

  And here’s my gravatar… hopefully!

• Stevie in Glasgow says:

  24 Aug24 August 12:12

  Many thanks Rob for the heads up on the 20% bonus offer for virgin airmiles Ive been waiting for an annoncement from tesco or virgin on this and have now convered £40 vouchers for 10,000 airmiles plus the extra 2000 bonus plus hopefully the extra 1000 for automatically converting from tesco to virgin.

• h1tvd says:

  24 Aug24 August 12:26

  O/T had an email from Intercontinental Paris Le Grand. They are starting a 2 year renovation project in January 2018. Work will be carried out to the facade, bedrooms and restaurant. I felt the bedrooms needed a major overhaul so this is good news as I’ll be there May 2018. Just hope the renovations are discreet….

  • JamesB says:

    24 Aug24 August 19:38

    Back in May I cancelled LG in favour of HI Gare de Lyon because it’s a bit tired and because reviews for newly refurbished rooms at HI were decent. Could not have been happier, saved 25000 points per night and got first use of a large, very tastefully refurbished room with excellent bed and bedding. Probably the best IHG deal in Paris at the moment if you can get allocated one of these rooms, I got it just as platinum.

    • Tracy says:

      24 Aug24 August 21:36

      Yes, but Le Grand has lots of champagne in the lounge…….

      • Rob says:

        25 Aug25 August 00:10

        ….. for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and evening snacks!

• Sarah Gregory says:

  24 Aug24 August 13:45

  Hi, still getting to grips on best credit card for spends. I have the Virgin White card and the Tesco Credit card. If I was going to spend say £4,000.00 which card would get me the most Virgin miles (taking into account the Tesco clubcard bonus)?

  Thanks

  • Genghis says:

    24 Aug24 August 14:02

    Running the numbers on your existing cards, the Virgin White card would earn 0.5 x 4000 = 2,000 virgin miles while the Tesco credit card would earn (assuming non-Tesco spend) 1/8 x 4000 = 500 clubcard points x 3 = 1,500 virgin miles (but you won’t get the points until the next Clubcard vouchers post, unless Tesco change things before then).

    If you’re after Virgin miles specifically, look at the Virgin Black MBNA card (you can hold the White and the Black at the same time). The Amex earning rate is excellent (2 points per £1). Take a look here https://headforpoints.com/2016/11/11/review-virgin-atlantic-flying-club-black-credit-card-american-express-visa-2/. Only trouble is that there is an annual fee of £140 and the sign up bonus is currently only 18,500 miles (it’s been 25k recently).

    • Sarah Gregory says:

      24 Aug24 August 14:12

      Thanks Genghis, but forgot to say that the spend would be on my Amex Virgin White card where I get 1 mile for £1. The spend would be non-Tesco related. Does this change things?

      Thanks

      • Genghis says:

        24 Aug24 August 14:17

        Apologies. I assumed Visa spend for some strange reason. So £4k on the Amex White would be 4k Virgin miles, a lot better than the Tesco credit card option. But you would earn 8k on the Virgin black (while the 18.5k sign up offsets the £140 fee). Only you can decide if it’s worth it.

        • Mark says:

          24 Aug24 August 14:23

          surely the answer here is get the AMEX gold card? free for the first year £4k spend on the card would activate your sign up bonus, ask Rob for a referral. Therefore you’d get 4k+22k is recommended = 26k amex spend? or if you’re up for getting a amex platinum you’d get 4k miles for spend plus 35k is referred, therefore 39k plus if you know a big spend is coming up then you can be in and out quickly, its £450 fee but pro rata refund, therefore even if it takes you a month it will only cost £37.5 plus you can boost your hilton/marriot/spg to gold status in the process.

        • Sarah Gregory says:

          24 Aug24 August 14:57

          Thanks Genghis, need to pay the amount tonight so won’t be able to get the black card but thanks for the heads up, definitely worth thinking about. Will go with the Virgin Amex.

          Thanks Mark, but we have just cancelled our Gold card as hit out 1 year anniversary (cancelled so didn’t have to pay the annual fee) so wouldn’t be able to apply for another yet and as above I need to make the payment tonight.

          Thanks

        • Mark says:

          24 Aug24 August 15:04

          ah no worries! if you’re a couple don’t forget to recommend each other every 6 months and bag the referral points.

      • Sarah Gregory says:

        24 Aug24 August 15:10

        Thanks Mark, will do.

  • Nick M says:

    24 Aug24 August 16:25

    Virgin White: £1 = 1 mile (Amex) or £2 = 1 mile (Visa)
    Tesco: £8 = 1 clubcard point, 250 cc = 625 miles (or 750 with a 20% bonus)

    Virgin is accumulative and is based on the total balance at the end of the month, whereas Tesco is based on each individual transaction…

    By the time that the points actually hit your account, the conversion bonus is likely to have disappeared

    • Nick M says:

      24 Aug24 August 16:27

      Sorry, must have opened the page before lunch and so hadn’t seen the posts above!

• Dan says:

  24 Aug24 August 14:47

  OT – Creation IHG Black card free night for £10k spend. I phoned yesterday and was told it will be generated with my August statement (anniversary was July). Today I was told, firstly they only do the financial side and I should call IHG. After being put on hold I was told they are sent automatically and I should call IHG. I’ve now put in a complaint. Does anyone know how it does work?!

  • Alex W says:

    24 Aug24 August 17:27

    I had a similar situation to yourself, with IHG and Creation blaming eachother for several months.
    My voucher magically appeared soon after I threatened going to the ombudsman. But there was no explanation as to why it was so late or what caused the delay.

    • Dan says:

      24 Aug24 August 19:53

      Thanks Alex. I saw a comment on another thread saying the same. May have been you!

      • Alex W says:

        24 Aug24 August 20:42

        Possibly, but I don’t think we’re the only ones having problems.

• Johnny_c-l says:

  24 Aug24 August 18:25

  Congratulations HfP Rob and Anika on 10,000 email subscribers!

  About time for another HFP party to celebrate…?

  • Mark e says:

    24 Aug24 August 20:00

    Great idea

  • Rob says:

    24 Aug24 August 21:25

    We have started asking companies this week if they want to chip in a few quid to cover the excessive drinking of HFP readers. Three of the top six suspects already contacted. If we talk one round, we’re on ….

    Better than 50% chance it happens ….

    • Alan says:

      24 Aug24 August 22:06

      Next year why not try and have a sponsored summer event during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe? Lots of Londoners here (part of your core demographic), but would also be for those of us that live up North 😛 Hilton sponsor the Udderbelly and have held events there for Diamond members (I went to one last year), so they might be up for it…

      • Alex W says:

        25 Aug25 August 07:57

        I’m travelling up tonight. Sleazyjet from BRS as Mrs W refused to go via LHR.

        • Alan says:

          25 Aug25 August 08:35

          Enjoy – I’ve been to 15 shows so far this year, may be there again this weekend. Can highly recommend the wood-fired pizza in the Assembly George Square gardens!

• Nick says:

  24 Aug24 August 20:52

  OT – what’s the current favourite for T3 lounge? Business only before some smartarse says GF :p
  No PP either, access is through flying BA J. If it helps it’s for a morning flight so breakfast time.

  • the real harry1 says:

    24 Aug24 August 21:04

    Cathay Pacific is in Oneworld, right?

    • Neil says:

      24 Aug24 August 21:22

      I was in the Cathay Pacific lounge this morning! It’s still by far the best lounge in T3

  • Rob says:

    24 Aug24 August 21:22

    Cathay

    • Nick says:

      24 Aug24 August 22:09

      Thanks all, Cathay it is then
      I’m going to try my hardest to leave enough time for a ‘hop’ to AA, if only to see what it’s like as I’ve never been there. But will aim for as long as possible with some noodles!

      • barry cutters says:

        24 Aug24 August 23:33

        Don’t bother . Stay in Cathay lounge its much better . I’m in there about 10.15am. Happy to take you in the first as a guest if you want. Ask for Barry at the desk and I will pretend I know you .

        • Nick says:

          25 Aug25 August 07:39

          Thanks Barry, that’s very kind of you, but it’s about the time I’ll be leaving the lounge. Next time though definitely 🙂

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