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Bits: new American Express cashback deals, how HfP helped Paul see South America

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News in brief:

New American Express statement credit deals launched

A new wave of Amex cashback offers launched yesterday.

Some, all or none of these will be available for registration under the ‘Offers’ tab of your online statement.  Unfortunately, if they are not showing, you cannot register for them on the cardmemberoffers.co.uk website.

These offers do appear on the Amex Connect site where you can register MBNA, Lloyds or Barclays-issued American Express cards.

The three new offers are:

Argos – £10 back on a £100 purchase, expires 10th January, 14000 registrations allowed

Eurostar – £20 back on a £100 purchase, expires 10th January, 14000 registrations allowed

World Duty Free – £10 back on a £70 purchase, expires 10th January, 10500 registrations allowed

These deals were added a week or so ago.  They are not on the Amex Connect site:

Costco – £10 back on a £100 purchase, expires 31st December, 10000 registrations allowed

Paul Smith – £65 back on a £350 purchase, expires 21st December, no limit on registrations but only valid in Paul Smith own-brand stores excluding factory outlets (Heathrow seem OK)

The World Duty Free offer is especially valuable as it will double-up with any £5 off coupon you may have been sent, as long as your spend after discounts is still £70 or more.  It would also tie in with the ‘3000 Avios for spending £100 at Heathrow’ offer being run by Heathrow Rewards at the moment.

The Argos deal would be triggered by gift card purchases, although for just £10 back it probably isn’t worth the bother unless you are walking past a quiet store.

How Head for Points helped Paul in South America

Reader Paul dropped me a line over the weekend after a successful two week trip which saw him visit Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay.  He listed out everything that he had done which he had learned from reading Head for Points:

Flights:

  • Booked a low tax Iberia Avios redemption from Madrid to Santiago
  • Booked a low tax (as no fuel surcharges from Brazil) Avios redemption on BA from São Paulo to Heathrow
  • Booked a low tax LAN Avios redemption for an internal Brazil flight
  • Used an American Express £50 travel statement credit against another internal flight
  • Got a status match from Cathay Pacific (which he got for free from Amex Platinum) to Qantas Gold to allow him to continue to access oneworld benefits

Hotels:

  • Used Hilton points to book a hotel in Madrid, with an upgrade because of the status he gained from spending on the Hilton credit card
  • Booked the Pullman hotel in São Paulo during a sale featured on HfP, and gained extra benefits via his Accor Platinum status which came free with Amex Platinum

Other:

  • Used Azimo to transfer money to himself in Argentina at close to the dollar blue rate, rather than the artificial official rate

New Head for Points readers may not recognise some of the deals above, such as free Cathay status with Amex Platinum (now stopped).  However, I hope it gives a good impression of what can be achieved using the ideas and offers I highlight.

Comments (116)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Lev441 says:

    A bit miffed… No offers showing on my card at all except a South African air one which has been on there for a couple months

  • Daniel says:

    Post Office just in time for Christmas Cards! 😉

  • Nadeshka says:

    Interesting on booking Hyatt via propeller travel. Given Hyatt disappointingly only matched my Hilton diamond to their platinum level would I be better off using propeller travel to book stays in their properties –
    Would that give better benefits?

    • Alan says:

      Yes a lot of Hyatts are in Amex FHR which Propeller can book. If you don’t have Amex Plat they might still have deals with some Hyatts, worth checking. Definitely worth going down that route to lock in some extra benefits, HGP Plat won’t give much.

    • Rob says:

      There is no global Hyatt programme for luxury travel agents but a lot of hotels do have their own deals with luxury travel agents like Propeller. Propeller is currently moving over to becoming a Virtuoso agent – which is why I took the links down temporarily – but when that is up and running there will be an even wider range of hotel deals available.

      • Alan says:

        Would be good to have a decent Virtuoso agent in the UK – presumably they’ll still retain their existing FHR and other deals?

  • DAZ says:

    With regards to Paul’s South America trip: Good stuff! A lot of people including myself that have benefited from excellent advice and info on this site. I have flow, seen and stayed places I and my family would have never have dreamt of 2 years ago. So thanks Rob.

  • Peter says:

    Rob. Thanks for the Arsenal tip. Two tickets secured for the Palace match. I will have a very happy son!

  • Joe says:

    Competely OT, but today I earned a whopping 92 Avios from a flight. Is that the most meagre haul ever?!

    • Danksy says:

      haha, did the plane take off?

      • DW201 says:

        Ill see your 92 and raise (lower?) you 75 for a return:

        17-Nov-15 23-Nov-15 DUBLIN – LONDON HEATHROW (Y/X)
        EI178(Operated by: Aer Lingus) 0 75
        16-Nov-15 23-Nov-15 LONDON HEATHROW – DUBLIN (Y/F)
        EI179(Operated by: Aer Lingus) 0 –

        • pauldb says:

          I have 74 for Flybe SOU-GCI!

          • Joe says:

            Wow! Thanks both. FWIW, mine was a flight from Hamilton Island to Cairns, with Quantas. However, Pauldb is our new leader with 74. Can anybody beat that!?

  • Roger says:

    Strange. That link is headed ‘Amex Small Business Saturday Won’t Offer Statement Credits in 2015’ and seems otherwise unhelpful.

  • Andy says:

    I’ve got the BA Amex Premium plus card and have 3 supplementary cards for family members.

    Can I use the offers once per a card or only once? I.e. Can I spend £10 on my card at the post office and get the £5 cash back. Then spend £10 on my brothers card at the post office (all linked to my account as his is a supplementary one) and also get £5 back?

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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