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Bits: confusing Hilton promo for Conrad and Waldorf Astoria, unlimited La Compagnie

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News in brief:

Confusing Conrad and Waldorf Astoria promotion launched

In 2014 and 2015, Hilton HHonors was giving bonus points for stays at Conrad and Waldorf Astoria hotels.  As long as you registered in advance, you got the bonus – even on a points stay.

The promotions are now back but it isn’t clear what is going on:

The small print implies that you need to book a certain rate code to get the bonus.  For one of the promos, however, the rate code does not seem to exist! 

If you do need to book a certain rate code, why do you need to register? And what would happen if you didn’t?

Some people who registered for the 2015 version are being told that they are already registered for this version – which implies it may be the old rules which apply.  I WAS able to register, however.

Until we have some more proof either way, I would register for these two offers anyway if you have Conrad or Waldorf Astoria plans this year.  Do not rely on getting the points unless you book the specific rate codes although it may happen.

Deal 1:  2,000 Hilton HHonors points per night on Conrad or Waldorf Astoria stays

The registration page for this offer is here.  In theory you need to book using rate code PBK2P1 to qualify for the bonus points but I couldn’t find any hotels showing this rate.

Deal 2:  5,000 Hilton HHonors bonus points for a two night Conrad or Waldorf Astoria stay

The registration page for this offer is here.  In theory you need to book using rate code PBK5P1 to qualify for the bonus points.  This rate, equal to Best Flexible, does show for some properties.

Unlimited La Compagnie flights to New York for £25,000 for a year

Low cost ‘all business’ airline La Compagnie, which flies from Paris and Luton to New York, is launching a new initiative.  For £25,000 it is allowing 10 customers each in the UK, France and US to buy a 12 month pass offering them unlimited flights.

Whether this is a PR stunt, a way of raising some working capital or a genuine attempt to try something new remains to be seen.  If the buyers of the passes flew once a fortnight then, at £500 each way, you would be paying close to La Compagnie’s lowest promotional fares.  If you flew once per week then a third of your £25,000 would end up in the hands of the UK Government as APD.

My interview with the La Compagnie CEO is here if you want to learn more about them.  Anika is also booked in to fly them in three weeks for a review trip.

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Category

Hilton Honors

Comments (23)

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

  • Go says:
    22 Jun22 June 07:21

    Reminds me of our local car wash which offered unlimited washes for a fixed annal fee. Whether the offer caused their downfall or they knew it was going to happen, they were bust within 3 months. Obviously it was much easier for me to have the car washed every two days than it is to fly to new york.

    • HiDeHi says:
      22 Jun22 June 08:13

      A few weeks before HMV went bust they had a big promo with American Express where you got £250 worth of gift card for £150(I forget the exact figures but it was a suspiciously good deal where you still had to stump up a fair chunk of cash in advance). Of course when they went into administration they refused to honour any gift cards. Thankfully Amex refunded the gift card costs, probably out of their own pocket.

  • HiDeHi says:
    22 Jun22 June 08:04

    I would not pay $35k to a newish airline unless I knew my money was protected in case they went busy. Too many of these airlines have come and gone in recent years.

    • HiDeHi says:
      22 Jun22 June 08:04

      busy = bust

    • Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:
      22 Jun22 June 08:15

      They would likely kick and scream about it, but I think Section 75 would obligate your credit card issuer to accommodate you on another airline.

      • HiDeHi says:
        22 Jun22 June 08:22

        To get any credit card issuer to pay another airline like British Airways the walk up cost for business class to New York (x50 or x100) would likely require you to take them to court. Much more likely the issuer would offer to refund the $35k.

      • The_Real_A says:
        22 Jun22 June 11:55

        Their liability is not for consequential loss according to my understanding, they are obliged to put you back into the position you would have been if the contract was not formed.

  • Seb says:
    22 Jun22 June 08:47

    If those WA/Conrad codes are working again I’ll be very happy. That promo for me makes so much sense for both parties as for me it meant that I could/can accrue HHonors points at a reasonable rate, whilst for Hilton it meant that when I went to book my hotels I would always upgrade from a DT/Hilton to a WA/Conrad and/or pick the WA/Conrad over a IC or Sofitel.

    • mark2 says:
      22 Jun22 June 10:06

      I have can also get 5% cash back from Lloyds on Hilton/Double tree until 14 Sep and on WA/Conrad until 27 Jul. One stay only.
      Worth checking if you have Avios Reward and Lloyds current account.

      • Genghis says:
        22 Jun22 June 10:47

        It’s 10% on my Santander account too.

        • Genghis says:
          22 Jun22 June 11:41

          Funny you say that Alan but this was on my Santander 123 debit card (don’t have the credit card) and I must have only used the card for one purchase (to make a Azimo payment) in the past year.

          • Alan says:
            23 Jun23 June 08:53

            Thanks, Genghis – I’ll perhaps try making one purchase on it and see if that activates offers!

  • N says:
    22 Jun22 June 09:15

    OT £5 off £15 with Gett (GetTaxi) on Amex offers

  • harry says:
    22 Jun22 June 11:23

    O/T Moneycorp option temporarily unavailable but hat tip MSE – they found 3 more cheap/ free options to buy currency:
    Travelex* – collection only. You can order online or by phone for collection up to 60 days away, cancel any time up to 24 hours before collection for free. If within 24 hours you pay a £10 fee.
    Post Office* – collection or delivery. You can order online for collection or delivery up to a week away and cancel any time if for collection. For delivery, you must cancel before the money is dispatched for delivery (as it’s never 100% clear when that’ll happen it’s safer via collection). It says it reserves the right to charge a £20 cancellation fee but insists it doesn’t always levy it. Its conditions also state it reserves the right to cancel an order due to “extreme fluctuation in financial markets” though it is not clear what it means by this – we are seeking clarification.
    Sainsbury’s Bank* – collection only. You can order online or by phone for collection up to 30 days away, and cancel any time up to 24 hours before collection for free. If within 24 hours you pay a £10 fee. Update, Wed 22 June, 10.52am: Sainsbury’s Bank’s press office stated clearly yesterday that when a customer cancels “more than 24 hours ahead of collection they will receive a full refund, if within 24 hours there is a £10 cancellation fee.” Some users say Sainsbury’s has told them the £10 fee applies regardless, so we’ve asked it to clear up the confusion and we will update this article when we know more.

    • harry says:
      22 Jun22 June 11:39

      The problem here (at least on my currency) is that even the best option – Post Office – is about 1.5% worse on the exchange rate than Moneycorp/ HIFX. But you do get a free or nearly free option.

      • danksy says:
        22 Jun22 June 13:15

        I didn’t know they started dealing in the “Taunton Pound” 😛

      • Scallder says:
        22 Jun22 June 16:32

        Travelex have a price promise, so you should be able to match to that. Often use it and order through them and then get the difference refunded to the rates from Ace FX (best I’ve found with a physical location in London)

        • Genghis says:
          22 Jun22 June 17:37

          I’ve found Best Foreign Exchange (shops all over the City) to offer the best rates with London physical presence.

  • JamesWag says:
    22 Jun22 June 17:08

    So totally Off-Topic; Anyone got any ideas if more Avios availability from London to ARN (Stockholm) will become available in July ? and if so if there’s any pattern to when it might ?

    Is there an automated way I can keep track of anything specific popping up ?

    Need availability on one or two specific days which are already out 🙁

    • N says:
      22 Jun22 June 17:15

      ExpertFlyer can be used for live alerts for tickets in certain fare buckets. Create an alert for the necessary bucket and you’ll get an email when/if available. Can’t remember ET and CE redemption buckets off the top of my head!

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

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