HfP ‘Credit Cards’ page updated for September 2016 – what are the best deals?

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• Chaim says:

  12 Sep12 September 06:59

  So basically the points game is dead as we can excpect no more big sign up bonuses?!

  • Rob says:

    12 Sep12 September 08:59

    You could never churn the MBNA cards anyway. Even if Etihad decided to offer 30,000 miles for getting their free card tomorrow, the changes to their reward chart last year still wouldn’t give you many options beyond a one-way in Business to Abu Dhabi, and even that would require a fair bit of card spend before you had enough.

    I think it will cycle. Why would MBNA want to encourage you to take out a card which loses it money?

    However, in 2 years time the Etihad card (for example) will probably be:

    MasterCard only
    £99 fee
    Come with Etihad Silver status
    Earn 0.5 miles per £1

    That is probably sustainable as a model and MBNA would be prepared to put a big sign-up bonus behind that.

• MR Bridge says:

  12 Sep12 September 07:28

  Tesco premium mastercard:
  I always used the amex Fx, because they did not charge the tx as a cash advance only as a purchase. I always checked the fx calculator on money saving expert, and although amex wasn’t the best rate the US$0.01 difference paid for the 1.5 avios.

  Always near the top was Tesco (order online, not in store), and they still are.
  Robs hint a couple of months ago that DC was closing, led me to get the Tesco premium.

  Looking into the t+c’s tesco bank also treat Fx tx’s as a purchase when paying with tesco card. Oddly this is not in the card t+c’s. but actually on the fx site:
  Tesco Credit Cards
  If you pay with your Tesco Credit Card, there’s no cash advance fee (excluding Tesco Business Credit Card) or card handling fees. Buying foreign currency with a Tesco Clubcard Credit Card from Tesco Travel Money will count towards a customer’s cash limit but will be treated as a purchase transaction and will still be charged interest at the purchase interest rate.

  Whilst this does not count toward you £5000 spend, i believe you still get the £4/1cc as a purchase. still 0.6 avios on a very good fx rate

  • Rob says:

    12 Sep12 September 08:54

    Thanks for that. If it is in writing on the FX site I will cover it.

• Catherine O'Donnell says:

  12 Sep12 September 07:44

  Does anyone have a link to the 10,000 point White Virgin card offer, when I click on the link it still shows the standard 3,000 points?

  Thanks

• James67 says:

  12 Sep12 September 07:44

  OT but credit cards: some new offers on amex this morning including 1000 extra avios on BA cards used at TfL, and £20 of £60 at eurostar.

  • Brian says:

    12 Sep12 September 08:40

    Has anybody actually been able to register for the TFL offer? I can’t on either of my cards…

    • idrive says:

      12 Sep12 September 08:41

      no

      • Roger says:

        12 Sep12 September 08:44

        Same here. Looks like the lonk is still not live. may be try later today or tomorrow and it should work.

        Happened similar to this in one of previous offer which worked on the following day.

        • idrive says:

          12 Sep12 September 09:21

          it works now

    • Roger* says:

      12 Sep12 September 09:28

      Yes, and my offer is 10 extra MR points per £ when used as contactless on buses, tubes, trains, etc, capped at 1,000, so UP TO 1,000. 🙂

      • John says:

        12 Sep12 September 09:38

        You sure it isn’t 10 mr per £2?

        • TGLoyalty says:

          12 Sep12 September 10:07

          Mine is 10MR per £2 via contactless, wonder if topping up the Oyster might work £30 at a time, I’m there a few times over the next few weeks but can see me not getting full value from the “per £2” element just using it as a payment card

        • Ignacio says:

          23 Sep23 September 15:52

          Hi guys

          Do you know if this offer applies only one time or you will receive the extra avios or MR points for all your spend during the promotional period until the end of November?

• John G says:

  12 Sep12 September 08:10

  Slightly OT but I referred someone for the Lloyds Avios card last week and they have not yet received the referral email. I know there have been reports of it taking 6+ months at the extreme for the email to arrive, but how long does it generally take?

  • James67 says:

    12 Sep12 September 08:28

    It’s a lottery, ranging from days to never according to previous commentsbon HFP. If nothing ithin two weeks just try it again or get in touch with CS. If the person you referred has any orevious business with Lloyds then they will likely not get it.

    • Rob says:

      12 Sep12 September 08:57

      They only arrive on Mondays now so today may be your lucky day.

      Unless Lloyds recognises the email, in which case you’re blocked. Or the recipient has an avios.com account set to ‘no marketing email’, in which case you are blocked. Or your email service blocks emails which sound like sex spam (’I have a secret to share with you ….’ headline) in which case it will be blocked.

      Of all the people I try to refer, I get the bonus on 1 in 3. The rest give up or are thrown out for one of the reasons above.

  • Polly says:

    12 Sep12 September 08:31

    John, my referral for my OH took 4 mths. Almost gave up. But since got it and getting our double pts posted for our first six mths currently.

    Mr bridge, that’s a very useful tip re the tesco currency on line purchase. A new one for most of us l would guess.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    12 Sep12 September 10:10

    similar experience my friend just applied and then chased them later, it did turn out the reason was he was set to ‘no marketing emails’. But after a msg on twitter it was sorted within a week.

  • Alan says:

    12 Sep12 September 12:27

    It’s a totally broken system TBH. However as long as you and the person being referred both use the same email address (to refer and to apply) then you should still get the bonus, as long as they aren’t a preexisting customer of course.

• Graeme says:

  12 Sep12 September 08:56

  Re. the Hilton Visa – it’s been a while since I’ve had one so I hadn’t noticed (or don’t remember) the ‘once only’ rule – how long has that been a rule for, and does it only count from a certain date or does it count for anyone that’s ever had one?

  Apologies for what is almost certainly a stupid question.

  • John says:

    12 Sep12 September 09:31

    About a year IIRC, but the matching to previous customer profile is imperfect.

  • Russell says:

    12 Sep12 September 12:12

    I had the Hilton Visa for the first time last year, and cancelled in January ’16, having used my free night voucher. Re-applied August this year, and have earned a 2nd free night certificate without any issues. They may not be enforcing the “only once” reward to fiercely, or perhaps i just got lucky. Only thing I can think of that may have gone in my favour was a change of home address?

    • Nick says:

      12 Sep12 September 16:38

      I’m going to try and get the HH card again Christmas as I cancelled the card in July this year. I’m going to use a different email address and see what happens..

• Andreas says:

  12 Sep12 September 09:44

  Rob, the World Elite card gives 40,000 points for spending £2000 in the first 3 months, and an ADDITIONAL 40,000 points when spending £12,000 in a year.

  • Mycity says:

    12 Sep12 September 10:28

    Yes but the 80000 points total is only worth 40000 Avios etc, so Robs correct

    • Andreas says:

      12 Sep12 September 10:37

      I didn’t notice he said avios. But still a clarification is required as you earn the first 20K Avios in this case if you spend £2000 in the first 3 months.

      • Mycity says:

        12 Sep12 September 10:39

        The clarification is there, click on the link on each card description and it takes one to Robs review on each card.

        • Andreas says:

          12 Sep12 September 10:42

          well not on this page anyway. I’m not sure why the attiude. I was only trying to be helpful. I just happened to misread avios to points.

      • Rob says:

        12 Sep12 September 10:57

        Fair point, will amend.

• Leo says:

  12 Sep12 September 09:56

  Is it now possible to get the Hilton card alongside the grandfathered IHG Barclaycard? I presume not…but I’d like to! Not keen on ditching my current IHG card for the Creation one.

  • Rob says:

    12 Sep12 September 10:58

    Not clear, they may treat the IHG card differently now that it is ‘dormant’.

  • Ed says:

    12 Sep12 September 17:44

    Exactly the same boat here. If anyone tries please share

    • Mark E says:

      12 Sep12 September 18:10

      I’d appreciate knowing too, so another request to share please if anyone does know.

  • Rimas says:

    12 Sep12 September 21:15

    Applied for Hilton Card first time last Wednesday (still keep my Barclays IHG), received a letter today – “Sorry, we can’t accept your application…”

    • Joe says:

      13 Sep13 September 07:32

      It could be worth emailing them and asking if they will reconsider if you reduce the limit on your existing card. I did this and never got a reply but then they sent the HHonors card in the post.

      • Rimas says:

        14 Sep14 September 09:20

        After an email I had a call from BB and be offered £30, but no card..

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