Bits: Avios / Boswell insurance deal extended, TLS, double Avios with Heathrow Express

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• jamie says:

  25 Aug25 August 11:46

  O/T I have the amex plat and will be travelling to Melbourne, Houston and Miami in the next few weeks. I have my Priority Pass to get into the lounge but in America am I correct that there are some lounges which you can enter by just using your amex platinium card?

  • mark2 says:

    25 Aug25 August 12:09

    You can get into American Express Centurion Lounges which are rare.
    The one in Seattle is the best lounge I have ever been in (except no hot food).

    • jamie says:

      25 Aug25 August 13:02

      ok thanks Mark.

      • Stu N says:

        25 Aug25 August 15:15

        If you’re flying Delta you also get lounge access by showing the Platinum card.

        We found the SEA Amex to be extremely crowded a few weeks ago when we were there, but maybe we were unlucky.

• Kathy says:

  25 Aug25 August 11:52

  OT: IHG black credit card – the second tranche of 20k points for signing up hasn’t posted although I’ve had my second statement after hitting spend target. I am sure I was targeted for the offer originally although I didn’t keep the email. How do I go about chasing the points – IHG or Creation?

  • Genghis says:

    25 Aug25 August 12:21

    Wasn’t it wait 3 months? If you’ve done that I’d chase with Creation, but don’t expect much assistance…

    • Kathy says:

      25 Aug25 August 21:18

      Ah, right. So do I need to spend on the card this month to generate another statement?

      • Genghis says:

        25 Aug25 August 21:46

        I’d put £1 through

  • Rob says:

    25 Aug25 August 12:51

    Creation

  • thehornets says:

    25 Aug25 August 13:42

    Kathy – which IHG offer was this please? Is it generally available?

    I am just deliberating between the two IHG cards as a stop gap between Gold Amex’s and to meet an ‘Accelerate’ offer…

    Thanks!

    • Kathy says:

      25 Aug25 August 21:14

      The offer only ran until June.

• pointsarb says:

  25 Aug25 August 12:27

  O/T Does anyone know if the BA website is the only website to check for availability for an intra asia flight on Cathay Pacific? Trying to get 4 return seats from HKG to HKT over Xmas and no luck for weeks so just wondered if availability can be sourced from anywhere other than BA’s website?

  Tried the low cost carriers too and they want circa £1000 total for these 4 seats so before I shell that out wanted to try and use avios!

  Thanks!

  • Darren says:

    25 Aug25 August 13:31

    +1 I’d be interested in any replies for an upcoming trip.

    • meta says:

      25 Aug25 August 14:58

      I did this route in March. There was availability with Cathay Pacific/Dragonair (about 5 months in advance), but the timings didn’t work, so went with Thai Airways for about £250 per person return. I think £1k for 4 people is about right. I’m not sure if you have any miles in other programmes, but have you tried with AA for Cathay or Miles&More for Thai? Perhaps Iberia too with Avios?

      • pointsarb says:

        25 Aug25 August 17:17

        Thanks Meta! Yes I saw availability on CX about 3-4 months ago (not on my dates) but they dried up quickly. Looks I’ll have to take that £1k paid option.

  • JamesB says:

    25 Aug25 August 18:16

    If you have the avios and time you might want to consider MAS via KUL. At one point they had an a380 on one of their HKG rotations but I’ve no idea if this is still the case. You could fly HKG-BKK with Cathay or Sri Lankan and then use LCC down to HKT. If you have time the bus from Bangkok to Phuket is fun and scenic in the latter stages, VIP buses in Thailand are very luxurious. Check out flight options from Hong Kong to Krabi as it’s not that far away.

    • Callum says:

      25 Aug25 August 19:56

      If you’re not going to fly I’d definitely say take the train over the bus. Granted you have to change to a bus for the last 4 hours, but at least on the overnight portion you’ll have a proper flat bed.

      Far better than 12+ hours in a reclining seats to me, no matter how comfortable it may be!

      • JamesB says:

        25 Aug25 August 20:29

        I agree train works if you want to sleep, and you still get the more scenic bus ride across from Surat Thani into Phuket. Train station is also easier to get to from the airports than the southern bus terminal and avoids need for very early morning bus depature. However the bus wins if you want ro see the country as it is a 10-11 hour daylight ride. If you want a car in Phuket you could always pick it up at BKK and drive yourself, highways are excellent south to Hua Hin and thereafter are mostly dual carriageways further south.

• Artem says:

  25 Aug25 August 12:45

  O/T what is the breakfast like in Aspire Heathrow T5? I mean outside the Premium menu.

• the real harry1 says:

  25 Aug25 August 12:59

  O/T so my wife is out to the place in the sun again tonight – she’s been working in London so can get away early for her flight

  HBO fare, stuck in/ checked into 20C (aisle) right now & no way will I suggest she pays £11 to change seats – she has been told how to change seats for free @ airport with self check-in machines, yes she would like to move up-plane as she can be out & away in 5 mins, hmm let’s see

  she has also been given strict instructions to use her Lounge Pass before I expire it – she’s one of those people who don’t want to know about cards & passes – I waved free wi-fi etc & work in front of her as she doesn’t seem to care about F&B – let’s see how the woman does 🙂

  • the real harry1 says:

    25 Aug25 August 13:37

    she did actually pleasantly surprise me in the old days, going back a few years – despite initial hostility @ me ‘wasting everybody’s time’, once she got it that Tesco was effectively paying us to take away the John Frieda Collection (luxurious volume/ thickening mousse/ conditioner etc plus loads of other stuff such as wine, hic!), she did quite a few Tesco forays of her own & filled the cupboards 🙂

    • Genghis says:

      25 Aug25 August 13:54

      Mrs G still complains about all the Mr Muscles under our kitchen sink…

      • the real harry1 says:

        25 Aug25 August 16:52

        ‘”Price Check and ‘double the difference’ have given rise to a cottage industry of savvy and determined people. We commend their ingenuity and determination, but that wasn’t why we set up Price Check.”‘
        https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/apr/28/tesco-price-check-campaign-changed

        • the real harry1 says:

          25 Aug25 August 16:53

          actually, Raffles was around but we mustn’t mention that to his wife 🙂

        • the real harry1 says:

          25 Aug25 August 16:55

          he should have been spending his time more fruitfully devising an indispensable points blog 🙂

        • the real harry1 says:

          25 Aug25 August 17:32

          not sure what she’s playing at – still in 20C, should be at the airport by now & there are all 12 exit seats available ???

        • the real harry1 says:

          26 Aug26 August 01:39

          anyway, she couldn’t find the self check in machines, I shall show her a sample 10 of them next time we fly together

          she did hit Aspire lounge though so gets a B- overall

• Optimus Prime says:

  25 Aug25 August 13:01

  OT: BA404 from LHR to BRU at 7:40pm in CE. Any dinner at all being just a 45-min flight?

  • Genghis says:

    25 Aug25 August 13:04

    This might help
    http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1831879-club-europe-catering-guide-2017-edition.html

    • Optimus Prime says:

      25 Aug25 August 13:27

      Cool, thanks!

• the real harry1 says:

  25 Aug25 August 17:05

  Collect 2,500 Tesco Clubcard points.
  If you’re a new customer with a Tesco Clubcard you’ll collect 2,500 points when you buy a combined buildings and contents policy direct from us by 28 January 2018 and quote SEP7P and your Clubcard number. This offer is not available if you get a quote or purchase from any price comparison websites

  • the real harry1 says:

    25 Aug25 August 17:06

    2500 points = 6000 Avios = c.£60

    could be worth it if the quote is competitive

    • the real harry1 says:

      25 Aug25 August 17:09

      Additional terms and conditions for 2,500 Clubcard points offer: Clubcard number must be provided during quote. One offer per customer. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. If you cancel your policy within the first 14 days you will not collect the Clubcard points. The Clubcard must be in your name and the points will be added to a future Clubcard statement.

      well, I wouldn’t cancel in the first 14 days, then

      in the UK, insurance policies – cancelled – must be refunded pro rata, less any administration fees…

      • Genghis says:

        25 Aug25 August 19:54

        Any idea of admin charges TRH1?

        • the real harry1 says:

          26 Aug26 August 00:49

          unlikely to be worrisome – if anything at all

• n says:

  25 Aug25 August 17:17

  Any quick way to get 2k Marriott? I’m on 268k, need 270k for a package!

  (I did the social media 1k already)

  • Rob says:

    25 Aug25 August 18:27

    Buy them?

    • n says:

      25 Aug25 August 18:41

      Heading that way as things stand!

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