Bits: American drops Manchester-New York, Emirates launches 50% off economy reward sale

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• Jake says:

  29 Aug29 August 06:02

  Looks like a good offer for point collectors

  How often does this offer repeat? Once a year and every year?

  Also, are there offers to convert amex membership points to skyward miles?

  • Rob says:

    29 Aug29 August 08:38

    Never been a Skywards conversion promo apart from the launch one a couple of years ago.

    Emirates runs the 50% off every 12-18 months but, as the travel window is tight, it is less useful. When Virgin does its redemption sales, you can book for the full 11 month booking away and save.

    • lev441 says:

      29 Aug29 August 22:42

      Virgin haven’t done any redemption sales since the new pricing system set in in January… Do you think that is the end of them? I booked three flights using those sales last year..

    • Jake says:

      30 Aug30 August 15:13

      Very disappointed, I tried to make a booking using my skymiles (LON to DXB) outwards Eco Saver was 11k + cash and inwards Bus Saver was 45k points plus cash… when I went to checkout after entering my card details (I tried all options, different times, machines and cards) it always bumped it up to 65k points – the booking page and offer is deceptive!!

• JamesB says:

  29 Aug29 August 07:28

  OT Bit: The amex offer for £100 off £1000 at trailfinders is back, use by 30/9.

  • Gavin says:

    29 Aug29 August 08:19

    Haven’t got it on my amex, which is just as well as have already paid the final deposit of the honeymoon!

    • JamesB says:

      29 Aug29 August 09:38

      I came unstuck too as I would have needed an October closing date to use. IIRC it was £200 last year. I’m also missing out on Hilton opportunities so looks like a bad quarter for me but will be at home during shop small for a change.

      • Genghis says:

        29 Aug29 August 10:09

        Doesn’t it work on Trailfinders gift cards? Or not worth the S75 risk?

        • johnny_c-l says:

          29 Aug29 August 11:03

          Could presumably bag the offer with the gift cards then part-pay for the holiday with a small amount on a credit card and the balance using the gift cards so you’re S75 covered too.

        • Genghis says:

          29 Aug29 August 11:17

          Good point

        • JamesB says:

          29 Aug29 August 15:36

          Thanks guys, I’ll give the giftcard option some thought. The downside would be being tied to trailfinders for a substantial sum.

        • Alan says:

          29 Aug29 August 22:44

          Definitely did last time – I pushed a purchase through for my folks, they were delighted at the saving! No expiry date on the TF gift vouchers either.

      • totaltool says:

        29 Aug29 August 12:28

        i have seen reference to shop small in several posts over the last few months but don’t know what it refers to. Can someone enlighten please?

        • Stu N says:

          29 Aug29 August 13:00

          Annual promotion by Amex that runs in Nov-Dec, gives you £5 back when you spend £10+ at small independent businesses. Has been unlimited in the past so you can generate a lot of benefit from it.

        • totaltool says:

          29 Aug29 August 13:34

          ok thanks will look for it

        • Genghis says:

          29 Aug29 August 13:36

          @totaltool – it’s a good idea to maximise the amount of Amex cards you hold around this time so benefit from the £5 back offer. Stocking up on xmas meat, cheeses, stamps , birthday cards for the year etc works well for me.

        • JamesB says:

          29 Aug29 August 15:39

          And MBNA amex cards have been eligible in the past too.

  • Kinkell says:

    29 Aug29 August 18:43

    @ JamesB Is this a targeted offer? Just checked all our cards …..not there. Could do with it ! Mind you, I benefitted last year when it was £200 off £1100 spend, x3!. Maybe that’s why we don’t have it this time.

    • JamesB says:

      29 Aug29 August 20:01

      It was on my dad’s PRG so he asked if I wanted to make use of it. I only have BA standard amex at the moment so obviously not on that.

• pointsarb says:

  29 Aug29 August 10:16

  @ Genghis, I used it successfully twice on Trailfinders gift cards last year. Got £400 off a £2000 gift card spend (split over 2 txns).

• Jonathan says:

  29 Aug29 August 11:40

  OT – Just spoken to MBNA regarding my Virgin Atlantic Black card.

  1) The 5000 bonus points for cancelling take up to 8 weeks to post from meeting the £1k spend which is only realised at statement time so in my case it could take 2 more statements (3 in total) before i get the points at which point i will have rolled over to another year.

  2) and most interestingly i asked when the Virgin Atlantic license agreement with Amex was due to expire and although she couldn’t give a definitive date she said it was January 2018 and more information will follower nearer the time. Spend whilst you can?

• h1tvd says:

  29 Aug29 August 12:15

  O/T I have found a flight fare on ITA matrix, can’t seem to replicate the price on iberia. Its about £200 more expensive doing a multi-trip on Iberia. Is there a better way to do it to match the price?

  • Genghis says:

    29 Aug29 August 13:37

    Google flights?

    • h1tvd says:

      29 Aug29 August 20:03

      google flights has the same price as ITA matrix but I can’t get the same price via iberai, ba, expedia etc

      • Yan says:

        29 Aug29 August 20:17

        for complex itineraries from ITA try bookwithmatrix or ITA-Matrix-PowerTools

      • Genghis says:

        29 Aug29 August 20:34

        What happens when you click through to buy from google flights?

        • h1tvd says:

          29 Aug29 August 21:17

          it says call iberia to book, call british airways to book, book american online for over $2k lol.

• RussellH says:

  29 Aug29 August 12:47

  For travelling from MAN to New York City, a friend of mine who does this once or twice a year swears that it is significantly quicker from PHL to downtown NYC than it is from JFK. Much quicker immigration in his experience, and a direct Amtrak link at PHL

  • Claire says:

    29 Aug29 August 13:08

    Now that’s something I’ve never thought of. We normally have to do MAN-LHR-JFK with BA. I’m quite happy as we use our 2-4-1 and go in First. I do miss BA at MAN terribly though.

  • Andy says:

    29 Aug29 August 16:44

    No way. You have to get the SEPTA line from PHL to 30th street station then change there for Amtrak. Whole trip will take about 2 hours and then the waiting times.

• Simon says:

  29 Aug29 August 12:53

  BA has better brand recognition out of Manchester than AA? Could have fooled me!

  • Claire says:

    29 Aug29 August 13:09

    Agreed. They desperately need to get back in the game at MAN.

    • Colin JE says:

      29 Aug29 August 21:53

      The Man – Ord AA flights are very good value. Managed to get a business class return ticket for £1680 in November including two nights in a four star hotel in Chicago though BA holidays. The plain flight is £1400! From LHR I couldn’t even get a BA Premium Economy ticket for that.
      Virgin dropped its Chicago flights last year – a real shame, because they are head and shoulders better for Upper – but the AA fares are stonking and who wants to change to a regional carrier in the US, turning a 7 hour flight into a 10 hour+ journey?

      I just hope AA don’t do the same with their Chicago route out of Manchester. If they do, what are my rights if they drop a route I’m booked on?

• totaltool says:

  29 Aug29 August 13:07

  O/T – last year about this time i got a hilton challenge fron silver to gold for four stays. Have found H gold to be very worth while but need some more stays to retain gold. Have silver anyway through HH visa. Does anyone know if its likely to happen again?

  • Genghis says:

    29 Aug29 August 13:39

    It’s happening now – see some recent articles. Alternatively it’s easy to get gold through £10k spend in calendar year on Hilton card / Amex Plat.

    • totaltool says:

      29 Aug29 August 15:36

      I thought those related to Marriott etc matching across than within Hilton but will have a look

      • Genghis says:

        29 Aug29 August 15:39

        Sorry – you do need to have something to match your Hilton status to with the current offer.

  • JamesB says:

    29 Aug29 August 19:57

    Is taking out amex platinum for a month not an option for you?

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