Bits: BA Holidays Avios bonus cut, Flying Blue promo awards, 30% bonus buying Carlson points

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

• the real harry1 says:

  9 Sep9 September 07:09

  any news on redeeming Virgin miles on FB? surely will get announced soon

  • Rob says:

    9 Sep9 September 11:30

    The legal approvals for the transatlantic JV required will take 12-18 months, this includes the frequent flyer aspects since regulators treat that as collusion too.

• Tilly says:

  9 Sep9 September 08:02

  Is the BA holidays bonus avios cut for new bookings made from 02 October or including existing holiday bookings? I was looking forward to a 8.5k bonus from my November holiday booked many months ago.

  • George Budd says:

    9 Sep9 September 08:27

    Yes I was wondering that too

  • Barry cutters says:

    9 Sep9 September 15:27

    Of course it’s new bookings only!!!

    • Rob says:

      9 Sep9 September 23:21

      Back in 2013 you used to get 5,000 Avios bonus for a short-haul BA Holiday and 10,000 for long-haul. Times change …..

• Joseph Heenan says:

  9 Sep9 September 08:16

  Good to see some flying blue coverage!

  • Rob says:

    9 Sep9 September 11:28

    My gut feeling (and what do I know, I only edit this ….) is that as the Virgin / KLM integration gets nearer we’ll do more. New KLM route launches will be redeeming with Virgin miles, buying FB miles in a promo will let you book Virgin flights etc.

  • Mzungu says:

    11 Sep11 September 15:14

    +1 Had some great redemptions with FB. Now I need to earn some more points!

• Dave says:

  9 Sep9 September 08:28

  @Tilly

  I had the same concern, but the Ts and Cs linked to below show clearly that it’s new bookings made after 2nd October. Phew.

  https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/executive-club/collecting-avios/holidays?refevent=theclubsep17

  • Tilly says:

    9 Sep9 September 08:32

    Oh phew! Thanks Dave!

    I was going to leave booking a CE city break until the new year (Jan sales) for travel in March or May. Might be booking that sooner now.

• Alex says:

  9 Sep9 September 09:30

  Great to see some flying blue news, any chance we will see similar for delta sky miles? Have been using them quite a lot from UK-US since the VS/DL partnership

• Graham Walsh says:

  9 Sep9 September 10:23

  OT When checking in at an IHG property and using rewards to pay, when they offer welcome points or a drink, take the drink. Welcome points are not issued on reward nights (as I have just found 2 weeks later)

  • Genghis says:

    9 Sep9 September 11:04

    I’ve had welcome points on all reward nights

    • Graham Walsh says:

      9 Sep9 September 11:26

      I know it’s only a few points, but they all add up. This is the message from IHGService on twitter (which is very responsive).

      Hello Mr. Walsh! Pleased to assist one of our Platinum Elite members. I have checked your stay at the InterContinental David Tel Aviv (August 25 – Septemeber 1) and it seems that it was booked under Rewards Night reservation. Please be advised that welcome bonus points are only honored for a qualifying stays. Should you have any other stays under a paying for InterContinental David Tel Aviv, please feel free to send us the confirmation number so we can check. I appreciate your patronage since 2002. Sincerely, ~ Grace

      • Liz says:

        9 Sep9 September 13:12

        We have stayed at several IHG properties on rewards during this current trip. I have received welcome points on most of them ok but in one I was told that if it is a reward night you no longer receive the welcome points – I argued that we had not been informed of this by IHG so she agreed to award them – although not received them yet – will chase up when we get back. Think I am missing pts for 2 hotels so far.

        • Liz says:

          9 Sep9 September 13:24

          REward nights also show on my account as qualifying nights.

        • Rob says:

          9 Sep9 September 14:29

          The free drink is worth more anyway. I only take the points on a mattress run – I suppose if your employer pays for drinks etc then it also makes sense on work stays.

        • John says:

          9 Sep9 September 18:32

          I wouldn’t be buying a drink, so to me it doesn’t matter how much the drink is “worth”, I always take the points.

        • Alex W says:

          9 Sep9 September 23:04

          I’ve always been offered the welcome amenity even on reward stays. I normally take the drinks, you sometimes get the points on top.

          Oh I wish IHG was more like Hilton, with its free drinks (or lounge), breakfast AND 1000 points on every stay!

        • Alan says:

          9 Sep9 September 23:44

          Agree can sometimes double dip. Also sometimes for points they give you a voucher with code on it so you know you’ll definitely receive them. I’ve also had some double up on drinks vouchers as they have them in the welcome letter and wrote out new ones 🙂

        • Genghis says:

          10 Sep10 September 07:21

          I’ve had quite a few welcome stays post twice recently. No idea how they’re processed and reconciled but seems to be working – for me anyway.

    • Barry cutters says:

      9 Sep9 September 15:28

      If you are offered points at check in you will get them. Reward booking or cash booking it doesn’t matter.

  • Jo says:

    9 Sep9 September 11:57

    Hmm I was awarded points on reward stay

  • John says:

    9 Sep9 September 18:33

    That’s complete rubbish, I always get welcome points on reward nights, including at ICs.

  • Jimbo says:

    10 Sep10 September 01:38

    Or take the welcome drink… and often see the welcome points arrive too 🙂 And on reward nights.

    OT: Spire at CP Bratislava – 20k points, option of lounge access or 500 points or welcome drink. I chose the points of course 🙂

• Clive says:

  9 Sep9 September 10:27

  Regarding FB there is a buy miles promotion on where you receive an additional 100% bonus at present

• Kay says:

  9 Sep9 September 13:11

  OT :
  I have no status on Iberia, Silver with BA
  If i take a flight on BA metal trough Iberia website & put my Iberia Frequent Flyer number do I get lounge access/Sapphire benefit (by waiving my Silver card?)

  thanks

  • TGLoyalty says:

    9 Sep9 September 15:55

    any reason you wouldn’t just post it to your BA account?

    • Genghis says:

      9 Sep9 September 15:58

      Only reason I can think of is to activate an Iberia account

  • Scallder says:

    9 Sep9 September 17:22

    Can always put BA number in and then in lounge change it to your Iberia info

  • the real harry1 says:

    9 Sep9 September 17:27

    which airport?

    • Kay says:

      9 Sep9 September 18:19

      Thanks for the reply

      Barcelona / Heathrow/ Muscst, yes to activate Iberia account

      So I should put my BA number to get lounge access?

      • the real harry1 says:

        9 Sep9 September 18:34

        better wait for the experts but Silver card should get you into a lounge at LHR

        • Jimbo says:

          10 Sep10 September 01:50

          If you have the physical card then that trumps everything else. The Finnair website is your friend here to amend the FF number. However: often even if you change your FF number midway (e.g.: BA number showing OWS to start with then changed to Iberia) points can still find their way to BA. It is possible to have two FF numbers in a booking > one for points, one for status. Physical card comes into play in this situation in least hassle way, and if at BCN/LHR the OWS card number ‘needs to be entered into your booking’, ensure you get an agent who puts the number in the right place, or just in notes. Of course, card will get lounge access but OWS will not show on BP unless you get an agent who can does things the proper way.

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