Is this week your last chance to get the MBNA airline credit cards?

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• Roger says:

  1 Nov1 November 05:42

  Can you still apply for Virgin Black card, bag the bonus and hope for a fee refund when the card is cancelled?

  • Rachel says:

    1 Nov1 November 06:02

    You dont get pro rata refund on these cards. You only get it on those issues by Amex

    • JamesB says:

      1 Nov1 November 06:20

      Yes, but if you can no longer use the card you payed for then mbna should at least partially refund you if not in full. I’m tempted to have a punt, only another credit search holding me back.

      • Clive says:

        1 Nov1 November 07:41

        Then making the cards unavailable isn’t the same thing as them cancelling the cards for existing customers. They haven’t mentioned cancelling cards of existing customers yet, have they?

        • Alan says:

          1 Nov1 November 07:48

          Nope, nothing mentioned yet. It might even be that it’s going to last for a year from now and they just don’t want to take on new folk!

  • Gareth says:

    1 Nov1 November 06:10

    I think this is worth a shot because you aren’t getting the black card for a year like you should with the fee

    • Gareth says:

      1 Nov1 November 06:28

      Bizarrely just done their eligibility checker for both the wife and I, both not eligible at this time…..never had that before

      • Michael Jennings says:

        1 Nov1 November 11:58

        Do you have multiple cards already? I have three MBNA cards at the moment, and I am being shown as Not Eligible, also.

    • Clive says:

      1 Nov1 November 07:42

      How do you know you won’t have the card for a year?

  • Genghis says:

    1 Nov1 November 06:13

    Do the T&Cs mention anything as to what happens in the event of card cancellation?

  • Rob says:

    1 Nov1 November 07:58

    Yes

• Relaxo says:

  1 Nov1 November 06:21

  Have the 5000 miles retention bonus from earlier this summer posted for anyone?

  • Genghis says:

    1 Nov1 November 06:24

    Yes

  • Tracy says:

    1 Nov1 November 07:32

    Yes

  • Richard says:

    1 Nov1 November 08:03

    Yes

  • Ba-Flyer says:

    1 Nov1 November 08:45

    Yes. I called to cancel a few days ago, and they offered me the same 5,000 offer again. The lady on the phone confirmed I could have it twice.

    • Genghis says:

      1 Nov1 November 08:49

      We weren’t offered it again when finally cancelled a couple of weeks ago. Oh well.

• Mike says:

  1 Nov1 November 06:30

  Successfully applied for the Virgin Black, thanks for the heads up Rob, been thinking about it for a while for the tax payment due in Jan.

• Daniel says:

  1 Nov1 November 06:30

  Miles & More link already partly dead. The MBNA link works, but the M&M link has been taken down.

  What options for keeping M&M points alive now beyond the 3-year expiry?

  • Rob says:

    1 Nov1 November 07:56

    None.

• JamesB says:

  1 Nov1 November 06:50

  Veering slightly OT: I have just read elsewhere about four new Hilton amex cards launching in the USA. They are incredibly generous but alas we will never see such in the UK in current regulatory environment. What’s the likelihood that Hilton will switch from Barclays to amex in the UK? I would like to churn my Hilton card in the hope of another free night next summer but in the current upheaval in the industry I’m wondering if the card is best considered a keeper? What are oeopkes recent experiences with retention offers when attempting to cancel the Hilton card?

  • TripRep says:

    1 Nov1 November 07:20

    Saw that link on LL, like the idea of 14x points & Auto Diamond status…

    After sending secure message, we phoned to cancel my wife’s Hilton Platinum recently, they asked if there’s anything they could do to retain custom, I specifically requested points or free night with spend target, all they could offer was low rate on balance transfers, meh.

    Card duly cancelled. We’re hanging onto mine, for now..

    • JamesB says:

      1 Nov1 November 07:32

      Thanks, same result here when I tried cancelling two months ago. I decided to hang on and try again later. Changed days at Barclays, they used to drop credit in my account just about every time I called. How long are you planning to give it before reapplying?

      • TripRep says:

        1 Nov1 November 07:35

        No big trips planned that we need an expensive Hilton for, so maybe end of next year for use in early 2019.

  • Alan says:

    1 Nov1 November 07:44

    Never had a retention offer with the Hilton card (have held it 4 times). Occasionally refused it when applying despite excellent credit and instant approval from other issuers – wonder if they sometimes move their criteria about and only want poorer credit risks as have had friends with good credit history also refused!

    Agree new US Hilton Amex cards are insanely generous, even by US standards!

  • Rob says:

    1 Nov1 November 07:55

    Zero chance of an Amex, since interchange fee is capped AND limited acceptance. New Virgin card will not include an Amex.

    • JamesB says:

      1 Nov1 November 08:30

      If so, then by extension should we expect to see amex dropping all their cobranded cards?

      • Rob says:

        1 Nov1 November 10:16

        Amex won’t drop them, but look at what Iberia has done in Spain – despite signing a deal with Amex 2 years ago to launch one, they have dumped them completely and gone with Visa. Same 0.3% interchange fee income but far wider card acceptability.

        Amex will happily work with companies who want to issue a co-brand Amex but you need to question why any airline would want to.

      • JamesB says:

        1 Nov1 November 12:50

        Thanks Rob, I follow. However, would it not be reasonable to assume that amex will rise to the challenge and aggressively promote card acceptance by merchants?

      • JamesB says:

        1 Nov1 November 13:51

        Ah right, all clear now 🙂 I’d rather have gold, platinum, referals, upgrades and churns myself so no complaint from me.

  • Mr(s) Entitled says:

    1 Nov1 November 10:22

    Thanks for the heads up. I’ll be applying for these once launched with hopefully very healthy sign up bonuses (current cards at 50,000 and 75,000 HH respectively). Small pay back for the ball ache of filing US returns all these years.

    • Mr(s) Entitled says:

      1 Nov1 November 10:50

      Working through the math for my next Hilton Maldives trip based on a resort spend of $5k on my last visit:

      Sign up bonus: 75,000 (probably more on the $450 higher cards)
      Base Points plus 50% Diamond bonus: 100,000 (complimentary Diamond with $450 card)
      x14 Points Bonus: 70,000

      Assuming there are no other offers on at the time I’m looking at 245,000 points plus a $250 resort credit. I think last time I went I earned triple points. Current Hilton offer is double points.

      5 nights for the price of 4 and they might end up paying me to stay there!

      • JamesB says:

        1 Nov1 November 12:58

        So you can pay for Maldives and get Samui for free 🙂

• VT says:

  1 Nov1 November 07:19

  Cancelled my Virgin Black 2 weeks ago – is it possible to re-apply to get the sign-up bonus or are they requiring a longer inactive period? Never understood how long you need to wait before applying again with Virgin MBNA.

  • Rob says:

    1 Nov1 November 07:54

    No stated period ever given.

• James says:

  1 Nov1 November 08:16

  Anybody got any idea how long until Lloyd’s pulls the Avios Amex card? I assume it’s bound to happen sooner or later …

  • Rob says:

    1 Nov1 November 08:27

    Not heard anything either way.

• mark2 says:

  1 Nov1 November 08:20

  Before cancelling any Amex cards remember ShopSmall on 2nd December.

  • Wally1976 says:

    1 Nov1 November 09:37

    Am I right in thinking Shop Small is normally available for Lloyds Amex cards through https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/network/shopping.html ? It’s not listed yet but plenty of time!

    • Wally1976 says:

      1 Nov1 November 09:38

      Ignore me – just seen Mark2’s post below!

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