Bit: 10% off duty free voucher, 100% IHG ‘buy points’ bonus ending, Club Eurostar launches

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• Cal says:

  7 Dec7 December 06:11

  Did anyone manage to get Iberia plus working yesterday? I was trying to look up the cost in avios of the Level flights to Montreal from Paris but kept getting errors.

  • Rob says:

    7 Dec7 December 11:07

    As a test, I also tried London to Madrid yesterday and got error for that too. Whole system seems messed up, as was ba.com the day before.

    • Cate says:

      7 Dec7 December 14:20

      I’ve had problems since Saturday and can’t get access to my account. The IB customer service rep I spoke to said it was a known problem and apparently it’s because I have the wrong computer, tablets, phones?!?. I never know what I’m going to hear next from IB.

• James says:

  7 Dec7 December 06:15

  Will we be able to transfer Amex MR points into club Eurostar ? if so, at a good rate ??

  • Trevor says:

    7 Dec7 December 07:53

    Yes, if the rate is good, that will be a good option. I’m just about to flush out one of our Gold cards.

  • Nick M says:

    7 Dec7 December 10:54

    Under the old scheme, it was relatively expensive if you would usually plan ahead – but I liked to have enough for a couple of last minute trips where the cost then made a bit more sense… I need to run the numbers again for the new rules, but will probably top up a little – especially I have been offered a reasonable rebate for non airline/hotel transfers

  • Rob says:

    7 Dec7 December 11:06

    Yes, and I believe the rate remains the same (15:1). This should mean you are getting a decent deal if you book an ‘Anytime’ seat on peak Friday / Sunday trains.

    • Nick M says:

      7 Dec7 December 16:37

      I’ve just done a couple of example searches London to Brussels… the following are the prices shown for each leg in Standard Class (although there is a premium added if you don’t book a return) and assuming a conversion of 15:1 from Amex:
      – Traveling tomorrow – 750 points (11250 MR) or £149
      – Traveling on a Friday towards the end of Jan – 500 points (7500 MR) or £29-74 depending on time of train

• Oli says:

  7 Dec7 December 06:44

  With the old scheme, Carte Blanche was already guaranteed to be able to redeem their points on the train of their choice, as long as there was a cash fare for sale. But now it will cost them 1,500 points instead of 900 points!

  • Genghis says:

    7 Dec7 December 07:48

    With all changes there’s winners and losers. IIRC from running the numbers when first announced, I’ll win. I’ll earn more points from my expensive work tickets and will spend fewer points when I redeem (I book stuff way in advance).

• Prins Polo says:

  7 Dec7 December 07:21

  I think one point that Anika misses in the original article about Eurostar changes is how they calculate value of the ticket. £100 ticket will be two £50 one-ways, which in turn means it will earn 15 + 15 points (since each one-way is below £55). I wish instead they introduced true one-for-one revenue earning without this unfair rounding down.

  • Oli says:

    7 Dec7 December 07:24

    Spend £100, get 100 points with the new loyalty scheme

• mark2 says:

  7 Dec7 December 07:56

  OT
  I have received the statement credit for some cards where the saved ShopSmall offer has disappeared.
  No credit from Lloyds or MBNA for purchases on4/12 yet.

  • Waribai says:

    7 Dec7 December 19:05

    Do amex issue goodwill credits if your lloyds or MBNA amex is refused? Or is that just for their own cards?

    • Liz says:

      7 Dec7 December 22:10

      Amex won’t credit you for the Lloyds and MBNA Cards.

• Alan says:

  7 Dec7 December 08:30

  I can never seem to find out how many IHG points you need for a particular hotel. I assume that is because I don’t have many points.

  We are looking at going to NY in February but I can’t work out whether the IHG offer would give us good value as I can’t find a list of points needed!

  Very frustrating

  • Hayley says:

    7 Dec7 December 08:38

    I’m having the same problem as well. Also the link to buy points in the article doesn’t work for me for some reason.

  • mark2 says:

    7 Dec7 December 08:40

    try searching without signing in.

  • JamesB says:

    7 Dec7 December 08:41

    You just change best available rate to reward stay in the rates field. It will then display every hotel in the city you search with the number of points needed.

    • Alan says:

      7 Dec7 December 12:43

      Ah, thanks for that.

      Just checked and I’ll be better off with my cash booking, but really worth knowing for future use.

    • Genghis says:

      7 Dec7 December 12:45

      You can also select BAR and reward stay rates so you can then see if using points yields reasonable value on the one page.

• Vivian says:

  7 Dec7 December 09:09

  O/T today’s IHG Iggy snow globe shake draw is 10,000 Avios

  • Peter K says:

    7 Dec7 December 10:08

    Thanks for the heads up. With no bonus points for playing this year I’d been ignoring it but will have a go at this!

  • Alan says:

    7 Dec7 December 13:51

    Thanks for the tip, entered for today!

• EvilDoctorK says:

  7 Dec7 December 09:34

  O/T but the old article is below the fold … Anyone else think the Amex Shop Small thing is pretty screwed up this year ?

  I’ve done about 1/2 a dozen transactions that should have qualified … I received an email for two of them , but only one has posted the £5 credit ( and that one was one of the ones I didn’t receive an email for ?? )

  • Kinkell says:

    7 Dec7 December 15:57

    I think things are a bit slow and taking a few days to register . I’ve had a scattering of emails, but everything has eventually posted to our accounts, so far. Maybe a little more patience ?

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