James Hillier is to leave British Airways Executive Club

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• Doug M says:

  14 Mar14 March 12:01

  OT: Credit Card Spend. Do we agree the Platinum is a poor card to spend on once you’ve done the spend for the MR bonus. Better to spend on Gold for 10K MR at £15K, or SPG at 3 Bonvoy per £. Platinum good for benefits and referrals, poor to use? Am I missing something?

  • Michael says:

    14 Mar14 March 12:11

    I haven’t got the Platinum but it does seem very expensive for the earning rate you get.

    • The Original Nick says:

      14 Mar14 March 13:10

      Depends if you factor in PP lounge access, all hotel benefits, travel insurance etc etc. And that’s for 2 people.

      • Doug M says:

        14 Mar14 March 14:57

        Definitely has value. But wanted confirmation it’s a bad card to spend on.

    • Rob says:

      14 Mar14 March 14:36

      You don’t spend on it ….!

      • Doug M says:

        14 Mar14 March 14:57

        Got it.

      • xcalx says:

        14 Mar14 March 15:25

        We only use Plat for holiday bookings to get the insurance. All other spend is dependent on which sign up bonus we’re chasing.

      • Genghis says:

        14 Mar14 March 17:02

        Remember you just need to use any Amex, not necessary Plat, to get all insurance bens.

      • Tom1 says:

        15 Mar15 March 04:50

        If I booked flights on an Amex card (not plat) and then took out Plat AFTER I had booked but before I flew, would that be covered on plat insurance for the cancellation/etc/etc?

        (I’m assuming the medical is covered as soon as plat card is activated)

      • Nick Burch says:

        15 Mar15 March 17:56

        Online travel booking with Amex gets 2x MR points on the plat, so I use mine for that! Then anything with an offer to trigger too 🙂

  • Optimus Prime says:

    14 Mar14 March 13:47

    Speaking of – when requesting a supplementary for your Amex Plat you’re presented with three choices: Platinum, Gold or Green.

    So if you choose to issue a supplementary Gold – Does this card come with the typical Gold earning rate as in 2 points for every £1 spent directly with airlines or in a foreign currency, etc ?

    • Genghis says:

      14 Mar14 March 17:03

      No

  • Alex W says:

    14 Mar14 March 13:49

    Agreed. See this article
    https://headforpoints.com/2019/02/25/best-credit-card-bonuses-for-long-term-card-spending/

    • Doug M says:

      14 Mar14 March 15:07

      Thanks, had forgotten this.

  • illuminatus says:

    14 Mar14 March 13:58

    The earning rate on Platinum is indeed poor, so I put all my spending on BA card, but still keep my Platinum for other benefits (lounges, hotel programs, Fine Hotels and Resorts).

    Also, Amex offers on Platinum have saved me about £600 within the last 12 months alone – they were never that generous for me before but last year was great.

    Platinum events on the other hand have been very disappointing lately as virtually no availability.

    • Doug M says:

      14 Mar14 March 15:01

      Yes, the best offers are on the Plat card for me. I got tickets for the Amex sponsored Q and A with Chris Hughton next Tuesday in Brighton. Really pleased, Chris was a legend at Spurs, met him previously and he’s a good bloke.

• Michael says:

  14 Mar14 March 12:22

  Any update on the new Marriot Bonvoy UK Card?

  • Rob says:

    14 Mar14 March 14:36

    No.

• Grant says:

  14 Mar14 March 12:38

  Are points earned on balance transfers to Virgin Reward + card?

  • Doug M says:

    14 Mar14 March 15:05

    Errrr Curve

    • Grant says:

      14 Mar14 March 15:51

      Some of still have unhelpfully small limits…

• meta says:

  14 Mar14 March 12:39

  O/T Finally got my Lloyds Avios changes letter. Have until 13/10 to earn another voucher, but I already did this year, so haven’t got another chance there. My card year ends 12/10. Well, it was good while it lasted. This card is going to the bin. Onto the next opportunity! 😄

  • ADS says:

    14 Mar14 March 15:13

    surely it’s still good for 1.25 avios per gbp, and zero fx charges, for another 60 days ?

• xcalx says:

  14 Mar14 March 12:50

  OT Tesco
  Any updates on the sim card deal, anyone got the CC points. Had a look on the original post but not much added lately.

  • Grant says:

    14 Mar14 March 13:01

    I’m still waiting on my SIM cards coming in the post. I ordered them the day after the article was published

    • jimA says:

      14 Mar14 March 13:18

      I’m also waiting for SIM card – you can buy them instore for 99p

      • Alex says:

        14 Mar14 March 14:11

        but that’s against HfP spirit, if you can get them for free elsewhere..

      • Mikeact says:

        14 Mar14 March 17:45

        Free Sims when I called in my local Tesco for my two Rocket packs

  • BJ says:

    14 Mar14 March 15:39

    I had CS fix issues with one of mine. Take lady said points will be applied with the May statement, not within 28 days as stated in T&C.

  • fivebobbill says:

    14 Mar14 March 16:05

    2 sim cards arrived today, nothing in the pack regards an “up to 2,000 clubcard bonus”, just the standard blurb of 1 point per £1 top up.
    Can anyone remember does the top-up last one month from purchase? or from first use?
    I only ask as I’m off to the UAE end of April and was gonna burn the sims on voice calls from there (no voip in UAE).
    So don’t want to trigger them too early…

    • meta says:

      14 Mar14 March 16:55

      I am still waiting even though I got an email on Friday that they’ve been sent 1st class. Anyone knows if any Tesco sim will do? My local Tesco only sells normal Pay as you go sims, so I am wondering if these will work.

      • Mikeact says:

        14 Mar14 March 17:49

        Rocket packs are regarded as PAYG , you renew or not each month. And you can use your existing Tesco sum.

      • meta says:

        14 Mar14 March 18:15

        Thanks. I was confused about the fact that it states No Contract SIM on the Tesco page.

    • xcalx says:

      14 Mar14 March 17:32

      You may be out of luck

      What can’t I use my Rocket Pack data, minutes and texts on?
      Calls starting 08 and 05 to non-geographic and free device numbers
      Calls to 070 and 076 numbers
      Calls to numbers being used for call-forwarding services, onward-calling services or numbers that pay a revenue share
      Calls to any number starting with these codes 06, 07744, 0845, 079112, 070, 07755, 0870, 079118, 076, 078255, 0871, 079245, 0500, 078730, 077000, 079246, 0505, 07892, 07755, 079879, 0808 and 078930
      Premium rate calls and texts
      Making calls and sending texts while you’re abroad
      Calls and texts to international numbers from the UK
      UK to UK video calls
      Calls to our Customer Care team in the UK
      Calls to voicemail from the UK
      Picture messages (MMS) to UK mobiles

      • Shoestring says:

        14 Mar14 March 17:43

        not even 0845/ 0870 numbers?!!!

        package sounds a bit ‘thin’ to say the least

      • fivebobbill says:

        14 Mar14 March 19:37

        Jesus, is there any point even putting it into your phone!
        @xcalx – don’t see anything there about receiving calls abroad tho… 😉

      • Shoestring says:

        14 Mar14 March 19:49

        OTOH if you can make it work, the points are worth the money regardless of cr@p Tesco mobile package

        I’m not bothering! Give me inks lol

      • Tom1 says:

        15 Mar15 March 04:54

        Shoestring – 0845 numbers have generally been replaced by 0345, and these are normally included within allowances.
        I find you can usually simply replace the 0845 with 0345 and the number works.

  • Grant says:

    14 Mar14 March 20:36

    My sim cards arrived today. For those still waiting, and not having used Tesco mobile in the past, you’d be wise to go in store and buy the top up voucher. First one has to be bought in store. Can’t be done online or over the phone which is annoying! You need to buy a top up voucher and then use this to credit your account. You can buy a rocket pack with the credit. Rocket packs last for 1 month if you are intending to make use of the data / texts / minutes

    They don’t make it easy!

• Alex Sm says:

  14 Mar14 March 13:25

  OT but BA:

  I keep receiving FB ads from a company called SPG (sic!) Law offering to claim on my behalf for BA Data Breach:

  “BA travellers should complete their claim applications before 6th April 2019 to get the full 100% compensation. Complete your Data Breach claim now, it only takes 2 minutes.”

  I am not entitled to comp anywayt but just wanted to ask whether you can in theory claim for that yet? I remember it was discussed in detail here last year but have the things moved on since then at all? What is the legal ground for these claims in general?

• Waddle says:

  14 Mar14 March 13:51

  OT Amex referrals.
  How long do points for referrals take to post? I decided to take the plunge and do a self-referral from my BAPP to a Platinum. I did pause my application and pick it up again from an email reminder a week later but in my experience that doesn’t prevent the application from being registered as ‘referred’.

  • Grant says:

    14 Mar14 March 13:54

    In my experience the points arrive in your account the day the new card arrives in the post

    • Michael says:

      14 Mar14 March 14:19

      I thought the person you refer had to make their first purchase before you get the points – or have i got that very wrong?

      • Grant says:

        14 Mar14 March 14:24

        No purchase necessary in my experience. Unless you are thinking about a specific targetted offer as opposed to the usual referral bonuses.

  • Doug M says:

    14 Mar14 March 14:51

    I find it varies a bit. But I have points already from a referral from which I’m told the card has not yet arrived. Previously it’s a few days after card received.

    • Anna says:

      14 Mar14 March 18:12

      My last 3 lots of referral points have appeared the day the card has arrived (the latest one being today) – it’s quite spooky as the post is anything but reliable!

• illuminatus says:

  14 Mar14 March 13:53

  OT – 1) Do PriorityPass lounges check the passengers boarding pass? I do not think it has ever happened to me, but I am considering issuing a new Supplementary card to my Platinum in my dad’s name, but want my wife to continue using the PriorityPass card that comes with it.

  2) If I move from HSBC Premier card to HSBC WE card, do I still get the sign-up bonus?

  Thanks.

  • Alex says:

    14 Mar14 March 14:13

    they do check most of the time IME, but not always. I wouldn’t count on it.

    • Lady London says:

      14 Mar14 March 15:19

      Especially if the gender is different.

      • George says:

        14 Mar14 March 17:16

        I’ve read gender is fluid nowadays? A man can deem himself a woman (in a female toilet or changing room) and vice versa. Apparently.

      • Lady London says:

        14 Mar14 March 22:28

        Not if I’m in there at the same time as you.

      • Shoestring says:

        14 Mar14 March 22:38

        oops listen to today’s prog https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003606

      • Cat says:

        14 Mar14 March 22:56

        Thanks for this Harry!

  • xcalx says:

    14 Mar14 March 14:23

    Get the Plat supplementary card made out to Surname only if it matches you dad and wife. No need for initials or title, priority card will come printed exactly the same as the plat card.

  • Rob says:

    14 Mar14 March 14:35

    As PP’s have your full name on, at least mine does, I think even the slowest lounge check-in person may twig that one.

    • Funtime says:

      14 Mar14 March 14:47

      Mine doesn’t.

      • Lee says:

        14 Mar14 March 15:13

        Name comes up when hey swipe your card

    • xcalx says:

      14 Mar14 March 14:56

      I have 2 with surname only on both plat and PP

      • Shoestring says:

        14 Mar14 March 16:16

        that’s handy

  • Alan says:

    14 Mar14 March 21:52

    I’ve found they almost always scan the boarding pass and then the Priority Pass.

    • Bonglim says:

      14 Mar14 March 22:21

      It may be besides the point, but why would they (the lounge) care.
      I agree that it is not right overall.
      And I suspect it will be against their terms and conditions.

      But I imagine for every occasion a ‘mistake’ is made and the let in Mr Bloggs on Mrs Simms PP card, that the lounge still gets paid.

  • Qwerty Bertie says:

    15 Mar15 March 01:20

    Answer re: HSBC. Yes, if upgrading card you get the same bonuses as if applying for the W.E. from scratch. However, in my case it took several weeks for them to actually make the upgrade happen, and that resulted in generous compensation.

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