easyJet and Jet2 snap up Thomas Cook take-off and landing slots at Gatwick and Bristol

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• v says:

  9 Nov9 November 12:39

  OT: IHG Rewards Club Premium MasterCard free night – cancellation policy when making a booking is 24 hours before for most hotels, but would the “refund” come back in the form of the free night again or in some other form (eg. points)?

  • Rob says:

    9 Nov9 November 13:15

    Voucher returns if still in date.

    • v says:

      9 Nov9 November 14:09

      Cheers Rob!

• Tom says:

  9 Nov9 November 12:48

  OT: If I book a flight via BA with a BA flight number but on American metal out of LHR in Premium economy can I upgrade with Avios to business? Fare bucket T.

• 1nfrequent says:

  9 Nov9 November 14:42

  O/T but does the HSBC premier credit card work with Curve? I’m assuming so as it’s a MasterCard but it would be useful to know.

  1F

  • DANIEL MACDONALD says:

    9 Nov9 November 14:48

    Yes it does.

    I am paying Brighton and others with Curve to HSBC premier card 🙂

    • 1nfrequent says:

      9 Nov9 November 23:02

      Perfect – thanks, Daniel!

    • Alex Sm says:

      9 Nov9 November 23:51

      Why wouldn’t you call spade (Amex in this case) a spade?

      • Doug M says:

        9 Nov9 November 23:53

        Because it’s our clever system to not let Amex or Curve catch on, because obviously they’ve not figured out our special scheme, we’re just too clever for them.

        • Alex Sm says:

          10 Nov10 November 10:24

          Don’t get fooled – if they read things, they read them

• Tom1 says:

  9 Nov9 November 15:04

  Looking for inspiration please…
  Flights to Vegas in business (or premium) end of may (end of school holidays).

  I have enough avios and virgin points and some more amex Mr that I can convert but I like to find better value than the ‘standard’ redemptions (I think we all do).

  I have a Virgin upgrade voucher to use as well. (Would be premium economy.)
  I have to be there for certain dates but can be flexible adding on a few days either side to see somewhere different and better flights.

  Midlands based so London/Manchester both ok.

  Thinking something like virgin to east coast then avios domestic US. Or TAP one way from Dublin, then back on Delta One To CDG/ams for 50k virgin +$5.60 fees.

  Thoughts please?

  • Ben says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:19

    I was very happy with delta one back from the US – worthwhile savings of the taxes to go home via CDG or AMS

    • Tom1 says:

      9 Nov9 November 15:50

      Especially given I can then fly back to bhx which suits me better. 👍 Although I suspect a RFS would be cheaper.

  • Shoestring says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:21

    https://headforpoints.com/2019/03/30/how-to-book-avios-redemptions-on-iberia-2/
    USA – Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

  • Shoestring says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:24

    https://headforpoints.com/2019/03/31/how-to-redeem-avios-on-aer-lingus/
    Aer Lingus will be running the following long-haul routes during Summer 2019 from Dublin:
    Miami
    New York
    Boston
    Chicago
    San Francisco
    Orlando
    Seattle
    Philadelphia
    Washington
    Los Angeles
    Hartford
    Minneapolis
    Toronto
    There are also services from Shannon to New York and Boston.

    • Tom1 says:

      9 Nov9 November 17:29

      Thanks – had forgotten about these.

• Harry T says:

  9 Nov9 November 15:20

  OT:
  I want to buy a new iPhone and I’m trying to find a way to do it which gives me the best discount or generates a points equivalent.

  I’ve thought of buying John Lewis gift cards at Morrison’s and getting 10% off (have the amex offer). Alternatively, my employer does offer some salary sacrifice scheme (looks like it would save me about 10% and the cost would be spread across 12 months).

  Does anyone have any other ideas?

  • Shoestring says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:29

    which model iPhone? (or possibles)

    • Harry T says:

      9 Nov9 November 18:12

      Probably the iPhone 11 Pro or Pro Max. Haven’t updated my phone in years and feel like a proper upgrade.

      • Shoestring says:

        9 Nov9 November 18:38

        anyway, BF is only a couple of weeks away, I’d wait until then

      • Genghis says:

        9 Nov9 November 18:45

        Indeed. Just after I bought for cash, Vodafone did a fantastic deal last year where it was cheaper for a 2 year contract through them with the line usage etc than it was for me to buy the phone only for cash after all the discounts. Annoying.

      • Harry T says:

        9 Nov9 November 19:24

        You mean combine getting 10% off Amazon gift cards with Amex offer with using the AMEX25OFF code?

      • Shoestring says:

        9 Nov9 November 19:46

        too late for that but new Amazon codes/ offers always come along – no I meant that just using Amex card is worth a 1% discount in itself (more on the premium Amex cards/ Virgin cards), so combine that with the 10-12%

  • Andrew says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:58

    Employer or Academic schemes?

    I get a fifth off contracts at Vodafone and Double-E. I can claim up to 5 discounts a year on Double-E for myself and frirnds/family, so might be worthwhile asking around people you know who work for a larger company or public sector.

    Not sure if Ideal World sell Apple, but LBG have a funds back for them at the moment.

    • Harry T says:

      9 Nov9 November 18:13

      Thanks, think I potentially get an NHS discount?

  • Allan says:

    9 Nov9 November 16:24

    Buy at airport with Currys vouchers from Morrisons

    • Harry T says:

      9 Nov9 November 18:13

      Why buy at the airport? Does it avoid paying tax in some way?

      • Shoestring says:

        9 Nov9 November 18:21

        no tax savings (if you’re flying EU/ EEA) – but that’s often where you’ll find the cheapest prices in the UK (Currys/ PCWorld)

        and no DF declaration needed as you’re not buying it DF

    • Lady London says:

      9 Nov9 November 19:08

      Got a feeling airport shops dont take their own domestic vouchers but pretty sure they take the airport ones like HR.

  • Lady London says:

    9 Nov9 November 19:05

    If you’re flying then you can phone the relevant duty free shop to see if you can pre order for your departure day. Usually min 2 weeks ahead. Not sure if you have to be flying ex-EU to get duty free price by now – you didnt use to have to. But either way not coing to be a restriction for long :-(. Was about 15% off at LHR Dixns and airport vouchers for discounts or part payements usually OK.

    • Harry T says:

      9 Nov9 November 19:23

      Thank you.

• C F Frost says:

  9 Nov9 November 15:28

  The Morrisons 10% offer is now showing in NatWest. T&Cs there state gift cards excluded. Has anyone any experience to the contrary?

  • Shoestring says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:40

    Morrisons till system isn’t good enough to detect giftcards & exclude them from the 10%, your credit card just sees ‘general purchase at Morrisons’

    good enough to stop it working on petrol/ diesel but you just buy Morrisons vouchers (at the kiosk) to get round that, then you’ll get 10% off fuel as well, slightly better than 10% because you earn NatWest points and can get change in cash if the purchase amount is not a round £10 multiple (which is also why you don’t want to get £5 vouchers, just stick with £10s)

  • Andrew says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:41

    I’ve been getting the full funds back on total receipt value on LBG accounts and Amex.

    The InStore return on my last shop excluded the Gift Card element.

    Apparently the Scottish Government is concerned that these schemes are defeating the minimum alcohol pricing legislation. Locals will be familiar that threshold spend vouchers cannot be used for alcohol in Scotland – you don’t earn Nectar points on alcohol spend in Scotland either.

    • Shoestring says:

      9 Nov9 November 15:45

      is InStore something to do with NatWest/ RBSG? If so, just buy Morrisons gift vouchers (which aren’t giftcards)?

      • Andrew says:

        9 Nov9 November 16:09

        Uhm… Maybe.

        RBS & NatWest staff have access to InStore via their Perks at Work scheme operated by NextJump.

        They get funds back when they use any registered card at tills at Morrison’s, National Express, Waitrose and others and is paid in addition to the various LBG, RBS, Amex offers.

        It’s identical to the Virgin Atlantic InStore points scheme for Waitrose etc (Morrison’s has dropped off that one sadly)

        • Will Squires says:

          10 Nov10 November 19:35

          I get the same thing via my employer, who isn’t RBS.

  • Charlieface says:

    9 Nov9 November 18:39

    My big question is cash back at the till (up to £50 I think), haven’t been able to try yet but suspected they couldn’t tell the difference.

    • Charlieface says:

      9 Nov9 November 20:01

      No, I’ve got it on my Natwest debit. I’ve also done it on Halifax but Natwest looked like they might track it better so wasn’t sure. Have you tried Natwest specifically?
      I also did Sky £50 for new TV sign-ups on Halifax by switching the direct debit for my existing non-TV broadband subscription to Halifax.

• FlyingChris says:

  9 Nov9 November 16:24

  O/T – Does anyone know a good (unlisted?) contact email/number at either Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Money who has the power to get things sorted re: credit card points. 25k of points have got lost in transfer from Virgin Money Rewards+ card spend to Virgin Atlantic. Having just spent 2 hours on the phone – both sides just blame each other with neither offering a solution to fix it. Any good escalation tips to anyone who has the power to fix it?

• Save East Coast Rewards says:

  9 Nov9 November 17:12

  It’s not really a surprise, Virgin Trains can’t speak on behalf of the new operator and the T&Cs of most rail loyalty schemes say they’ll terminate at the end of their franchise. It’s highly likely FirstGroup will use Nectar but if they don’t you can still book tickets with another FirstGroup company (e.g. GWR) to get the points.

  Virgin and LNER only give points on their own services whereas FirstGroup give points on all tickets.

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