Who won 1 million Avios in our Monese competition?

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• Andrew MS says:

  1 Dec1 December 05:47

  O/t
  Emirates have offered me access to their lounge at Manchester Airport for £93 – is it worth it ? I am now wondering if they will try to tempt me with a cash upgrade on the plane ?!

  • Sandgrounder says:

    1 Dec1 December 06:01

    By all accounts it is a step up from the priority pass lounges, but probably not worth more than the 1903, which is about 35 I think.

  • BJ says:

    1 Dec1 December 06:52

    If you want an upgrade there is no harm in asking, at check in, at the gate and the CSM on board. Can even try haggling if price doesn’t work for you. If I was considering paying that for a lounfe ( which I never would) I’d save on lounge and see that as a discount on the upgrade price

  • AJA says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:24

    Does an Emirates upgrade allow you to access the loinge? If BA upgrades you to Club at check-in that automatically gives you access to the lounges.

    • Mark says:

      1 Dec1 December 08:49

      No, the upgrade only has effect on the flight, it explicitly says that it doesn’t grant lounge access.

  • The Savage Squirrel says:

    1 Dec1 December 09:22

    £93 for an outstation lounge with standard buffet options at a regional airport ?!? For around the same price you can use Premair’s private jet centre, skip the terminal almost entirely with private security and lounge, and be driven to the plane (check out HfP’s review of te Premair private jet centre). The only downside here is last time I checked, Emirates is not on their list of parter airlines – although this may have changed since.

• Ian M says:

  1 Dec1 December 06:14

  OT – Hilton Power Up promo..

  I had my first Hilton stay under the new promotion last week, I just noticed that despite having the Hilton credit card, and the fact when I signed up for the bonus it said I would receive triple points, I only received double points..

  Is it a requirement to pay with the Hilton credit card? I was led to believe from comments from other readers that it wasn’t. I’ve got 2 big Hilton stays coming up over the next few weeks, so want to ensure I get triple points!

  • BJ says:

    1 Dec1 December 06:46

    It is a requirement to pay with the Hilton card. Some comments report triple points regardless of payment card, others reported double even though they used Hilton card. No point contacting Hilton unless you paid with a Hilton card: if you do, it is their t&c that count, not readers experiences.

    • Ian M says:

      1 Dec1 December 06:53

      Thanks. Have people tried part paying with the Hilton card?

      • Boi says:

        1 Dec1 December 07:04

        I know it’s a requirement in their t&c but…..as I was “told”triple points when I signed up…. I just emailed Hilton after the stay to ask for it (without mentioning the card I paid with-Amex) and they credited the difference

        • BJ says:

          1 Dec1 December 07:20

          To add to Boi’s comments I just checked and my Friday night stay has credited at x3. This despite the charge being to amex but note my Hilton card in in my profile. There were no incidental. Last night we moved to another hotel for a wedding and have bar to settle today. I no longer plan to charge this to Gilton card as advised a few minutes ago, I’ll now charge to amex.

      • BJ says:

        1 Dec1 December 07:08

        You mean like preparing something else and then sttling incidental on site with Hilton? That’s what I’m doing today having put the room charge in amex for the offer. I can report back by midweek.

        • Boi says:

          1 Dec1 December 07:12

          No. I just wrote: Hi, I was expecting triple points as a HH card holder but I only got double.
          And they apologised and credited the difference.
          I admit I may have been lucky- I left it for a week or 2 and asked when I was bored and looking around for points.

      • BJ says:

        1 Dec1 December 07:25

        OT @Lady London: Media promotion 2500 posted although it is well over 60 days since I registered.

      • PUP says:

        1 Dec1 December 15:24

        I tried to part pay and I didn’t get the triple points. Every other time I have used the card in full I have had the X3 points.

  • TripRep says:

    1 Dec1 December 15:44

    Isn’t it base + 2* base = 3* in total?

  • John says:

    1 Dec1 December 16:20

    Basically, if you see the Hilton card on your booking on the Hilton website you will get the triple points. Don’t let the hotel change it. If you want to pay with a different card then don’t let the hotel see it but just insert it in the reader

• Roberto says:

  1 Dec1 December 07:00

  Congrats on your win Daniel. Enjoy your Million avios. Spend, spend, spend…..

  • Boi says:

    1 Dec1 December 07:07

    Congrats Daniel…. I can think of a million ways to spend them if I win. For starters I have never travelled first class as we are a family of 6.
    Hope to hear some inspirational stories as you spend your new fortune

  • AJA says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:26

    +1 Well done Daniel.

  • Peter K says:

    1 Dec1 December 09:04

    +1 congratulations!

• Boi says:

  1 Dec1 December 07:20

  OT: we are moving to Canada next year (after so many deliberations).
  1. Should we change our points collection strategy?we won’t be visiting UK much as we don’t have family here but will continue seeing the world.
  2. Any Canadian points blog recommendations?

  • Peter K says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:33

    2. One mile at a time has a Canadian contributor.

  • Charlieface says:

    1 Dec1 December 12:15

    Most likely you’d want a North American programme so you can do credit card sign-ups. If you fly a lot on Air Canada then Aeroplan or United MileagePlan are good options I think.
    Don’t forget to use Amex Global Transfer to get a head start. You should still be able to make use of a sign-up promo this way, just ask.

  • Alex J says:

    1 Dec1 December 13:29

    If you’re in Vancouver, Avios are still very useful for Alaska redemptions to the US, but even if so, there’s no avoiding the fact that Air Canada/Aeroplan will be by far a more useful programme for you given the outsized earning/spending opportunities.

    I quite enjoy Prince of Travel, although it’s more focused on the leisure market instead of business travel. Your mileage may vary, but they have some very helpful guides to get your head around the Canadian points market as a whole, if nothing else.

    Enjoy Canada!

    • boi says:

      1 Dec1 December 22:31

      thanks for responses. I did have a look at Prince of travel and seems there are some amex options..some better than UK.
      I will be in BC. I intend to do Asia next year, but will go everywhere-maybe not europe as we have done a lot of that. Family in Southern Africa and caribean

  • Lyn says:

    1 Dec1 December 14:54

    From a credit card point of view, there just don’t seem to be that many Canadian travel credit cards. It is a totally different credit market to the US, with far less choice and lower sign up bonuses. For example, Air Canada and Alaska have airline cards, but United don’t, and Marriot have a card (Amex) but IHG don’t.

    Whereabouts in Canada and where would you be travelling?

• Secret Squirrel says:

  1 Dec1 December 07:37

  Hi long does it take to receive the Aer club avios voucher to redeem?
  Ordered last night, email received with link but no voucher showing in my Groupon account?

  • Anna says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:41

    My purchase showed in my Groupon account instantly in the “My Groupons” section and the voucher was available after a couple of hours.

    • Secret Squirrel says:

      1 Dec1 December 08:53

      @Anna – got the email which links to account. No voucher & states order in progress.
      Live chat useless, stated no order made, sent copy of email then they retracted statement & said taking a little longer than usual to wait 24 x hours. 😢

      • Secret Squirrel says:

        1 Dec1 December 10:13

        So the AerClub voucher arrived just now. Is there any reason why most choose aerclub or AVIOS rather than credit direct into BAEC accounts?

        • Anna says:

          1 Dec1 December 12:03

          I thought the offer was from AerClub therefore that’s where they had to go! There wasn’t another option as far as I recall.

• Wally1976 says:

  1 Dec1 December 08:31

  OT – could someone confirm for me please… I’ve earned the companion voucher with my BAPP card. If I now downgrade it to the free BA Amex, can you confirm I will keep the companion voucher and the 10000+ Avios in my Amex account will still transfer across?

  • Anna says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:42

    Yes and yes.

    • Wally1976 says:

      1 Dec1 December 08:59

      Thanks Anna. Will they downgrade it on the live chat? I’d prefer not to phone if possible.

      • Wally1976 says:

        1 Dec1 December 11:13

        For reference – I tried and they wouldn’t do in on the live chat. I had to phone.

    • Secret Squirrel says:

      1 Dec1 December 13:23

      @Anna: strange, my drop down choice of partners were BAEC, AVIOS & AerClub?
      What’s up with AVIOS sign in, password not recognised, reset password does not allow any type of new password using their rules of uppercase, number etc?

      • Secret Squirrel says:

        1 Dec1 December 18:20

        Avios tip: do not use email address like I use to log in to Aer club, use the username instead even if you do not use it to log into your Aer club account.
        Then use only your Aer club username & password to log in to avios account.

  • Shoestring says:

    1 Dec1 December 09:00

    how have you managed to keep the Avios in your BAPP a/c? mine got swept across to BAEC monthly

    • BJ says:

      1 Dec1 December 09:40

      He didn’t, he just means that he wants to downgrade the cards before the avios are swept over I think.

      • Wally1976 says:

        1 Dec1 December 10:49

        Yes that’s correct. I don’t want to pay the annual fee for another 3 weeks whilst waiting for the Avios to be swept across.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    1 Dec1 December 09:08

    Unless it’s your only Amex and you’ll have nothing to pay the fees with I’d just cancel it rather than downgrade.

    • BJ says:

      1 Dec1 December 09:46

      Why, to begin a two year fallow period on a card that might not be around in 2 years or might look markedly different? I would downgrade and hope that I got lucky again with a sign up bonus on the blue, and upgrade to BAPP again just before spending another £10k in the next card year for another 241.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        1 Dec1 December 11:47

        Regardless of a sign up bonus. You can still earn another 2-4-1 on a fresh card in 6 months etc

        Plus give a family Member or friend or rob a referral bonus and earn £40 £back. It’s not just all about the sign up bonus

        • BJ says:

          1 Dec1 December 13:09

          Reason I didn’t do that was because I wanted to continue spending and get the offers although U would have been better just doing that on gold.How are you using referral link in conjunction with the £40/month?

        • TGLoyalty says:

          1 Dec1 December 13:27

          Then get an SPG when you close the BAPP or a new gold with a year of 0 fees.

          I still wouldn’t downgrade to the free BA, seems a waste of another application for a poor earnings rate.

      • JRC says:

        1 Dec1 December 11:59

        Why would you get a signup bonus downgrading to the blue card?

        • BJ says:

          1 Dec1 December 13:11

          Well I know for certain at least one person did.

        • Secret Squirrel says:

          1 Dec1 December 13:55

          I never got one, managed 3k bonus by adding supplementary card holder but that was it.

  • SultanOfCroydon says:

    1 Dec1 December 10:08

    Does anybody know if you can get a second 241 voucher after hitting the 10k spend on the BAPP and then downgrading to the blue BA AMEX and hitting the 20k spend target?

    • Rob says:

      1 Dec1 December 10:11

      Not in the same – Amex website may mistakenly show a tracker but no voucher will appear.

• Grimz says:

  1 Dec1 December 09:51

  OT, I am going to phone BA at midnight in USA to try and add in a return for a 241. Is this a simple process and is there anything I should be aware of when speaking to agent?

  • BJ says:

    1 Dec1 December 09:58

    It is simple but you will pay a lot of tax/fees as the return flight is effectively added as a one way with its own PNR.

    • Grimz says:

      1 Dec1 December 10:01

      Why? I’m only adding in a flight T355.

      • Shoestring says:

        1 Dec1 December 10:06

        the taxes & fees on a BA return UK-USA are a lot cheaper than buying 2x singles

        unfortunately recently people doing what you plan (adding in part 2 of the 2-4-1 later) have ended up saving the 2-4-1 Avios but paying the full taxes & fees for 2x single legs (on both tickets)

        • Shoestring says:

          1 Dec1 December 10:08

          if that doesn’t appeal, you could try cancelling your first leg (with the BA agent on the phone) and re-booking everything as a return 2-4-1 when the first leg comes back into reward inventory, which is often immediate but no guarantees

        • Grimz says:

          1 Dec1 December 10:13

          Wow that is a major change if you are not allowed to do that.

• Grimz says:

  1 Dec1 December 10:11

  When I read Robs post from a few weeks ago it was people booking the flights as a one way at midnight, and then calling BA in the morning to add these to a 241. That’s why I’m calling BA at midnight to add to my 241. Am I miss understanding something here?
  Are we now saying that a 241 can only be used when both legs of a journey are available?

  • Shoestring says:

    1 Dec1 December 10:33

    I think you’re right:
    [How can you avoid this additional cost?
    If you need to contact British Airways to add a return leg to an existing 2-4-1 one-way booking, do NOT book the return online and call BA to merge the two flights together. You are likely to end up overpaying your taxes and charges.
    Instead, call up British Airways and ask them to book the return seats and add them to your existing booking. Your wallet will thank you.]
    https://headforpoints.com/2019/11/22/odd-things-are-happening-when-you-book-a-british-airways-2-4-1-ticket-355-days-in-advance/

  • Rob says:

    1 Dec1 December 10:36

    No, you’re fine. If you ring BA to add the return it will be cheaper (on North American routes) than booking the return online and then ringing BA to merge the two tickets.

    • Grimz says:

      1 Dec1 December 12:02

      Yes that’s what I thought. I may still have a problem with adding in my domestic leg as that won’t be available till a day later coming back from North America.

      • Liz says:

        1 Dec1 December 12:24

        You need to ring to add the return leg of USA to UK then ring again the next day for the domestic leg.

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