What are the best credit card sign-up deals for February 2020? – plus your news round-up

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• Si says:

  3 Feb3 February 05:45

  Curve – I’m sure this would have been explained multiple times before, but does the standard free Curve card now charge 1.5% on all transactions or just HMRC and a number of other financial institutions?

  I see lots of comments regarding to “i did this and my underlying card charged me £5” or similar, but what purchases can curve now be used for at face value without attracting interest or your underlying card seeing if as something different and charging a supplementary fee??

  Can it still be used for international spend without penalty [except at weekends when they add the 1.5% safely blanket]?

  I’m trying to work out if free Curve has any use at all, or whether to just cancel it and put in bin. With most places now taken credit cards directly, does it serve any purpose at all?

  • Genghis says:

    3 Feb3 February 05:58

    You’re thinking of Revolut which I’ve now stopped using with credit card top ups.
    Curve is 100% safe IME.
    1.5% charge now on HMRC payments only though I’ve not tried making a payment.
    We’re using Curve fine in South Africa during the week, all at par, though switched to Clarity over the weekend given the extra charges.

    • Mr. AC says:

      3 Feb3 February 06:52

      I’m not so sure re: the weekend numbers. On weekdays Curve has a better rate than the Mastercard rate. The surcharge on the weekend on Curve is 0.5% (I know they say higher for some currencies, but I haven’t seen it yet). So even on weekends the difference is less than 0.5%.
      But add to that the fact that the Mastercard rate is often worse ok the weekends (remember to compare with the actual amount charged, vs what was authorised on the card when you made the purchase) + ability to earn points on Curve, and suddenly it’s looking not so bad.

      Genghis, have you run the numbers? Am I off the mark here?

      • Genghis says:

        3 Feb3 February 08:56

        Tbh I’ve not run any de facto analysis. My last Clarity charge on a weekend from Jan in EUR got a rate of 1.174087 when the rate on XE was 1.1744758154, a negative difference of 0.03%, ie almost at par. I assume my ZAR transactions will post similarly but will double check once cleared. Just checked and my curve ZAR transactions have been posting at almost 3% worse than the XE rate. Not good. Need more numbers and an excel spreadsheet.

        • Harry T says:

          3 Feb3 February 12:42

          @Genghis
          Curve during the week is 3% off the beat exchange rate? That’s poor. Please let me know the results of your analysis. I have a halifax clarity and nationwide card without FX fees I could use instead of Curve during the week and I’m curious to know if the difference in exchange rate offsets the benefit of earning Virgin miles with Curve.

        • Lady London says:

          3 Feb3 February 13:48

          Probably got hit by low-volume “niche” less strong currency.
          In background I suspect Curve are having to use someone who is charging them more than usual for that type of currency.

          Only thing is, you haven’t been warned and you are definitely not getting bank rate.
          Not sure what Mastercard would give you – perhaps they also get hit by low-volume “niche” less strong currency.

        • Genghis says:

          3 Feb3 February 13:55

          @Harry T. Yes, that’s what I’ve found. But the comparator is what my weekend transactions on Halifax post at and how far that is off the xe rate. I’ll do some workings when back at a computer.

      • Travel Strong says:

        3 Feb3 February 12:42

        Curve Dollar and Euro transactions have a 0.5% safety margin on weekends.
        Non dollar / euro is 1.5%.

        I ran test transactions last weekend Curve vs Horizon (so Visa exchange rate) on a non dollar/euro foreign currency (HUF).

        Actual rate received was almost exactly 1.5% worse off on Curve vs Horizon.

        I would expect dollar / euro transactions to be 0.5% worse off therefore, and I will be switching to Horizon (or Clarity) at weekends in non-dollar/euro locations BUT sticking with it for dollar/euro, as happy to pay 0.5% for 1.5 miles per £ on virgin+ card.

        • AlexT says:

          3 Feb3 February 13:49

          Why would you put Euro transactions on Virgin+ through Curve seeing as for the time being they don’t incur any FX charge (since Dec 2019) and you do get points on the spend directly through Virgin. I appreciate this may change if Virgin were to reimpose charges, though.

      • Joe says:

        3 Feb3 February 16:02

        I also used to not use Curve at the weekend, but when I actually compared transactions made on the same day I found Curve beat my 0% foreign transaction fee MC credit card consistently in EUR even on the weekend – could be different with ZAR though (and not many data points since I only compared weekend spend split across 2 cards, so only a few transactions on each)

  • CraigyC says:

    3 Feb3 February 06:19

    The only other use I have for curve is being able to pay using a phone with an IHG card.

  • Alan says:

    3 Feb3 February 07:29

    I think where some folks got caught out with Curve was when they started passing through (and occ changing) the MCC last year. This led to some cards charging a fee for ATM withdrawals that they previously hadn’t charged for. Never been an issue for HMRC payments though I don’t think?

  • Riccatti says:

    3 Feb3 February 14:26

    For number of reasons, but remember your Curve card can be frozen. I find it helpful for unexpected authorisations.

    ATM abroad and unknown merchants are better done on Curve (with exception of Europe for which we have Clarity/Horizon etc).

    You might use another card for hotel pre-auth, but pay final bill with Curve to avoid FX.

• Alan says:

  3 Feb3 February 07:27

  Revolut – are VISA cards now OK to use to topup whilst Mastercard still a problem? I seem to remember discussion about how the MCC issue was going to be fixed on the former (still have a Hilton VISA).

  • Kenneth says:

    3 Feb3 February 07:43

    Certainly Virgin Atlantic cards are putting a cash advance fee on all Revolut top-ups now. No sign of a charge on my IHG Mastercard yet or Lloyds. I too would certainly be interested to know whether Capital and other Visa cards are not charging for a Revolut top-up.

    • Secret Squirrel says:

      3 Feb3 February 07:58

      Revolut charging last fees last week on IHG top ups…

    • Secret Squirrel says:

      3 Feb3 February 08:00

      @Kenneth: when was the last time you topped up Revolut using IHG? This should of attracted a cash fee on your IHG account so can you check again.

      • Andrew L says:

        3 Feb3 February 08:17

        Creation started charging cash interest on the statement date during January but hopefully that has been sorted now. No cash advance fee though.

        • Secret Squirrel says:

          3 Feb3 February 08:25

          Yes, correct a cash interest fee is what I was hit with. So you think this fee has now stopped for Revolut top ups from ihg?

        • TGLoyalty says:

          3 Feb3 February 08:28

          @SS no it won’t as the chatter is that MCC won’t be changing. Could always top up Rev and then pay off your creation balance. Might end up with a few pence interest

        • iamfugly says:

          3 Feb3 February 09:29

          I guess if you pay off the credit card top up as soon as it posts as a transaction you will incur minimal interest payment. Which is much more preferable to paying a cash advance fee.

        • Anup says:

          3 Feb3 February 13:34

          @Axel – BC gave you £20 as compo for charging you a fee you knew you would probably be charged? Pretty good result!

      • Kenneth says:

        3 Feb3 February 12:15

        On January 29th I topped up Revolut with £30 using my IHG Rewards premium card via Curve. I paid the £30 straight away on the 31st when it posted. In a couple of weeks time there may be a small interest payment. No sign of it yet. I am going to avoid using my Revolut card for any payments that might incur interest/charges until the smoke clears. Though I fear I may have no further use for Revolut. It was good while it lasted.

        • iamfugly says:

          3 Feb3 February 12:41

          From experience, interest was charged at approx 0.5% (for the moment).
          It’s pretty insignificant in the scheme of things.
          I do wonder what this will do to the Revolut business. Whilst they do have interesting facilities like crypto and currency transfers. This whole shenanigan (whether their doing or not) has left a sour taste. Even if it was not their doing, they could have communicated it much much better.

    • Lady London says:

      3 Feb3 February 08:41

      Do not be in doubt it is Revolut that caused that fee by changing the MCC in direct contradiction of one of the terms they stated and without notice.

      • Andrew L says:

        3 Feb3 February 11:50

        The interest charge on the IHG credit card is very minimal.

        • Axel says:

          3 Feb3 February 12:57

          Topped up Revolut Visa with Hilton Bcard Visa late last week, got charged £2.99.

          Spoke to call Bcard Centre manager who was emphatic the problem was Revoluts, it was not my or Barclays fault. I responded it was always good to have someone else to blame. He reiterated it was Revolut who forced the charged.

          Offered £20 + £2.99 compensation to close the case, which I happily took.

      • Lady London says:

        3 Feb3 February 13:51

        It is Revolut’s doing, it’s in contradiction to a term they specifically stated (which apparently they have changed now but without notice), and personally I would hold them to notice, seek redress from them to make the point that they can’t simply operate in a way that is within their t’s and c’s without notice.
        Then at the end of the notice period, once notice has been given to me in writing, I’d decide if I would keep the card and tell them that would be the decision i would be making.

        Otherwise they’ll just keep on going things like this.

  • The Streets says:

    3 Feb3 February 09:03

    Hilton VISA charges a cash advance fee when topping up a revolut card. Luckily had mine refunded

• Polly says:

  3 Feb3 February 07:44

  Curve working really well on a daily basis in Bali atm. Even the small warungs and local spas accept it. Have hardly used any cash we drew out. No fees showing so far apart from sat pm meal. Really useful.

  • Anna says:

    3 Feb3 February 07:53

    Hope you’re having a fabulous time, Polly, and that the person pretending to be me yesterday has finally got bored!

    • Lady London says:

      3 Feb3 February 08:43

      Could that have been @Callum in drag?

    • Polly says:

      3 Feb3 February 13:33

      Ta Anna and LL, we do seem to have the odd nasty comment here or there, but we can rise above it!

  • Craig says:

    3 Feb3 February 09:00

    It’s working well in Vietnam too.

• kumar says:

  3 Feb3 February 08:12

  O/T. I do have a amex plat charge card with the priority pass card, as a rule you can take one guest per priority card.So am i allowed to spend 30 GBP which would be FREE at the Grain store LGW South terminal or is it 15GBP per PP card.

  • Matthew says:

    3 Feb3 February 08:19

    As per the site….

    Cardholders can use their lounge visit entitlement to receive £15 off the bill. £15 will also be deducted from the bill for each registered Guest.

    We used 4 cards plus 4 guests to get £120 off last time we went….

    • kumar says:

      3 Feb3 February 08:21

      Thanks Matt

      • Shoestring says:

        3 Feb3 February 20:01

        yep a couple, both cardholders, could get 4x £15 credit – ie him + guest (her), then her + guest (him)

        widely reported as works fine

  • Riccatti says:

    3 Feb3 February 14:23

    Careful, some Priority Pass issued for AMEX are not eligible for free restaurant credit.

    • Lady London says:

      3 Feb3 February 16:05

      UK Amex issued ones are but only that outlet at LGW North qualifies on those.

      • Lady London says:

        3 Feb3 February 19:50

        Hum. LGW South, not North.

• Go says:

  3 Feb3 February 08:14

  Have any existing SPG card holders received a letter detailing the changes and when they will take effect?

  • Matthew says:

    3 Feb3 February 08:16

    28 Feb the changes happen to points earning.

    • Yorkieflyer says:

      3 Feb3 February 08:33

      Yes, but if you applied in January as I did and have the card then no letter yet and presumably they have to give some notice of a change in the t and c s

  • TGLoyalty says:

    3 Feb3 February 08:30

    Yes lots but seems like people who have had the card – while (ie before Dec 2019). Are you a relatively new sign up to the SPG card?

    • Simon says:

      3 Feb3 February 08:42

      I signed my wife up with a new spg account after i received the letter and we have received no correspondence for her account. Wondering whether there will be a period of grace for new accounts.

    • Go says:

      3 Feb3 February 08:42

      Got the card in January before announcements. I’ve had no letter or email yet so presumably they can’t change without reasonable notice

  • Rob says:

    3 Feb3 February 08:44

    All of them have, in theory.

    • Yorkieflyer says:

      3 Feb3 February 13:30

      Err, have what Rob?

      • David says:

        3 Feb3 February 14:38

        Received a letter.

• Terry says:

  3 Feb3 February 09:36

  O/T

  My girlfriend has ordered a special meal on a Virgin Atlantic flight. We are flying Upper Class, from previous experience on Emirates and KLM she got an economy special meal while traveling Business/First, does VS do the same and serve the special meal from economy? I’m interested in knowing what are the special meal experiences when flying Business/First on other airlines.

  • memesweeper says:

    3 Feb3 February 11:40

    Check out the non-special menu and choose from that if it meets your needs. Likely to be highly satisfactory in my (limited) experience. If there’s nothing there that works then switch preference to the ‘special’ meal menu and eat well in the Clubhouse first instead 🙂

  • Peter K says:

    3 Feb3 February 12:22

    BA gluten free business meal is a step up from economy but not as good a regular business meals (from how they look at least).

• Gringo says:

  3 Feb3 February 09:49

  After Revolut topups via Vgn MC has stopped, what’s the likelihood of Vgn payments to the Seagulls being stopped in the near future?

  • Crafty says:

    3 Feb3 February 10:44

    Let me dust off my crystal ball…

  • thehornets says:

    3 Feb3 February 12:14

    Does this work?? No fees at all?

    • Gringo says:

      3 Feb3 February 12:26

      only with a curveball

      • Ashish says:

        3 Feb3 February 14:38

        Yes. Use you curve to pay Amex. Do extra Amex spend on pay point for signing up bonus

        • thehornets says:

          4 Feb4 February 10:07

          Got it. Thanks both.

• Yorkieflyer says:

  3 Feb3 February 11:59

  I wonder if I’d get the intro bonus on the IHG premium card a second time after a couple of years away?

  • Kenneth says:

    3 Feb3 February 12:21

    Maybe use a different email, change any part of your address that you can legally do, and use your middle name if you have one. or maybe just ask them.

  • The Urbanite says:

    3 Feb3 February 12:57

    I’m yet to hear of anyone who has successfully churned the Creation IHG cards – most reports seem to be of Creation refusing to allow it.

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