As you probably saw in the press over New Year, Travelex recently suffered one of the most damaging cyber attacks ever seen in the UK.
Hackers took control of the Travelex IT system and demanded $6m to unlock it. The company took down its website in late December and it was around three weeks before it came back on line. Even then, functionality was limited and the Avios-earning pages had not been restored.
Finally, Travelex has restored the ability to earn Avios when buying foreign currency.
You can earn Avios points when you pre-order foreign currency via the Travelex website for collection at the airport or delivered.
The webpage you need, which is now up and running again, is here. This drops you straight into the currency calculator. Ignore the ‘Your session has expired’ message and scroll down.
Do not go via the Travelex homepage as there is no option there to add your Avios account details.
Travelex lets you pre-order over 40 currencies and collection is available with as little as four hours notice.
This is what you need to know:
You collect 1 Avios for every £1 when exchanging over £300
Collect 1 Avios for every £2 when exchanging below £300
You must pre-order via the Travelex website here, for airport collection, for Travelex store collection or delivery
Home delivery is free if you exchange over £600, chargeable if you exchange less
You can credit your Avios to BA Executive Club or Iberia Plus
Avios will be added within 14 days of collection or delivery
It is good to see that pre-ordering is required. The walk-up exchange rates at Heathrow are, frankly, shocking and you should never exchange money without ordering in advance. You will receive a substantially better rate this way.
The special Avios / Travelex ordering page is here.
About Head for Points
OT anyone have experience of Creation (IHG) and payments? Had my card abruptly declined over the weekend for everything. Just before I had put in a large order in Apple but it has been used very heavily with curve for cough financial payments. Rang them on Tuesday – the chap sounded clueless but then said that it was ok now as they had placed a higher authority on the account ( not sure what that means). Seems to be all fine again but wondering whether I should take it easy with “financial ” payments for a while in the event of more regular reviews. Anyone had this before?
I’ve had my creation card blocked randomly a few times but not for a while now: as a result of some EUR payments and some top up transactions. I wouldn’t worry. Creation just wanted to confirm it was me making said payments.
Thanks. It’s just strange that they then unblocked it automatically. Unfortunately I have always been limited to £200 for my “financial y
Transactions ” such a pain. But i won’t complain.
Had mine stopped a few times but never for so called financial payments. It’s probably your large Apple purchase that did it.
An apple a day keeps creation away.
Creation’s standard limit so far has been £700 pw on anything it sees as financial-type transactions, however, see my post over on BA bits about how this might have changed recently!
Indeed I noticed some changes recently too.
They’ve blocked mine twice and not phoned to tell me. The second time I made a formal complaint which almost covered the fee after compensation.
Automatic security blocks are sometimes triggered and they don’t always tell you. But tend to remove them fairly quickly. I just let it be, they’re usually pretty good at sorting it with a phonecall.
The problems are twofold, firstly you have no way of knowing even though they have your number, secondly, the advanced security dept works normal office hours.
Travelex order with Avios didn’t work last time I attempted it last year as the Glasgow Airport Travelex desk looked at my order, gave me the agreed rate but cancelled my original order.
After numerous discussions with Travelex they agreed this probably happened but could not retrospectively award Avios points. Beware
Make sure you have the payment card you used for the order with you when you collect at an airport. I didn’t, and they had to put the order through from scratch! Otherwise, it’s a great service.
I thought you should never buy at the airport. Or even pre-order from Travelex. Their rates are usually beaten elsewhere.
I found them very competitive a few years ago when I needed some Swiss Francs for a short break and didn’t want to trek around travel agents or pay for home delivery. The kiosk at MAN T3 is very conveniently located opposite the lift up to the lounges!
If you need Swiss francs, wait till you get to Geneva (if that’s where you’re going), walk a few yards down Rue du Mont Blanc in front of the main station (Cornavin) and go to one of the little exchange kiosks there. I can recommend Leland Finance, on the left side.
Going this weekend, so thanks!
But if it isn’t your money ….
That’s odd. I’ve used the Glasgow airport half a dozen times & always had my Avios
Today’s article re Travelex: went to pre order UAE Dirhams and can’t – not listed in their drop down. Tried typing in UAE and Dubai – no luck. Is this deliberate or a glitch I wonder?
Very weird, you’re right. Usually DHS pulls it up but no joy.
Pretty poor exchange rate even when you factor in the Avios.
Always found ICE at Heathrow pre ordering much better.
don’t think i’ll be rushing to give my credit card details to a company that has just suffered “one of the most damaging cyber attacks ever seen in the UK” !
Looks like it was a ransomware attack and they didn’t give in, they rebuilt their setup. It’s very costly but perhaps not as costly as paying the ransom.
BA and the NHS probably had it just as bad to be fair
Rates on the Travelex Avios site are usually worse than their standard site.
I’ve found the best currency rates are usually with John Lewis. Free collection from your local JL or Waitrose and – if paying with the JL Partnership Card, it’s treated as an in-store purchase (so 1% back in John Lewis points and no cash advance/interest charges).
JL refused to honour their ‘match competitive rate’ promise when I went to buy at John Lewis Oxford Street.
I bought at the other FX place 2 streets away where I’d found the match – but wanted to support John Lewis by giving them the business.
When they refused I left the store and didn’t do my other shopping there. Haven’t been back since as I can always do what I need to do elsewhere so no need to make the trek. I will be back but not going out of my way to whereas before I would have.
did they give a reason for not honouring their “match competitive rate” promise ?
Something about being unsure the nearby outlet would honour their advertised rates. Even though the small print said they would. Since to prove it I would have to walk back to the other FX place and get something in writing from them, and I’d already passed by and asked them verbally was the rate the same as advertised then gone to JL, I wasn’t going to walk back to there again without buying.
It seemed the FX person at JL wasn’t actually JL staff and said they had to get authorisation from a manager who wasn’t there… at which point I smelled the herring and told them if they weren’t honouring their FX rate match promise then that put into question JL’s overall promise as well…So I would have to leave the store to catch the better rate’s opening hours.
The difference was tempting to just forget and get it done. I was actually staying very nearby and could easily have returned the following morning when the authorising manager was supposed to be in but it was clear the staff I dealt with never expected to match and the feeling of them ‘just finding excuses’ was just too strong.
compare the rates on offer here https://www.currencyonlinegroup.com
free delivery & free collection options
sometimes JLP really does feel like a civil service retailer 🙁
I love JLP and Waitrose to bits and support them whenever I can. I think they are a unique force for good in the British food and general retail landscape. I wish them well and hope they succeed in evolving with the challenges in retail today.
One of my fave places to meet friends in town is their restaurant in PeterJones in Sloane Square. Good at any time of day. Great views if you can snag the tables on the curve by the windows. And naturally it’s essential to do bits of shopping on the lower floors on my way out :-). As I would have done in Oxford Street had I got my FX on the top floor.
No one in their right mind would use travelex to get a good deal. Surely only used if no other option exists