Chat thread – Monday 7th April
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This is today’s chat thread.
If you have specific questions about Avios, hotels or credit cards, please ask them in the appropriate forum and not here. This thread is a good place to post interesting deals you have spotted or your general thoughts on travel and all things miles and points. Thank you for contributing.
Good afternoon from the Manaia lounge in Queenstown. Off to SYD next but have to our trip across the SI in New Zealand was memorable…absolutely stunning scenery. Will definitely be back.
Whoo-hoo, I’ve been ‘invited’ to join InterContinental Ambassador. I was expecting it to be something of interest, but no special offer just regular price, or in other words junk mail!
The Hilton offer is back. Get £50 back off for £200 spend, on my personal platinum. Not showing on my gold or BA. Limited to 30k card members.
Good morning from the Regent Porto Montenegro. Looking out over the Bay of Kotor on a calm, sunny morning – very different to yesterday when we went on an unscheduled mini-tour of Adriatic countries due to not being able to land at Tivat because of high winds.
First pass got us within 60 feet of the runway before the pilot pulled out and took us to Bari where we waited out the weather. Had another couple of goes a couple of hours later but gave up pretty quickly meaning we finished in Split and an overnight delay. Chaos ensued and with nothing obvious happening in terms of hotels we, along with a few other passengers, decided to take the hit a €700 5 hour taxi over to Montenegro, rolling up to the hotel around 10 hours later than planned.
Frustratingly looks like all other planes landed successfully yesterday but Easyjet are unsurprisingly claiming exceptional circumstances. I guess gusting winds makes each approach unique but will look into that later.
First impressions of the hotel a little mixed. Beautiful property and location but rooms showing their age a little and it felt a touch soulless last night (probably down to the grumpiness caused by yesterday’s saga). Down to breakfast shortly and we’ll see where the day takes us – got to be better than yesterday!
Good morning, am travelling Brussels to London.
I had this issue for both my outbound and inbound. I got to Gold in Feb this year and despite my profile showing as such…when my boarding pass issued at the airport it shows that I am still silver therefore depriving me of the Gold privileges. Has anyone else come across this issue and how did you resolve it?
Good morning from Boppard and specifically the Bellevue Rheinhotel which is like stepping back into the 50s, both in design and service. There are six normal hangars, toilet paper is of good quality but once again no kettle, the worst part is a not entirely opaque bathroom door which really doesn’t fit the decor of the room. Fortunately, there is a nice balcony overlooking the Rhein where one can sit as the other ‘sits’. Cost for half-board which included a four-course meal in the Bristol restaurant was €225 a night which is now £5 more thanks to The D.
With market chaos continuing in Asia today (Hang Seng down almost 11%) what are peoples views on travel trends as a result.
Whilst concerned for the impact on my pension fund, I am hoping that it might bring some much needed relief to exorbitant hotel rates and airfares.
Personally won’t be going anywhere near the USA while Diaper Donny in WH but if there is a downturn on TATL traffic, BA is going to have to look again at its strategy which in turn might impact QR ex EU.
This is all speculative but travel stocks have been hammered (Carnival down from £20 to £11) since he came to power.
The only silver lining I see currently is the fall in value of the $ which may make the US attractive to some. Personally not even £1 = $2 is getting me back!
I’m less inclined, but price savvy.
There are things I want to see and visit in the USA, no matter who is in the White House. If the prices for flights and hotels soften, I’ll still be going. Hoping for a United offer.
@Paul – a few days of market turbulence won’t have any effect on travel trends, but if it continues that will change/become concerning. US markets in particular have been due a significant correction for a while. Some interesting buying opportunities are emerging.
More important for travel has been and will continue to be the more general poor economic background in the US, Europe and China. If you see real softening of hotel/air prices, your pension will likely be correspondingly much worse unless you take avoiding action. Travel pricing is also quite country/location specific from my observations of individually negotiating hotel rates; some places still very strong, others not.
Good morning from Boppard and specifically the Bellevue Rheinhotel which is like stepping back into the 50s, both in design and service. There are six normal hangars, toilet paper is of good quality but once again no kettle, the worst part is a not entirely opaque bathroom door which really doesn’t fit the decor of the room. Fortunately, there is a nice balcony overlooking the Rhein where one can sit as the other ‘sits’. Cost for half-board which included a four-course meal in the Bristol restaurant was €225 a night which is now £5 more thanks to The D.
I really liked Boppard when I visited on business almost 10 years ago. I have a feeling I might have stayed in that same hotel, although I can guarantee that it was not €225/night at that time.
@Paul Most members of an Edinburgh investment club/group I am a member of were almost all in cash and gold a few weeks ago – if only I had followed them I’d be paying cash instead of points for First if I was then to re-invest today!
But half my money is in investment trusts with a long record of maintaining dividends, a quarter is in cash and the rest in individual stocks for a bit of fun.
Agree with @jdb re poor economic background in the US, Europe and China. Everywhere you peeked over the last few months has shown hints that there are tough times ahead. I liked the recent BBC aricle by David Dimbleby: “I thought the free market was forever…” which points out it sort of started in 1974.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2gey6pvddo
We may be entering another such period of change.
So as a an approaching “coffin dodger”, I am optimistic for bargains. Maybe winter will be my chance for Antarctica?
If you see real softening of hotel/air prices, your pension will likely be correspondingly much worse unless you take avoiding action.
True. Hope more people look at annuities given the recent bout of inflation and crazy market swings.
The Hilton offer is back. Get £50 back off for £200 spend, on my personal platinum. Not showing on my gold or BA. Limited to 30k card members.
It mentions hotel(s) so assume cumulative. Was available on my Gold….
MBNA – couple of 5% rebate offers for IHG have appeared for their different categories (expires 22nd May)
Also 5% for LNER (expires 27th April) – I use it to buy vouchers rather then fares.
The Hilton offer is back. Get £50 back off for £200 spend, on my personal platinum. Not showing on my gold or BA. Limited to 30k card members.
It mentions hotel(s) so assume cumulative. Was available on my Gold….
Nothing for me. But always use points anyway…
Well yay, both IHG and Hilton offers have turned up on the BAPP today! In fact 5 new offers. I don’t know whether this is anything to do with the whinge I had to Amex chat the other day, lol!
*At the time, they offered me £50 credit for spending another £15k!! I politely declined such generosity as I’ve just triggered the 241 …
Have them, also Amex Stays, spend £300 get £75 back, appeared on the BAPP A few days ago.
Apologies as a bit off-topic, but does anyone use Trading 212 for their ISA, was wondering how easy it is to withdraw money if you need it? (probably won’t but who knows).
Apologies as a bit off-topic, but does anyone use Trading 212 for their ISA, was wondering how easy it is to withdraw money if you need it? (probably won’t but who knows).
Really easy. just takes a day or so to make its way over to your bank so its not instant but its quick.
https://x.com/seanm1997/status/1909217614091481264?s=46
In line with what many predicted here – some US routes being cut and MLE frequency going up.
MCO being cut – I guess not many people deciding the pay 350k points for a seat?!
Doesn’t bode well for MAN, then, as the 3 year-round routes are all to the US! But I always feel they could give Emirates and BA a run for their money if they started DXB for the influencers and wannabe footballers wives 😜
Just thinking of going to India in February next year – a place i have never been and only have 12 days on the ground.
At the moment dont really have the time to do a lot of planning so will do it later, but would like to book the flights with BA as have a voucher that expires mid March and plan later.
Where would people suggest i fly to – Delhi or Mumbai to visit the main sites? Definitly want to do Jaipur and Taj Mahal not too bothered about the big cities.
Any advice appreciatedHey all, which are people’s preferred seat finding website, I used to be pay a subscription for seatspy but I see there is also reward flight finder. I will be mainly using it for BA, Iberia for avios and my BA 241 vouchers.
Just thinking of going to India in February next year – a place i have never been and only have 12 days on the ground.
At the moment dont really have the time to do a lot of planning so will do it later, but would like to book the flights with BA as have a voucher that expires mid March and plan later.
Where would people suggest i fly to – Delhi or Mumbai to visit the main sites? Definitly want to do Jaipur and Taj Mahal not too bothered about the big cities.
Any advice appreciatedWe fly into Delhi had a driver and guide then met us around different sites. And flew back from Mumbai. We did usual golden triangle and went down to jaipur, udipur etc.
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