Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

Forums Daily chat thread Click here for today’s chat thread Chat thread – Thursday 31st October

  • NorthernLass 9,476 posts

    I was surprised to be honest not to see many references to the Budget yet 🙂

    Eclipsed by Virgingate 😂

    davefl 1,762 posts

    I was surprised to be honest not to see many references to the Budget yet 🙂

    Completeley neutral for me, apart from the increase in APD, so I’m counting it as a huge win that the only increase in my taxation will be after I’m dead – her pension related tamperings.

    BA Flyer IHG Stayer 2,770 posts

    I was surprised to be honest not to see many references to the Budget yet 🙂

    Very little in it directly related to travel that’s why

    The doom and gloom about taxing loyalty schemes didn’t happen

    Minimal increase to APD (other than private planes) rates

    Investment in rail such as approval for HS2 tunnel between Old Oak Common and Eustin

    £5 increase in cost of rail cards (after who knows how many years of no increase at all)

    buchanan101 101 posts

    Thanks to all the advice on this site, I’ve finally made use of my companion voucher. Booked on from MAD to GYE and back from LIM to MAD for next spring on Iberia business class. Hoping to get to the Galapagos and see the sights in Peru. Now to sort the travel from London to Madrid…

    I hope you managed to get it on both parts of that Open jaw?

    Was chatting with BA on X yesterday – they’ll refund the Avios for the return after the booking ONLY if the return was not available at the time of booking the outward flight. Otherwise bookings have to be over the phone

    (I’ve got the refund a number of times via Direct Message on X, but I almost always book outgoing at 355 days out so return not available)

    Swifty 35 posts

    Nectar points stolen and my account deactivated! Warning to others with large balances, I’ve been collecting nectar for several years and luckily I had been auto converting after that little avios offer in summer, because someone just nicked my nectar off me! I’ve transferred all my nectar to avios and unlinked. I have no idea how they’ve done it because I’ve got a good security on my phone and also a tricky pword. Beware. Sainsburys have deactivated my account and also they’ve replaced the nectar which to be fair, was only 500 points, but could have been 10 thousands which is what the balance was until recently.

    can2 706 posts

    I was surprised to be honest not to see many references to the Budget yet 🙂

    Eclipsed by Virgingate 😂

    MoneyExpertSaving forums are now like “no reference to Virgingate yet because of this Budget” :)))

    TGLoyalty 1,233 posts

    I was surprised to be honest not to see many references to the Budget yet 🙂

    Very little in it directly related to travel that’s why

    The doom and gloom about taxing loyalty schemes didn’t happen

    Minimal increase to APD (other than private planes) rates

    Investment in rail such as approval for HS2 tunnel between Old Oak Common and Eustin

    £5 increase in cost of rail cards (after who knows how many years of no increase at all)

    Pretty much sums it up

    But tax on loyalty points for the consumer was never going to happen. HMRC have their own investigation into Avios though


    @Swifty
    the security on redeeming Nectar is poor to say the least. It’s just your Nectar number which can be guessed because the vast majority of it is the same as everyone else’s.

    The only security they have is it must have been used in that store atleast 24 hours before .. did you see activity in a store you’ve never visited?

    Misty 360 posts

    Hmmm, in the middle of the night the BA shopping thieves, came out and nicked over 800 Avios from me from three purchases.

    Which were the toxic firms involved, and the original transaction dates?

    Hmmm, in the middle of the night the BA shopping thieves, came out and nicked over 800 Avios from me from three purchases.

    Which were the toxic firms involved, and the original transaction dates?

    Toxic firm was QVC and the transaction were from 3 months ago.


    @AJA
    thank goodness it is working for some of us.

    BobM 17 posts

    A very gold morning to you all 🥇 😜

    Congratulations. Hope you get to use the benefits.

    I’m happy as I got an email overnight from BA confirming I’ve earned my Amex companion voucher. One day before the spend threshold goes up. 😀 Wish they’d bring back thr TP for spending thing because otherwise the card’s going in the drawer until next April unless there are some great cashback deals.

    Similarly I have been sweating on a final transaction clearing which had been pending since Sunday. Amex balance only updated this morning to take it over the £10k 😮

    No confirmation email received yet so I’ve made sure to take a screengrab!

    Cat 151 posts

    Thanks to all the advice on this site, I’ve finally made use of my companion voucher. Booked on from MAD to GYE and back from LIM to MAD for next spring on Iberia business class. Hoping to get to the Galapagos and see the sights in Peru. Now to sort the travel from London to Madrid…

    Have fun! The Galapagos islands are amazing!

    Obviously get on a flight to the Galapagos ASAP, and avoid leaving GYE airport.

    KJT123 3 posts

    Yes, I called the centre and they applied the voucher to both legs. I think it came to 85k points plus £404 taxes for two people return.

    Thanks to all the advice on this site, I’ve finally made use of my companion voucher. Booked on from MAD to GYE and back from LIM to MAD for next spring on Iberia business class. Hoping to get to the Galapagos and see the sights in Peru. Now to sort the travel from London to Madrid…

    I hope you managed to get it on both parts of that Open jaw?

    Was chatting with BA on X yesterday – they’ll refund the Avios for the return after the booking ONLY if the return was not available at the time of booking the outward flight. Otherwise bookings have to be over the phone

    (I’ve got the refund a number of times via Direct Message on X, but I almost always book outgoing at 355 days out so return not available)

    KJT123 3 posts

    Thanks to all the advice on this site, I’ve finally made use of my companion voucher. Booked on from MAD to GYE and back from LIM to MAD for next spring on Iberia business class. Hoping to get to the Galapagos and see the sights in Peru. Now to sort the travel from London to Madrid…

    Have fun! The Galapagos islands are amazing!

    Obviously get on a flight to the Galapagos ASAP, and avoid leaving GYE airport.

    Thank you Cat. I have been reading read your helpful trip report, and now I need to make a decision on whether to book a cruise in advance, book one while on the island, or do a DIY land tour.

    Misty 360 posts

    Hmmm, in the middle of the night the BA shopping thieves, came out and nicked over 800 Avios from me from three purchases.

    Sorry to hear that, but they have been busy delivering points overnight as well as above and to me as well. The Budget thieves are a greater concern though.

    Yes they are, I thought their philosophy was supposed to help the poorer members of society, and woe betide anyone who decides to live on into old age, I was speaking to an elderly lady about this and she says it’s like you become invisible to everyone, but especially politicians, when you turn 70. Made me feel sad.

    Cat 151 posts

    If you’re not travelling during the US’ spring break, or over Easter, I would hold off until a few days out, and then start haggling.

    This is worth a read, if you choose to do it that way:

    https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g294310-i6637-k13645722-How_to_book_a_last_minute_Galapagos_cruise_Part_2-Galapagos_Islands.html

    I wouldn’t recommend the DIY land tour unless there are no other options.

    Misty 360 posts

    +1 @Alex G

    PeteM 861 posts

    I was speaking to an elderly lady about this and she says it’s like you become invisible to everyone, but especially politicians, when you turn 70. Made me feel sad.

    I do find this amusing, because from a millennial’s point of view all politicians bend over backwards for the elderly…

    leggyblonde 30 posts

    @PeteM absolutely, it’s hard to feel sorry for the majority of Boomers who could buy a house for 3x the national average wage, had free university and have a state pension that we are funding!

    Cat 151 posts

    I was speaking to an elderly lady about this and she says it’s like you become invisible to everyone, but especially politicians, when you turn 70. Made me feel sad.

    I do find this amusing, because from a millennial’s point of view all politicians bend over backwards for the elderly…

    I won’t write +1 (because apparently that gets reported, and anyway I’m the other side of the generation divide on this one), but that’s how it appears to this Gen X teacher too.

    TooPoorToBeHere 296 posts

    Anyone who thinks one Westminster party is “scum” and the other is somehow not is living in a dream world, as connected to reality as the flat earth types.

    TooPoorToBeHere 296 posts

    I won’t write +1 (because apparently that gets reported, and anyway I’m the other side of the generation divide on this one), but that’s how it appears to this Gen X teacher too.

    Completely correct. Britain, aside from the weather, is a good place to be old and have lots of assets.

    It’s a very bad place to be young and employed, and the mild tinkering this week does little to change that.

    executiveclubber 490 posts

    @PeteM absolutely, it’s hard to feel sorry for the majority of Boomers who could buy a house for 3x the national average wage, had free university and have a state pension that we are funding!

    Yes quite. And they think they had it just as hard. Try showing them how house prices vs wages have doubled since the 1970s while wages have stagnated and eyes quickly glaze over…

    Alex G 542 posts

    Honestly, this forum deserves better, i’ll stop there.

    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.

    BA Flyer IHG Stayer 2,770 posts

    In a return to our usual programming Poundland now have a points earning / price discount app.

    TGLoyalty 1,233 posts

    Lol whose the the saddo reporting all the comments in the daily chat forum

    @AlexG the stats are there for all to see no matter which way you look at it the U.K. is in one of its worst periods for growth and prosperity and lagging behind its peers and all that without even any direct involvement in a war.

    Everyone complains about route networks but there’s wonder Virgin and BA are chasing the US consumer they’re the only people with any real disposable income.

    Timerichmoneypoor 6 posts

    Lol whose the the saddo reporting all the comments in the daily chat forum

    @AlexG the stats are there for all to see no matter which way you look at it the U.K. is in one of its worst periods for growth and prosperity and lagging behind its peers and all that without even any direct involvement in a war.

    Everyone complains about route networks but there’s wonder Virgin and BA are chasing the US consumer they’re the only people with any real disposable income.

    yet both sides (whether s..m or not) ignore the Brexit elephant

  • The topic ‘Chat thread – Thursday 31st October’ is closed to new replies.

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