Chat thread – Wednesday 18th September

[Rob]

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.

[TJ]

Good morning from the IC in Singapore. This wouldn’t have been my first choice but I’m trying to max out my Diamond benefits before they expire at the end of the year and they did kindly upgrade us to a suite. The basic points redemption was pretty good value when I booked considering that the F1 circus is in town this weekend and everything is at a premium.

Next stop will be Bali which I haven’t been to since my backpacking days over 35 years ago…I guess a few things have changed…me included 😂

[yorkshireRich]

Hope you”re having a great trip TJ. Where in Bali you heading.

I didn’t have high expectations of Bali if I’m honest but we are having a great time. From what I can gather though, it’s absolutely not nothing like you experienced 35 years ago.

[strickers]

And good evening from Victoria, BC where I am very happy I booked the ferry in advance. The chish and fips on Fishermans wharf were excellent as was the tiger tiger ice cream, thanks @Annie

[Annie]

@Strickers, so glad you enjoyed it. Best ever ice cream flavour combo!

[TJ]

yorkshireRich wrote:

Hope you”re having a great trip TJ. Where in Bali you heading.

I didn’t have high expectations of Bali if I’m honest but we are having a great time.

That’s good to know. We are spending a week in Bali spilt between Ubud & Seminyak before heading to Seoul and finishing up in Japan.

[yorkshireRich]

TJ, completing all the requirements for Bali beforehand saves quite a lot of time.
We are in Seminyak until tomorrow then Ubud. Envious of your Japan trip.

[QFFlyer]

TJ wrote:

Good morning from the IC in Singapore. This wouldn’t have been my first choice but I’m trying to max out my Diamond benefits before they expire at the end of the year and they did kindly upgrade us to a suite. The basic points redemption was pretty good value when I booked considering that the F1 circus is in town this weekend and everything is at a premium.

Next stop will be Bali which I haven’t been to since my backpacking days over 35 years ago…I guess a few things have changed…me included 😂

IC Singapore as in the colonial looking one? I love that hotel. IC Roberton Quay feels very cramped in comparison, modern feel that I’m not sure if I like either.

Enjoy SG & Bali!

[buchanan101]

Curve/Barclaycard buying foreign currency in UK. Do Barclays see this as a cash transaction (so put a fee on) or not?

Thanks

[JakeMc]

Does anyone know the easiest way to collect 50 or so Euro star points. Amex is min transfer 500 (a bit of a waste). I could do Hertz but do I actually have to collect the car?

Is there anything simpler?

Thanks

[Rob]

JakeMc wrote:

Does anyone know the easiest way to collect 50 or so Euro star points. Amex is min transfer 500 (a bit of a waste). I could do Hertz but do I actually have to collect the car?

Is there anything simpler?

Thanks

Did you get the 200 free points for signing up to the email?

[JakeMc]

Rob Burgess wrote:

JakeMc wrote:

Does anyone know the easiest way to collect 50 or so Euro star points. Amex is min transfer 500 (a bit of a waste). I could do Hertz but do I actually have to collect the car?

Is there anything simpler?

Thanks

Did you get the 200 free points for signing up to the email?

Yep – done that too!

[yonasl]

Congrats to @Rob for being quoted on the Guardian today: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2024/sep/18/how-to-cut-the-cost-of-travelling-on-your-own

A little ironic they put him on an article about traveling on the cheap (use hostels, don’t rent a car, etc.) given this page’s predilection with luxury travel.

[HampshireHog]

Good morning from Syros, brekkie ship spotting

[NorthernLass]

buchanan101 wrote:

Curve/Barclaycard buying foreign currency in UK. Do Barclays see this as a cash transaction (so put a fee on) or not?

Thanks

I tried paying for currency once with Curve at a high street travel agent and it was declined, though YMMV. I haven’t tried since, I just use it at destination when I can find a fee-free ATM! Or withdraw cash here and buy currency with that. No charges for either method so far.

[Michael C]

TJ wrote:

Next stop will be Bali which I haven’t been to since my backpacking days over 35 years ago…I guess a few things have changed…me included 😂

We’ve also been going since the 80s, @TJ , as my family used to have a house there.
The changes you’ll see will be mind-blowing (both Ubud and, especially, Seminyak have doubled/tripled in size).

However, as you wisely point out, you’ve changed to! All of this means there is now an exponential
number of wonderful cafés/restaurants, and outside of the main areas, the island/food/people are all as wonderful as ever.
Indeed, once you are at a dance performance at Ubud Palace, you wouldn’t even know what century it is.

[TooPoorToBeHere]

buchanan101 wrote:

Curve/Barclaycard buying foreign currency in UK. Do Barclays see this as a cash transaction (so put a fee on) or not?

Thanks

BC are relatively forgiving re cash fees, but probably it will decline unless you use fronted.

[Richie]

@yonasl BTW the Money hacks article was in the paper on Saturday.

[Hbommie]

strickers wrote:

And good evening from Victoria, BC where I am very happy I booked the ferry in advance. The chish and fips on Fishermans wharf

Red Fish, Blue Fish? That was my fave.

[Cromer]

Has anyone had any joy booking SAS reward flight on the Virgin site yet? Everything I search for still brings up KLM connections…. Thanks

[BadOmens]

I see Turkish Airlines is doing a direct match to SAS, not via status match. Also with double points
https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-us/miles-and-smiles/news/reward-your-star-alliance-experience-with-miles-and-smiles-elite-status/

I previously match my BA with Turkish about 5 years ago. Has anyone ever managed to match twice? Otherwise I can create a new turkish account on a different email.

Is it worth it though? Or just wait till the Volare Premium becomes Lufthansa?

[Misty]

I know this is a meaningless rant, however I am going to do it anyway. Why when I boost my AVIOS do they tell me to ‘hang tight’ while the transaction goes through at it’s usual snails pace, it really pees me off, I know this is a 1st world problem but surely they could talk to me in English, not some kind of US slang. Rant over.

[Robbiec12345]

Cromer wrote:

Has anyone had any joy booking SAS reward flight on the Virgin site yet? Everything I search for still brings up KLM connections…. Thanks

Was wondering the same. SAS page on the Virgin site says they should be bookable from today 18th September but am only seeing KLM connections or nothing at all on either reward or cash searches. Not sure if it is worth calling or waiting to see if the system just hasn’t loaded the flights yet.

[NICK N]

I have an offer on my Amex for 10% for ‘pay now’ hotels via a link on Expedia. I took it that the Hotels would be clearly marked as ‘pay now’ if relevant to the offer but thus far I havent found one, has anyone else used the offer?

[Alan TJ]

Hi, can anyone help me with a couple of questions that 20 mins of Googling and Chat GBT have left unanswered

1 If Hilton Gold gets you a free breakfast in Mexico.

2 If bookings made via the Amex travel service quallify for Hilton member benefits.

Thanks in advqnce for any replies