Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

Forum Replies Created

  • in reply to: BA open jaw / Companion Voucher
    zio 328 posts

    Agree with @NorthernLass that you might get an agent who would do this, but you definitely shouldn’t be relying on it. No way would I be planning a trip around this.
    Have I understood correctly that you won’t have enough avios to book both flights so want to lock in the important one first? Is that the reason for wanting to book the return first?
    Do you have any avios to “boost”? At the moment that seems to be the cheapest way of adding to your stack quickly.
    Edit: and yes, read the threads!

    in reply to: BA open jaw / Companion Voucher
    zio 328 posts

    It seems as though you are over one misconception about using a voucher, only to hit another.
    Initially it isn’t the cost you need to worry about but the fact that you can’t book the return part of a 241 first.
    There won’t be any overall difference in cost if you book the 241 in one go, or call to add the return later.

    in reply to: Car Payment
    zio 328 posts

    Sytner Mercedes took Curve.

    in reply to: Optimal SUB strategy
    zio 328 posts

    Yes the route to maximise SUBs hasn’t changed from when Rob last updated that article. Doesn’t matter which order you do plat/BAPP, but nectar must come first.
    Pro rata refunds don’t affect the SUBs (just reduce your outlay if you are churning to get the 3 bonuses asap). The pro rata refunds still seem to be on borrowed time, so could be gone sooner rather than later.
    You aren’t doing anything against the rules. As someone commented elsewhere earlier: blame the game.

    in reply to: easyJet – is this an extraordinary circumstance?
    zio 328 posts

    Impossible for us to know if you have a good case or this is EasyJet trying it on.
    However if you aren’t happy with their refusal the next steps have already been clearly set out in previous replies.

    Seems invested enough to write some long posts.

    Btw is it just me that still can’t quote?

    in reply to: BAPP 2,000 Avios spend offer
    zio 328 posts

    My first thought on seeing the cut-off date was that this was targeted to try to get me to push spend through just before my card anniversary. 2000 avios not enough to persuade me to get the card out of the draw a week early. Then of course it’s open season, but I won’t be able to do 10k before the 1st Nov change.

    in reply to: Combine cash and points booking
    zio 328 posts

    @e14 good points that you will see the flights earlier on IB than BA, and that you don’t need to wait for the MAD-LHR leg to appear to lock in the LIM-MAD flight.

    in reply to: Combine cash and points booking
    zio 328 posts

    1. For avoidance of doubt, you need to apply the voucher against the outbound (if you call you can say that you’ll ring back when the return flights are released).
    2. Technicalities here. You may get someone who doesn’t understand what you want if you say “combine”. Better I think to say “I’ve already booked an outbound flight with my companion voucher and would like to add the return flight which has just been/is just about to be released, please.” They will calculate what extra avios/cash is needed.
    Apologies if I’ve read your post wrong, but the mention of a refund suggests you are confusing the process with booking online for full avios and calling for a refund of half. If this isn’t clear I can’t recommend enough reading the long “how to add a return with a 241” thread.

    in reply to: Combine cash and points booking
    zio 328 posts

    Thanks for clearing this up.
    I was travelling solo, and having trawled records I can see I did two online bookings via IB as per @e14
    This was before vouchers were usable on IB but the cash part came to only £223 in total.

    in reply to: Combine cash and points booking
    zio 328 posts

    Memory far from infallible but I think I booked it all online. Outbound for sure on the Iberia site as I remember battling CMA.

    in reply to: Combine cash and points booking
    zio 328 posts

    I did MAD-LIM-MAD-LON in August 2022 so just missed the new seat but here’s something to whet the appetite:
    https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/02/05/review-iberias-new-a350-next-business-class-from-madrid-to-bogota/
    Was sure I remember a Velazquez lounge review but can’t find it now…

    I’m not 100% sure, but think you can do the MAD-LON leg in economy. Someone will confirm.

    in reply to: Combine cash and points booking
    zio 328 posts

    No, you can’t combine the bookings, but you can do MAD-LIM-MAD-LON as one booking using a voucher, which avoids UK APD and the need to recheck bags on return.
    Do London to Madrid one way for cash, preferably the previous day as your outbound connection won’t be protected.
    As @ekposh says, the lounge is pleasant. I think Rob or Rhys did a review not so long ago?

    zio 328 posts

    My view is one business day after the date of the letter makes any punch-up one I would be confident of winning even if it is tedious. Here the OP has kept good records.
    Actually I should add an apology to can2 who did say to add time for safety. That is admitting that any information from Amex via chat or phone is essentially useless.

    zio 328 posts

    can2: “Double check with a chat and add few weeks. For Player 2, we added a month just to make sure”

    Very dubious advice. So many reports of forum users relying on Amex chat and then ending up in, to use JDB’s phrase, a tedious punch-up with Amex.
    Indeed just 90 minutes after this suggestion there came such a report in the platinum welcome bonus thread currently also at the top of the current thread page.

    in reply to: Hotels.com loyalty transfer going to OneKey
    zio 328 posts

    @meta @Cybernaut can I ask where you will be going instead of hotels.com? Since I have found them to be reliable TCB payers, that plus the one key reward credit still looks ok, just not what it was. Unfortunately.

    in reply to: Japan, Thailand, Dubai Itinerary for comments
    zio 328 posts

    @Wally1976 This definitely has the potential to be one of your most memorable family holidays.
    I’m guessing from this itinerary that you aren’t a lie-on-the-beach-for-a-week family but summer travel in these countries is going to be physically demanding and only you know how energetic your teenagers are, and how well you think you will all cope with the heat.
    In my opinion, your itinerary, while possible, runs a clear risk of becoming punishing. Especially during the Japan leg it looks like you are going to be spending an inordinate amount of time getting yourselves to the next public transport, so constantly chasing a tough schedule. There is a definite danger of trying to fit in something extra and ending up not enjoying both the extra and the destinations either side. You don’t want to be running around Himeji or the golden pavilion, and you want to have enough time everywhere (except the train stations) to get the “I liked XXX. I wish we’d had more time there. Maybe we could go back…” feeling.
    If it were me (ie complete personal bias), I would save Dubai for another time- each daughter has got one destination- and spend the 4 additional days in Japan to reduce the percentage of inter-city travel days.
    How you progress now largely depends on how easy it is to unpick booked flights. If you feel all your flights are now fixed, the smallest change I could suggest would be skipping Fuji and adding the extra time into days 8-13. If FUK-DMK isn’t booked, I would consider flying out from Osaka and not trying to fit in Hiroshima, Himeji and Fukuoka.

    in reply to: Tanzania reward flights
    zio 328 posts

    Qatar fly to DAR, JRO and ZNZ.
    Maybe start by reading this https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/02/20/what-do-qatar-airways-avios-flights-cost-from-the-uk/ which links to other useful articles.

    in reply to: Check my workings!!
    zio 328 posts

    Reports from last week that cancellation fee is still 50p.
    I agree with @jj about the overall value.
    I’m also seeing a 7,250 points plus £59.50 option which is a touch cheaper.

    zio 328 posts

    Oh, 2nd person in two days who didn’t read the message that their first post gets moderated. One way or another spam is getting through!

    in reply to: Companion voucher use advice
    zio 328 posts

    Totally understand that. Remember that if you make an avios booking now, the comparatively small cancellation fees may make a later switch worthwhile if a really good cash fare pops up.

    Sometimes overthinking the “value” of a redemption is a waste of time and energy. You have a particular travel aim in mind and if your avios and vouchers can make it happen then happy daze. That’s the best redemption.

    Tbh at 100k avios + £1200 to get the 4 of you there, the cash price would need to be a lot less than what you are seeing now to make the redemption seem stupid. Plus your credit card spend, boosted, will make your avios pot sustainable while rates hold.

    Book the outbound flights in the morning!

    in reply to: Companion voucher use advice
    zio 328 posts

    You are unlikely to get the cheapest cash price immediately seats are released.

    in reply to: When Cancelling Amex Platinum
    zio 328 posts

    Lounge access cancelled immediately.
    Hotel status lasts the whole year and often (much) longer.
    Don’t know about avis I’m afraid.

    in reply to: BA flights with First Cabin
    zio 328 posts

    First time poster who didn’t read the message that their first post would be moderated…

    in reply to: Platinum fee refunds
    zio 328 posts

    Calculated daily.

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