[Stephen]

Yes, Clubrooms is the best (paid) option, but I found they no longer offer a premium experience (now expecting self service for certain things). So I’ve been sticking with No 1 lounge.

[Stephen]

Yep it’s a great programme

Also let’s you book some hotels in Japan

[Stephen]

Booked LHR to Calgary recently using Qantas points (transferred from AMEX MR 1:1) – was in economy as no business seats. From memory it was a good value with low taxes.

[Stephen]

Yes, unfortunately cannot use upgrade voucher on those ones

Total distance for those 4 flights is 18,548 miles

This would be priced at 100,000 AVIOS + taxes, fees and carrier charges (economy) or 200,000 AVIOS if all in business

Previously, BA have been known to price the whole booking on the longest segment, so if you did one segment (LHR-SIN) in economy and the rest in business, it may still be 100,000 AVIOS total. They also sometimes do not allow you to go to the same airport twice (so for example, on your return segment may need to swap to KUL)

How does that compare with what it would cost using the upgrade voucher?

[Stephen]

redhanded wrote:

Apologies if this has been asked before, I took a quick skim through the forum but couldn’t see it.

I’d like to know applicability of Avios Upgrade voucher to the following itinerary.

– LHR to SIN
– 1 night stopover in Singapore
– SIN to SYD
– a couple of weeks in Australia
– SYD to SIN
– 1 night stopover in Singapore
– SIN to LHR

Would I only be able to apply the upgrade voucher to a return from LHR to SIN? That is, the stopover means the outbound and inbound legs are 2 different flights?

Are you aware of AVIOS multi partner chart (if able to use different airlines)

https://hfp2026mar.kinsta.cloud/2024/03/08/british-airways-avios-multi-partner-chart/

I think the overall AVIOS cost will be lower (even without using the vouchers)

[Stephen]

AndyGWP wrote:

On a similar note, we are looking at buying a used VW car and there’s perks to buying with PCP (longer warranty, longer RAC cover, etc) but we have no interest in having PCP and just want to buy the car.

Is there any way to wangle the perks, but shirking out / paying off the agreement?

The only tangible avenue appears to be buy the £99 two year service plan, and cancel the PCP the day after purchase for minimal interest payments but ideally would like the extended warranty etc

From speaking to VWFS / garage , they said you keep the benefits even if cancel PCP

[Stephen]

NorthernLass wrote:

Do you mean the monthly payments? Is it via VW Finance?

Yep VW Finance – nope, talking about paying it off in full

[Stephen]

Any recent experience with this?

Hoping to pay off Volkswagen PCP using Virgin Atlantic credit card

[Stephen]

Attempted to clarify with Europ Assistance telephone support agents, but didn’t get a confident response and cannot find an email address

Booked a safari in South Africa in October 2025. It is in a high risk malaria area, where they advised to NOT travel if you are pregnant.

Has anyone had any experience in cancelling a trip if you become pregnant AFTER booking but BEFORE travel?

[Stephen]

Just returned from Domes Miramare – you’ll have a great time!!

Be very careful with car hire, we did a price comparison on Skyscanner for car hire and lots of small companies were offering £15 for 4 days. Unfortunately, despite contacting them in advance, nobody turned up at the airport (it was 22:30) despite saying open until 01:00

Previously we have rented with Fairdeal Corfu (https://corfucarsrental.com/), they are a bit more expensive but they are reliable and don’t play any games. They managed to sort a car for us last minute at 23:00.

Suggestions –

Porto Timoni beach (reasonably long walk/hike up and down, but can get water taxi boat from Agios Georgios beach. If you decide to do the hike, would recommend doing late afternoon and then get dinner at Luuma afionas (lovely sunset view with parking – they will let you park there and do the hike/beach first)

Doukades is a lovely traditional village up in the mountains where you can stop for coffee on way over to other side of the island

Corfu Old Town – nice to have a walk around (parking is tricky but there are some car parks slightly further out which are 5 Euro per day. You have to try Papagiorgis Patiserie-Gelateria
Ζαχαροπλαστείο Παπαγιώργης – definitely best ice cream out there (check the Google reviews)

Boat hire from “35” Boats for Hire in Gouvia – lovely family run business, very reasonable, small boats that you can drive without needing license and they will teach you. Lots of parking right by them. Lots of absolutely stunning bays that you can’t access via road that you can get to with a boat up the North East Coast (they will show you on a map)

Few other beaches / bays that are lovely if you are in the area (Rovinia beach / Limni beach / Lipades beach / Kalami Bay / Kaminaki beach)

Hope you have the best time, feel free to ask anything else and can try and help. Let us know how you get along!

[Stephen]

kiwibrit62 wrote:

Dynamic pricing moves to VV, without the Savers! Crazy…

Wow some of these redemption values are crazy

[Stephen]

Booked recently for 5 rooms with no issues

[Stephen]

Vit wrote:

@Stephen sorry forgetting to report back. My most recent experience in SVG (Nov 2024)– I was asked specifically if it is Norway Plat cards or other countries. Said UK and was refused. 🙁

Thanks, I emailed them and they said you must use the

AMEX Experiences app and get a barcode to scan

You can select Norway or any country, and then asks you to enter you Platinum number for review (so unlikely to approve the Fast track security and lounge access)

They do accept Dragon Pass but limited to 2 hours before flight

[Stephen]

Any recent experience here?

Still not allowing UK Platinum cards?

[Stephen]

You’ll be allowed in to Clubrooms

Unfortunately, service has dropped somewhat over the last year, with more being replaced by self service style

[Stephen]

Yes no problem at all (some lounges allow children to enter free as well)

[Stephen]

It will depend on who is scanning the Priority Pass cards at the lounge

Platinum 1 – no problem
Platinum 2 – no problem

Gold – you would usually have to be use the Priority Pass yourself before you can guest entry (but you would have already used your other one). They may scan it as you entering and do +2 guests (and allow the other 3 to enter)

If this doesn’t work, you could ask them to scan your Priority Pass from AMEX Platinum a second/third time, as it’s not restricted by now many times you can use per day (often useful with lounges who impose strict time limits if you need an extra hour or so)

[Stephen]

Team Lab Tokyo – will be fantastic for kids (but you’ll also enjoy it), need to book in advance

https://www.teamlab.art/e/planets/

[Stephen]

If you cancel via email link, you can resubscribe for 10 USD for a further 12 months taking me to Nov 2026

[Stephen]

Yes, you may need to ask AMEX to link the MR accounts if not done automatically

[Stephen]

Any experience of missed cruise cover on AMEX Platinum?

Have checked T&Cs and no mention about exclusion that I can see, but insurance staff saying it doesn’t cover cruises?

[Stephen]

It was pretty bad this morning at 7am. They had staff pro-actively going up and down the queues to try and ensure anyone departing within an hour or so got brought towards the front of the queue

[Stephen]

tjob81 wrote:

I’m waiting on them to price up LHR-MAN-HKG-SIN-SYD-PER-DOH-LHR

I called on Tuesday, not done this kind of booking before. How long does it usually take?

I’ve always found it pretty quick (within 24-48 hours)

They do say they will send email notification asking you to call when it’s been processed, but I on a few occasions I haven’t received the email but the quote is available if you call them back

[Stephen]

Previously booked an 8 segment trip two years ago

Ireland->Qatar->Sri Lanka->Singapore->Malaysia->Thailand->Finland->England->Greece

England to Greece was a few months after the other flights too.

Recently tried to book a 7 segment trip (Dublin – Doha – Bali – Singapore – Malaysia – Sri Lanka – London – USA). It was initially ticketed until added on the London to USA segment.

British Airways agent said they have taken a disliking to people trying to “game” the system and mentioned about HFP. They couldn’t give specific rules but said they do apply.

If looking to book this type of ticket, try to do it all at once to have as few BA staff look at, as you risk them cancellating it for unclear reasons

[Stephen]

John wrote:

How does pricing work if the longest sector is in Premium econ?

1.5x AVIOS from this chart

https://www.britishairways.com/travel/multi-carrier-avios-costs-zone/public/en_gb