Important News for Air Miles Collectors

[Mazzy]

If like me, you collect Air Miles (NOT frequent flyer miles from the Airlines but Airmiles which you get from Tesco, credit cards etc) you will be in for a shock.

Air Miles have a new system in force from today and the air miles you need for flights has risen dramatically.

Here is an example:

Manchester to Jersey cost 550 miles per person previously

It now costs *1500* miles per person, but wait, it gets worse, as that is the minimum amount it can cost you. I got the price for May Bank Holiday next year and it was 1750 miles :angry:

The new system works like the airlines ticket sales work ie the earlier you book the lower the airmiles BUT the base prices have risen so much even if you booked 50 weeks ahead it is still a very big difference.

DH and I are absolutely fuming about this - I have 6000 airmiles and still don't have enough to get us to Jersey, wheras previously it cost us less than 2000 for 3 adults and 1 child.

When I think of all the Tesco vouchers I have saved up to convert to Air Miles - they are just practically worthless now.

What makes it worse is that this new system was brought in without notifying customers at all, you just find out when you ring to book and then find you can't because you are way short of the amount of airmiles you need.

We have just emailed WatchDog so see if we get a response.

I'm absolutely gutted.

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

Originally posted by Mazzy

We have just emailed WatchDog so see if we get a response.

This will be very interesting. We have been avid airmiles collectors for years and have manged numerous shuttles, flights to Paris and 2 Club flights to Orlando.

I was checking my balance at the weekend (around 21,000) and thought that I could just about book another 2 club flights to Orlando ( last twice, it's been around 15,000mls - shrink the world )

It now looks like we are struggling to get even an ecomony flight with 21,000 mls.

If this is the future for airmiles, it doesn't look very good at all.

David

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Mazzy, did you know that you can use tesco vouchers for BA Miles as well as Air Miles? I convert all my Tesco vouchers into BA Miles, plus have an Amex card which gives me BA Miles. We saved up enough BA Miles to fly to California earlier this year (using the Amex free companion voucher).

Regards

Rob

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Rob I didn't know this.

Can you give us more info on how to convert or is it in their Club card book?

This is great news for us we have quite a few Amex points that need to be redeemed.

 

[Mazzy]

Rob - thanks for letting me know that but as I've been saving Air Miles for the past 2 years and have nearly 6 thousand in the account there is nothing I can do now, but keep adding to it until there is enough there for us to actually travel somewhere!

Another example is that on Saturday a flight to Orlando from Gatwick was 700 miles plus £104 plus tax.

It is now 1490 miles plus £224.00 plus tax for exactly the same flight dates, so you can see just how they have bumped up not only the miles you need but the cash too.

I've contacted Daily Mail, BBC Watchdog, and also emailed Airmiles itself about this, but I don't hold out much hope - just disgusted with the whole thing.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Originally posted by Fantasia Sam
Rob I didn't know this.

Can you give us more info on how to convert or is it in their Club card book?

This is great news for us we have quite a few Amex points that need to be redeemed.

I have a British Airways Amex card which collects BA Miles. The regular Amex cards do not accrue BA Miles, although it would be worth checking to see if Amex Reward Points can be converted.

Details of how to convert Tesco Club points to BA Miles are in the handbook and on their website. You used to have to send your Tesco vouchers to BA for them to be converted, but now you can opt for all your Tesco points to be converted to BA Miles automatically.

Regards

Rob

 

[elisebutt]

Hi Rob,
I've been allover the tesco Clubcard site and can't find out anything about BA miles??? Have contacted them now to clarify but haven't seen anything in my book either.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Try this page at the BA site for more info https://www.britishairways.com/execclub/tesco/

Regards

Rob

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Rob/Elise

It looks like you have to be A BA Executive Club member which is good for us as we are. Elise I think you should enquire in becoming an Exec Member it's just like any other Frequent Flyer club.

Rob this is great news we spend a lot at Tescos and are usually premium as well.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Sam, have you looked into the BA/American Express credit card? We find it's a good way to top up our BA Miles collection. It's quite a high rate of interest so we pay it off each month (only use it for regular payments like grocery or petrol), but it does offer as much as 1.5 BAMiles for each £1 spent. One of the best things is that one you spend a set amount (between £15,000 - £20,000) you get a free companion ticket when you use BAMiles to book your flights. We used this to fly to San Francisco earlier this year, and it saved us a fortune.

More info here.

Regards

Rob

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Sorry Mazzy we seem to have hi-jacked your thread

Rob - We already have a Platinum AMEX charge card so we use that for all our purchases and get reward points. I haven't looked yet about whether or not I can exchange these for BA miles. I don't think Paul will be keen on getting an AMEX credit card as well.