I have just had a quick search on the web, and called a few hotlines:

BA Diners Club - 300 air miles
RBof Scotland AAdvantage - 3000 AA miles
UA MileagePlus Visa - nothing
AmEx - nothing

Anything else I missed ? Is there a VS link up anywhere or any other cards ?

Thanks

It might be on the web, but VS Amex sign up deal is

Gold Card 5000 miles
Additional gold card 2000 miles
Personal (green) card 3000 miles
Additional personal card 1000 miles

BA also have a tie up with Natwest. If you get the standard Natwest credit card, with a point rate of 1 (old BA)mile per 20gbp, the sign up is 50 BA miles. If you go for the BA EC branded card, with a rate of 1 mile per 15gbp, the sign up varies, but is around 250 to 300 BA miles.

[This message has been edited by Tim_T (edited 07-25-2000).]

Got an offer in the mail yesterday for the AA/RBS card - 1500 miles for sign-up + another 5000 after the first purchase. I have seen that offer before, although I don't know if it is standard.

Previously, UA/Beneficial Bank offered a 5000 mile sign-up bonus and it has to be worth asking if you can still get it. Amex quite often offer bonus Membership Rewards points (which can be converted to CO, DL, BD, etc.) for upgrading from one level to anohter or for taking out additional cards, but they are probably targetted offers.

[This message has been edited by james (edited 07-25-2000).]

James - I got the same RBS/AA offer for 1500 +5000 - and applied for the card - it came back approved but with blurb saying only 1500 after first use - I will follow it up and see what response I get from AA/RBS on this, as I feel short changed.

I'll follow up on AmEx UK also, thanks for the tip as I just transferred by Plat account from HK to the UK.. and got zilch!

You might not get anything for Amex transfer like that GK - However, I have got points for upgrading from green to gold and for taking out the gold credit card in addition to my plat charge card. Since you're already platinum they might feel they have nothing more to sell you.

As for your RBS/AA situation - that sounds like they are taking the mick. If you sill have the flyer or the promotion code they are going to have to pay up!


[This message has been edited by james (edited 07-25-2000).]

I have followed up with AA on the variance between their promotional literature and what the bank is saying (6,500 v 3,000 miles) and await their response.

AA/RBS has a fee of (I think) �25 p.a., discounted to �12.50 for the first year.

At a notional value of 2 cents per mile, it may or not be worth it. (Not for me.)

I got the fee-free UA/Beneficial card offering 5,000 UA miles on first use. Three months later, I am still waiting. My third telephone call promised that the 5,000 will be awarded with my next card statement (September).

Both cards offer 1 mile per �. This is around one third less than our North American friends who normally get 1 mile per $, though North American cards normally have annual fees.

From the United Mileage Plus newsletter which landed on my doormat today.... "Mileage Plus Visa: 5000 bonus miles and a new low APR".

Special reduced APR on balance transfers... one mile for every pound you spend... if you open an account before 31 December 2000 you'll earn an extra 5000 bonus miles when you make your first purchase... Call 0345 456 777 and quote reference number 348 (MPE219).

I am afraid I am going to dodge the minefield and not quote any financial details about the card

Thanks james - will see what comes of that. I had a lousy response from AA this week re the swindle on the RBS Card:

Dear Mr. Kingshott,

Thank you for visiting our Web site. The bonus mileage in question is awarded by Royal Bank of Scotland. What you receive is their decision.

You have already received 3,000 bonus miles. Based on your membership materials, it appears that this is all you were offered and all you will receive. Please allow me to apologize for any inconvenience this causes. If what you received does not match what was advertised, then either you did not mention code A127, you did not meet the terms of the offer in some other way or RBS has made a mistake. If you would like to negotiate, complain or inquire, please call RBS at 0541 541 888.

Thank you for participating in AAdvantage. We look forward to hearing from you again.

Regards,

AAdvantage Customer Service

I shall update the saga once the call from RBS is actually answered.. and the AA bonus was on my statement again this month.




[This message has been edited by GK (edited 08-16-2000).]

Now that is really rude, certainly reason to cut up the card and depending on your loyalties good reason to dump AA!

Well RBS call centre have asked me to write in, apparently this is 'not the first time this complaint has been made' - so the saga continues.

Additional thought hit me this weekend.. if AA RBS card is giving 1 mile per �, and the US Card gives 1 mile per $ are we not being taken for another ride, given that � and $ are not at parity...

Do you mean the equivalent AA card issued in the USA gives 1 mile per dollar, and ours gives 1 miles per pound? If so, that seems pretty standard to me.

[This message has been edited by james (edited 08-21-2000).]

But �1 = $1.50, therefore a US cardholder shopping in sainsburys with me would earn 50% more miles, simply by paying for transactions in dollars.

When I was back in HK, the AmEx conversion rate was one MR point for HK$8, which is nearly parity with $1.

Oh sure it's unfair in that respect, but I don't know of any UK issued mileage cards that don't work the same way (except Natwest-Airmiles, but that's a different system). Even Amex gets you 1 membership rewards point per dollar in the US and 1 per pound in the UK.

[This message has been edited by james (edited 08-21-2000).]