Budget Travel - eurostar

Is it possible to get Eurostar points on discounted youth fares? Is there some ruse available like the BA frequent flyer credit card application that then allows you to accrue points, even though you're only allowed really to accrue from expensive tickets?

The Eurostar Frequent Traveller programme has now been altered to allow accrual of points based on the total price of the fare purchased instead of the type of fare. Previously, all Youth fares earned a miserable 25 points one way, regardless of price. Now, the cheapest youth fares (GBP40/50) will still earn 25 points one way whereas the next two higher fare levels (GBP60/70) will earn 100 points each way. [Fares based on a Youth one way from London-Paris].

All fares with the exception of special promotional/hotel inclusive/award tickets are now eligible for points. For a idea of how many points you can earn see this table.

www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/frequent_travellers/earn_points.jsp

It seems you need to have travelled on an expensive ticket in order to apply for the frequent traveller program. Is there no way around this? I have just used youth fares.

(if so, why are British/European frequent travel programs so much meaner than their american counterparts?)

It seems you need to have travelled on an expensive ticket in order to apply for the frequent traveller program. Is there no way around this? I have just used youth fares.


Yes, just purchase a fully flexible business fare which is completely refundable up to 2 months after the date of departure. Join and receive your membership number and then get a refund.

I submitted first class leisure tickets to join way back in 1997. I received a letter back saying the tickets were not eligible but as an exception I was welcomed as a member. Then they stopped this requirement a year later to encourage both leisure and business travellers to join. I think it was re-introduced a few years ago when Eurostar decided to concentrate on business travellers.