New bmi Mastercard-coming soon
 

Hi,

In this months Voyager ( Feb 2003 ) there was an advertisement for a new bmi Mastercard earning destination points. It is run by MBNA ( same company that runs the Virgin credit card)

It gave the following website for more details;
http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-gb/dcse...ils.aspx?p=609

It says more details will be available shortly.


Regards
TBS

MBNA? Come on... bmi can find a better bank to do business with... But cool nonetheless. It should be interesting to see how many pounds per point...

Woo Hoo!

Potentially excellent news, depending on the point/pound ratio.

Another alternative is the BAA Worldcard - more in another topic:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum16/HTML/000288.html

Looks like bmi do know what we want! :-)

Cheers

Nick

Any bets on the mileage ratio ?

I'll go for £5 to 1 mile, more if using it to book BMI tickets.

Wonder if they will have a "Gold" card that allows lounge access like the Amex Plat/Cent does..?

Hope they get it sorted soon, I have a conservatory to pay for on my BAA worldcard and this could make a lot of difference if it is an attractive rate http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I followed the link and full details / online application are now up.

However , it looks pretty lousy vs BAA Worldcard. 2 different cards :

No Fee card = 1 point per £20 ( £10 on flybmi.com )

£60/yr Fee ( !! ) = 1 point per £15 ( £7 on flybmi.com )

As pointed out on another thread , BAA Worldcard works out at 1 point per £10 with no fee = clear winner assuming BMI don't pull this to protect their own card ( me ? a cynic ? )

My application is already in with BAA. Unfortunately they've already rejected me once in the past due to a blighted credit history ( excesses of youth ) but I'm a responsible citizen now so hopefully ......

Oops , forgot to mention 150 free points for existing DC members who apply successfully , even for the "no fee" card. Not sure that's enought for me to bother if I get accepted by BAA tho

Looks like I was well worng then....I really cant see the value proposition in this card for us customers!

Nevertheless, I think we have the answer then:

Apply for it, get the 150 points and keep using the BAA card - it even gets you on the HEX in first class.

Cancel the bmi card when you get it and re-apply soon thereafter - get more lots of 150 points!

In the meantime, get the BAA points over to bmi as fast as possible in case they pull BAA Worldpoints to bmi desitnation points offer or make the conversion poorer.

[This message has been edited by Bond Boy (edited 02-03-2003).]

I'm sure they're not dumb enough to give you another 150 points if you pulled that kind of scheme off. But then again, it is being run by MBNA, so who knows?

I'm quite disappointed now that I know all the details. And only last week I posted a topic asking why there was no bmi credit card.

I thought they might offer a gold card and tie it in with gold membership. I think the platinum card should be offered free to gold members at some point.

I agree with Bond Boy that it may be worhwhile applying for the blue card, collecting the 150 points and then cutting it up - but maybe just the once.

If anyone does sign up make sure you tell MBNA not to send you junk mail, otherwise you'll get credit card cheques, payment protection and personal loan offers at least once a fortnight.

The BAA worldcard is miles better value. I'll be transferring my existing BAA points over tonight, as who knows when bmi will pull the shutters down on that deal.

Maybe if we all just agree to keep quiet about the BAA card bmi won't notice :-)

More info on the BAA card at

http://www.baa.com/airzone3/heathrow...ard_frame.html

I'm sure you are right about the points only being available once YOWkid - and it is a little dishonest to try that sort of thing.

Nevertheless, it is MBNA as you say and they have a habit of not letting computer systems speak to one another so that it is possible for people to have a number of MBNA credit cards under different affiliate agreements and the whole liability land back on their plate.

Maybe BAA just pay bmi more for each mile than bmi are going to get out of the MBNA deal. Nevertheless, you would have thought bmi would be switched on enough to put some "ooomph" behind this with a good offer, even an introductory one at that.

But then, one must pose the other question -- since when were banks honest? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by YOWkid (edited 02-03-2003).]

You may be interested to know that MBNA has a less than perfect record when it comes to issuing airline related cards - just read the problems encontered with their new Virgin Flying Club card:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum53/HTML/000689.html

On the other hand I've never had any problems with the Bank of Scotland/BAA card.

Richard

[This message has been edited by rharrisuk (edited 02-04-2003).]

I know MBNA in Canada isn't that hot either; they sign you up like a mad doll sending you five million different applications -- and if you don't pay, they'll find you somehow; I've heard of MBNA agents embarassing people at supermarkets and what not (I have friends you worked in their Ottawa Call Centre)...

My on line application is winging its way...didn't spot the 150 points offer however. Like the rest...BAA Worldcard is the way to go..(in certain circumstances)..First Class upgrade on the Gatwick Express and double points at BAA airports....together with the BAA magazine thing with points offers usually included...eg 100 extra points at Smiths books or Multitronics definately makes it worthwhile for use in the airport....assuming that the frequent flyer points transfer is what you're after. I only wish that BAA would open it up to a few more airlines though.

In defence of the the bmi Mastercard, it seems that, for those of us who regularly buy tickets on line, the GBP3 credit card fee appears to be waived, as well as double points awarded...

At least that's one advantage over the BAA Worldcard?