Amex & BA Master Thread
Dec 21, 2011, 10:27 am
#1291
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,252
Really? I didn't know that. Surely spend is spend regardless of the country you're in?
On my statement it defines qualifying spend as:
**Qualifying spend excludes cash withdrawals, interest, balance transfers and fees.
There's no mention about excluding foreign transactions for either spend thresholds or avios collection.
On my statement it defines qualifying spend as:
**Qualifying spend excludes cash withdrawals, interest, balance transfers and fees.
There's no mention about excluding foreign transactions for either spend thresholds or avios collection.
Last edited by golfmad; Dec 21, 2011 at 10:34 am Reason: gm: checked terms on statement
Dec 21, 2011, 10:33 am
#1292
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: VS Silver; BA Blue; HH Gold; SPG Gold
Posts: 779
I have a couple of questions around hitting the 2-4-1 voucher with a basic blue card:
1) I have about 8k worth of qualifying spend on there now and until the end of July to hit 20k. If i take out/upgrade to a Premium Plus card now will the membership date/spend total be reset, or would I then just need an extra 2k by July to get the 2-4-1 voucher?
2) The remaining 2k is likely to be in foreign currency. I know you don't accrue miles on foreign spend, but the 3rd point in the T&C's looks as though foreign spend is still qualifying spend for the 2-4-1?
1) I have about 8k worth of qualifying spend on there now and until the end of July to hit 20k. If i take out/upgrade to a Premium Plus card now will the membership date/spend total be reset, or would I then just need an extra 2k by July to get the 2-4-1 voucher?
2) The remaining 2k is likely to be in foreign currency. I know you don't accrue miles on foreign spend, but the 3rd point in the T&C's looks as though foreign spend is still qualifying spend for the 2-4-1?
Point 1) will upgrade from current spend I understand. Best to do over phone with amex.
Dec 21, 2011, 10:37 am
#1293
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London and Zurich
Programs: AA, BA, Mucci: Sir Roger des Directions Routières, PCR
Posts: 13,609
Of course you get miles with foreign spend! Indeed on some cards mentioned around here, you get double miles on foreign spend.
The only thing to factor in is the virtual 3% surcharge for using your card abroad. Does the extra cost justify the miles? (Not in my case for personal spend. I use Visa/Mastercards with 0% surcharge and no miles.)
The only thing to factor in is the virtual 3% surcharge for using your card abroad. Does the extra cost justify the miles? (Not in my case for personal spend. I use Visa/Mastercards with 0% surcharge and no miles.)
Dec 21, 2011, 10:43 am
#1294
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Of course you get miles with foreign spend! Indeed on some cards mentioned around here, you get double miles on foreign spend.
The only thing to factor in is the virtual 3% surcharge for using your card abroad. Does the extra cost justify the miles? (Not in my case for personal spend. I use Visa/Mastercards with 0% surcharge and no miles.)
The only thing to factor in is the virtual 3% surcharge for using your card abroad. Does the extra cost justify the miles? (Not in my case for personal spend. I use Visa/Mastercards with 0% surcharge and no miles.)
37.3 No Avios will accrue in respect of:
(i) any interest, or fees, or the amount of any balance transfer, cash advance
(including gambling transactions), American Express Travellers Cheque
purchases or foreign exchange transactions;
Unless that means buying travel money? Quite ambiguous if so.
Dec 21, 2011, 10:46 am
#1295
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
I believe that refers to buying foreign cash. Making purchases of goods or services overseas should earn miles and be qualifying spend in the same way as making purchases of goods or services in the UK. That's how it's always worked on my Amex PP, and on other mileage earning credit cards.
Dec 21, 2011, 10:47 am
#1296
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, UA Silver, CC Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,000
I have a couple of questions around hitting the 2-4-1 voucher with a basic blue card:
1) I have about 8k worth of qualifying spend on there now and until the end of July to hit 20k. If i take out/upgrade to a Premium Plus card now will the membership date/spend total be reset, or would I then just need an extra 2k by July to get the 2-4-1 voucher?
2) The remaining 2k is likely to be in foreign currency. I know you don't accrue miles on foreign spend, but the 3rd point in the T&C's looks as though foreign spend is still qualifying spend for the 2-4-1?
1) I have about 8k worth of qualifying spend on there now and until the end of July to hit 20k. If i take out/upgrade to a Premium Plus card now will the membership date/spend total be reset, or would I then just need an extra 2k by July to get the 2-4-1 voucher?
2) The remaining 2k is likely to be in foreign currency. I know you don't accrue miles on foreign spend, but the 3rd point in the T&C's looks as though foreign spend is still qualifying spend for the 2-4-1?
Last edited by dc2447; Dec 21, 2011 at 11:30 am
Dec 21, 2011, 11:04 am
#1297
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
Upgrading from basic to PP keeps the spend you've done and will trigger the voucher if you've already spent over £10K.
Foreign spend does give miles - the T&C referenced is for foreign currency purchases.
Foreign spend does give miles - the T&C referenced is for foreign currency purchases.
Dec 21, 2011, 11:22 am
#1298
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Dec 21, 2011, 11:34 am
#1299
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London and Zurich
Programs: AA, BA, Mucci: Sir Roger des Directions Routières, PCR
Posts: 13,609
@:-)
Sorry, no. Foreign exchange is foreign exchange, as opposed to foreign spend. You were asking about foreign spend.
'Foreign exchange' = cash, and there are virtually never miles for cash. 'Foreign exchange' doesn't only take place abroad, it even happens in the UK.
Quite ambiguous if so.
'Foreign exchange' = cash, and there are virtually never miles for cash. 'Foreign exchange' doesn't only take place abroad, it even happens in the UK.
Dec 21, 2011, 12:42 pm
#1300
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
quick call to amex confirmed what others have already said - if i upgrade i will only need another 2k to hit the voucher. thanks for all the answers.
to add in response to the above post - any transaction involving fx is an fx transaction by my eyes. i trade it for a living so i'd hope i have half an idea what I'm talking about there...
to add in response to the above post - any transaction involving fx is an fx transaction by my eyes. i trade it for a living so i'd hope i have half an idea what I'm talking about there...
Dec 21, 2011, 1:13 pm
#1301
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Varies
Programs: BA Silver, HHonors, SPG, Marriott, A|Club, Tesco CC, Costa Coffee Club
Posts: 421
Linguistics aside, I can confirm from personal experience (as others have done) that purchases in overseas countries (priced in foreign currency, then converted to UK currency [in a two-stage process, via US dollars, ISTR] DEFINITELY do qualify for Avios, just like domestic purchases.
Dec 21, 2011, 1:49 pm
#1302
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA - Gold for Life, CCR & GGL; IC Spire Elite Ambassador; Diamond Hilton Honors; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 6,720
Linguistics aside, I can confirm from personal experience (as others have done) that purchases in overseas countries (priced in foreign currency, then converted to UK currency [in a two-stage process, via US dollars, ISTR] DEFINITELY do qualify for Avios, just like domestic purchases.
Lots of Avios from lots of expensive overseas trips!
Dec 21, 2011, 3:27 pm
#1303
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 23
PayPal card
I used to have the old Paypal prepaid card that helped hit the 241 voucher but I see they have slightly revamped it. Can you still use it to pre load money from your Amex BA PP or is that option no longer possible?
Dec 21, 2011, 3:42 pm
#1304
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London and Zurich
Programs: AA, BA, Mucci: Sir Roger des Directions Routières, PCR
Posts: 13,609
Sounds likely, and foreign spend is foreign spend.
Jolly good, but it is when you said:
that you got people scratching their heads.
So, no miles for foreign exchange*; miles for foreign spend.
* That's for card purposes. Travelex offer Avios on some transactions, but that's a promotion and is available for all forms of payment AFAIK.
i trade it for a living so i'd hope i have half an idea what I'm talking about there...
I know you don't accrue miles on foreign spend, but the 3rd point in the T&C's looks as though foreign spend is still qualifying spend for the 2-4-1?
So, no miles for foreign exchange*; miles for foreign spend.
* That's for card purposes. Travelex offer Avios on some transactions, but that's a promotion and is available for all forms of payment AFAIK.
Dec 22, 2011, 4:57 am
#1305
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Leicester, UK
Programs: BA, VS
Posts: 221
Generating spend for 2-4-1 voucher
I read this on PTS:
"paypal - link your amex card - send money to your other half or anyone else you trust to give you the money back. On paypal you can send money to people for any reason - not just purchases. this costs you 3.4% so £34 for every £1000 you put through - or £340 for an entire £10k through - of course you get 15k miles for this".
Is this a legitimate way of generating 'spend'? I have not checked the Paypal T&Cs yet. I'm not sure at what point it becomes money laundering!
Has anyone any experience of this? I would not expect to shove the whole £10k through Paypal but it could be useful if I am still a few thousand short as I approach the end of the year. Thanks.
"paypal - link your amex card - send money to your other half or anyone else you trust to give you the money back. On paypal you can send money to people for any reason - not just purchases. this costs you 3.4% so £34 for every £1000 you put through - or £340 for an entire £10k through - of course you get 15k miles for this".
Is this a legitimate way of generating 'spend'? I have not checked the Paypal T&Cs yet. I'm not sure at what point it becomes money laundering!
Has anyone any experience of this? I would not expect to shove the whole £10k through Paypal but it could be useful if I am still a few thousand short as I approach the end of the year. Thanks.