UK Avios Travel Rewards Programme Changes

Old Apr 9, 2018, 2:19 am
  #16  
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Just adding a note for our South Africa based members - these changes will affect Avios Travel Rewards members registered in the UK. The ZA programme is not affected by the changes covered here.
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 2:24 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by rapidex
Looks like no more Avios for train travel as well.
It was a bad deal due to booking fees. I normally use GWR to book and get nectar points instead.
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 2:28 am
  #18  
 
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This thread has prompted me to try to move my Avios to BAEC, after months of being unsuccessful. Today, for some reason, it has worked

Avios.com now has a zero balance, so happy to close my account.
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 2:28 am
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by chongcao
It was a bad deal due to booking fees. I normally use GWR to book and get nectar points instead.
Thanks, I will look into that.
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 3:38 am
  #20  
 
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Will I be able to use my Lloyds upgrade voucher on Exec Club Avios bookings?
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 3:45 am
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by Lolbert
Will I be able to use my Lloyds upgrade voucher on Exec Club Avios bookings?
Yes but seems you will need to call to do so.
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 3:47 am
  #22  
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Originally Posted by Lolbert
Will I be able to use my Lloyds upgrade voucher on Exec Club Avios bookings?
There is some info in the FAQ section you might find useful: https://www.avios.com/gb/en_gb/about...me-is-changing
Can I still collect Avios with my Lloyds Avios credit card or TSB Avios credit card?
Yes you can. We will set up a British Airways Executive Club account for you and your Avios will be awarded into this account.
Will I still be able to use my Lloyds upgrade voucher?
Yes you can you can still book online with your voucher until the programme closes. After this you’ll need to contact us to book on 0344 49 333 49. Please make sure you use it before the expiry date.
Will I still be able to use my Lloyds or TSB worldwide companion ticket?
Yes you can you can still book online with your voucher until the programme closes. After this you’ll need to contact us to book on 0344 49 333 49. Please make sure you use it before the expiry date.
If I earn a new TSB or Lloyds voucher after the move, will I still receive it?
Yes, just make sure you use it before the expiry date.
Can I continue to earn in order to get a Lloyds or TSB voucher?
Yes. You can continue collecting Avios with your card and we will notify you once you have collected enough for your voucher.
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 4:40 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by chongcao
I had a look at BA eStore compare with Avios eStore. I think I will be pissed off.

1, In Avios.com eStore, I can click and book hotels with IHG, Hilton, Best Western and others to accumulate Avios based on spending as well as hotel points as it is booked direct. A nice double dip. In BA.com eStore the travel section is poor and this path will be closed if BA.com does not improve its offering.
2, Some interesting eStore on Avios.com is not available on BA.com. For example HolidayTaxis and Royal Caribbean.

I have to say unless BA.com eStore improve its offering by July this is definitely an enhancement (Downgrade).
BA cannot improve its estore offering because of its existing hotel partnership agreements.

Some other partners may go because they conflict with existing BA partnerships. The Alan Boswell Insurance deal may be one of them. If a partner is currently on avios.com but not on ba.com you should assume that is because of BA legal conflicts.

I've just spoken with the Avios Commercial Director. No great new insights except that:

* the Flybe programme won't be launched until late in 2018 (probably just in time for Flybe to go bust!)

* the Lloyds credit card agreement is 'long term' which implies that the existing cards will drag on for some time. Whether or not a new standalone Visa / Mastercard product is launched is a different question.
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 4:43 am
  #24  
 
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Hi,
Have they removed from the website the option to open a Household Account? Was about to open one this week.
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 4:51 am
  #25  
 
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I have been looking to book a hotel for Manchester in the near future using the Avios rewards programme,when I compare like for like booking via BAEC it shows a dramatic increase in price and avios needed.Some examples below for the exact same dates and rooms.

Ibis Styles Avios Travel 11800 + Ł30 BA 11450 + Ł95
Jurys Inn 10100+Ł60 BA 13000 +Ł110
Novotel Cent 10500+Ł25 BA 13300 +Ł60
HI Exp Oxford RD 11100+Ł25 BA 11350 +Ł95

I have found this in the past that booking via BAEC is always more expensive and has far fewer hotels(ok if you want to stay at the airport but not elsewhere).For me, forcing me to book via BA is effectively devaluing my Avios (again)

Sorry, when I posted the formatting went a little astray
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 6:13 am
  #26  
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Not good news - the only fail safe way I had of getting Avios between BAEC and IB+ was avios.com, hopefully BA and IB sort this out and allow us to transfer easily in both directions. Unless we will be able to do this via Vueling / AL?

Time to put EVEN more pressure on the Avios team to get my outstanding Avios from their estore - they take the mickey with how long it takes to get Avios credited!!!
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 7:57 am
  #27  
 
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if for some reason you don't want to move your Avios into BAEC (for example, if you have a BAEC household account, and you are trying to run down other balances) ... presumably you could just open an AerLingus AerClub account - which will effectively take over your Avios.com balance ?

Presumably the Avios.com/BA combine my Avios option will become AerLingus/BA ??
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 8:00 am
  #28  
 
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Will this have any impact on the Avios staff in Warrington? Will that call centre remain open?

Like how this is being spun as a positive move with more choices for redeeming when Avios.com collectors already had access to BAEC partners via Combine my Avios. All it does is cut off partners exclusive to Avios.com. I have no problem with the move but they should call it what it is!
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 8:09 am
  #29  
 
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I wonder if Lloyds will work out what my BAEC number is correctly, or will they just create another account?

Edit - Avios.com tell me that if I transfer Avios now, it will help as they will know the number to tell Lloyds.

Quieter here than I expected. Having this as a sticky is good, but it also probably means a lot of people miss it as they skip past the stuck posts and go to the discussions.
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Last edited by chistery; Apr 9, 2018 at 10:48 am
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Old Apr 9, 2018, 10:59 am
  #30  
 
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First heard of this from LoveMoney - which has further details esp. re: Tescos. But this forum wont let me post a URL. As a member of BAEC no-one there bothered to inform me. Par for the course.

====

From LoveMoney:Why is this happening?

Avios says that this move simplifies the scheme and gives customers more ways to collect.

Avios has been under pressure for some time now, according to Rob Burgess, who runs airline rewards specialist blog Head for Points.

“With Tesco reducing the role of Clubcard – which was a major driver of Avios, as Clubcard points can be transferred over – and the closure of the Lloyds Avios Rewards credit cards to new applicants following the caps on the fees card companies can charge shops, Avios was likely to struggle to grow going forward," he says.

“By returning it to its original airmiles roots as a frequent flyer programme first and foremost it can consolidate its strongest relationship as the reward scheme for British Airways passengers."

Last edited by ChrisJBrady; Apr 9, 2018 at 11:10 am Reason: Post kept being deleted.
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