Can a companion award be invalidated?

Old Jan 16, 2021, 3:11 am
  #1  
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Can a companion award be invalidated?

I have spent sufficient money on my BA Amex card to qualify for a Companion award. Part of the spend is for an Airbnb booking at a destination I have yet to travel to. What happens if I receive the Companion award and then later down the line I have to cancel or change my Airbnb booking because of say a flight cancellation, COVID restrictions etc. I would receive the award this February but my travel is only in April. So its possible I may cancel my Airbnb booking in March or April depending on what happens. Will the refund I eventually get from Airbnb then just sit as a positive balance on my Amex card when the money gets paid back from Airbnb? Would Amex cancel the Companion award because of this? Or alternatively will it just mean getting a Companion award the following year will mean I have to spend the GBP10000 plus the refund I get from Airbnb? Nothing is simple these days!
rightfred is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2021, 3:15 am
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The companion voucher will stick, you'll have a negative balance on your next qualification target.
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bisonrav is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2021, 3:33 am
  #3  
 
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Ive pulled that trick deliberately when Ive been tight on triggering the 241. Appreciate not exactly the right behaviour but it worked.
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Old Jan 16, 2021, 4:46 am
  #4  
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Originally Posted by rightfred
Or alternatively will it just mean getting a Companion award the following year will mean I have to spend the GBP10000 plus the refund I get from Airbnb?
Whenever this is asked on the companion voucher threads (see BA American Express companion voucher | master thread for the current one), this is the reported experience.
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Globaliser is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2021, 6:11 am
  #5  
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Heres the thread for all queries 241 BA American Express companion voucher | master thread

But yes, once the voucher is in your BAEC account whatever you do with the Amex doesnt matter.... as long as you retain an amex at all times to pay for using the voucher
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Old Jan 16, 2021, 12:08 pm
  #6  
 
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The voucher will stick. If the refund occurs in the same card year it will make no difference as you already have the voucher and your balance will be zeroed at the end of the year. If the refund occurs in the next card year, the refund will add to the target needed in the new card year for the next voucher.
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