MBNA credit card flight offer... Good or another Hoover?

Flonta

Hello all,

A friend pointed me in the direction of a new credit card offer from MBNA to get a free flight to New York.

Find it here: https://wwwa.applyonlinenow.com/UKMPapp/Ctl/redirect?CV_sourceCode=plthugap04_mcds&CV_banner=EDR-EM-31782-34094 .

Having tried the Ernest & Julio Gallo promotion for free flights to the US last year - and read all the feedback on these forums, I wondered if anyone had tried this offer - or know whether it is any good or not? I have not applied for this and therefore do not have full T's and C's but wondered if someone else had?

Details:

Apply for card before 26 May 2005
Spend £500 on purchases before 14th August 2005
Qualify for a free return flight to New York
Related Taxes fees and charges must be paid for by cardholder.
Further details and T's and C's sent once the account is opened.

The card also offers upto 40% off chart CDs and DVDs at CDwow!, 10% discount from asos.com, and disounted driving experiences.

Galstonian

Its one of those "piece of string" questions. Terms and conditions apply to the offer - if you have to stay at a particular hotel during your stay it can enitrely eliminate the benefit of the cheap flight (it is not free as you do have to pay taxes and fees, not always insubstantial). Date restrictions can be quite severe, you may not get to go when you actually want.
Personally I'm not interested as all too often these offers are rubbish but you could call and ask for the offer conditions prior to applying. Of course they probably won't know but that's another story...

Reaper

Here's a copy of my reply from last time the MBNA flight offer was posted (in the Freebies sticky above)...


If it is like previous offers then the catches to expect are:

* Flights will have to be taken in the off season (eg Winter excluding Christmas)
* Limited choice of dates.
* No choice of airline.
* Flights only from London.
* You must pay taxes and sometimes other fees.
* Offer is only for one person. The cost of adding a second person is high.
* Flight times will be the least popular time of day.
* Journeys must include staying overnight on a Saturday (to stop business trips).
* You must have travel insurance. If you do not have this in place already when they are booking the flight they will expect you to accept their expensive policy.

The worst offers go further and insist you pay grossly inflated prices to book hotels through them for the duration of the trip.

People often get upset because they expect too much from these flight offers, but if you are aware of all the above then it can still be very good value (except when they want you to book the hotel too in which case I wouldn't bother).

If you want to add a second person I suggest you just do it yourself once you know the flight details. I did this on a European offer and saved 1/3rd off their "special promotional price".

Flonta

Thank you for the information - I think it is all too complicated for the potential benefit.

Useful info though.