Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2015

Winter_Jasmine

duchy wrote: »

No but GBP274 plus a Ryanair cheapy LGW DUB comes close for the Waitrose shoppers

Just trying to work out how to convince OH I need another trip before the wedding now

Waitrose? Am I missing a trick?!

Winter_Jasmine

Talking of points...now that Tesco have devalued non-Tesco spends on their credit card I think we need to change what we spend with. Currently the Amex Preferred Rewards Gold is looking like our best bet (20,000 Virgin miles for spending £2,000 in first three months, plus two free lounge passes). Does anyone know whether you can add two Flying Club numbers to a joint account and split the miles? If not we'll probably end up with me joining then Mr W-J joining in six month-ish (assuming there are no household limits?)

nvh

Winter_Jasmine wrote: »

Talking of points...now that Tesco have devalued non-Tesco spends on their credit card I think we need to change what we spend with. Currently the Amex Preferred Rewards Gold is looking like our best bet (20,000 Virgin miles for spending £2,000 in first three months, plus two free lounge passes). Does anyone know whether you can add two Flying Club numbers to a joint account and split the miles? If not we'll probably end up with me joining then Mr W-J joining in six month-ish (assuming there are no household limits?)

I believe Tesco Visa (for me) / Mastercard is still the best (free) Visa / Mastercard out there for earning points, however this is beaten by Amex in my opinion, and the PRG is one of the best due to its signup bonus.

I would take out the Amex through TopCashback / Quidco (unless there's any significantly better deals on ebay) and hammer the Amex to get the bonus, only using my Tesco card in places that don't accept Amex.

I would have Mrs.NVH as the supplementary card member for the Amex to help me hit target (... she is good at spending money )

After I'd hit the target (and dependant if I'd used the benefits I thought I would, such as the lounge pass), I'd refer Mrs.NVH for her own card to attain more points for myself, and a higher referral bonus for her. I'd spend my Membership Rewards, and close my account (so it's closed for over 6 months and I can be referred after that point).

I'd then be added as a supplementary on her card, and we'd go for the bonus again.

Once my account / card has been closed for 6 months, I'd get Mrs.NVH to refer me for a card and we go round and round and round (note - do not take the pee with this, I actually do the churn for a lot longer than 6 months - it's a generous offer so I wouldn't go overboard as it's one I don't want closing! )

Have a read here - I know it's Avios but it should give you enough information for you to do the maths yourself: http://www.headforpoints.com/2015/09/03/best-avios-visa-or-mastercard/

Just remember that the Amex PRG is a charge card (though anyone who uses a credit card as an actual credit card would probably not be wise to be juggling cards based on points and should be looking at 0% balance transfers instead )

stoneman

Brats64 wrote: »

Right,I must be thick....How are you booking this flight ?

I assume you are not looking at flights through skyscanner or combined flights and hotel sites like Expedia.

Those are the kind of sites that I use for our bookings,they only give you the option to enter a start point,returning to the same place
i.e dub-las-dub via lgw....which sites allow you to enter dub-las-dub
But choose to go via Lhr instead of lgw..sorry if I sound stupid,you'd think after all the trips I've had I would know this but as I say,never done it this way,and book through airlines own website for flights,or Expedia when flight and hotel works out cheaper.

I am like ferf think it could be to much hassle for the saving made,but if we could "get off" in London,and get a train back up north,I might be tempted.

Sorry for sounding thick...I've always thought I was travel savvy after 17-18 trips to Vegas and Orlando...guess I'm not.:rotfl:

I always use Google Flights to look at flight options. I find the ITA matrix a bit confusing.

Google flights lets you pick various options, they come up immediately for months in advance, and when you have picked what you want at the right price scroll down to the bottom and you are directed to whatever airline site you are booking with and to the flights that you picked.

We are traveling to New York next year and I got BA clubworld seats from Copenhagen for £400 each in a recent sale. Could have gotten LAS for £500.

stoneman

nvh wrote: »

Circumstances change though too, so ex-UK is definitely worthy of mention. My old viewpoint of "by any means possible" to Vegas has altered to "as much comfort as affordibly possible", and as stated the Premium fares are where the super cash savings are to be had.

Haha, had to laugh at that mate. We have been using that adage for years. Haven't sat at the back of the bus for probably 10 years now and never paid more than a typical Y seat fare for the privilege.
Just wish Ryanair would do premium seats:rotfl:

stoneman

nvh wrote: »

I believe Tesco Visa (for me) / Mastercard is still the best (free) Visa / Mastercard out there for earning points, however this is beaten by Amex in my opinion, and the PRG is one of the best due to its signup bonus.

I would take out the Amex through TopCashback / Quidco (unless there's any significantly better deals on ebay) and hammer the Amex to get the bonus, only using my Tesco card in places that don't accept Amex.

I would have Mrs.NVH as the supplementary card member for the Amex to help me hit target (... she is good at spending money )

After I'd hit the target (and dependant if I'd used the benefits I thought I would, such as the lounge pass), I'd refer Mrs.NVH for her own card to attain more points for myself, and a higher referral bonus for her. I'd spend my Membership Rewards, and close my account (so it's closed for over 6 months and I can be referred after that point).

I'd then be added as a supplementary on her card, and we'd go for the bonus again.

Once my account / card has been closed for 6 months, I'd get Mrs.NVH to refer me for a card and we go round and round and round (note - do not take the pee with this, I actually do the churn for a lot longer than 6 months - it's a generous offer so I wouldn't go overboard as it's one I don't want closing! )

Have a read here - I know it's Avios but it should give you enough information for you to do the maths yourself: http://www.headforpoints.com/2015/09/03/best-avios-visa-or-mastercard/

Just remember that the Amex PRG is a charge card (though anyone who uses a credit card as an actual credit card would probably not be wise to be juggling cards based on points and should be looking at 0% balance transfers instead )

I have tonnes of Avios at the moment so now we are hitting the IHG card. The £99 one gives you enough points as a signup to stay at the Intercontinental at Times Square as well as Platinum status. . Spend £10K and get a free night anywhere in the world that is associated with IHG

blindman

stoneman wrote: »

I have tonnes of Avios at the moment so now we are hitting the IHG card. The £99 one gives you enough points as a signup to stay at the Intercontinental at Times Square as well as Platinum status. . Spend £10K and get a free night anywhere in the world that is associated with IHG

Make sure you add up the points awarded at the end of each month because Barclays cannot get it right!
Flyertalk thread

If you complain loudly enough you may get a refund of the fee

blindman

nvh wrote: »

I

I would have Mrs.NVH as the supplementary card member for the Amex to help me hit target (... she is good at spending money )

After I'd hit the target
I'd refer Mrs.NVH for her own card to attain more points for myself, and a higher referral bonus for her.

I'd spend my Membership Rewards, and close my account (so it's closed for over 6 months and I can be referred after that point).

Once my account / card has been closed for 6 months, I'd get Mrs.NVH to refer me for a card and we go round and round and round (note - do not take the pee with this, I actually do the churn for a lot longer than 6 months - it's a generous offer so I wouldn't go overboard as it's one I don't want closing! )

Have a read here - I know it's Avios but it should give you enough information for you to do the maths yourself: http://www.headforpoints.com/2015/09/03/best-avios-visa-or-mastercard/

I've been doing this for years with the Amex Gold and the Amex Plat.

The latter has a HUGE fee (£450 :eek: ) but is refunded pro rata when you cancel.

If you can spend the £3k quickly and there are offers on TCB or Quidco you sometimes can make a profit with the refund of the fee + the cashback

Referring each other once you are on the merry go round gets more points.

Head for Points credit and charge card reviews

The Virgin Black card has an annual fee of £140 and occassionally has an increased bonus of up to 32K miles. The fee is non-refundable though.

You get 4 x miles on Amex spend on Virgin flights.

pebblesmax

duchy wrote: »

Does he not fancy Gothenburg instead ?

Not really. He has only really talked about Dublin.

gt568

So for late Sept, early Oct, I should be looking about 500 blats pp return on virgin LGW-LAS? Would that be a fair assumption?