Converting Marriott points to BA Exec Club - Australian address issue?

[adelee]

Hi all

I'm keen to take advantage of the current 35% bonus for converting hotel points (incl. Marriott) to BA Exec Club. I plan to purchase a 270k 7 night travel package, which will net me a cool 162,000 Avios.

However, when I joined Exec Club some years back, I used a friend's address in London in order to bypass the Australian address restriction. Whereas my Marriott profile has my correct Australian address. I've tried changing the Exec Club address in my account to Australia recently online, but this isn't possible. I'm concerned that the transfer of points may not go through from Marriott to BA if the addresses don't match, as in the past when I've converted Marriott points, the operator has told me that it's important that all the name and address details on both accounts match.

Anyone have any thoughts? My options would appear to be to either just go ahead and attempt the transfer and hope that it doesn't get declined due to diff addresses, or alternatively try and escalate with BA (noting that as they are clear that they do not support the program in Australia, possibly they may try to cancel my membership?).

 

[burmans]

Hi all

I'm keen to take advantage of the current 35% bonus for converting hotel points (incl. Marriott) to BA Exec Club. I plan to purchase a 270k 7 night travel package, which will net me a cool 162,000 Avios.

However, when I joined Exec Club some years back, I used a friend's address in London in order to bypass the Australian address restriction. Whereas my Marriott profile has my correct Australian address. I've tried changing the Exec Club address in my account to Australia recently online, but this isn't possible. I'm concerned that the transfer of points may not go through from Marriott to BA if the addresses don't match, as in the past when I've converted Marriott points, the operator has told me that it's important that all the name and address details on both accounts match.

Anyone have any thoughts? My options would appear to be to either just go ahead and attempt the transfer and hope that it doesn't get declined due to diff addresses, or alternatively try and escalate with BA (noting that as they are clear that they do not support the program in Australia, possibly they may try to cancel my membership?).

Can't really help with what is the "right" approach but would suggest contacting BA is most definitely the wrong approach.

 

[adelee]

Can't really help with what is the "right" approach but would suggest contacting BA is most definitely the wrong approach.

Really, why is that? I would imagine there must be a number of expat Brits and other people that have legitimately relocated to Australia, and have attempted to update their addresses as a result. I've had my BA Exec Club account 8 years, and have worked a 6 month period in the UK during that time. So I'm not particularly concerned, as the address update could be perfectly legitimate. I further suspect that the Aussie address issue is simply a system quirk that BA haven't yet gotten around to fixing since the QF partnership wrapped up. However, would welcome feedback from anyone who has been in the same situation.

 

[burmans]

I suspect you already know the answer to this - "British Airways does not operate an Executive Club programme in the South West Pacific."

The points you make are all very valid except that British Airways get to set the terms of their FF programs, and their T&C's make it very clear they have the right to not allow membership to people with residential addresses in certain countries and Australia is one. The fact their online system does not allow you to change to Australia could perhaps be a clue.

But hey, feel free to find out this in person.

 

[glasszon]

Hi all

I'm keen to take advantage of the current 35% bonus for converting hotel points (incl. Marriott) to BA Exec Club. I plan to purchase a 270k 7 night travel package, which will net me a cool 162,000 Avios.

However, when I joined Exec Club some years back, I used a friend's address in London in order to bypass the Australian address restriction. Whereas my Marriott profile has my correct Australian address. I've tried changing the Exec Club address in my account to Australia recently online, but this isn't possible. I'm concerned that the transfer of points may not go through from Marriott to BA if the addresses don't match, as in the past when I've converted Marriott points, the operator has told me that it's important that all the name and address details on both accounts match.

Anyone have any thoughts? My options would appear to be to either just go ahead and attempt the transfer and hope that it doesn't get declined due to diff addresses, or alternatively try and escalate with BA (noting that as they are clear that they do not support the program in Australia, possibly they may try to cancel my membership?).

No issues as long as your name match on both accounts, my BAEC account have my Hong Kong address while Marriott have my Australian address, no issue whatsoever and the points hit my account within 48 hours of transfer.

 

[kamchatsky]

My BAEC Account has a UK address. My Marriott account has Australian address. A month ago I got Marriott Travel Package and got 120K Avios. The Avios arrived in my BAEC account within 3 days. So you should not have any issues as long as the names match.

 

[annielee]

Redeem Marriott travel package few weeks ago during the 35% avios miles, and the avios got transferred within 3 days as well.. no issue at all

 

[Holysmoke]

I want to transfer points from SPG to BA Avios. I have an old account with BA Exec Club but it has a nil balance. I was told by a BA rep that the BA account must have atleast 1 Avios point in it to accept transfers in. I understood this to apply only for direct purchases but not for hotel transfers.
Does anyone know of this rule for transfers or experience in transferring into a nil account?

 

[annielee]

i recently converted from SPG/Marriott to the BA travel package, and successfully got the points within 3 days even i've 0 points in my BA account..

I want to transfer points from SPG to BA Avios. I have an old account with BA Exec Club but it has a nil balance. I was told by a BA rep that the BA account must have atleast 1 Avios point in it to accept transfers in. I understood this to apply only for direct purchases but not for hotel transfers.
Does anyone know of this rule for transfers or experience in transferring into a nil account?

 

[adelee]

Hi all, a quick (belated) update. I managed to purchase a Marriott travel package and transfer across to BA Exec club just fine (points showed up within 38 hours). As others have mentioned above, there doesn't seem to be a need to hold consistent address information, only name.

Now to work out some wonderful redemption opportunities with the sweet spots on the BA chart!