Yes its a very poorly constructed scheme, though I'm not complaining about my free standard premium and first class tickets. Of course with split ticketing I got there rather faster than planned! But yes, there's little point in retaining a status when there don't seem to be any benefits other than the free ticket.
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Club Avanti
- Thread starter realemil
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styles
Member
Yeah the 'tiers' don't mean anything. I did wonder if they added them anticipating that they might offer different perks for different tiers in future.. or if it's just a marketing gimmick. I'd have thought most people who actually seek out frequent flyer-style schemes would see through it, but then, I don't work in marketing.
I've enjoyed my free first class tickets so far. Most annoying side of it though is finding eligible journeys to actually use them on. It's sometimes hard to force the Avanti journey planner to show longer connections for Avanti-only services.
I've enjoyed my free first class tickets so far. Most annoying side of it though is finding eligible journeys to actually use them on. It's sometimes hard to force the Avanti journey planner to show longer connections for Avanti-only services.
Leisurefirst
Member
- Joined
- 23 Apr 2013
- Messages
- 455
Thanks both for the replies
I just don't know what I can/shouldn't expect next "year" after reaching the top tier this year?
Do I get another Premium Return after 9 journeys and a First Return after 21...?????
Or just one?
Or neither...?!
styles
Member
Your qualifying journeys reset to 0 at the start of each club year. So after your 9 journeys after the start of that year, you'll get the standard premium ticket.
The 'tier' means nothing.
The 'tier' means nothing.
Leisurefirst
Member
- Joined
- 23 Apr 2013
- Messages
- 455
Do they have any way of knowing who is actually using the tickets?
Reason I ask is I have booked two different trips on the same account, one a single and one a return. Both are on the same train out, obviously only one has a return. So is that going to count as 3 trips 2xout 1xback? Or as there are two on the same train are they going to count that as 1?
Reason I ask is I have booked two different trips on the same account, one a single and one a return. Both are on the same train out, obviously only one has a return. So is that going to count as 3 trips 2xout 1xback? Or as there are two on the same train are they going to count that as 1?
Leisurefirst
Member
- Joined
- 23 Apr 2013
- Messages
- 455
As long as the journeys are 75 miles or more each counts booked on your account regardless of who used it, so three.Do they have any way of knowing who is actually using the tickets?
Reason I ask is I have booked two different trips on the same account, one a single and one a return. Both are on the same train out, obviously only one has a return. So is that going to count as 3 trips 2xout 1xback? Or as there are two on the same train are they going to count that as 1?
A return counts as two journeys.
They are added after travel not when you book so bear that in mind towards the end of the membership year.
Wolves-London, so that bit is fine. Wonderful, thanks!
And can the reward tickets be used as 2 singles for 2 different journeys, or has to be on 1?
Out of interest, how do they determine the distance/is there anywhere to see if its based on WCML/rail as opposed to as crow flies etc?
And can the reward tickets be used as 2 singles for 2 different journeys, or has to be on 1?
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Leisurefirst
Member
- Joined
- 23 Apr 2013
- Messages
- 455
I just found this which seems very useful!
The use of the free return journey is an interesting question to which I cannot find the answer in their Ts & C's.
I was wondering myself as potentially I would like to use one of mine to travel Euston to Glasgow but return from Edinburgh.
I would assume it has to be the same as it talks of a "return journey" yet the booking process seems to be that you book Advance Singles.
Anybody know please?
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Having been pretty cynical about Avanti's loyalty scheme, I was very pleasantly surprised to find a free standard premier return ticket code in my inbox on the weekend. I'm not quite sure how I qualified as most of my Avanti journeys are either beyond Euston on other operators' trains, or to London International (CIV). Since I usually travel with a two together Railcard, it saves me very little to book for the two of us, but I just bought a friend a ticket to visit from Edinburgh, which saved £249
Russel
Established Member
Nice little bonus then!
I really need to start booking Avanti journeys via Avanti so I can take advantage of this scheme, rather than just booking via the XC app because I'm already signed up to it!
Belperpete
Established Member
- Joined
- 17 Aug 2018
- Messages
- 2,395
I am not sure how you even managed to book them on the Avanti site! All my journeys are beyond Euston, and their site refuses to sell the tickets, either saying no seats left (when there patently are) or crashes the payment. As discussed previously, a known issue with the Avanti site, that they can't be bothered to fix, so I have given up on them.
Making use of a free first class ticket to get most of the way to the Highlands, on a day where LNER is not selling any first class tickets at all to Inverness, and BA is £240. I'll take that; nice perk.
I'd like to see more rewarding of loyalty but I'm not complaining either.
I'd like to see more rewarding of loyalty but I'm not complaining either.
I've not had any problems with their site of late. I usually use their app for all my short-notice bookings (mostly not on their network) but use their site for advanced bookings that go via Euston. Maybe it's just certain routes that it doesn't like, as I haven't experienced the problems you describe.
Essan
Member
I joined Club Avanti a few years ago, but as I normally make just 2 return journeys a year on Avanti trains (Birmingham to Glasgow) I never really gave any thought to it. Pleasantly surprised on return from my trip last week to find I've qualified for a free Standard Premium ticket next time I go up 
I use split ticketing but that usually amounts to 4 tickets per journey, so haven't qualified before. Must have managed to spit it into 5 tickets last autumn, to bring it up to the required 9.
I'll make note in future to make more splits
I use split ticketing but that usually amounts to 4 tickets per journey, so haven't qualified before. Must have managed to spit it into 5 tickets last autumn, to bring it up to the required 9.
I'll make note in future to make more splits
Ayman Ilham
Member
I'm guessing you split ticket at Preston? Because both Birmingham to Preston and Preston to Glasgow are each more than 75 miles (also both legs consistently have cheap advanced fares around a tenner even a week in advance which is a nice little bonus I suppose), so are 'qualifying journeys' as far as Club Avanti is concerned. Thus splitting Birmingham to Glasgow at Preston turns two qualifying journeys into four per round trip. However, splitting somewhere like Crewe or Carlisle won't work as effectively, as Birmingham to Crewe is less than 75 miles, as is Carlisle to Glasgow.I joined Club Avanti a few years ago, but as I normally make just 2 return journeys a year on Avanti trains (Birmingham to Glasgow) I never really gave any thought to it. Pleasantly surprised on return from my trip last week to find I've qualified for a free Standard Premium ticket next time I go up
I use split ticketing but that usually amounts to 4 tickets per journey, so haven't qualified before. Must have managed to spit it into 5 tickets last autumn, to bring it up to the required 9.
I'll make note in future to make more splits
Essan
Member
Latest trip was spit at Oxenholme.
And thinking about it, I dont think you can split the trip twice to make 3 qualifying journeys? So not sure how they calculated it, unless they've included my journeys last June as well as this June ..... Oh well, I have the free ticket code so not going to worry about it!
I'm not 100% sure they always apply the 75 mile rule. I managed to get from zero to the top tier in just two months earlier this year, mainly by using split tickets to get between Coventry and Euston. The overall journey qualifies as it's above the minimum, but I'd say at least 50% of my journeys involved splits.
Millisle
Member
Carlisle to Glasgow is 101. Even Lockerbie scrapes in at 76.
Essan
Member
In that case (and I've still not looked at the distances!) then splitting twice between Birm and Glas could well result in 3 qualifying journeys.
Ayman Ilham
Member
Oh wow, I always seem to underestimate how long Carlisle to Glasgow or Edinburgh really is!
Then the first split would have to be at Preston, as Preston to Carlisle (IIRC) is just over 75 miles.
andythebrave
Member
Or Wigan and Penrith.
Or Warrington and Penrith.
However, I doubt that these would ever result in any savings.
Leisurefirst
Member
- Joined
- 23 Apr 2013
- Messages
- 455
Reached "Platinum" today, hurrah!
Can anybody clear something up for me please?
I don't understand the free Euston Lounge pass also issued.
Does it mean that the free First Class ticket doesn't include lounge access so that's why it's provided (in which case what about other destinations?)
Or (am I being overly optimistic here) is it an extra entry which you can use with a Standard ticket as your entry is included anyway in the free First Class Return?
Can anybody clear something up for me please?
I don't understand the free Euston Lounge pass also issued.
Does it mean that the free First Class ticket doesn't include lounge access so that's why it's provided (in which case what about other destinations?)
Or (am I being overly optimistic here) is it an extra entry which you can use with a Standard ticket as your entry is included anyway in the free First Class Return?
danbarjon
Member
Used my Standard Premium free ticket. It's remarkably generous, I used on a very pricey pair of trains yet there are no restrictions or yield management. £250 of value for me.
Hit Platinum last week, interestingly the email arrived on the day of my qualifying 21st journey but ahead of departure time. Will be rinsing the First ticket to Glasgow...
Hit Platinum last week, interestingly the email arrived on the day of my qualifying 21st journey but ahead of departure time. Will be rinsing the First ticket to Glasgow...
Russel
Established Member
I really need to start booking more Avanti journeys directly with Avanti to take advantage of this...
Problem is I like the flexibility of being able to change advance tickets for free when booked with XC!
I'll have spent around £1200 on tickets to get Platinum (technically my businesses money), and will get at least £500 value back. Not sure what the change fees might be if you book with AWC but I suspect you'll still see some value!
Good lord, really? I managed it in just over six weeks commuting from Coventry to Euston, mainly on advances that didn't cost that much! To be fair I think the Coventry <> Euston route might be one of the easiest ones to get through the tiers on the cheap as it just exceeds the (I think) 70-mile minimum journey distance for a journey to qualify for your overall tally.
Nice reminder though -- I gifted my free SP journey to Mrs J, but the free 1st one is still burning a metaphorical hole in my Avanti account. I can see a cheeky couple of days off / nice long trip to Scotland in my near future
Mcr Warrior
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 8 Jan 2009
- Messages
- 14,787
Believe Coventry to Euston is ~ 93 miles (each way).