Warning - Agoda

[Gold Member]

Why bother chasing Velocity points when Cashrewards is offering 5.6% cash back?

 

[JohnK]

Why bother chasing Velocity points when Cashrewards is offering 5.6% cash back?

From where? Agoda?

 

[Gold Member]

From where? Agoda?

Search Cashrewards

 

[UP4014]

Why? I find they are one of the best hotel room aggregators and very competitive.

- Current Agoda promotion of 10% off.
- earn Velocity points on all bookings. Or AA miles. Some other airlines earn only on higher rates
- earn cashback with each booking to use on future bookings
- Current Amex promotion of spent $300 on Agoda and get $60 back

I'm not a Velocity member (eeh god I hear you and all FFers say) and presently direct most things QF way.

When I book something it's usually on location rather than price and I dumped Amex.

The points and savings are a means to an end, not the end in itself <ducks>

Gee I'm a real party pooper these days !

Matt

 

[JohnK]

The points and savings are a means to an end, not the end in itself <ducks>

Gee I'm a real party pooper these days !

Actually you are free of the obsession collecting points.

For me the Velocity points are free as I'll book with Agoda anyway.

 

[Cynicor]

Might have another look at them JohnK. I've used booking.com, mostly by default...

 

[JohnK]

Search Cashrewards

Actually Agoda has recently been offering a 5% immediate discount on top of the 3%-4% cashback you get after completing the stay. Use code SPECIALAUG, SPECIALSEP and now SPECIALOCT. I thought it was 10% in previous months but only offering 5% off a booking I am looking at making for next May.

I am not sure if the special promotion field appears in the payment page if you come from CashRewards. I sometimes don't see that field depending from where I am accessing Agoda.

 

[JFi]

I am not sure if the special promotion field appears in the payment page if you come from CashRewards. I sometimes don't see that field depending from where I am accessing Agoda.

Codes only work through CashRewards if it's on the deals page. Codes that are from email links like the recently expired 10% off Worldwide doesn't work. Luckily for me, the place I was going had the code on the deals page which meant I got the 10% off + CashRewards + Agoda cashback + Velocity points + AE offer which made it a much better offer than any other sites.

 

[Nathant123]

Sorry to bump a fairly old thread. I recently did a bit of travelling and reluctantly booked a hotel in Johannesburg through Agoda. I say reluctantly as I was under the impression you can no longer collect Velocity points. Today I was going through my online statements and realised I'd been credited the points. I thought that partnership had ended? Pretty sure the Velocity Facebook team told me the same and that I wouldn't be credited any points. Has something changed? I'm only interested as I'll be travelling back to South Africa within the next few months for a week and would rather book through Agoda if I can collect the points AND find a decent rate.

 

[odysseus]

Sorry to bump a fairly old thread. I recently did a bit of travelling and reluctantly booked a hotel in Johannesburg through Agoda. I say reluctantly as I was under the impression you can no longer collect Velocity points. Today I was going through my online statements and realised I'd been credited the points. I thought that partnership had ended? Pretty sure the Velocity Facebook team told me the same and that I wouldn't be credited any points. Has something changed? I'm only interested as I'll be travelling back to South Africa within the next few months for a week and would rather book through Agoda if I can collect the points AND find a decent rate.

Unfortunately they still say it is terminated: https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.c...tNews/velocity-frequent-flyer-welcomes-agoda/

 

[Nathant123]

Unfortunately they still say it is terminated: https://www.velocityfrequentflyer.c...tNews/velocity-frequent-flyer-welcomes-agoda/

Yes this is the link the Velocity Facebook team directed me to however I only booked last minute a couple months ago via Agoda and there was still the option to put in the Velocity number which I did but I completely expected to receive no points, yet I received the usual 3pts to the $. Strange that while the partnership is terminated they are still giving away the points.

 

[JohnK]

You can collect Velocity points from Agoda with PointsMax. Usually has good points earn with Velocity where as other frequent flyer programs can be poor.

Of course it makes sense to also compare rates as sometimes the $saving on not receiving points with PointsMax can be much better.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

SHOCKING Agoda.
Used to be my go to place to book hotels.
Now, its horrid.
Complains board has horror stories of booking paid, but hotel says its not accepting bookings, etc, or people cancelling bookings, but Agoda won't refund.
No confirmations of bookings, or future bookings, etc.
Scary.
In my case, I dropped Agoda for a while for my hotel bookings, now that they have a link with SQ's Krisflyer, I thought I would go back to them, but now they won't send me password reminder verification emails, either with email I used when I joined Agoda, and with 2nd email address.
But then I had a look around, its scary what the world's feeling for that website is like.
If anyone is planning to join Agoda, have a read as much as possible what to expect first before going ahead with joining or booking with them.
They said email sent, but I checked both my emails, nothing from Agoda in either inboxes.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

I haven't had any issues with Agoda, but they are not my primary hotel booking option.

Yesterday they sent an email about Gift Cards, which apparently replaces their previous reward program. I had used PointsMax previously to get Velocity Points from Agoda bookings but was never aware of anything else.

Your 0 Rewards Points have been converted to Gift Cards.

Somehow my 0 Reward Points have become US$16.90 of Gift Cards. I'm not complaining!

 

[Pleb Status]

Although Agoda generally does not pay VFF points anymore, I still use them regularly as they are the cheapest option in most cases (particularly in conjunction with the Amex Connect discount).

I have never had a problem with any booking I have made with them in the past and they are part of the Priceline Group...

 

[Strategic Aviation]

Although Agoda generally does not pay VFF points anymore, I still use them regularly as they are the cheapest option in most cases (particularly in conjunction with the Amex Connect discount).

Did you get anything about Gift Cards?

 

[Pleb Status]

Did you get anything about Gift Cards?

I normally book the cheapest possible option via a discount link and these bookings generally do not pay any rewards at all. So I have no outstanding reward points/dollars etc.

I have earned/used some Agoda gift cards in the past however...

 

[Strategic Aviation]

The email template comes across like it was meant for all members.

You’ve been upgraded to Gift Cards -- Agoda’s best rewards program ever!

All the benefits of Rewards Points, but with true flexibility and easy redemption.

Your 0 Rewards Points have been converted to Gift Cards.

Your first Gift Card is already waiting for you. Use it immediately on new booking worldwide, or save it for a special occasion.

We listened to your feedback. Let us introduce Agoda Gift Cards.

FLEXIBLE
No more redemption tiers! You don’t have to reach any minimums to redeem. Use any amount, as low as one cent, on any booking!

WORRY-FREE
No more worries about points expiring because you don’t have the minimum.

SIMPLE
Value in currency, with no more conversion from points to currency. You know exactly how much you earned.

Additionally, soon you’ll be able to share Agoda Gift Cards with friends. They make great gifts.

 

[odysseus]

Didn't get the email - and my 0 rewards points became $0 gift card balance.

 

[JohnK]

Although Agoda generally does not pay VFF points anymore...

Even with PointsMAX?