Mr Plane Guy Plane Blog,
Flight Reviews,
Airport Lounges
& Travel Hacks.

Turkey is one of those destinations I keep going back to. Whether I'm flying into Istanbul for a city break, heading to Dalaman for Marmaris, or planning my next adventure to Cappadocia, there's something about Turkey that keeps pulling me back. But after countless flights and holidays, I've also learnt something else... Most people start planning their Turkey holiday in completely the wrong order. They search for flights. Then hotels. Then transfers. Then luggage. Th

Istanbul is the sort of place where you set out for a quick coffee and return six hours later having eaten a fish sandwich, crossed between continents and somehow bought a lamp. I explored the city with my Turkish partner, Tansu. That made a difference: between the big-ticket sights, we stopped for tea, ducked into streets I might have walked past and remembered that the ferry is public transport as well as a rather wonderful way to see Istanbul. You don't need a luxury budg

Cappadocia had been sitting very comfortably on my travel bucket list for years. Then Pegasus Airlines invited me to try its new daily flight from London Gatwick to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, followed by a connecting flight to Kayseri. Suddenly, I was actually going.

British Airways is launching flights from London Gatwick to Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar in May 2027 and honestly, somebody at BA understood the assignment. Safari first. Beach later. Then back to Gatwick by breakfast. The new British Airways Tanzania route will operate three times per week between 29 May and 31 October 2027. It uses a clever triangular routing from London Gatwick to Kilimanjaro, onwards to Zanzibar and then nonstop back to London.

Emirates has unveiled what it calls the world’s first fully electrically powered Premium Economy seat complete with a full-height adjustable privacy divider between every seat. And I’m just going to say it: this could be a Premium Economy game changer. I recently flew Emirates Premium Economy on its then-brand-new Airbus A350 and, despite the beautiful cabin and comfortable seat, I actually hated the overall experience. The cabin was polished, but the service felt robotic,

TUI has finally launched a loyalty programme in the UK and yes, it is free to join. The TUI Smiles Rewards Club lets you collect Smiles when you book eligible TUI holidays, flights, hotels, cruises and experiences. Collect enough and you can move through three membership levels, unlocking offers, games, travel treats and faster customer service along the way.

Did you know you can claim up to £520 per person for flight delays or cancellations?

Your flight has been canceled. The departure board has turned red, the airline app is having a meltdown and the customer-service line already appears to have its own ZIP code. What should you do now? I spent 15 years working onboard aircraft and later worked in airport operations managing delays and disruption. When cancellations begin, the remaining seats can disappear astonishingly quickly. The passengers who recover fastest are usually not those standing silently in th

Virgin Atlantic’s baggage allowance is more generous than many low-cost airlines, but the amount you can check in depends heavily on your fare. Economy Light includes hand luggage but no checked bag, while Premium and Upper Class include two checked bags as standard.

United Airlines has announced the largest international expansion in its history and one route in particular shows why this is much more than another seasonal timetable update. From 31 May 2027, United plans to fly nonstop from Newark Liberty International Airport to Ibiza four times per week using its new Airbus A321XLR. New York to Ibiza on a long-haul, single-aisle aircraft would have sounded highly unlikely not long ago. Ibiza has traditionally been reached from the Uni

Power bank packed? Lovely. Power bank buried inside your checked suitcase? Not so lovely. easyJet passengers need to know a very specific rule in 2026: you can take no more than two power banks, they must travel in your cabin baggage, and you cannot use them to charge your devices during the flight. Yes, the gadget designed to charge your phone must sit there quietly while you are in the air. Plane rules, babes.

The SkyTeam Elite Plus Hack: How Hilton Gold Could Unlock Airline Lounge Access By Mr Plane Guy, Travel Blogger, Flight Expert & Airport Lounge Addict Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click and buy or sign up, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Status-match offers can change or disappear quickly, so always check the current eligibility, fees and terms before applying. Here's a travel hack I wasn't expecting to find. What if your ho

After spending years working in aviation and flying hundreds of times myself, I've realised something. Airport check-in shouldn't be confusing. Yet every week people ask me the same questions. "Can I go straight to security if I've checked in online?" "Do I still need to queue?" "What's the difference between check-in and bag drop?" "Why does Ryanair charge £55?" "How early should I check in?" …and one of my favourites… "What exactly is Check-In Chicken?"

Liverpool Airport is a little bit special to me. I grew up only a few miles away from Speke, with Widnes just along the road, although strangely I hardly ever actually flew from Liverpool Airport when I was growing up. In the 1980s, there really wasn't much to fly on. Liverpool's airport existed, of course, it officially opened in 1933, but it was nothing like the airport it is today. What I remember much more vividly is my dad taking me there to see Concorde. Every Grand

Air France now allows eligible passengers connecting through Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to turn their layover into a city break lasting between one and four nights. You can either explore Paris itself or choose a Disneyland Paris package, making it one of the easiest ways to squeeze an extra destination into your holiday. For anyone already connecting through Paris, it's a fantastic excuse to spend a little longer in one of Europe's greatest cities.

People assume that because I spend my life reviewing airlines, airport lounges and premium cabins, I always book flights separately. Quite often I don't. One of the biggest travel secrets I've learned over the years is this: Package holidays are often cheaper than booking the flights and hotel yourself. Yes... even if you're travelling as a couple. Sometimes the flights alone cost almost as much as the package.

Where I’ve Stayed in New York Over the years, I’ve stayed all over New York – from Midtown skyscrapers and Brooklyn boutique hotels to convenient stopovers in New Jersey and even out on Long Island. Each neighbourhood has its own rhythm, and I’ve learned that a Plane Luxury Escape in NYC doesn’t have to mean five-star prices – you just need to know where to look. Whether you’re crossing the Atlantic with Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy or upgrading to Virgin Atlantic Upper

If you've been searching for Virgin Flying Club, you've come to the right place. Officially known as Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club, it's one of the UK's best airline loyalty programmes, helping members earn Virgin Points through flights, everyday spending and travel partners before redeeming them for reward flights, upgrades and unforgettable trips. After spending 15 years working for Virgin Atlantic, I've seen the airline from both sides of the cabin door. Since leaving, I

I think Hilton Honors might actually be one of the easiest hotel loyalty programmes for ordinary travellers to get value from. With more than 9,000 hotels worldwide, no blackout dates on reward stays and the flexibility to mix points and cash, it's much more accessible than I first imagined.

If you've ever tried to book a flight to Phuket, you'll know it rarely starts with excitement. It usually starts with compromise. A connection in Doha. A layover in Dubai. Maybe a dash across Istanbul Airport trying not to miss your next flight whilst carrying a £6 bottle of water you panic-bought at the gate. By the time you've finally arrived in Thailand, you've spent half a day in airports and forgotten what time zone you're in. That's why this announcement caught my a