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

Welcome to Mr Plane Guy Plane Blog,
home of Plane Honest airline reviews, airport lounge guides, flight deals and real-world travel hacks.
Use the categories to explore lounge reviews, airline experiences, points and miles tips, and smart ways to travel better for less.
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How I Find British Airways Reward Flights in Minutes (Including the New Club Suite Seats)
You Deserve a Reward, Not a Headache
Let’s be honest.
Collecting Avios is the fun part.
Spending them? That’s where the stress kicks in.
Trying to find British Airways reward flights on BA.com can feel like a full-time job:
Searching date by date
Cabin by cabin
Route by route
Watching seats appear… then disappear
It’s slow. It’s frustrating and it’s why so many people sit on huge Avios balances they never use. That’s exactly why tools like Reward Flight Fin

Mr Plane Guy


What Is an Avios Point Worth? British Airways Avios Value in 2026
If you’ve ever googled “how much are Avios points worth” or “avios points value”, here’s the Plane Honest answer:
Most people use ~1p per Avios as a sensible baseline
Your real value depends on what you’d actually pay in cash
The best redemptions usually come from: peak cash prices + premium cabins + vouchers + good availability

Mr Plane Guy


British Airways Tier Points: Bonus System Explained
British Airways has just confirmed some big news for frequent flyers: the bonus tier points offer first launched in December 2024 is now permanent.
And the best bit? From 25 November 2025 you’ll earn these extra tier points automatically no more opting in.
If you fly BA for work, or you’re planning a long-overdue holiday, these changes make it meaningfully easier to climb the British Airways Club tiers and unlock benefits like lounge access, priority security, extra baggage

Mr Plane Guy


Vueling Says Adiós to Avios, Here’s What You Need to Know
This one slipped out quietly, but it’s a meaningful change if you collect Avios and occasionally fly Vueling.
Vueling, IAG’s Barcelona-based low-cost carrier and sister airline to British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus, has confirmed changes to its Vueling Club loyalty programme.
The headline change? For many travellers, Avios won’t be earned at all at least not straight away.

Mr Plane Guy


British Airways Club Members Can Boost Avios by Up to 500%
If you collect Avios points or you’re trying to build a balance fast for a specific trip, this is one of the strongest short-term plays British Airways has offered in a while.
For a limited time, British Airways Club members can boost Avios by up to 500%, at a cost as low as 0.92p per Avios.
Used correctly, this can materially change what you can book with British Airways Avios in 2026.
Used badly, you’ll overpay.
Here’s how it actually works.

Mr Plane Guy


Plane Avios Tip of the Week
If you’re looking for easy ways to earn British Airways Avios points without stepping on a plane, this is a genuinely useful new partnership, especially if you live in London or have a trip planned.
Avios has launched a new earning partner with TodayTix, the popular West End theatre ticket app and website.

Mr Plane Guy


Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday… Paying With Emirates Skywards
Emirates Skywards has quietly dropped one of its most useful UK-focused updates in a long time and if you collect Plane Points & Miles, this one’s genuinely worth paying attention to.
Emirates’ loyalty programme has officially partnered with Jet2.com, the UK’s favourite leisure airline, meaning you can now redeem Emirates Skywards Miles on Jet2 flights to more than 75 destinations across Europe and beyond.
Yes, thats Jet2 beach holidays, city breaks, ski trips… now payable

Mr Plane Guy


The Plane Guide to Avios (2026): How Avios Work & How They Unlock Business Class
If you’re new to Avios and feel like everyone else knows something you don’t, this guide is for you. Avios are easy to earn. Using them well is the part most people struggle with.
Between BA Avios, credit cards, Avios partners, shopping portals and bonuses, it’s never been easier to build up an Avios balance. But when it comes to actually booking BA reward flights, that’s where frustration usually kicks in.

Mr Plane Guy


Flying Blue Status Match for British Airways Club Members (A Sneaky Strategic Move)
British Airways loyalists don’t usually look across the fence, but Flying Blue is now giving British Airways Club members a very good reason to do exactly that.
Air France–KLM’s loyalty programme has launched a new status match aimed at BA elites in the UK, unlocking recognition across Air France, KLM, SkyTeam, and slightly awkwardly for BA, Virgin Atlantic.

Mr Plane Guy


Do Avios Expire? Everything You Need to Know in 2026 (What BA Doesn’t Tell You)
You’ve probably heard the horror stories: someone logs into their British Airways Executive Club account, ready to book a cheeky reward flight… only to find their Avios balance has vanished. No warning. No apology. Just poof, gone.
So, do Avios expire? Yes, but not in the way most people think. And this is the bit British Airways doesn’t exactly announce over the tannoy.
Let’s clear it up properly.

Mr Plane Guy


Plane Avios Tip of the Week
If you’re setting new goals for 2026, travel goals, financial organisation, or simply being a bit more intentional, this is one of the cleanest Avios offers I’ve seen in a while.
No shopping portals.No endless stacking.Just one action… and 10,000 Avios.

Mr Plane Guy


Plane Avios Tip of the Week: Turn Your Online Shopping Into Free Flights with SHEIN
If you’re buying clothes, basics, or last-minute festive bits online anyway, this is one of the easiest Avios wins I’ve seen in a while.
Right now, new customers shopping at SHEIN UK can earn up to 30 Avios per £1 spent and on top of that, Avios is running a 50% Christmas bonus across 1,000+ brands.
That means your everyday online shopping can quietly turn into British Airways Avios, flight upgrades, or future reward flights.

Mr Plane Guy


Plane Avios Tip of the Week: Turn Your Christmas Wine Into Free Flights
If you’re hosting, gifting, or simply stocking up for Christmas, this is one of the easiest Avios boosters of the season.
Right now, you can earn:
5,000 Avios when you spend £150
2,500 Avios when you spend £100
on wine, Champagne, spirits and mixed cases across the Christmas shop.

Mr Plane Guy


Buy Virgin Points With a 70% Bonus: Fly Virgin Upper Class for Less in 2026 (Last Call 31 December)
The Smartest Travel Gift for 2026, This Is How You Fly Virgin Upper Class for Less
Most gifts are forgotten by February. This one turns into boarding passes, lounge access, and Champagne at 35,000 feet.
Right now, Virgin Atlantic is running one of the most powerful Flying Club offers of the year: up to a 70% bonus when you buy Virgin Points, available until 31 December 2025. Used properly, this isn’t speculative points collecting, it’s a direct route into real reward flight

Mr Plane Guy


British Airways Just Made Your Avios Worth Less, Here’s What's Changing
The Smart Reality of Spending Avios after the Devaluation
Avios isn’t “dead” but it has officially become a precision tool, not a blanket reward system.
Smart Avios users will now:
Target very specific routes
Compare upgrade vs full redemption
Use tools like Reward Flight Finder to avoid blind searching
Spend Avios sooner, not later
Because one rule always wins with airline currency:

Mr Plane Guy


British Airways Is Letting You Bid for Upgrades Here’s Exactly How It Works
British Airways has quietly launched a new way to upgrade your flight and for once, it gives passengers real control over what they pay.
Instead of fixed upgrade prices at check-in, BA is now testing a bidding system that allows selected passengers to make an offer for a higher cabin before departure. If your bid is successful, you move up. If not, you stay put, no harm done.
It’s rolled out slowly, and not every route or flight qualifies yet. But this is clearly part of BA

Mr Plane Guy


From Trains to Planes: Earn TRIPLE Virgin Points on Any Train Ticket with Virgin Red & Flying Club
If you’ve ever wished your everyday travel could earn enough Virgin Points to get you closer to upgrades, Premium cabins or even Upper Class… this is your week.
Right now, Virgin Red has dropped one of its strongest bonuses of the entire year:TRIPLE Virgin Points on any train ticket booked through Virgin Trains Ticketing until 30 November 2025.

Mr Plane Guy


Plane Avios Tip of the Week
Avios has launched its biggest shopping promotion of the year: 50% bonus Avios on over 1,000 retailers for Black Friday 2025. Whether you’re doing Christmas shopping, grabbing early sales or just topping up essentials, this is the easiest way to earn a huge stack of Avios fast. With boosted earning rates, double-dips and some brands offering massive first-time customer bonuses.

Mr Plane Guy


Qatar Airways Now Charging for Seat Selection on Business Class Avios Tickets
In a move that’s ruffled more than a few frequent-flyer feathers, Qatar Airways has quietly started charging for Business Class seat selection on Avios reward flights — unless you have British Airways Silver or Gold status (or another oneworld equivalent).
The change kicked in this week and applies to both new and existing bookings, whether you made them through Qatar Airways or the British Airways Executive Club.

Mr Plane Guy


Redeeming Avios on JetBlue Flights: How to Maximise Your Qatar Airways Privilege Club Points
For travellers who collect Qatar Airways Avios, one of the more exciting partnerships in recent years is with JetBlue Airways. This collaboration means you can now redeem Avios for JetBlue flights, including the highly sought-after JetBlue Mint business class.
In this guide, I’ll explain how the redemption works, what to expect in terms of Avios pricing, and whether using Avios on JetBlue is good value.

Mr Plane Guy
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