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

If you've been looking for a travel debit card that rewards you beyond simply avoiding foreign transaction fees, Hilton has just launched its biggest UK welcome offer yet. The Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card is now offering up to 50,000 Hilton Honors points for new cardholders, alongside instant Gold status and the opportunity to earn Elite Qualifying Nights through everyday spending. For anyone who regularly stays at Hilton hotels or is looking for one of the best travel deb

For years, UK travellers wanting to earn IHG One Rewards points from everyday spending had limited options after the previous IHG credit cards disappeared from the market. That's now changed. IHG has partnered with Revolut to launch two new UK Visa debit cards, giving travellers another way to earn hotel rewards without relying on a traditional credit card. Available as both a free Essential card and a paid Elite card, the new products combine Revolut's travel-friendly ban

For a limited time, American Express cardholders can boost their Virgin Atlantic Flying Club balance with a generous 30% transfer bonus. Normally, American Express Membership Rewards points transfer to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at a 1:1 ratio. However, during this promotion, every 1,000 Membership Rewards points transferred will become 1,300 Virgin Points. If you've been planning a Virgin Atlantic reward flight, Upper Class upgrade, or simply want to build your Virgin Fl

If you've ever wanted to try an Emirates stopover in Dubai, this might be one of the best travel deals of the summer. For a limited time, Emirates is offering passengers a complimentary stay at the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, one of the city's best-known luxury hotels. The offer is available on eligible Emirates bookings made between 22 June and 12 July 2026. Even better? Economy Class passengers qualify too.

Avios are easy to earn. Using them properly is the part most people struggle with. This is the Plane Guide to BA Reward Flights: a realistic, no-hype breakdown of how Avios reward flights actually work, how many seats British Airways guarantees, when they’re released, and why they seem to vanish.

Virgin Red and Virgin Atlantic have launched one of their biggest-ever points promotions, offering up to a 70% bonus when you buy Virgin Points. If you're planning a Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy redemption, dreaming of Upper Class, or simply need a few extra points to complete your next booking, this could be one of the cheapest opportunities to boost your balance this year. But should you buy Virgin Points? I've done the maths. (Ok ChatGPT did)

A couple of years ago, Hotels.com took one of the simplest loyalty schemes in travel… and completely overcomplicated it. They rolled everything into One Key, tried to merge multiple brands together, and in the process made it worse for pretty much everyone. Less value. Less clarity. Less reason to use it. Now? They’ve reversed it and I’ll be honest, I didn’t think they would.

For years, easyJet avoided traditional airline loyalty schemes. No points. No status cards. No complicated mileage maths. No airport lounge obsession. But that’s officially changing. easyJet has now confirmed it plans to launch a brand-new loyalty programme in 2027… and honestly? I’m kind of fascinated by this. Because unlike some airlines desperately trying to create loyal customers, easyJet already has them.

Priority Pass has revealed its best airport lounges in the world for 2026, and as someone who spends far too much time judging lounge pastries, prosecco temperature and whether the ambience is giving airport chaos or pre flight luxury , I obviously had to take a look. The Priority Pass Excellence Awards are based on more than 700,000 member ratings and reviews. Vienna Lounge at Vienna Airport has been named the best Priority Pass lounge in Europe, while No1 Lounge at Je

Qatar Airways QSuites is regularly ranked as one of the BEST business class experiences in the world. Private suites.Sliding doors.Lie-flat beds.Restaurant-style dining.And on some aircraft… even double beds in the middle seats. Honestly? It’s closer to first class than most business class products. The problem? Cash fares can easily cost: £3,000 £4,000 sometimes MUCH more But using Avios, you can sometimes fly the EXACT same Qatar Airways QSuite experience for far less than

British Airways is facing serious backlash from frequent flyers and if you’re a British Airways frequent flyer, this one matters. Over the past few days, reports have emerged of random loyalty status extensions being handed out… while others, including long-term loyal members, have lost their British Airways Silver or British Airways Gold status completely. And here’s the real issue: 👉 Those who lost status also lost lounge access, priority perks, and key travel benefits

If you collect Virgin Red points, fly with Virgin Atlantic or simply like getting more value from your supermarket shopping, this is one of the best Virgin Points offers I’ve seen in a while. Right now, Tesco Clubcard members can get 30% extra Virgin Points when manually converting Tesco Clubcard vouchers into Virgin Points before 30th June 2026. And honestly? If you already collect Virgin Points, this is a pretty easy win.

Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday fix of UK airline updates, aviation news, loyalty deals, and travel hacks. This week I fell straight down an aviation rabbit hole. I watched an old BBC documentary on British Airways cabin crew training from 1987… and it instantly took me back to my own training days. The drills, the discipline, the intensity, it’s amazing how much has changed… and how much really hasn’t

If you’re collecting points with Virgin Red or flying with Virgin Atlantic, this is one of the fastest ways to boost your balance right now and in 2026, the current offer is strong.

Virgin Red has just partnered with Marks & Spencer through its revamped Sparks loyalty programme, promising more rewards from the things you already do. Sounds great, right? Well… yes and no.

If you’re flying from Gatwick North Terminal, the Hampton by Hilton is easily one of the most convenient and best-value airport hotels you can book. ✅ Direct terminal access (no shuttle needed) ✅ Breakfast from 4am (continental) + full hot breakfast from 6am ✅ Hilton Honors perks (huge upside with status) ✅ Ideal for early departures

This one flew slightly under the radar… but it shouldn’t have. Hilton has just partnered with YOTEL and it’s launching a brand new concept called Select by Hilton. At first glance, it sounds like another hotel brand announcement. It’s not. Because this one directly impacts how you earn and use plane points and miles especially if you’re collecting Hilton Honors points.

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Heathrow: updated… But Still Stuck in Its Own Era?

Why This Card Is Different (And Why It Matters) Most travel cards help you avoid fees abroad. This one does that… but also helps you: Earn Hilton points on everyday spending Unlock elite hotel status And now, even earn elite nights without staying in hotels And the best part? 👉 You don’t need a credit card 👉 You don’t need to preload money It simply links to your existing UK bank account and works like your normal debit card, just far more rewarding.

British Airways Is Returning to Melbourne Out of nowhere, British Airways has announced it’s bringing back flights to Melbourne for the first time since 2006. Not Sydney. Not another US route. Melbourne. And not just a token flight a daily service from London Heathrow via Kuala Lumpur launching January 2027. If you’re into long-haul travel, Avios, or just love a new route announcement, this is a big one.