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

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.

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.

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.

Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday fix of UK airline updates, aviation news, loyalty deals, and travel hacks from the skies. This week like everyone else I have been running around buying things for Christmas, if you're still wondering what to get people then maybe you should get them a Priority Pass, who wouldn't love discounted airport lounge access all year round?

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.

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

Trying to book BA reward flights using Avios can feel like a full-time job. Seats vanish quickly, availability changes by the minute, and searching manually on ba.com is slow and frustrating. This week’s Avios Tip of the Week is about making that process faster, smarter — and cheaper. Right now, Reward Flight Finder is offering 20% off Annual memberships for Black Friday, and if you’re serious about booking Avios reward flights, this is one of the most powerful tools you ca

Well this week I flew from Amsterdam to Manchester and when KLM offered me an upgrade to business class for £60 I thought you know what I will do it for my readers ( all 17 of them) and show em, check it out here. On the way home also in the name of BLOG research and 'aherm', work I tried and tested two lounges at Manchester Airport Terminal 2. Is the Escape Airport Lounge T2 Manchester Actually an Escape? My Honest Pre-Flight Verdict.

This week I was given an exciting opportunity to do some work in Paris so I hoped on the train and spent 3 wonderful days in the city! Whilst Iwas there I noticed American Express bring out an amzing sign up BONUS! I will put my referral below as you can also bag a few extra thousand points for using that!

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.

Pack your patience! The ongoing U.S. government shutdown has already caused over 1,000 flight cancellations and 5,000 delays at major airports like JFK, Chicago O’Hare, and Atlanta. The FAA warns cuts could rise to 4–10% if it continues and yes, it’s starting to affect some transatlantic flights from Europe too.

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.

Finnair has just dropped a frosty deal that’s making Avios collectors melt up to 40% off when you buy Avios through Finnair Plus until 2 November 2025. That means you can stock up on Plane Points & Miles for as little as 1.26 euro cents each around 1.47p one of the best Avios prices we’ve seen this year (and cheaper than anything in the last BA sale).

Right now, thanks to a limited-time partnership between Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Hilton Honors, you can save 10% off your flights and earn up to 6,000 bonus Avios. Combine that with your American Express Gold Card or Hilton Debit Card, and this becomes a powerhouse travel hack that turns every booking into an Avios-earning machine. This is not your average points deal. This is the kind of offer that gets you closer to your next Qsuite upgrade, Doha stopover, or Maldi

Few travel experiences compare to wandering through a European city square in December, warmed by mulled wine as fairy lights sparkle above and choirs sing carols. From Cologne’s Gothic cathedral to Riga’s cobbled old town, Europe’s best Christmas markets combine festive tradition, local culture, and unbeatable atmosphere. The problem? December flights are some of the year’s priciest. London to Cologne can hit £250 return, and even budget airlines hike fares. But if you’re s

When most people think about earning Avios, they picture booking flights with British Airways or swiping a credit card. But here’s a little travel hack I love: you can earn thousands of Avios simply by shopping online for the stuff you were already going to buy. That new suitcase? Those summer trainers? The sunglasses you’ll inevitably leave on the beach bar table? All of those purchases could be quietly stacking Avios in the background. And one of the easiest ways to do it

We’re talking up to 45% off Avios redemptions across BA’s network including premium Club Europe seats. If you’ve been saving up your Avios for a rainy day, this could be the moment to cash them in and actually enjoy the fruits of your collecting.

Qatar Airways has introduced a brand-new way for members of its Qatar Privilege Club to earn Avios faster and it’s called Privilege Club Pro. This subscription service is aimed at frequent flyers and loyal customers who want to top up their Avios balance regularly while working towards tier upgrades in the Privilege Club. According to the airline, Privilege Club Pro is designed to “accelerate the path to rewards”, making it easier to plan for award flights, upgrades, and eve

If you’re trying to boost your Avios balance without even stepping on a plane, you’re not short of options, but few are as easy (or as enjoyable) as earning Avios through The Wine Flyer. The Wine Flyer is British Airways’ dedicated wine shop, delivering a wide range of well-priced, good-quality wines straight to your door and rewarding you with Avios every time you order. Whether you’re stocking up for a party, topping up your wine rack, or even planning ahead for Christm

If you've ever dreamed of flying in style but thought business class was out of reach, I'm here to tell you that it's possible and you don’t need to spend a fortune to do it! In just three months, I went from zero Avios to securing a business class upgrade on Qatar Airways. Even better? My entire flight from Dublin to Beijing only cost me £300, £200 less than flying from London! Here’s how I made it happen, and how you can too.