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

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

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.

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.

Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday fix of UK airline updates, aviation news, loyalty deals, and travel hacks.   I hope you all had a great New Year’s Eve! I spent mine in Rotterdam, which was crazy! The Dutch do love a firework or two! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram for more up-to-date travels!

Travel websites love shouting about “exclusive perks”. Most of them aren’t worth the effort. Lastminute PRO is different, mainly because it’s free, but does it actually save money? And is it worth using as a UK traveller booking city breaks and short holidays? Here’s the honest breakdown.

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?

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:

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

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.

Virgin Atlantic has launched a new loyalty perk called High Five, and honestly…it’s a bit of a strategic wink from Sir Richard. From January 2026, if you’ve flown Virgin Atlantic in any five separate years between 2021 and 2025, you’ll get: 👉 12,000 Virgin Red points 👉 Plus 10% bonus points on all future flights (if you’re not already elite) And yes, this DOES include reward flights.

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.

You’ve probably heard whispers about the Barclays Avios Upgrade Voucher, that digital golden ticket hiding in your British Airways Executive Club account that can bump you up a cabin without spending a single extra Avios point. Sounds good? It is. But there’s a knack to using it, and a tool that makes it ten times easier. Here’s the full story, written by someone who’s actually used one.

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).

Qatar Airways has officially touched down at one of the Middle East’s most anticipated new destinations the Red Sea International Airport (RSI) on Saudi Arabia’s west coast. The airline now operates three weekly non-stop flights between Doha (Hamad International Airport) and the Red Sea, adding this coastal luxury hotspot as its 12th Saudi destination.

Virgin Red is Virgin Group’s lifestyle rewards program that links with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Both use Virgin Points. You can earn Virgin Points from flights, Tesco Clubcard, credit cards, online shopping, transfer partners, and even quirky Virgin experiences. Virgin Points can be redeemed for Virgin reward flights, seat upgrades, hotels, cruises, and even once-in-a-lifetime splurges like Richard Branson’s Necker Island. Virgin Points never expire, so you can stash t

Security at London Heathrow airport was a breeze using Virgin Atlantics Upper Class private wing.