Plane News Weekly

17 May 2026

By Mr Plane Guy, Travel Blogger, Flight Expert & Plane GEEK

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click and buy, I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep this blog running and funds my ongoing airport lounge “research.” Thanks for your support!

Note: I’m not a financial advisor, just sharing my personal experiences and travel tips.

Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday roundup of airline news, travel deals, airport chaos, loyalty updates and “luxury for less” travel hacks.

This week I’ve basically lived inside airport lounges… and honestly? UK airport lounges are getting VERY interesting right now.

Especially if you fly from Liverpool or Birmingham.

Because Aspire may have quietly created one of the BEST regional airport lounge experiences in the UK.

More on that in a second…

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Boarding Announcements, Airline Updates & Loyalty News

Ryanair Launches New Copenhagen Routes From Liverpool & Birmingham

Ryanair has announced new winter routes including:

• Liverpool → Copenhagen

• Birmingham → Copenhagen

And honestly? Copenhagen at Christmas is INCREDIBLE. (Sorry did I mention it too soon)

amazing food, cosy cafés and somehow the calmest airport experience in Europe.

If you’re thinking about a winter city break, I’d genuinely start looking NOW before prices shoot up closer to Christmas.

Especially because Jack’s Flight Club is currently FREE for 30 days and these are EXACTLY the sort of routes they often flag early before fares spike!

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If you’re serious about finding flight deals, this is one I genuinely rate.

👉 Try Jack's Flight Club FREE for 30 days

What you get:

• Economy, Premium & Business deals

• Error fares

• Personalised alerts

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I use it and it’s one of the easiest ways to spot deals without doing the hard work yourself.

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WOW… Liverpool Airport’s Aspire Lounge Actually Blew Me Away

enjoying a 'coffee' in the Liverpool Aspire Lounge

I finally reviewed the Aspire Lounge and Luxe by Aspire at Liverpool Airport this week…

…and honestly? I genuinely didn’t want to leave.

Most airport lounges are just:

• some crisps

• a coffee machine

• and somewhere quieter than Gate 22

But THIS felt different.

Think:

• cocktails delivered to your seat

• boutique hotel vibes

• premium seating

• calm atmosphere

• and an actual “holiday starts here” feeling

Honestly? It’s one of the BEST “luxury for less” airport experiences I’ve had in ages.

👉 Read my full Aspire Lounge Liverpool Airport review here

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Birmingham Airport Is About To Get A HUGE Lounge Upgrade

And now Birmingham Airport is getting:

• a refurbished Aspire Lounge

• Luxe by Aspire

• AND a new ultra-premium “Suite by Aspire” concept

After trying the Liverpool version myself… this could become one of the BEST regional airport lounge upgrades in the UK.

Honestly, airport lounges are changing massively.

They’re no longer just for business-class passengers.

People now want:

• quieter spaces

• less stress

• charging points

• cocktails

• and somewhere civilised before a 5am Ryanair flight

And I completely get it now.

👉 Read my full Birmingham Airport lounge upgrade breakdown here

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Tesco Clubcard Users: This Virgin Points Deal Is SERIOUSLY Good

If you collect Virgin Points… this is one you really shouldn’t ignore.

Tesco Clubcard is currently offering:

30% EXTRA Virgin Points

…when converting Clubcard vouchers into Virgin Points before 30 June 2026.

And honestly?

This is EXACTLY how people quietly build enough points for:

• Premium Economy upgrades

• Upper Class flights

• airport lounge access

• and long-haul reward trips

WITHOUT constantly flying.

I’ve broken down:

• how the offer works

• how much you can realistically earn

• and why this is one of the better Tesco travel deals I’ve seen in a while

👉 Read My Full Tesco Virgin Points Guide Here

About Me

I’m Mr Plane Guy, sharing UK airline news, flight deals and loyalty tips with a Plane Honest perspective.

I test lounges, review flights, and break down what’s actually worth your money, so you can fly smarter, spend less and make the most of your points.

✉️ Subscribe to Plane News Weekly for exclusive flight deals, loyalty tips, and aviation updates every Sunday. Sign up here.

Final Boarding Call

Big theme this week?

Travel is becoming more premium… but also smarter.

People are:

• using points better

• upgrading selectively

• chasing less stress

• and looking for experiences that actually improve travel

Not just flashy luxury for Instagram.

And honestly?

That’s exactly where “luxury for less” lives.

Same time next Sunday.

Mr Plane Guy Let’s make travel better.