- Mr Plane Guy
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
This Week's Plane News
22 February 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 fuels my habit of buying overpriced lattes at the airport). Thanks for your support! Note: I’m also not a financial advisor just sharing my experience.
Welcome aboard this week’s Plane News Weekly, your Sunday fix of UK airline updates, aviation news, loyalty deals, and travel hacks.
🚨 20% off Priority Pass Standard Plus ends 28 February. If you’re lounge-curious, now’s the moment.
I’ve just flown from Gatwick twice in one week (Amsterdam and Brussels runs), which means I’m close to reviewing almost every lounge there! Emirates, you’re next. I used Standard Plus twice this week alone at Gatwick. That’s already £70+ in walk-in value.
My latest visit: British Airways Lounge Gatwick South (2026): The Plane Honest Review and yes, I’ve got opinions Clubrooms Gatwick North still holds serious private-members-club energy.
Seatfrog have also sent over an exclusive code for you. I’ll be adding it inside my full review so you can see exactly how to upgrade your train ticket to First Class for less, because we don’t do standard around here.
🚄 £3 off your first Seatfrog upgradeUse code PLANEGUY3 (new customers, ends 30 June 2026). If you have no idea what Seatfrog is check out this review
This week I’m off to Paris testing the Eurostar Snap deal. Pray for me that it’s not the 06:00 departure. Follow me as I post the stories and bring my travels to life this week.
Au revoir! Let’s arm doors for departure for this week’s Plane News.
This week in Plane News:
TUI Boosts Phuket Flights for Winter 2026/27
🚨 20% Off Priority Pass Standard Plus Ends 28 February
Plane Avios Tip of the Week:
PLANE FLIGHT DEAL OF THE WEEK
✉️ Subscribe to Plane News Weekly for exclusive flight deals, loyalty tips, and aviation updates every Sunday. Sign up here.
Boarding Announcements, New Routes & Airline Updates Plane News Weekly
TUI Boosts Phuket Flights for Winter 2026/27
TUI Airways will increase its London Gatwick – Phuket service from 2x to 3x weekly for Winter 2026/27, adding more capacity to Thailand just as demand rebounds.
This follows Virgin Atlantic launching a new London Heathrow – Phuket route in October 2026. Phuket is clearly having a moment.
Thinking about TUI long haul? Start here:
Pre-Flight, Lounge & Airport Experience
🚨 20% Off Priority Pass Standard Plus Ends 28 February
If you travel a few times a year and realistically visit around 8–10 airport lounges, this is seriously good value.
The Priority Pass Standard Plus plan is currently 20% off, dropping from £229 to £183 for your first year, but the offer ends on 28 February.
What You Get:
✈️ 10 FREE lounge visits included🍸 Then £24 per additional member visit👯 £24 per guest💳 Annual fee now £183 (instead of £229)
If you’re doing a few European trips and maybe one long-haul this year, you’ll easily use those 10 visits. One Heathrow lounge visit can cost £35–£45 if you pay at the door… so this stacks up quickly.
Plane Honest opinion? If you travel regularly and don’t already get lounge access via status or business class, this is one of the smarter airport comfort upgrades you can make.
RECOMMENDED ✔️
Essence by Escape Lounges Lands at Stansted (From 3 March)
A new lounge concept opens 3 March at London Stansted Airport and it’s a scaled-back, cold-food-only setup with sandwiches, salads and light bites, plus wine, beer and soft drinks.Think express-style comfort rather than full hot buffet luxury. The catch? It’s located on Satellite 1 (Pier 1).At Stansted, you usually don’t know you’re departing from Pier 1 until 30–40 minutes before take-off.So lounge planning here may require either luck… or very fast walking, Good news: they accept Priority Pass. If you’re departing from Pier 1, swing by and escape the gate chaos, as much as Stansted allows.
or 20% off standard plus!
Plane Points & Miles News:
Plane Avios Tip of the Week: Earn 30,000 Avios From an Estate Agent?!
London landlords, this one’s niche but big. Foxtons is offering up to 30,000 Avios per property when you link your British Airways Executive Club account in My Foxtons. Avios are paid over 12 months and yes, that’s potentially a European Club Europe return just for choosing the right agent.
You can earn:
✈️ 30,000 Avios – Sole letting agent instruction
✈️ 20,000 Avios – Convert to fully managed
✈️ 20,000 Avios – Instruct to sell before 31 March 2026
Plane Honest take: don’t choose an agent purely for points… but if you’re already selling or renting in London, this is one of the highest non-flight Avios earn rates I’ve seen recently.
Reward Flight Finder
If you’re serious about using Avios properly, this is one of the tools you need.
Reward Flight Finder shows you up to 355 days of British Airways reward availability on one simple page.
Takeoff, Travel Deals & Flight Opportunities
This Week's PLANE FLIGHT DEAL OF THE WEEK
Return trips from London Heathrow
Phú Quốc (PQC) - £405 Yes, Vietnam for under £500 return from Heathrow.
TRAVEL DATES
March
AIRLINE
China Eastern
STANDARD FARE
From £600 (free bag)
BAGS & FEES
Cabin bag and checked bag included.
BOOK BY
At least a few days..
More details here about how to
Plane Talk, Insider Insight & Reader Engagement
Have a lounge or route you’d like reviewed? Drop a comment or DM me on Instagram, your question might feature in next week’s edition!
Follow me on Instagram for behind-the-scenes travel updates and real-time airline news from my journeys.
I’m Mr Plane Guy, sharing UK airline news, flight deals, and loyalty tips with a Plane Honest perspective and loyalty tips each week.
I test lounges, try new routes, and offer practical travel hacks so you can fly smarter, save money, and make the most of your points.
✈️ Plane Extras Express
The PLANE Smart Way to Take Off
🅿️ Airport Parking Compare prices and save up to 75% at airports across the UK from Heathrow and Gatwick to Manchester, Birmingham and beyond with
🍸 Lounge Access Start your journey with a prosecco instead of a queue.
Get 30% off Priority Pass membership and relax in 1800+ lounges worldwide.
🌍 Travel Insurance Cover every trip for less with Coverwise (by AXA) annual European cover from £10.20.
Plane Honest Take: That’s it for this week’s Plane News Weekly. As always, thanks for reading, supporting the site, and flying smarter with me.
Same time next Sunday. ✈️
Mr Plane Guy
Plane News This Week, 22 February 2026
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