- Mr Plane Guy
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
This Week's Plane News
22 March 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.
With ongoing tensions in the Middle East, my thoughts are first and foremost with everyone affected, that’s what really matters. From a travel perspective though, this could have a real knock-on effect on flight prices and routes heading into winter 2026, especially if disruption continues.
We’re already seeing early signs of this shift, with British Airways announcing new routes like Melbourne, potentially reflecting changing demand away from traditional Middle East connections.
I’ve been tracking flight prices and airline behaviour closely, and this is exactly the kind of shift that can reshape where (and how cheaply) we fly over the next 12 months.
If you’re worried about rising prices, this is exactly why I always recommend tools like Jack's Flight Club, I don’t pick destinations, I follow the deals (that’s how I ended up in places like Mykonos and Morocco).
And on the points side, American Express has just launched a strong new offer. I personally use the Gold card and I’ve got a referral link where the first few people can get an extra 5,000 points.
Happy landings, Mr Plane Guy
💳 Deal of the Week: 45,000 Avios Boost (Limited Time)
American Express has a limited-time boosted welcome offer on the Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card and through my referral, you can get 45,000 Membership Rewards points (normally 40,000) when you spend £5,000 in the first 6 months.
That’s enough for serious “luxury for less” value, think flights, upgrades, or even £200+ in rewards. You’ll also get 4 free Priority Pass lounge visits per year, plus bonus points on travel spend.
⚠️ Important: I’m not a financial advisor, this is a credit product, so please do your own research and make sure it’s right for you before applying. Terms apply, 18+, subject to status.
👉 If you’re going to get this card anyway, using my link gets you more points than the standard public offer.
Boarding Announcements, New Routes & Airline Updates Plane News Weekly
British Airways is expanding its winter 2026 schedule with a 9% increase in long-haul routes, adding new destinations including Melbourne and Colombo while boosting flights to Cape Town, Tokyo and Barbados. The Melbourne route is particularly interesting, as it could signal a wider shift away from traditional Middle East connections, with changing traveller behaviour and airlines adapting to ongoing disruption in the region, especially on high-demand routes like Australia. More on this here:
I just recently flew with British Airways from London Gatwick in Club Europe and visited British Airways Gatwick airport lounge.
✈ Plane News Travel Perks
Deals, upgrades and travel tools I’ve found for Mr Plane Guy readers this week.
These are the travel tools and discounts I personally recommend for flying smarter and travelling better for less.
✈ Cheap Flight Deals
Deal of the Week: Cheap Flights Alert
Jack's Flight Club is currently offering a limited-time deal 3 months for just £5. That’s less than a coffee, and you’ll get mistake fares, long-haul deals and seriously cheap flights sent straight to your inbox. If you’ve been on the fence, this is one of the lowest entry prices they offer and it likely won’t stick around for long.
Worth it? If you’re flexible and want “luxury for less” flights, this is one of the easiest wins.
✈️ Avios Update: Bigger Reward Seat Search
Reward Flight Finder has just added Iberia reward seat search and alerts, meaning you can now track Avios availability across both British Airways and Iberia in one place. It’s a big upgrade for anyone chasing long-haul reward seats, with more routes, lower taxes on some redemptions, and faster alerts, making it even easier to find those hard-to-get business class deals.
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 and now Iberia flights as well!
✉️ Subscribe to Plane News Weekly for exclusive flight deals, loyalty tips, and aviation updates every Sunday. Sign up here.
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 March 2026
Comments