- Mr Plane Guy
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
This Week's Plane News
21 December 2025
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 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?
Or don't forget to check out the different online shop portals linked to either Avios or Virgin Red, so its not just whoever gets the gift, you get the points as well, everybody wins! Check out Avios Tip of the Week: Turn Your Christmas Wine Into Free Flights. Or how about this post for some last minute gift inspiration? 10 Christmas Gifts Every Travel Lover Actually Wants.
This week: Finnair eyes Melbourne, JetBlue cuts JFK–AMS, Rome opens Europe’s first Plaza Premium First lounge, plus £299 Etihad fares to Abu Dhabi.
✉️ 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
Avios News: Finnair Is Flying to Melbourne
Finding Avios reward seats to Australia has always been tough, so Finnair launching flights to Melbourne from October 2026 is genuinely good news for oneworld travellers.
The new daily route runs Helsinki–Bangkok–Melbourne using Finnair’s A350, featuring its refurbished cabins and distinctive AirLounge business class seat. It revives a classic kangaroo-route style connection and adds much-needed capacity into Australia.
Finnair already offers multiple daily UK–Helsinki flights, including from London Heathrow and UK regions, making this a realistic option, not just a headline.
If you’re planning long-haul Avios redemptions, I break down smarter strategies in Maximise Your Avios Points in 2025 on MrPlaneGuy.com.
Finnair’s Melbourne launch is the most interesting Avios development for Australia in years especially if Qatar availability stays tight.
I can't believe this deal, by the way I don't get any commission for this, just some Amex points! To put this deal into context I flew this year from Dublin to Doha with Qatar in Business Class Q Suite for 40000 Points!
Important: This isn’t financial advice. Credit cards are subject to status, terms and conditions, and affordability checks. Please consider your own financial situation before applying.
American Express has quietly dropped one of the biggest referral bonuses I’ve ever seen on the Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card:
If you use my referral link:
You’ll earn: 45000 Membership Rewards Points (usually 22000!) when they get approved and spend £5000 in 6 months.
That’s enough for:
A return to Europe,
A one-way long-haul in Premium,
Or a big chunk towards a Business Class Avios upgrade.
Offer ends 13 January 2026. Very limited and genuinely one of the best Amex Gold boosts in years.
BA Euroflyer Adds Gatwick–Chania Flights
That's Chania in Crete, not China!!
British Airways Euroflyer is launching a new route from London Gatwick to Chania, Crete, operating twice weekly (Wednesdays and Sundays) from 24 May.
Flights depart Gatwick early morning, arriving into Crete around lunchtime, with afternoon returns back to London, ideal timings for short breaks. Existing Heathrow–Chania services will continue.
As you’d expect on a new route, Avios availability is strong, with guaranteed reward seats still widely available in both Club Europe and Euro Traveller.
What is BA Euroflyer? Here are the differences to BA mainline in detail, plus a similar route experience from Gatwick:👉 BA Euroflyer Gatwick to Dalaman – Flight Review
Plane Tip: Don’t waste those gate-wait minutes Audible for Travel turns every layover into a first-class story time, and right now you can start listening for just 99p. Get the trial here.
JetBlue Drops New York–Amsterdam Route
JetBlue has quietly removed its New York JFK–Amsterdam route from future schedules, ending a service that once anchored its European expansion. The A321LR-operated route launched in August 2023, shifted from year-round to summer-only, and was expected to return in spring 2026 before now being cut entirely. JetBlue will continue flying to Amsterdam from Boston, while weaker performance on the JFK route and tight Schiphol slot constraints likely drove the decision. Read my JetBlue lounge at JFK article and its transatlantic onboard product My New Favourite Way to Cross the Atlantic: Flying JetBlue to New York. Sad Plane News for me as I only just discovered my new favourite way to cross the Atlantic and I live very close to Schiphol :( sad face!
Pre-Flight, Lounge & Airport Experience
Rome Just Got a “First Class” Lounge, Without Flying First
Beep Beep I'm on my way, Rome has a new lounge!
Rome Fiumicino has quietly levelled up its lounge game with the opening of Plaza Premium First in Terminal 1, the brand’s first “First Class–style” lounge in Europe.
This isn’t your standard Plaza Premium setup. We’re talking à la carte dining, a proper cocktail bar with Italian-inspired drinks, private suites, shower rooms with bathrobes, and even an outdoor terrace with live music. Very Rome 🇮🇹.
It’s open daily from 4:30am–9:30pm, sits airside in T1, and is accessible for most Schengen departures, including ITA Airways and a mix of oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance flights.
Access starts at €70 for two hours, bookable in advance or on arrival, with options to redeem Plaza Premium points or access via selected airline agreements.
If you’re flying from Rome but don’t quite fancy the First Lounge price tag, I’ve already reviewed the regular Plaza Premium Lounge at FCO – which is still a solid option and worth knowing before you travel
Plane honest verdict? Rome is now one of the more interesting European airports to arrive early at. 🍸✈️
Frequent Flyer Briefing, Loyalty Offers & Points
Want to Land 2000 Virgin Points in 2 minutes?
Sign up with my affiliate link and get a 2000 Virgin Points welcome bonus! (Very limited time offer be quick!)
Avios Tip of the Week:
Now you can collect and spend Avios at PizzaExpress
Dine in to get more with every slice. Spend from 1000 Avios for £5 off or collect 3 Avios per £1 spent.
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 no more obsessively refreshing the BA site at midnight.
✅ Set instant Seat Alerts so you’re first to grab BA reward seats
✅ Use the Worldwide Map to see where your Avios can take you
✅ Choose from Bronze (free), Silver or Gold
✅ 7-day free trial on all paid plans
Once you’ve got the Avios, find seats before they vanish with Reward Flight Finder or grab Jack’s Flight Club for £1 and bag ridiculous flight deals when cash beats points.
Takeoff, Travel Deals & Flight Opportunities
This Week's FLIGHT DEAL OF THE WEEK
Abu Dhabi from £299 Return!
of course subject to availability
Abu Dhabi is such a great destination for some winter sunshine!
To
Abu Dhabi (AUH) - £299 (cabin bag, non-stop)
From
London Heathrow (LHR)
Flight Details
TRAVEL DATES
January-March
AIRLINE
Etihad
STANDARD FARE
From £450 (non-stop)
BAGS & FEES
Full-sized cabin bag included. Checked bag upgrade is £40 rtn.
BOOK BY
At least a few days.
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
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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.
Thank you for choosing to read Plane News by, Mr Plane Guy.
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Featured Elsewhere This Week
I was really honoured to be featured by Get Blogged as part of their 12 Bloggers of Christmas series, chatting about life behind Mr Plane Guy, from my airline career to why “Plane Honest” transparency still matters more than ever in travel content.
Happy Plane Christmas 🎄✈️
Before I sign off, I just want to say how shocked and saddened I was by the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach. I was standing right by that pavilion back in April with my beautiful Australian friends, so this one feels heartbreakingly close to home. My thoughts are with everyone affected.
Thank you for reading Plane News this year, for the messages, the DMs, the lounge chats, and the shared love of flying smarter (and occasionally drinking prosecco at 7am). Wishing you a peaceful Christmas, safe travels, and kinder skies wherever you’re heading.
Mr Plane Guy
Plane News This Week, 21 December 2025.
Subscribe here to Plane News Weekly, get the latest UK airline updates, lounge reviews, and loyalty tips delivered every Sunday.
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