- Mr Plane Guy
- 6 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
This Week's Plane News
30 November 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. 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.
Review: 1903 Lounge Manchester Airport, Is This Manchester’s Best Lounge? My Full Honest Review.
Black Friday HUGE 40% OFF deal on a Priority Membership! This is unbelievable value! So that means you can get an annual pass form £41, that will get you into over 1800 lounges worldwide for around £24, depending on the lounge! THIS IS CHRISTMAS GIFT territory, what a cool gift!
Or if you go for the Standard Plus Priority Pass, you can get it for £171! This includes 10 free visits, so that works out at around £17.10 per visit! WOW!
I can't belive this deal, BTW I don't get any commission for this, just some Amex points! Just to put this deal into context I flew this year from Dublin to Doha with Qatar in Business Class Q Suite for 40000 Points!
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: 45,000 Membership Rewards Points (usually 22,000!) when they get approved and spend £5,000 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.
✉️ Subscribe to Plane News Weekly for exclusive flight deals, loyalty tips, and aviation updates every Sunday. Sign up here.
Plane News Weekly: Travel Tuesday Frenzy
It's nearly Travel Tuesday (Dec 3) one of the BIGGEST deal days of the year for savvy travellers. Expect flight sales, hotel flash offers and plenty of luggage, tech and travel-essential bargains on Amazon.
Let’s take off into the best Travel Tuesday deals you can grab today.
Lastminute.com: Up to £500 Off Holidays (Code: BF2025UK)
Tick-tock, this one is disappearing fast.
Lastminute.com is offering an incredible up to £500 off selected holidays when you use the code BF2025UK at checkout.
Discounts up to £500 off
Covers hotels & holiday packages
Ends 23 November
Ideal for winter sun and early 2026 trips
👉 Book Lastminute.com Black Friday deals
If you need a sign to book your next escape… this is it.
Priority Pass Black Friday: Up to 40% Off (Lowest Price I’ve Ever Seen)
This is the deal you should not miss.
Priority Pass has launched its biggest-ever Black Friday sale with up to 40% off membership, bringing prices down to around £41, unheard of.
This gives you access to 1,800+ airport lounges, restaurants and airport experiences worldwide, and I’ve never seen the entry price this low.
If you’ve ever wanted lounge access without paying business-class fares, this is the moment.
Hurry… these deals vanish without warning.
Cabin Max Black Friday: Up to 50% Off Suitcases & Travel Gear
Black Friday is live at Cabin Max and the discounts are seriously strong:
Up to 50% off bags and cases
Many items at their lowest-ever price
Great time to upgrade your luggage before 2026 travels.
Jack’s Flight Club Black Friday: 15% Off Premium (Code: BF25JACK15)
Jack’s Flight Club has dropped a rare Black Friday offer on Premium memberships.
15% off quarterly membership
Use code BF25JACK15
Only $17.85 for 3 months
Includes long-haul mistake fares, Business Class deals & rare Avios sweet spots
14-day money-back guarantee
Code: BF25JACK15
If you want cheaper flights in 2026, this genuinely pays for itself in one deal.
YOTEL: 40% Off Early Access Sale
YOTEL has launched an early Black Friday preview with 40% off selected stays.
Code: BLACKFRIDAY
Ends: Midnight, 3 December 2025
Virgin Atlantic Black Friday Deals: Upper Class Up to £2,000 Off
Virgin Atlantic’s Black Friday sale is live and the headline is big:Up to £2,000 off Upper Class. Premium and Economy discounts are smaller (up to £90), but Flying Club members get 33% off reward seats, which is a rare and genuinely strong offer.
Virgin Atlantic Holidays From £599
Virgin Atlantic Holidays has also launched huge winter getaway deals:
Las Vegas from £599pp (4 nights incl. flights, Jan departures)
Maldives from £1,842pp (7 nights)
Mexico from £1,421pp (7 nights)
Great for city breaks, winter sun or luxury escapes.
Boarding Announcements, New Routes & Airline Updates
Aer Lingus Considering Shutting Down Manchester Base
Aer Lingus has confirmed it’s entered a consultation process that could see its entire Manchester Airport operation shut down a move that would affect around 200 staff.
The airline currently flies long-haul from MAN to New York JFK, Orlando, and Barbados, alongside short-haul services to Dublin and Belfast. But Aer Lingus says its Manchester long-haul margins “continue to significantly lag” behind its Irish long-haul performance, prompting a full review of the UK base’s future.
Talks with staff and unions are now underway. For passengers, nothing changes yet, but this could mark the end of MAN’s smallest transatlantic operation if the closure goes ahead.
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.
Air Arabia Launches Double-Daily Sharjah–Gatwick Flights
Air Arabia is making a big UK move: from 29 March 2026, the low-cost carrier will launch double-daily flights between Sharjah (SHJ) and London Gatwick (LGW).
The route will be operated by the airline’s efficient Airbus A321LR, giving travellers another solid UAE–UK option and adding welcome competition on a very busy corridor.
For UK flyers, it also opens up easier connections across Air Arabia’s growing network from Sharjah, including South Asia, North Africa and the Middle East.
A surprisingly interesting addition… and another win for Gatwick’s long-haul map.
Heathrow’s Third Runway Is Taking Off (With a Huge Catch)
Heathrow’s third runway plans are officially moving forward after the UK Government backed Heathrow Airport Limited’s full-length proposal, including the controversial M25 rerouting. The decision pushes the project towards a possible 2035 opening, with public consultation due in 2026. The scheme includes a new 3,500m runway, a tunnel beneath it to realign the M25, and major terminal expansion. While ministers say it will boost UK connectivity and jobs, critics warn of years of disruption, rising passenger charges and environmental impact, with costs estimated at up to £60bn. In the meantime, you may want to bookmark the best Heathrow lounges ranked from champagne to chaos before the real chaos begins.
Ryanair Cancels Prime Subscription After Just Eight Months
Ryanair has confirmed it is no longer accepting new members for its Prime subscription, effectively ending one of the shortest-lived “loyalty” schemes in airline history. Despite bold promises of discounts, free seats and bundled insurance, the service reportedly cost more than it generated. Existing members will keep their perks until expiry everyone else returns to standard Ryanair rules.👉 Full story and analysis
Pre-Flight, Lounge & Airport Experience
I had a very busy week Champagne guzzling my way around Europe, well Amsterdam and Manchester! I checked out KLM Crown Lounge at Amsterdam's Schiphol,
Of course it was an opportunity to film! Don't forget to follow.....
🔥 Black Friday Deal ends soon: Priority Pass Up to 40% Off
Hurry, this Black Friday deal won’t last long.
Frequent Flyer Briefing, Loyalty Offers & Points
Want to Land 2000 Virgin Points in 2 minutes?
Sign up with my affiliate link and get a 2,000 Virgin Points welcome bonus! (Very limited time offer be quick!)
Avios Tip of the Week:
🚨 20% OFF Reward Flight Finder (Limited Time!)
If you’re serious about using Avios properly, this is one of the best Black Friday travel tools deals you’ll see this year.
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
👉 Try Reward Flight Finder free for 7 days here:
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
G'dansk from £31 Return! Yes thats right!
I absoloutly loved visiting the G'dansk Christmas Market last year it was so good! Do check out my full review A Guide to Gdansk’s Christmas Markets 2025.
Return trips from Aberdeen (ABZ):
Gdansk (GDN) - £44
Return trips from Liverpool (LPL):
Gdansk (GDN) - £31
Return trips from London Luton (LTN):
Gdansk (GDN) - £34
TRAVEL DATES
December-March (varies by route, excl. Xmas/NYE)
AIRLINE
Wizz Air
STANDARD FARE
£100 - £150 (non-stop)
BAGS & FEES
Full-size cabin bag starts at £50 rtn. Checked bag starts at £56 rtn.
BOOK BY
Until the sale ends on the 28th December, some may go sooner.
Christmas Market Spotlight:
Christmas Market season is in full gluwein swing, now is the time to plan and jet off on a festive European trips check out my Christmas Market guides. Full details of Christmas Market dates for 2025, amazing deals, reviews and guides.
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.
Thank you for choosing to read Plane News by, Mr Plane Guy.
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Plane News This Week, 30 November 2025.
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Wow some amazing travel deals here! Let me know if you have any questions??