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Source: https://www.headforpoints.com/feed/
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"><channel><title>Head for Points</title><atom:link href="https://www.headforpoints.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><link>https://www.headforpoints.com</link><description>Maximise your Avios points and frequent flyer miles</description><lastBuildDate>Sun, 13 Jul 2025 08:46:43 +0000</lastBuildDate><language>en-GB</language><sy:updatePeriod>hourly </sy:updatePeriod><sy:updateFrequency>1 </sy:updateFrequency><image><url>https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/cropped-HFP-insta-logo-blue-80x80.jpg</url><title>Head for Points</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com</link><width>32</width><height>32</height></image><site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">47606869</site> <item><title>Lloyds Bank in talks to buy Curve at a knockdown price – what went wrong?</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/lloyds-bank-in-talks-to-buy-curve/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/lloyds-bank-in-talks-to-buy-curve/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 13 Jul 2025 04:11:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><category><![CDATA[one]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=806404</guid><description><![CDATA[Sky News reported yesterday that Lloyds Banking Group is in talks to buy ‘digital wallet’ Curve for around £100 million to £120 million. This would represent a discount on the £133 million raised during Curve’s Series C round in 2023, and is likely to lead to substantial losses for most investors. Over £200 million of […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://news.sky.com/story/lloyds-banking-group-in-talks-to-buy-digital-wallet-provider-curve-13395702" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Sky News</em> reported yesterday</a> that Lloyds Banking Group is in talks to buy ‘digital wallet’ Curve for around £100 million to £120 million.</p><p>This would represent a discount on the £133 million raised during Curve’s Series C round in 2023, and is likely to lead to substantial losses for most investors.</p><p><strong>Over £200 million of equity has been invested in the business </strong>since it launched.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="850" height="478" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Curve-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Lloyds Bank in talks to buy Curve at knockdown valuation - what went wrong?" class="wp-image-108399 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Curve-thumbnail.jpg 850w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Curve-thumbnail-450x253.jpg 450w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Curve-thumbnail-650x366.jpg 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Curve-thumbnail-120x67.jpg 120w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Curve-thumbnail-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Curve-thumbnail-350x197.jpg 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Curve-thumbnail-400x225.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px" /></figure></div><p>If you are a relatively new HfP reader (ie post pandemic) you may not have heard of Curve. <em>Head for Points</em> was heavily involved in its launch – I think there were six staff when I first met founder Shachar Bialick in 2016.</p><p>The main USP of the company at launch was that<strong> it issued you with a Mastercard which automatically recharged your purchases to an American Express card</strong> – or any other payment card stored in your electronic Curve wallet.</p><p>You could even withdraw cash from an ATM and have it recharged to your American Express card as a purchase!</p><p>Unsurprisingly <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2016/05/24/curve-card-pauses-amex-functionality/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Express wasn’t keen on this and broke the arrangement within three months of the launch</a>.</p><p>After this, <strong>Curve – frankly – was without a killer feature</strong>. It tried multiple ideas (Curve Rewards, Curve Fronted, Curve Flex – the latter a Klarna-style product) but nothing that would drive mass adoption.</p><p>Visa and Mastercard issuers began to turn against it. Curve had low FX fees so people could use a Curve Mastercard abroad and have the charge pop up – with no FX fees – on their usual Visa or Mastercard statement. This didn’t win it many friends.</p><p>Because Curve was a debit card during this period, you could also make pseudo-cash transactions which would appear on your linked Visa or Mastercard as a purchase. A lot of issuers didn’t like that either.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">28th January 2019</h2><p>The week of 28th January 2019, when I was travelling and trying to file HfP copy around other commitments, has gone down in HfP lore.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" width="350" height="183" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Three-Curve-cards.png" alt="Lloyds Bank in talks to buy Curve at knockdown valuation - what went wrong?" class="wp-image-116757 aligncenter" style="width:350px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Three-Curve-cards.png 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Three-Curve-cards-120x63.png 120w" sizes="(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" /></figure></div><p>On 28th January 2019, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2019/01/28/review-curve-metal-card/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Curve announced a huge relaunch – and American Express was back as a partner</a>! Suddenly, once again, anything you could fund with a debit card could be (re)charged to an Amex card as a purchase. Our relaunch article got 576 comments.</p><p><strong>36 hours later, on 30th January, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2019/01/30/curve-card-roll-out-suspended/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Express withdrew</a>.</strong> This HfP article got 788 comments. To put that in context, our readership in 2019 was only 55% of what we had in 2024. It was a big, big deal. I remember Shachar calling me in whatever hotel I was in that night for a chat.</p><p>This was effectively the end of Curve Card getting editorial coverage on HfP. It only reappeared in June 2020 when – in a fluke of luck – <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2020/06/26/curve-card-impacted-as-the-fca-closes-down-wirecard-uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it had started to move its payment processing away from Wirecard (yes, the criminal enterprise that was Wirecard) just days before Wirecard was closed down</a>.</p><p>In October 2021, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/10/01/creation-cancel-credit-cards-used-with-curve-card/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Creation Financial Services – issuer of the IHG credit cards – closed down, with no notice, all IHG credit card accounts which had been linked to a Curve Card</a>. It confirmed to us that we were right to stop recommending it.</p><p>Whilst <strong>it DOES still have some uses in the miles and points community</strong> – as the Curve discussion in our forum shows – it got too difficult for us to keep track of which underlying card issuers (Virgin Money, Barclaycard, NatWest etc) were penalising Curve transactions and which weren’t. There was also the risk that another issuer would ‘do a Creation’ and invoke a mass shutdown.</p><p>In the end, <strong>Curve never found the one killer feature that would drive mass adoption</strong>. It was a very, very niche player in a space which rewards – indeed requires – scale.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">What does Lloyds Bank want from Curve?</h2><p><strong>The real question is where Lloyds Banking Group sees even a reported £100-£120 million of value.</strong></p><p><em>Sky News</em> believes that Lloyds is attracted by the idea of creating a smartphone wallet which can be used to bypass Apple Pay fees. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-european-commission-settlement-forces-apple-open-iphones-levett-mjadf/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recent EU regulatory changes will force Apple to allow other apps to access the NFC functionality in your iPhone to process contactless payments</a>.</p><p><strong>Curve may finally have found a USP </strong>– albeit, it seems, after the money ran out. It is also a USP that can only be exploited by a card issuer like Lloyds, because it is the issuers that want to stop payments to Apple. Lloyds Bank customers are unlikely to be happy if they can no longer use their payment cards with Apple Pay and need to open a separate Lloyds app instead.</p><p>Lloyds is only likely to want the technology. I think it is unlikely that the Curve Card or even the brand will survive.</p><p>I like Curve founder Shachar and I give him credit for sticking with the project for a decade even when it was clear that it was going to struggle to get mass-market traction.</p><p>Depending on the liquidity preference the company had to give to raise equity towards the end – it is possible that some investors were guaranteed a 100% return irrespective of the sale price – he could walk away with virtually nothing for 10 years of work.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/lloyds-bank-in-talks-to-buy-curve/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>142</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">806404</post-id> </item><item><title>Review: Domes Miramare, a Luxury Collection Resort, Corfu (part of Marriott Bonvoy)</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/review-domes-miramare-resort-corfu/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/review-domes-miramare-resort-corfu/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Katie Ridgers]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 13 Jul 2025 03:11:19 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Marriott Bonvoy]]></category><category><![CDATA[Hotel reviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[two]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=793784</guid><description><![CDATA[This is our review of Domes Miramare Corfu, an ‘adults only’ resort which is part of Marriott’s The Luxury Collection. Corfu is one of the larger Greek islands at 590 km². Its landscape includes mountains and beaches and there are numerous towns and villages of interest, not least the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Corfu […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>This is our review of Domes Miramare Corfu, an ‘adults only’ resort which is part of Marriott’s The Luxury Collection.</strong></p><p>Corfu is one of the larger Greek islands at 590 km². Its landscape includes mountains and beaches and there are numerous towns and villages of interest, not least the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Corfu Town.</p><p>The hotel grounds are dotted with ancient gnarled olive trees, reflecting the site’s former life as an olive mill. Built as a sumptuous private residence on the shore of the Ionian sea by the Onassis family in the 1960s, the residence quickly became a magnet for the 60s jet set, hosting politicians, European royalty and many celebrities of the era.</p><p>Following extensive renovations, the property became a Domes resort in 2018, and swiftly thereafter joined Marriott’s The Luxury Collection.</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/domes-miramare-resort-page/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/domes-miramare-resort-page/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Domes Miramare website is here. </a></p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Entrance.webp"><img decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Entrance.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Main Entrance" class="wp-image-802423 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Entrance.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Entrance-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Entrance-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Entrance-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Entrance-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p>The hotel provided my stay for review purposes, but HfP paid for all other expenses including flights.</p><p>It took me about 35 minutes (traffic wasn’t great) to make the 18km journey via taxi due south down the east coast of Corfu from the airport to Miramare. The cost is €55 (or will be if you avoid the taxi kiosk in the airport and head straight to the rank) which the hotel advises is the fixed tariff.</p><p>The resort occupies both sides of the coastal road, with the main entrance (above) being on the shore side, called the Seafront Wing. This is the original part of the hotel, which fronts directly onto the beach.</p><p>The Panoramic Wing, completed two years ago, is over (or under – there is a pedestrian tunnel for guests) the road.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Reception.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Reception-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Reception " class="wp-image-802444 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Reception-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Reception-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Reception-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Reception-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Reception.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>Reception is to your left past the concierge, in a very large open space with an old olive tree in the centre. I didn’t make it to the desk until checkout as the person greeting you, and taking your luggage will escort you to seating (below) facing the sea. Check in comes to you while you have a drink.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Reception-Chairs.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Reception-Chairs-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Reception View to the sea" class="wp-image-793785 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Reception-Chairs-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Reception-Chairs-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Reception-Chairs-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Reception-Chairs-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Reception-Chairs.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rooms at the Domes Miramare Resort </h2><p>My room was in the Panoramic Wing, and was an Opal Suite with outdoor jacuzzi.</p><p>The room was light and airy, with a view over to the sea, and sliding doors to your share of the terrace outside the room. There was a comfortable chair as well as the table and sofa shown below. </p><p>Everyone receives some form of welcome gift. Mine included excellent Kalamata olives and thyme & oregano breadsticks that were melt in the mouth good.</p><p>The Nespresso coffee machine, kettle and tea, coffee and water were in the unit opposite the table, above a stocked minibar fridge. There were also some snacks including crisps and biscuits. </p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Room-1.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Room-1.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Opal Suite " class="wp-image-793786 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Room-1.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Room-1-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Room-1-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Room-1-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Room-1-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p>To my left (i.e. not in the image above!) is the door and the entrance area with wardrobe with plenty of (long) hanging space and also housing the bathrobes, slippers, iron and ironing board, umbrella, safe, shoe horn, clothes brush and hair dryer.</p><p>There is also a plug in scent diffuser with Arôme de Dômes …. actually I’ve no idea what the scent was, but the room smelled so good I asked about it and was told there is a signature smell. Don’t be put off – this is not at all overpowering, just a very subtle undertone.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_5938.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_5938-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Opal Suite Bed" class="wp-image-802728 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_5938-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_5938-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_5938-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_5938-1536x1152.webp 1536w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_5938-2048x1536.webp 2048w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_5938-350x262.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The king size bed was super comfortable with good lighting and sockets next to the bed, with helpfully labelled switches.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Bathroom-1.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Bathroom-1-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Opal Suite Bathroom" class="wp-image-793788 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Bathroom-1-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Bathroom-1-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Bathroom-1-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Bathroom-1-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Bathroom-1.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The bathroom aesthetic matched the bedroom, simple but stylish and high quality. The rainfall shower had good water pressure ….</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Shower-Stuff.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Shower-Stuff-500x375.webp" alt="Domes MIramare Le Chemin" class="wp-image-802759 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Shower-Stuff-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Shower-Stuff-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Shower-Stuff-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Shower-Stuff-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Shower-Stuff.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>…. with luxurious products from Le Chemin by Byredo.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/My-Bathroom-2.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/My-Bathroom-2-500x375.webp" alt="DomeOpal Suite Bathrrom double sinks" class="wp-image-802748 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/My-Bathroom-2-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/My-Bathroom-2-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/My-Bathroom-2-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/My-Bathroom-2-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/My-Bathroom-2.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>As well as a large mirror above the double basins, there is a separate magnifying mirror and a good selection of toiletries including toothbrush and toothpaste should you have forgotten your own.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Jacuzzi.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Jacuzzi-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Opal Suite outdoor jacuzzi" class="wp-image-793790 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Jacuzzi-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Jacuzzi-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Jacuzzi-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Jacuzzi-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/My-Jacuzzi.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>Here is the the outdoor jacuzzi on the terrace, which you can see from the bathroom window. To the other side of your terrace area are two loungers. </p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/View-from-Opal-Suite.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/View-from-Opal-Suite-500x375.webp" alt="View from Opal Suite Panoramic Wing" class="wp-image-802761 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/View-from-Opal-Suite-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/View-from-Opal-Suite-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/View-from-Opal-Suite-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/View-from-Opal-Suite-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/View-from-Opal-Suite.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p><strong>The terrace area in front of the suite is relatively private,</strong> separated from the next room’s terrace with planting. Above is the view over the Panorama pool to the sea beyond, and to the corten steel structure of the main Panoramic Wing communal areas.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Entry-Room.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Entry-Room-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Emerald Retreat" class="wp-image-802878 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Entry-Room-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Entry-Room-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Entry-Room-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Entry-Room-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Entry-Room.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p><strong>I thought I should check out a couple of other rooms.</strong> Above is an Emerald Retreat, which is the ‘entry level’ room in the Seafront Wing and still very smart. This one has a view to the sea, so if you want the cheapest option you will get exactly the same room but with a ‘garden view’.</p><p>At the other end of the spectrum <strong>I was shown one of the Pavilion suites</strong> (not pictured). This was similar to other rooms, but with a larger footprint and more private terrace area. The one I saw lead directly onto the beachfront and had a very large jacuzzi.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-HLS.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-HLS-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Haute Living Lounge" class="wp-image-805971 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-HLS-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-HLS-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-HLS-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-HLS-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-HLS.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p><strong>Some of these more exclusive rooms come with Haute Living Selection access. </strong>This gives you access to a private area within the resort, featuring a cool lounge (above) with a selection of food and drink always available, your own private terrace and pool with access to a secluded part of the sea front.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Domes Miramare Resort grounds and facilities</h2><p>There are two outdoor pools, a spa with an indoor pool, gym and an outdoor yoga/fitness class area as well as three restaurants, a sushi bar, two pool bars and a further bar.</p><p>However, I give top billing to the olive trees and the sea!</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-and-olive-trees.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-and-olive-trees-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare olive trees and sea" class="wp-image-804540 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-and-olive-trees-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-and-olive-trees-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-and-olive-trees-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-and-olive-trees-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-and-olive-trees.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The landscape around the whole of the Seafront Wing (no misnomer here) is stunning.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-towards-haute-living.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-towards-haute-living-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Sea Front towards Haute Living area" class="wp-image-804544 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-towards-haute-living-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-towards-haute-living-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-towards-haute-living-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-towards-haute-living-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-sea-towards-haute-living.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p><strong>The sea is beautifully clear. </strong>There are swimming pool style bars to help you in and out. This view is towards the Pavilions and Villa end of the sea front which stretches out to the north end of the resort. There are loungers and parasols on the beach area closer to the pool bar, but above is the spot for me!</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pools</h2><p>There are two outdoor pools at Domes Miramare, both with bars.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="361" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Seafront-Wing-pool-500x361.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Seafront Wing Pool" class="wp-image-804710 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Seafront-Wing-pool-500x361.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Seafront-Wing-pool-400x289.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Seafront-Wing-pool-768x555.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Seafront-Wing-pool-350x253.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Seafront-Wing-pool.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><p>The Seafront Wing pool is just back from the beach, with a shady bar area and plenty of seating around it including Balinese beds.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Panorama-Pool.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Panorama-Pool-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Panorama Pool" class="wp-image-804712 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Panorama-Pool-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Panorama-Pool-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Panorama-Pool-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Panorama-Pool-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Panorama-Pool.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The Panorama pool was also surrounded by comfortable loungers and was the more ‘serious’ of the two pools (some guests were even doing lengths!).</p><p>For those in accommodation with Haute Living Selection, <strong>there is a smaller separate pool in the Haute Living private area</strong>. In addition there are four Pavilion suites that have their own private pools – two with jacuzzis as well. Suffice it to say, you are never going to be too far from a pool in this resort!</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Soma Spa and the fitness centre</h2><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Desk.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Desk-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Soma Spa Desk" class="wp-image-804595 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Desk-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Desk-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Desk-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Desk-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Desk.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The Soma Spa is in the Panoramic Wing of the resort.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Pool.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="291" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Pool-500x291.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Soma Spa Pool " class="wp-image-804596 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Pool-500x291.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Pool-400x233.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Pool-768x447.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Pool-350x204.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Pool.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The lighting throughout the spa is muted and calm, and I do like the fact that it is at ground level (rather than subterranean as many seem to be) so there was natural light to complement the mood lighting.</p><p>As well as a pool, there is a sauna and steam room in the capacious changing rooms. </p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Treatment-Room.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Treatment-Room-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Soma Spa treatment room " class="wp-image-804603 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Treatment-Room-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Treatment-Room-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Treatment-Room-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Treatment-Room-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Soma-Spa-Treatment-Room.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The four treatment rooms stick with the neutral cool colour palate and it works. Without wishing to sound like a marketing brochure, this place really is an oasis of calm and tranquility.</p><p>The spa offers an extensive range of facials, massages and body treatments (think scrubs, wraps ….) using products from Augustinus Bader, Elemis and iS Clinical. If you’re staying for a few days they will put together packages for you – a treatment a day.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Fitness-Centre-2.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Fitness-Centre-2-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Fitness Centre" class="wp-image-804648 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Fitness-Centre-2-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Fitness-Centre-2-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Fitness-Centre-2-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Fitness-Centre-2-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Fitness-Centre-2.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The PALS Gym is next to the Spa, and is light and airy with a good selection of TechnoGym equipment and free weights.</p><p>Also on offer are yoga (including sunset and sunrise) and fitness classes in the outdoor gym as well as indoors in the gym above.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Dining and Bars at Domes Miramare</h2><p>There are three restaurants at Domes Miramare, plus a sushi bar as well as a ‘regular’ bar:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>1962 Restaurant by the sea – Seafront Wing</li><li>Antonino’s Italian Restaurant – Panoramic Wing </li><li>MAKRIS Fine Dining Restuarant – Panoramic Wing</li><li>Raw Sushi Bar – Seafront Wing </li><li>Blu Bar – Seafront Wing</li></ul><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1962-Restaurant-External.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1962-Restaurant-External-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare 1962 Restaurant" class="wp-image-805493 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1962-Restaurant-External-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1962-Restaurant-External-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1962-Restaurant-External-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1962-Restaurant-External-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1962-Restaurant-External.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p><strong>1962 Restaurant by the Sea is the main resort restaurant offering a buffet breakfast and a la carte Mediterranean and Greek lunch and evening menus</strong>. The photo above was taken early in the morning, and the restaurant also has a large interior area.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Breakfast-2.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Breakfast-2-500x375.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-805676 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Breakfast-2-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Breakfast-2-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Breakfast-2-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Breakfast-2-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Breakfast-2.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p><strong>This was breakfast done on a grand scale.</strong> There was a huge variety of food, and plenty of it. The set up was such that you didn’t have to queue, as it was laid out around a massive open ‘island’ with chefs in the middle on pancake and egg duty.</p><p>Food was also arrayed along counters around and at the end of the buffet area – with enough space to easily get to the food at the side without bumping into people around the centre. Impressive.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-fruit.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-fruit-500x375.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-805677 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-fruit-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-fruit-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-fruit-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-fruit-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-fruit.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>Here are just a couple of the counters featured, which were kept well topped up for the duration. </p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-pastries-500x375.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-805682 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-pastries-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-pastries-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-pastries-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-pastries-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-breakfast-pastries.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><p>At lunchtime I had chicken gyros here. This was a decent lunch but nothing exceptional, and is rather spoiled by comparison with two of the other dining options.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Antoninos.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Antoninos.webp" alt="Domes MIramare Antoninos Italian restaurant " class="wp-image-805469 aligncenter" style="width:499px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Antoninos.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Antoninos-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Antoninos-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Antoninos-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Antoninos-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p><strong>Antonino’s Restaurant is open for evening meals in the Panoramic Wing</strong> and supplies poolside snacks for the Panorama Pool bar by day. There is also a row of seating on the terrace outside. </p><p>The menu was modern Italian with salads, pasta, risotto, pizza and mains such as ‘slow cooked beef cheeks, gnocchi, pecorino cream, gremolata’ for €28, ‘gilt head sea bream, gremolata, pan-seared potatoes, asparagus, tomato confit for €32.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Antoninos-risotto.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="710" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Antoninos-risotto.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Antoninos Risotto" class="wp-image-805694 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Antoninos-risotto.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Antoninos-risotto-400x316.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Antoninos-risotto-500x394.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Antoninos-risotto-768x606.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Antoninos-risotto-350x276.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p>I took the ‘Estate A Corfu Risotto’ €28 (peas, spinach, summer squash, herbs, goats cheese, lemon) and was not disappointed. It tasted very fresh and not too overpoweringly of goats cheese.</p><p>Although it was actually quite light for risotto, I didn’t have room for one of the three classic Italian desserts on offer (tiramisu, obviously, €16 and Panna Cotta with seasonal fruit €14 which I’m rather regretting not trying now).</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">MAKRIS fine dining restaurant</h2><p><strong>Drumroll please for the MAKRIS fine dining restaurant.</strong> This was the first of three MAKRIS restaurants opened by Domes in their resorts. In 2023 they opened a standalone restaurant in Athens which received its first Michelin Star in 2024.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-2.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-2-500x375.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Makris Restaurant" class="wp-image-805700 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-2-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-2-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-2-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-2-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-2.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The restaurant is on the second floor of the Panoramic Wing, with a view over the sea, of course (you can’t see it here as I waited until the tables were unoccupied for the image, although even when fully occupied it was hardly crowded). </p><p>The ethos of the restaurant is hyper local and no waste, and from what the chefs told (and showed) me, it lives up to this promise.</p><p>The menu offers a choice of two tasting menus, ‘Genesis’ for €85 per person which had three fewer dishes than ‘Utopia’ for €120, which is the one I had. </p><p>Service is fantastic. The pace was just right. Dishes are brought to the table by the chef who made it and are happy to offer as much or as little explanation as you like. The food is beautiful, delicious and beautifully presented. I’m honestly not prone to hyperbole, but this is food as art! </p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-1.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-1.webp" alt="Makris Domes Miramare Chefs Welcome" class="wp-image-805811 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-1.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-1-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-1-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-1-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-1-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p>So here we have our first art installation! Unfortunately for me, this is one of three exquisite dishes forming part of the ‘Chefs Welcome’ which are not detailed on the menu, so I can tell you it was mainly beetroot with some amazing flavours.</p><p>I can’t show you everything, so I will move on to a random larger plate:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-7.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-7.webp" alt="Makris Domes Miramare Seabass fillet" class="wp-image-805823 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-7.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-7-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-7-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-7-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-7-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p>The first main, above, was Seabass Fillet / Cuttlefish / Clams / Herbs and was followed by Greek Lamb / Aubergine Textures / ‘Trahana’ with black garlic.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-10.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-10.webp" alt="Makris Domes Miramare Dessert" class="wp-image-805828 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-10.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-10-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-10-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-10-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-10-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p>After the ‘pre-dessert’ which was actually very much a dessert – something of a similar texture to panna cotta but more delicious – came The Strawberry / Balsamic / Fennel Seed.</p><p>All of these dishes are more than the flavours their menu description conveys. The dish above was strawberries, a strawberry mousse, a strawberry (meringue? but less sweet) shell .…</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-11.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-11.webp" alt="Makris Domes Mignardise" class="wp-image-805833 aligncenter" style="width:499px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-11.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-11-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-11-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-11-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Makris-11-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p>.… and, finally, above are the ‘mignardise’ aka ‘sweet treats’. Something akin to a chocolate truffle and kumquat jelly. I thought you should see the presentation!</p><p>There is a decent wine list featuring Greek and international wines, and of course a pairing menu to go with the food.</p><p>This meal was a highlight of my stay and if you come to this resort, don’t miss it. However, I am not quite finished with the food yet.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Raw Bar </h2><p>On the second floor of the Seafront Wing you will find the Raw Bar, offering fresh sushi to accompany your drinks.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Raw-Bar-Chef.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Raw-Bar-Chef.webp" alt="Raw Bar Domes Miramare" class="wp-image-805932 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Raw-Bar-Chef.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Raw-Bar-Chef-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Raw-Bar-Chef-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Raw-Bar-Chef-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Raw-Bar-Chef-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p>As with every eatery here, there is an open kitchen, and so I watched as the chef prepared the dishes. Here are a couple:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Seabass-Ceviche-2.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Seabass-Ceviche-2.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Raw Bar Seabass Ceviche" class="wp-image-805942 aligncenter" style="width:499px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Seabass-Ceviche-2.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Seabass-Ceviche-2-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Seabass-Ceviche-2-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Seabass-Ceviche-2-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Seabass-Ceviche-2-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p>Above is a seabass ceviche (€18).</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Sushi-roll-salmon.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Sushi-roll-salmon.webp" alt="Domes Miramare Raw Salmon Sushi Rolls" class="wp-image-805962 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Sushi-roll-salmon.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Sushi-roll-salmon-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Sushi-roll-salmon-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Sushi-roll-salmon-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Domes-Miramare-Sushi-roll-salmon-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p>…. and sushi salmon rolls (€18).</p><p>Along with the Blu Bar downstairs, this is one of the two main bars in the resort. You can expect a range of signature cocktails and, well, any drink you like (within reason).</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2><p>Domes Miramare was a lovely place to spend a couple of days and it is high on my (admittedly rather long) list of places I would like to return to with my (now adult) children for a family holiday.</p><p><strong>The setting is absolutely gorgeous.</strong> The olive trees right next to the beautifully clear sea set the scene for a calm and restorative stay.</p><p>The food throughout the resort is good, with both MAKRIS and the seafood at the Raw Bar being exceptional. I thought that both of these were also good value.</p><p>For a typical price, <strong>I looked at rates for a long weekend (3 nights) at the end of July and was quoted €423 per room per night for two people on a bed and breakfast basis in an Emerald Retreat </strong>similar to the one pictured above.</p><p><strong>For an Opal Suite Sea View the same as mine (with no jacuzzi) the rate was €440</strong>. As an aside, during the booking flow I was offered the option to book a taxi for €55 and a ‘Utopia’ 13 course menu at MAKRIS for the special offer of €80 – if you go, do both of those things!</p><p>You can <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/domes-miramare-resort-page/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/domes-miramare-resort-page/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">find out more about the Domes Miramare resort, including some strong discounts available for stays in July, here</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/review-domes-miramare-resort-corfu/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>19</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">793784</post-id> </item><item><title>How to earn Virgin Atlantic Silver and Gold status flying with KLM and Air France</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/earn-virgin-atlantic-status-flying-klm-air-france/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/earn-virgin-atlantic-status-flying-klm-air-france/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 13 Jul 2025 02:11:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Air France KLM and Flying Blue]]></category><category><![CDATA[Virgin Atlantic and Flying Club]]></category><category><![CDATA[three]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=801994</guid><description><![CDATA[This is your guide to earning Virgin Flying Club tier points from flights on Air France and KLM. We know that a lot of HfP readers, especially outside the Heathrow catchment area, do the majority of their SkyTeam flying on Air France or KLM rather than Virgin Atlantic. However, there are reasons why you may […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>This is your guide to earning Virgin Flying Club tier points from flights on Air France and KLM.</strong></p><p>We know that a lot of HfP readers, especially outside the Heathrow catchment area, do the majority of their SkyTeam flying on Air France or KLM rather than Virgin Atlantic.</p><p>However, <strong>there are reasons why you may want to credit your flights to Virgin Flying Club rather than Flying Blue, the Air France / KLM scheme.</strong></p><p>For a start, <strong>having Silver or Gold status in Virgin Flying Club means that the annual voucher you receive from the Virgin Atlantic credit cards is worth 150,000 Virgin Points</strong> rather than the standard 75,000 points.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Air-France-KLM-tail.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-722792 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Air-France-KLM-tail.jpg 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Air-France-KLM-tail-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Air-France-KLM-tail-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Air-France-KLM-tail-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Air-France-KLM-tail-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Air-France-KLM-tail-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Air-France-KLM-tail-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure></div><p>This article looks at <strong>how many Virgin Atlantic tier points you earn when flying with Air France and KLM.</strong></p><p>Details are below, but <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-atlantic-air-france-page/" data-shortcode="true">you can also find the Air France tier point earning chart on this page of the Virgin Atlantic website</a> and <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-atlantic-klm-page/" data-shortcode="true">the KLM tier point earning chart on this page</a>.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">You don’t need to fly with Virgin Atlantic to earn Virgin Flying Club status</h2><p>It is worth remembering that <strong>there is NO minimum Virgin Atlantic flight requirement with Virgin Flying Club</strong>. You can earn Virgin Atlantic status ENTIRELY from Air France and KLM flying if you wish.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">A simple guide to earning Virgin Atlantic status with Air France and KLM</h2><p>Let’s look at the Virgin Atlantic tier point system, which is outlined <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-tier-points-earning/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noindex noopener">on its website here</a>.</p><p>Virgin Flying Club is tiered like this:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Red</strong> – sign-up level</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Silver</strong> – requires 400 tier points per year, key benefits are free seat selection seven days before departure when flying Economy, Premium check-in (where Premium desks exist), fast track security, priority boarding, ability to gift annual credit card vouchers to other people, Virgin Hotels benefits, 30% mileage bonus on Virgin Atlantic / Air France / KLM / Delta flights, SkyTeam Elite status</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Gold</strong> – requires 1,000 tier points year. This is where the real benefits kick in – Upper Class check-in, extra baggage allowance, free Economy seat selection at any time, 60% mileage bonus on Virgin / Air France / KLM / Delta, <strong>lounge access</strong>, birthday points bonus, Silver status for a friend, arrivals lounge access at Heathrow, reward voucher upon renewal, SkyTeam Elite Plus status</li></ul><div class="wp-block-image is-resized is-style-default"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1000" height="600" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Virgin-Delta-Air-France-KLM.jpg" alt="Earn Virgin Flying Club tier points on Air France KLM" class="wp-image-177166 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Virgin-Delta-Air-France-KLM.jpg 1000w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Virgin-Delta-Air-France-KLM-450x270.jpg 450w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Virgin-Delta-Air-France-KLM-650x390.jpg 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Virgin-Delta-Air-France-KLM-120x72.jpg 120w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Virgin-Delta-Air-France-KLM-768x461.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Virgin-Delta-Air-France-KLM-350x210.jpg 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Virgin-Delta-Air-France-KLM-400x240.jpg 400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">How does the Virgin Atlantic tier point system work?</h2><p>Here is a reminder of how <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-tier-points-earned-per-flight/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noindex noopener">you earn tier points with Virgin Atlantic</a>.</p><p>Whilst British Airways has moved to a revenue-based system for earning status, Virgin Atlantic has not. You know in advance how many tier points you will earn – the price you pay for your ticket has no impact.</p><p><strong>Virgin Atlantic and British Airways work slightly differently when you first earn status.</strong> With Virgin, your past activity as a Red member is counted on <strong>a ROLLING 12 month basis</strong> without fixed membership dates.</p><p>Once you hit 400 tier points within the past 12 months (to be precise, 12 months plus the entire first month, so today it would consider 1st July 2024 to 13th July 2025) your membership expiry date is fixed. You need to hit 400 or 1,000 tier points within the next 12 months to renew Silver or reach Gold.</p><p>When heading from Red to Gold, your tier points are reset to zero when you hit 400 and become Silver. However, you are then given Gold when you hit 600 tier points – you do not need to earn 1,000 for the first year.</p><p>This is what you earn when you fly with Virgin Atlantic (we will come to Air France and KLM earning in a minute):</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Upper Class (G, Z) – 100 tier points each way</li><li>Upper Class (J, C, D, I) – 200 tier points each way</li><li>Premium (H, K, P) – 50 tier points each way</li><li>Premium (W, S) – 100 tier points each way</li><li>Economy Delight (V) – 50 tier points each way</li><li>Economy Classic (A, E, Q, X, N, O) – 25 tier points each way</li><li>Economy Classic (L, U, M, Y, B, R) – 50 tier points each way</li><li>Economy Light (T) – 25 tier points each way</li></ul><p><strong>Renewing Gold would require as few as five one-way Upper Class flights per year as long as they were on flexible or semi-flexible tickets</strong>.</p><div class="wp-block-image is-resized is-style-default"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="547" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Air-France.jpg" alt="Earn Virgin Atlantic tier points on Air France" class="wp-image-182333 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Air-France.jpg 800w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Air-France-450x308.jpg 450w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Air-France-650x444.jpg 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Air-France-120x82.jpg 120w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Air-France-768x525.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Air-France-410x280.jpg 410w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Air-France-350x239.jpg 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Air-France-400x274.jpg 400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">How many Virgin tier points do you earn with Air France and KLM?</h2><p>The tier point earning chart is here <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-atlantic-air-france-page/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noindex noopener">on the Virgin Atlantic website for Air France</a> and <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-atlantic-klm-page/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noindex noopener">here for KLM</a> and I have copied it below. Note that the numbers are different if you are flying on a Virgin Atlantic codeshare flight (ie your ticket has a VS flight number but your flight is operated by Air France or KLM).</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Earning Virgin Flying Club tier points with Air France</h2><p>Here is the table (click to enlarge):</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSAF.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="732" height="1300" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSAF.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-805925 aligncenter" style="width:450px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSAF.webp 732w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSAF-400x710.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSAF-500x888.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSAF-350x622.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" /></a></figure></div><p>The cut-offs are:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>601+ miles for mid-haul</li><li>1,751+ miles for long-haul</li></ul><p>If you are booking a heavily discounted Economy ticket, check that it is in a category which qualifies for tier points.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="764" height="509" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KLM.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-805935 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KLM.webp 764w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KLM-400x266.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KLM-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KLM-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KLM-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KLM-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Earning Virgin Flying Club tier points with KLM</h2><p>Here is the table (click to enlarge):</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSKLM.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="754" height="1115" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSKLM.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-805930 aligncenter" style="width:450px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSKLM.webp 754w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSKLM-400x592.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSKLM-500x739.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-VSKLM-350x518.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 754px) 100vw, 754px" /></a></figure></div><p>The cut-offs are:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>601+ miles for mid-haul</li><li>1,751+ miles for long-haul</li></ul><p>If you are booking a heavily discounted Economy ticket, check that it is in a category which qualifies for tier points.</p><div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-tier-points-earning/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="400" height="241" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Air-France-short-haul-business-class-review-1.jpg" alt="How to earn Virgin Atlantic status flying with KLM and Air France" class="wp-image-117252 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Air-France-short-haul-business-class-review-1.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Air-France-short-haul-business-class-review-1-120x72.jpg 120w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Air-France-short-haul-business-class-review-1-350x211.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Here are a few thoughts about the tier point tables</h2><p>Here are two things to note:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Air France First Class (La Premiere) is not treated any more generously than flexible Business Class</strong>, although not that many people fly it – it is far more exclusive than BA First Class and rarely discounted</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>the 1,751 miles cut-off for maximum tier points is interesting</strong>. Before British Airways Club was launched, BA used to use 2,000 miles as its cut-off between short-haul and long-haul. Even though Amsterdam and Paris are nearer most destinations in EMEA than London, the lower cut-off point means that routes which used to earn 80 BA tier points probably earn the higher level of Virgin Atlantic tier points.</li></ul><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2><p>As you can see from the charts above, <strong>it is relatively easy to earn status in Virgin Flying Club purely from flying Air France or KLM.</strong></p><p>Virgin Silver could be yours for as little as one return long haul business class flight on a flexible ticket. Looking at short haul, a cheap business class return from, say, Manchester to Rome via Amsterdam would get 100 tier points return. If you doing this route monthly then you would easily earn Virgin Flying Club Gold status within a year.</p><p>Whether it is worth switching from Flying Blue to Virgin Flying Club is totally down to your flying patterns (travel class and routes) and how much value you place on earning Virgin Points instead of Flying Blue miles.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/earn-virgin-atlantic-status-flying-klm-air-france/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>24</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">801994</post-id> </item><item><title>Important dates for your diary – offers about to close which you shouldn’t miss</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/important-dates-for-your-diary-offers-about-to-close-which-you-shouldnt-miss-178/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/important-dates-for-your-diary-offers-about-to-close-which-you-shouldnt-miss-178/#respond</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[HfP team]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 13 Jul 2025 01:11:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=801289</guid><description><![CDATA[The aim of this feature is to summarise flight, hotel and points offers that are ending soon.  Everything listed below has been covered on HfP in recent weeks, but years of experience of running offers for HfP readers has made it very clear that a large proportion like to leave things to the last minute […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The aim of this feature is to <strong>summarise flight, hotel and points offers that are ending soon</strong>. Everything listed below has been covered on HfP in recent weeks, but years of experience of running offers for HfP readers has made it very clear that a large proportion like to leave things to the last minute ….</p><p>It pulls together the different deals mentioned in our daily articles and on our <em><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/avios-promos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top Avios Points Earning Offers</a></em>, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/best-uk-hotel-points-promotions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Top Hotel Bonus Points Offers</em></a> and <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/best-uk-avios-airline-hotel-credit-cards/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Top UK Credit Card Offers</em></a> pages.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1263" height="829" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Calendar.webp" alt="Miles and points offers about to end" class="wp-image-390548 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Calendar.webp 1263w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Calendar-400x263.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Calendar-500x328.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Calendar-768x504.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Calendar-350x230.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1263px) 100vw, 1263px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Credit and debit card offers</h2><p><strong>Until 15th July 2025, the sign-up bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is TRIPLED to 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points</strong>. This would convert into 25,000 Avios or into 40 other airline schemes. It would also get you at least £300 of Marriott hotel stays based on our 0.5p per point low-end valuation. Other T&C apply and remain unchanged. <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/01/review-marriott-bonvoy-american-express-credit-card-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>Click here for our full card review</u></a> and <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/starwood-amex/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>click here to apply</u></a>.</p><p><strong>Until 14th August 2025, the sign-up bonus on the Hilton Honors Plus debit card is TRIPLED to 30,000 Hilton Honors points</strong>. You will also receive Gold Elite status in Hilton Honors for as long as you hold the card. <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/18/review-hilton-honors-plus-debit-card-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>Click here for our full card review</u></a> and <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-honors-debit-card-home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>click here to apply</u></a>.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="331" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-500x331.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-402801 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-500x331.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-400x265.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-768x508.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-650x430.webp 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-350x232.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Hotel promotions and ‘buy points’ offers</h2><p>Here are registration links for the current hotel promotions from the major chains:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Hilton Honors</strong> – earn 1,000 bonus points per stay between 1st June and 15th August 2025 – <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-promo-30-september/" data-shortcode="true">register here</a></li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Hilton Honors</strong> – earn 5,000 bonus points (capped at 15,000 points) for every stay booked at a ‘Hilton for Business’ rate by 27th August – <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-for-business-offer-27-august/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register here</a></li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Hilton Honors</strong> – earn 750 Avios – on top of your usual points – on your first stay after registration by 30th September – <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-qatar-avios-offer-30-september/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register here</a></li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>IHG One Rewards</strong> – earn either (you choose) 2,000 bonus points for every two nights or 8,000 bonus points for every four nights you stay between 20th May and 31st August – <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/ihg-summer-promo-31-august-2/" data-shortcode="true">register here</a></li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>IHG One Rewards</strong> – earn triple base points at Crowne Plaza, voco, Vignette, Candlewood Suites and Garner until 30th September – <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/ihg-triple-points-30-september/" data-shortcode="true">register here</a></li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Radisson Rewards </strong>– earn up to 10,000 bonus points based on the number of different brands you stay at by 26th September (new bookings only) – <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/radisson-multibrand-offer-26-september/" data-shortcode="true">register here</a></li></ul><p>The following<strong> hotel ‘buy points’ offers </strong>are currently running:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Hilton Honors</strong> – Hilton is offering a 100% when you buy points by 24th July – <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-buy-points/" data-shortcode="true">click here to buy</a></li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>IHG One Rewards</strong> – IHG is offering a 100% bonus to most people when you buy points by 17th July – <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/ihg-buy-points-29-march/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here to buy</a></li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Marriott Bonvoy</strong> – Marriott is offering a 30% to 50% bonus (varies by individual) when you buy Bonvoy points by 16th July – <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/marriott-buy-points/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here to buy</a></li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>World of Hyatt </strong>– Hyatt is offering a 20% bonus when you buy points by 21st July – <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hyatt-buy-points/" data-shortcode="true">click here to buy</a></li></ul><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="334" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hotel-logo-unsplash-webp-500x334.webp" alt="Miles and points offers ending soon" class="wp-image-547355 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hotel-logo-unsplash-webp-500x334.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hotel-logo-unsplash-webp-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hotel-logo-unsplash-webp-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hotel-logo-unsplash-webp-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hotel-logo-unsplash-webp-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hotel-logo-unsplash-webp-350x234.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hotel-logo-unsplash-webp.webp 1280w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Dates for your diary</h2><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Monday 14th July</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/03/20/leading-hotels-world-amex-cashback/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get £100 cashback with American Express when you spend £600 at selected Leading Hotels of the World</a></p><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/10/1000-etihad-guest-miles-on-hyatt-stays/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earn 1,000 Etihad Guest miles on every Hyatt stay in EMEA, on top of your usual World of Hyatt points</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday 15th July</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/04/26/ihg-launches-its-europe-summer-hotel-sale/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">book in the IHG summer hotel sale (stay at any future date)</a></p><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/03/60000-points-marriott-bonvoy-american-express-card/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points as a sign-up bonus with the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card</a> – click <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/01/review-marriott-bonvoy-american-express-credit-card-5/" data-type="post" data-id="788262" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here to apply</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Wednesday 16th July</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/19/get-a-30-50-bonus-when-you-buy-marriott-bonvoy-hotel-points/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get a 30%-50% bonus when you buy Marriott Bonvoy points</a> – click <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/marriott-buy-points/" data-shortcode="true">here to buy</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday 17th July</h3><p>New My Lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 3 due to open</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friday 18th July</h3><p>New No1 Lounge at Jersey Airport due to open</p><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/get-a-60-bonus-when-you-buy-virgin-points/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get a 60% bonus buying Virgin Points</a> – click <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-atlantic-points-article-link/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here to buy</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Sunday 20th July</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/04/virgin-points-clubcard-conversion-bonus-launched/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">activate auto-convert from Tesco Clubcard points to Virgin Points to receive 5,000 bonus Virgin Points</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Monday 21st July</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/14/20-bonus-buying-hyatt-points/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get a 20% bonus when you buy World of Hyatt points</a> – click <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hyatt-buy-points/" data-shortcode="true">here to buy</a></p><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/24/save-on-cathay-pacific-flights/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">save up to £200 on Cathay Pacific flights to Australia, New Zealand and Asia (travel between September and early December)</a></p><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/10/win-100000-accor-live-limitless-hotel-points/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">book Accor hotel stays to qualify for entry into their ‘win 100,000 points’ competition (stay by 31st August)</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday 22nd July</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/get-bonus-accor-hotel-points-with-sixt-car-rentals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">book a Sixt car rental to earn bonus Accor Live Limitless points</a>, complete rental by 30th September</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday 24th July</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/14/100-bonus-when-you-buy-hilton-honors-points-4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get a 100% bonus buying Hilton Honors points</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Monday 28th July</h3><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/04/30/bristol-airport-confirms-the-opening-date-for-its-new-escape-lounge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bristol Airport opens its new Escape lounge</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday 31st July</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/100-bonus-buying-ihg-one-rewards-hotel-points-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">book a Qatar Airways flight and earn up to 10,000 bonus Avios</a>, for travel by 31st March 2026</p><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/21/99-offer-aether-private-terminal-manchester-airport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">book the aether private terminal at Manchester Airport for £99, for travel at any future date</a></p><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/12/w-florence-hotel-opening/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get £75 cashback via American Express on a £300+ transaction with Melia Hotels</a></p><p>Last day for <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/07/earn-avios-with-uber-in-ireland/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Irish readers to register their AerClub account with Uber and take a ride to receive 500 bonus Avios</a></p><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/28/get-10-avios-per-1-with-heathrow-express-tickets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get 10 Avios per £1 spent at Heathrow Express with a British Airways American Express card</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Monday 4th August</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/26/100-korean-air-cashback-offer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get £100 cashback via American Express on a £900+ booking with Korean Air</a></p><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/save-15-on-wizz-air-with-american-express/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get £15 cashback via American Express on a £150+ booking with Wizz Air</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friday 8th August</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/10/united-airlines-300-american-express-cashback/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get £300 cashback on a £700 United Airlines spend with American Express</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday 14th August</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/04/30000-points-with-hilton-honors-plus-debit-card/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get 30,000 Hilton Honors points when you apply for the Hilton Honors Plus debit card</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friday 15th August</h3><p>Last day for <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/02/hilton-summer-2025-bonus-points-offer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stays to count towards the new Hilton Honors summer bonus points promotion</a> – click <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-promo-30-september/" data-shortcode="true">here to register</a></p><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/07/double-nectar-points-with-esso-supreme-fuel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get double Nectar points on Esso Supreme+ fuel</a></p><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/25/save-100-on-a-300-spend-at-small-luxury-hotels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get £100 cashback on a £300 Small Luxury Hotels stay with American Express</a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Wednesday 19th August</h3><p>Last day to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/25/250-virgin-atlantic-holidays-cashback/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get £250 cashback via American Express with a £5,000+ Virgin Atlantic Holidays booking</a></p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/important-dates-for-your-diary-offers-about-to-close-which-you-shouldnt-miss-178/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>0</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">801289</post-id> </item><item><title>Click here for the forum and Sunday’s chat thread</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/13/click-here-for-the-forum-and-sundays-chat-thread/</link><dc:creator><![CDATA[HfP team]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 13 Jul 2025 01:00:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><category><![CDATA[redirect]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=805551</guid><description><![CDATA[The daily chat thread is now part of our forums. Click here to go to the forum home page and then select ‘Click here for today’s chat thread’. Thank you.]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The daily chat thread is now part of our forums. Click here to go to the forum home page and then select ‘Click here for today’s chat thread’. Thank you.</p><p></p>]]></content:encoded><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">805551</post-id> </item><item><title>Heathrow proposes £10 billion investment to increase passenger numbers by 10 million</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/heathrow-plans-10-billion-investment-to-increase-passenger-numbers-by-10-million/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/heathrow-plans-10-billion-investment-to-increase-passenger-numbers-by-10-million/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rhys Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 04:11:16 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><category><![CDATA[one]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=805826</guid><description><![CDATA[2024 was a record-breaking year for Heathrow when it welcomed 83.9 million people – three million more than its previous record, set in 2019. By 2031, it wants to be able to accommodate up to 94m passengers per year – an extra ten million. And it wants to do it without building any new terminal […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>2024 was a record-breaking year for Heathrow when it welcomed 83.9 million people – three million more than its previous record, set in 2019.</p><p><strong>By 2031, it wants to be able to accommodate up to 94m passengers per year – an extra ten million.</strong> And it wants to do it without building any new terminal capacity.</p><p>Quite how it will do that – with no additional flights – remains to be seen. The only way capacity can increase is if airlines swap smaller planes out for larger ones or increase their overall load factor (the percentage each flight is full.) </p><p>With average load factors already high at many airlines (at BA it is 85.2%), and new aircraft taking years to arrive, it will likely fall short of this target.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-medium"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-Airport.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="400" height="267" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-Airport-400x267.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-765629 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-Airport-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-Airport-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-Airport-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-Airport-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-Airport-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-Airport-350x233.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-Airport.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a></figure></div><p>The airport has just unveiled its proposal for the next five year investment plan, which is set to run from 2027 until 2031.</p><p>Heathrow says the £10 billion project<em> “can be delivered affordably with stretching efficiency savings of over £800 million and an airport charge that remains lower than it was a decade ago in real terms.” </em>Heathrow shareholders will make a £2 billion equity contribution.</p><p><strong>However, it will still see an increase in passenger charges by 17% from what was/is paid from 2022-2026. </strong>The average charge for the next funding period would be £33.26 “in today’s prices” versus £28.46.</p><p>Because of the way Heathrow is funded, it must ask regulators (in this case the Civil Aviation Authority) for permission to do invest. <strong>The airlines will be able to make a counter-proposal with the CAA arbitrating the process.</strong></p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-medium"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Qantas-London-Lounge-8461.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="400" height="300" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Qantas-London-Lounge-8461-400x300.webp" alt="heathrow airline lounges" class="wp-image-790328 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Qantas-London-Lounge-8461-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Qantas-London-Lounge-8461-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Qantas-London-Lounge-8461-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Qantas-London-Lounge-8461-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Qantas-London-Lounge-8461.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">So, what does £10 billion get you?</h2><p>No new terminals, yet. Whilst Heathrow reconfirmed its plans to knock down the old Terminal 1 and extend Terminal 2 across its footprint (something that has been planned since Terminal 2 was built), work on that project is not set to start yet, not least because Heathrow needs to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/12/22/new-heathrow-terminal-2-baggage-system/">finish the new Terminal 2 baggage system before it can do so.</a></p><p>I am told that Heathrow will seek planning permission for those changes in this five year plan, allowing works to begin in the next period (2032-2036) if permission is secured.</p><p>The £10bn does not include any runway expansion, which is being treated as a separate project with a detailed proposal to come later this summer.</p><p>In the meantime, Heathrow will have to work with what it has, and that means:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“Creating 70,000m<sup>2</sup> of new terminal space within our existing buildings by converting areas passengers don’t currently use.”</p></blockquote><p>That’s the equivalent of ten football pitches and will <strong>enable the creation of new lounges in both T3 and T5 as part of the plan. </strong>New shops and restaurants are also touted.</p><p>Other targets include:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>99% of bags travelling with passengers (up from 98.3% in 2024)</li><li>80% of flights departing on-time (up from 69% in 2024)</li><li>95% of passengers waiting less than five minutes at security (up from 92.6% in 2024)</li></ul><p>Heathrow also wants to target “a step-change in service with more choice for passengers requiring additional support.” Just last month the CAA rated Heathrow’s current special assistance service provision as “needs improvement”; Edinburgh was the only other major airport in this category.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-medium"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-T5-at-night.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="400" height="267" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-T5-at-night-400x267.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-762884 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-T5-at-night-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-T5-at-night-500x334.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-T5-at-night-768x513.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-T5-at-night-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-T5-at-night-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-T5-at-night-350x234.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Heathrow-T5-at-night.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> </figcaption></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">No such thing as a free lunch</h2><p>To fund these improvements Heathrow wants to raise passenger charges by 17%, to an average of £33.26. According to the airport this is below what they were a decade ago “in real terms.”</p><p>Still, £10 billion sounds like a lot for what – based on the above – is a small amount of additional passenger space and some punctuality and service improvements.</p><p>I asked Heathrow how much of the £10 billion would be spent on the additional terminal space, but they were unable to provide a break down. In comparison:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Gatwick Airport is spending just £140 million to build a brand new extension to Pier 6 that can accommodate eight aircraft gates and means 7.5 million additional passengers will be able to board via jetbridges each year.</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Manchester Airport’s big Terminal 2 project cost ‘just’ £1.3 billion. It doubled the size of the terminal and included a full refurbishment of the entire existing T2, due to reopen soon.</li></ul><p>Heathrow’s two largest tenants, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, agreed that (in Virgin’s words) “Heathrow needs to do better and dramatically improve the customer experience.”</p><p>Virgin Atlantic continued:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“Only Heathrow with its monopoly power as the UK’s only hub airport, would think that this £10bn investment plan represents value for money and that’s before any third runway expansion costs are factored into the equation.”</p></blockquote><p>As with previous passenger charge disputes, Virgin called on the CAA to undertake a “fundamental review” of Heathrow’s funding model, which it called “simply not fit for purpose.” </p><p>That’s at least something the two can agree on, with Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye stating earlier this year that a third runway would require “making the regulatory model fit for purpose.”</p><p>Earlier this year, Heathrow’s biggest customers including the Heathrow Airline Operators’ Committee (AOC), Arora Group, British Airways owner International Airlines Group (IAG) and Virgin Atlantic <a href="https://www.heathrow-reimagined.com">launched ‘Heathrow Reimagined’, a campaign calling for a “better hub for Britain.”</a> Proposals include breaking up ownership of the airport, with terminals to be operated by separate companies as is done at New York JFK.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2><p>What Heathrow has proposed is just that – a proposal. Ultimately, it is up to the CAA to decide how much the airport can reclaim and it will now hear feedback from airlines on the changes.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/heathrow-plans-10-billion-investment-to-increase-passenger-numbers-by-10-million/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>104</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">805826</post-id> </item><item><title>Rollback of 100ml liquid restrictions: you can now take two litres at some airports</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/rollback-of-100ml-liquid-rules/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/rollback-of-100ml-liquid-rules/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rhys Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 03:11:50 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><category><![CDATA[two]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=804484</guid><description><![CDATA[Rob and I were both a bit perplexed this week when Edinburgh Airport sent us a press release saying that “passengers are now able to take liquids in containers of up to two litres through security.” As you may remember, the UK Government has mandated that all UK airports install next-generation CT security scanners. These […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Rob and I were both a bit perplexed this week when Edinburgh Airport sent us a press release saying that “passengers are now able to take liquids in containers of up to two litres through security.”</p><p>As you may remember,<strong> the UK Government has mandated that all UK airports install next-generation CT security scanners</strong>.</p><p>These devices, which are substantially bigger and heavier than the scanners they replace, are capable of scanning luggage in 3D and determining the density of materials including liquids. Older X-Ray machines only produce 2D images of luggage.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Analogic-3D-CT-baggage-scanner-security.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="623" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Analogic-3D-CT-baggage-scanner-security.jpg" alt="Rollback of 100ml liquids restrictions: you can now take 2 litres+ at some airports" class="wp-image-464348 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Analogic-3D-CT-baggage-scanner-security.jpg 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Analogic-3D-CT-baggage-scanner-security-400x208.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Analogic-3D-CT-baggage-scanner-security-500x260.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Analogic-3D-CT-baggage-scanner-security-768x399.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Analogic-3D-CT-baggage-scanner-security-350x182.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p>It meant that <strong>liquids no longer had to be removed from bags for scanning</strong>. The machines and their operatives would be able to remotely sense whether they contained explosives or not.</p><p>The UK Goverment announced a deadline of December 2022 for airports to replace their scanners with the new CT technology. This was extended to June 2024 after covid caused significant disruption and airports claimed that they couldn’t comply with the rules in time.</p><p><strong>Teesside International Airport became the first in the UK to install the new scanners in all security lanes in January 2023.</strong> It was followed by other small airports, including London City Airport, where only a handful of scanners had to be replaced.</p><p>Larger airports struggled with the rollout. The new scanners are so heavy that it is not simply a case of swapping them out. In some cases, terminal floors had to be strengthened.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“Heathrow has more security scanners than all other UK airports combined and there were infrastructure changes that had to be implemented (like strengthening floors). We also planned the works to ensure it didn’t disrupt the live passenger operation (the past couple of years of which have been the busiest we’ve ever seen).”</p></blockquote><p>Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester and East Midlands airports all failed to meet the revised deadline of June 2024. <strong>Heathrow has still not fully rolled out the new machines on all lanes</strong>, although it is getting there with “the vast majority of passengers using new security lanes.”</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Smiths-Detection-CT-Scanner.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="333" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Smiths-Detection-CT-Scanner-500x333.webp" alt="Rollback of 100ml liquids restrictions" class="wp-image-804583 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Smiths-Detection-CT-Scanner-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Smiths-Detection-CT-Scanner-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Smiths-Detection-CT-Scanner-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Smiths-Detection-CT-Scanner-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Smiths-Detection-CT-Scanner-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Smiths-Detection-CT-Scanner-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Smiths-Detection-CT-Scanner-350x233.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Smiths-Detection-CT-Scanner.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>Disappointingly, the Government rushed out a new directive in June 2024 instructing all airports – including those with newly upgraded scanners – to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/06/08/government-brings-back-100ml-liquid-rule/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continue enforcing the 100ml liquids rule.</a> The rollback was rushed, with initial confusion around whether liquids could stay in bags or not (they could).</p><p>The Department for Transport claimed that the change was not due to an imminent security threat but because of <strong>concerns over the reliability of the new scanners</strong>. The EU followed suit three months later in September 2024, citing a similar “temporary technical issue” with the new scanners.</p><p><strong>Whatever the temporary issue was, it now appears to have been solved.</strong> Without issuing a press release, the Department for Transport has informed airports that they can lift the 100ml rules once their scanners have been installed and approved.</p><p>This will be done in a piecemeal fashion, at the discretion of each airport, which will add to the confusion over the peak summer travel season.</p><p>So far,<strong> only Birmingham and Edinburgh airports have confirmed they are no longer enforcing the 100ml rule.</strong> According to Edinburgh Airport, “liquids can be left in bags and taken through security in bottles/containers of up to two litres.”</p><p>EDIT: <strong>Both Belfast airports are have also publicly adopted the new rules</strong> – this is confirmed on their websites.</p><p>EDIT: There are multiple reader comments below that <strong>London Gatwick has adopted the new 2l rule but is not making it public.</strong></p><p><strong>Remember that you may still be restricted on the liquids you can take on your return trip.</strong> Whilst some international airports have moved to the new scanners, including Amsterdam Schiphol, the EU is still mandating a 100ml limit for now.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/rollback-of-100ml-liquid-rules/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>66</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">804484</post-id> </item><item><title>Bits: Qatar Airways completes Starlink 777 roll-out, get double Avios with Club Avolta</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/qatar-airways-completes-starlink-777-roll-out/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/qatar-airways-completes-starlink-777-roll-out/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rhys Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 02:11:58 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[British Airways and Avios]]></category><category><![CDATA[Qatar Airways and Privilege Club]]></category><category><![CDATA[three]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=805542</guid><description><![CDATA[News in brief: Qatar Airways completes Starlink roll-out on 777 fleet Whilst we wait for Virgin Atlantic to start its rollout of Starlink high speed wi-fi in late 2026, Qatar Airways has announced that its entire Boeing 777 fleet of 54 aircraft is now equipped. This is an important moment, because up to this week […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>News in brief:</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Qatar Airways completes Starlink roll-out on 777 fleet</h2><p>Whilst we wait for <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/virgin-atlantic-refurbishes-b787-fleet-adds-starlink/" data-type="post" data-id="804732" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virgin Atlantic to start its rollout of Starlink high speed wi-fi in late 2026</a>, <strong>Qatar Airways has announced that its entire Boeing 777 fleet of 54 aircraft is now equipped</strong>.</p><p>This is an important moment, because up to this week you could not be 100% sure that a Boeing 777 aircraft you were booked on would have it. You can now book with confidence, subject to any equipment swaps.</p><p><strong>We say in our articles that 200 mbps is possible,</strong> because this is what we had when we flew down to Doha recently, but Qatar Airways claims that 500 mbps can be achieved. </p><p>(Whilst Virgin Atlantic is starting its rollout next year, it will be 2028 before you can be 100% certain that your aircraft will have it. It’s worth noting that Qatar Airways claims that, by the end of the process, <strong>it had cut the installation time down to under 10 hours</strong>.)</p><p><strong>Qatar Airways is now moving on to its A350 fleet</strong>. When Rhys and I were in Doha in May we saw the first A350 being equipped, although this was going to be a test installation used to get Starlink certified.</p><p>Qatar Airways says its 58 A350s will get it over the course of “the next year.” You can <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/04/28/review-qatar-airways-starlink-wifi/" data-type="post" data-id="777548" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read about our experience with the service on Qatar’s 777 earlier this year here.</a></p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330-500x375.webp" alt="Qatar Airways completes Starlink wifi roll-out on 777 fleet" class="wp-image-777584 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Earn double Avios with Club Avolta</h2><p>Club Avolta is the loyalty programme for the Avolta duty free empire.</p><p>We <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/22/use-avios-at-heathrow-world-duty-free/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained how Club Avolta works in this article</a>.</p><p>One key point is that <strong>you earn Avios when making purchases at Club Avolta-run outlets</strong>, including World Duty Free, at London Heathrow and key airports in Spain.</p><p>Until 31st August, <strong>the Avios rate is doubled to 2 Avios per £1 or €1 spent when you spend at least £50 or €50</strong>.</p><p>The introductory offer of 250 Avios for your first purchase in Heathrow or Spain is also still running and will double up with this promotion.</p><p>To earn Avios you need to add your British Airways Club or Iberia Club number in the Club Avolta app. You’ll find this under ‘Account’ and then ‘Explore partners’. <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/22/use-avios-at-heathrow-world-duty-free/" data-type="post" data-id="782925" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Further details are in this HfP article on Club Avolta</a>.</p><p>No registration is required for the double Avios offer.</p><p>Thanks to Amanda for flagging.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/qatar-airways-completes-starlink-777-roll-out/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>14</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">805542</post-id> </item><item><title>What you missed on Head for Points last week</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/what-you-missed-on-head-for-points-last-week-253/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/what-you-missed-on-head-for-points-last-week-253/#respond</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 12 Jul 2025 01:05:05 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><category><![CDATA[Weekly Summary]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=805894</guid><description><![CDATA[Welcome to the Head for Points weekly newsletter, full of the latest Avios, travel loyalty and travel credit card news, hints and tips. If you are not a subscriber, you can sign up to this free Saturday newsletter by filling in the form here. Please forward it to any friends or family who you think may want to join our 49,000 subscribers and improve how they travel. The newsletter also runs on the Head for Points website every Saturday.]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome to the <em>Head for Points</em> weekly newsletter, full of the latest Avios, travel loyalty and travel credit card news, hints and tips.</p><p>If you are not a subscriber, you can sign up to this free Saturday newsletter <a href="https://eepurl.com/g93c1z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by filling in the form here</a>. <strong>Please forward it to any friends or family</strong> who you think may want to join our 49,000 subscribers and improve how they travel. The newsletter also runs on the <em>Head for Points</em> website every Saturday.</p><p>(We also offer daily emails. You would receive each article in full on the day of release, so you won’t miss any short-notice deals or offers. If you want to switch, create a fresh subscription to the daily emails <a href="https://eepurl.com/gx74EP" target="_blank" rel="noopener">via this form</a>. You will then need to unsubscribe from the weekly email by clicking the ‘Unsubscribe’ link at the bottom of this newsletter.)</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="794" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card.webp" alt="Get 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points with the Marriott American Express card" class="wp-image-402801 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-400x265.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-500x331.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-768x508.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-650x430.webp 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-350x232.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">ENDS TUESDAY: Get 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points with the Marriott Bonvoy American Express card</h2><p>Until Tuesday 15th July, so you have just four days left, <strong>you can get a huge sign-up bonus of 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points on the Marriott Bonvoy American Express card</strong>. You can <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/starwood-amex/" data-shortcode="true">apply here</a>.</p><p>This is the biggest bonus you ever see on this credit card, and is TRIPLE the standard amount.</p><p>This is worth roughly £300 of free Marriott stays, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/08/26/what-are-marriott-bonvoy-hotel-points-worth-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">based on our 0.5p per point valuation</a>, or 25,000 Avios or other airline miles if converted.</p><p>There are four good reasons to hold this card long term, and not just for the sign-up bonus:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>you get 15 elite night credits EVERY YEAR in Marriott Bonvoy</strong> – this means, for example, that Platinum only requres 35 nights instead of the usual 50. Even better, these nights count towards Lifetime Status.</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>you get Silver Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy every year, because it is triggered automatically by the 15 elite night credits</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>you get Gold Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy if you spend £15,000 on the card in a membership year</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>you get a free night voucher worth up to 25,000 Bonvoy points if you spend £25,000 on the card in a membership year</li></ul><p>There is an annual fee of £95 per year. The on-going earning rate is 2 Bonvoy points per £1 spent.</p><p>To learn more, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/03/60000-points-marriott-bonvoy-american-express-card/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here for our full article on the offer</a>. Please read the bit about whether you qualify for the sign-up bonus. The offer ends next Tuesday, 15th July.</p><p>You can <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/week-20-24-sponsored-article-mb-amex-60k/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apply here</a>.</p><p><strong>The representative APR is 53.7% variable, including the annual fee. The representative APR on purchases is 30.0% variable.</strong></p><p>In other news ….</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="278" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-500x278.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-806336 aligncenter" style="width:450px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-500x278.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-400x223.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-768x428.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-350x195.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Virgin Atlantic news special:</h2><p>This week, Virgin Atlantic held a special event where it announced a suite of updates coming to the airline over the next five years:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/virgin-atlantic-refurbishes-b787-fleet-adds-starlink/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BIG NEWS: Virgin Atlantic to refurbish B787 fleet, add Starlink wifi and refurbish Clubhouses</strong></a></li><li><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/virgin-atlantic-removed-onboard-bars/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Virgin Atlantic will bid farewell to its iconic onboard bar in 2030</strong></a></li><li>and finally, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/history-virgin-atlantic-onboard-bars/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>in pictures: Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bar from 1984 to 2025</strong></a></li></ul><h2 class="wp-block-heading">This week’s top travel news stories:</h2><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/bits-how-to-check-british-airways-lounge-loads/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>British Airways adds three new short haul routes</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/save-15-on-wizz-air-with-american-express/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>You no longer need to take your shoes off at security in US airports</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/delta-hotels-nottingham-belfry-hotel-leaves-marriott/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Hoxton has opened a hotel in Edinburgh</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/delta-hotels-nottingham-belfry-hotel-leaves-marriott/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>No access to the new lounge in Marseille for British Airways customers</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/09/turkish-airlines-closes-one-million-miles-challenge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Farce as Turkish Airlines closes its One Million Miles challenge early</strong></a>….and <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/05/turkish-airlines-million-miles-challenge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was it worth joining?</a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/heathrow-introduces-paid-for-fast-track-arrivals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Heathrow introduces paid-for fast track arrivals</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/05/krisflyer-sweet-spots-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>What are the Singapore Airlines Krisflyer redemption sweet spots?</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/09/american-express-centurion-lounge-amsterdam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>American Express is opening a Centurion Lounge in Amsterdam next year</strong></a>, image below</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="250" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar-500x250.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-804641 aligncenter" style="width:450px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar-500x250.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar-400x200.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar-768x384.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar-350x175.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top travel deals this week:</h2><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/750-avios-on-hilton-hotel-stay/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Register now: get 750 Avios on your next Hilton stay!</strong></a> This is on top of all of your usual Hilton Honors points. Click <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-qatar-avios-offer-30-september/" data-shortcode="true">here to register</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/save-15-on-wizz-air-with-american-express/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Get £15 Wizzair cashback with a new American Express offer</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/100-bonus-buying-ihg-one-rewards-hotel-points-2/"><strong>Get 100% bonus when buying IHG One Rewards points</strong></a> – click <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/ihg-buy-points-29-march/" data-shortcode="true">here to buy</a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/earn-hilton-honors-points-with-lyft-rides-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Earn Hilton Honors points, and save $15, with Lyft in the US and Canada</strong></a></p><p>Ends soon: <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/get-a-60-bonus-when-you-buy-virgin-points/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Get a 60% bonus when buying Virgin Points</strong></a> – click <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-atlantic-points-article-link/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here to buy</a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/100-bonus-buying-ihg-one-rewards-hotel-points-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Get bonus Avios with Qatar Airways flights</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/get-bonus-accor-hotel-points-with-sixt-car-rentals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Get bonus Accor hotel points with Sixt car rentals</strong></a></p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="334" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-500x334.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-450355 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-500x334.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-768x513.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-350x234.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock.webp 1253w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Credit card news:</h2><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/hsbc-premier-credit-card-airline-hotel-partners/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Who are the HSBC Premier credit card airline and hotel transfer partners?</strong></a></p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">British Airways and Avios news:</h2><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/bits-how-to-check-british-airways-lounge-loads/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>How to check British Airways lounge loads at Heathrow Terminal 5</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/is-part-pay-with-avios-worth-it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Is ‘Part Pay with Avios’ for British Airways flights worth it</strong></a>?</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/05/sydney-avios-availability/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Lots of Avios Club World seats to Sydney were available earlier this week</strong></a> but have unfortunately all been snapped up by readers</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Reviews:</h2><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/review-ita-airways-runway-lounge-milan-linate-airport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Review: the new ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport</strong></a>, image below</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/05/hyatt-house-leeds-hotel-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Review: Hyatt House Leeds</strong></a> – we try out this brand new aparthotel in the city centre</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-500x375.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-800308 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Hotel news:</h2><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/the-wolseley-joins-global-hotel-alliance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Wolseley restaurant group and Cheval aparthotels join Global Hotel Alliance – we chat to CEO Chris Hartley</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/delta-hotels-nottingham-belfry-hotel-leaves-marriott/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Nottingham Belfry hotel leaves Marriott</strong></a></p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">That’s all, folks</h2><p><strong><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/29/important-dates-for-your-diary-offers-about-to-close-which-you-shouldnt-miss-177/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our latest round-up of miles and points offers closing soon is here</a></strong> and will updated on headforpoints.com on Sunday morning.</p><p>If you are booking a hotel this weekend, <strong><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/25/important-dates-for-your-diary-offers-about-to-close-which-you-shouldnt-miss-175/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here to read our summary of the best bonus points offers for July from the big chains.</a></strong></p><p>Don’t forget to<strong> </strong><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>visit our forum if you have any questions</strong> relating to frequent flyer or hotel loyalty programmes or loyalty credit cards</a>.</p><p>See you next Saturday,</p><p>Rob, Rhys, Sinead and Katie @ Head for Points</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/12/what-you-missed-on-head-for-points-last-week-253/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>0</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">805894</post-id> </item><item><title>In pictures: Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/history-virgin-atlantic-onboard-bars/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/history-virgin-atlantic-onboard-bars/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rhys Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 04:08:25 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Virgin Atlantic and Flying Club]]></category><category><![CDATA[one]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=805171</guid><description><![CDATA[Earlier this week, Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss announced that the airline would be retiring its onboard bars from 2028, with the last going in 2030. Virgin Atlantic says it was the first airline to introduce a bar on its planes back when it was founded by Sir Richard Branson in 1984. I thought it […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Earlier this week, Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss announced that the airline would be <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/virgin-atlantic-removed-onboard-bars/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">retiring its onboard bars from 2028</a>, with the last going in 2030.</p><p><strong>Virgin Atlantic says it was the first airline to introduce a bar on its planes back when it was founded by Sir Richard Branson in 1984</strong>. I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane and see how the bar has evolved in the 41 years since then.</p><p>A lot of the details are hazy – especially from the 80s and 90s – and I need to thank Virgin Atlantic, John Walton and the design agencies involved in some of them, including Softroom and Viewport.</p><p>We’d love to hear your memories of the onboard bar, particularly if you ever experienced it during the 80s, 90s or early 00s. Here’s a photo of me from <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2020/12/12/virgin-atlantic-virgin-747-retirement/">Virgin’s Boeing 747 farewell event</a> in December 2020:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-747-bar-1.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="900" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-747-bar-1.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-805556 aligncenter" style="object-fit:cover; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-747-bar-1.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-747-bar-1-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-747-bar-1-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-747-bar-1-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-747-bar-1-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Raising the (onboard) bar</h2><p>Richard Branson launched Virgin Atlantic’s first flight on 22nd June 1984.</p><p>The inaugural route was from London Gatwick to New York / Newark onboard Virgin’s only aircraft, a Boeing 747-200 christened ‘Maiden Voyager’. From its first flight, Virgin Atlantic was an innovator with the first onboard bar area for an airline.</p><p>I’m told this was an L-shaped bar at the top of the stairs to the iconic upper deck.</p><p>Ten years later, in 1994, Virgin Atlantic introduced the Boeing 747-400 to its fleet. This featured a redesigned Upper Class cabin, but still with recliner seats – it would be almost a decade until lie-flat seating came along.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="668" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 bar" class="wp-image-806336" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-400x223.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-500x278.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-768x428.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-350x195.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure><p>In 2003, these aircraft were refurbished with a brand new Upper Class seat. This was a game-changer, introducing lie-flat seats with all-aisle-access, a first for business class worldwide. (British Airways, which was the first to introduce lie-flat seats, would operate its 2-4-2 yin-yang layout for years to come.)</p><p>The cabins were created by <a href="https://www.softroom.com/projects/virgin-atlantic-upper-class-suite" target="_blank" rel="noopener">design studio Softroom</a>, which worked on both the bar and new Upper Class seat (together with PearsonLloyd, another agency).</p><p>Softroom says the designs “set new standards for aviation interiors, creating a twenty—first century travel experience with an air of natural glamour.” Looking at the photos below, it seems like from a different era at the turn of the Millennium. The only thing missing is the Spice Girls:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Upper-Class-A340-747-bar-2003.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="933" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Upper-Class-A340-747-bar-2003.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-805251 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Upper-Class-A340-747-bar-2003.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Upper-Class-A340-747-bar-2003-400x311.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Upper-Class-A340-747-bar-2003-500x389.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Upper-Class-A340-747-bar-2003-768x597.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Upper-Class-A340-747-bar-2003-350x272.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“Our design offers the passenger effortlessly chic and relaxed experience. The interior has an architecturally integrated quality — from intelligent colour and material choices throughout cabin to the controllable lighting system used to invigorate the entire space. A contemporary chandelier helps to define the bar area and further accentuates its glamorous atmosphere.</p></blockquote><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“A key achievement of the design team was for the interior to offer an experience closer to that found in ground—based environments, such as in luxury lounges, hotels, restaurants and bars. It was also been built to a quality standard well beyond the industry’s norm and which raise passenger expectations of air travel for the future.”</p></blockquote><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-2003.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="800" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-2003.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-805259 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-2003.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-2003-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-2003-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-2003-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-2003-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-2003-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-747-bar-2003-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p>As you can see above, five barstools surrounded the horseshoe-shaped bar at the back of the cabin on the main deck of the 747. Compared to newer iterations, the bar was almost fully open to the Upper Class cabin. </p><p>Interestingly, this was not the first concept Softroom came up with. Initially, the designers pursued a bar that was even more open to the cabin and surrounded by communal lounge seating.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“By maintaining open lines of sight across the cabin, the room would have a lounge-like feel, with the barman cast as ‘maitre d’, his positioning not unlike that of a DJ overlooking a dancefloor.”</p></blockquote><p>One of the designers, Christopher Bagot, explained:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“We wanted to empower the passengers to help themselves to refreshments, much as you would make use of a drinks table at a house party.”</p></blockquote><p>But that is not what Virgin’s customers wanted. After doing some customer research, it became clear that flyers wanted “a strong separation between the bar and the remainder of the cabin.”</p><p>That necessitated a return to the drawing board resulting in what you see above – a bar ‘room’ squeezed into the back of the cabin, with stools rather than the cocktail lounge initially envisaged.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shaken and stirred</h2><p>These Boeing 747-400s were flying until 2020 and in 2008 they made an appearance in Daniel Craig’s second outing as James Bond, Quantum of Solace, when he downs several ‘Vespers’. (Is it a coincidence that his seatmate resembles Richard Branson…?!)</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-bar-full-res.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="497" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-bar-full-res.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-805256 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-bar-full-res.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-bar-full-res-400x166.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-bar-full-res-500x207.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-bar-full-res-768x318.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-bar-full-res-350x145.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p>You can clearly see the Virgin Atlantic crew member acting as bar tender in these scenes, as well as the old ‘coffin class’ Upper Class seating:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-full-res.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="497" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-full-res.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-805255 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-full-res.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-full-res-400x166.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-full-res-500x207.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-full-res-768x318.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/James-Bond-Virgin-Atlantic-full-res-350x145.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p>(For some reason, it seems the back wall of the bar was removed for these scenes, perhaps to create a greater sense of being on a plane. You can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMsZgIEmB80" target="_blank" rel="noopener">watch the full scene on YouTube here.</a>)</p><p>In 2012, the A330-300s entered the fleet with a redesigned bar area. These were designed by <a href="https://www.viewportstudio.sg/virgin-atlantic-a330-interior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Viewport Studio</a>, then known as VW+BS:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“We opened up our bar, allowing everyone to walk around it, reflecting trends happening on the ground with pop-up bars and the new speakeasy. It was also angled to maximise visual impact and to optimise the narrow footprint of an airplane cabin.</p></blockquote><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-3.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="800" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-3.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-805265 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-3.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-3-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-3-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-3-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-3-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-3-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-3-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“The cantilevered bar stools, side perches and standing room beyond created a convivial destination for Upper Class passengers after take-off, while having an aesthetic that was decidedly futuristic and belonged in the sky.”</p></blockquote><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="800" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-805253 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-bar-A330-2012-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p>I particularly love the twisted silver bar stools (made of machined aluminium) which were dropped at the next redesign.</p><p>What is clever about this edition is that the angle of the bar also acted as a welcome to all passengers, including those in economy, who board via the second doors. <strong>Even if you weren’t entitled to use the bar it created a distinctive first impression, elevating Virgin’s brand.</strong></p><p>Just two years later, in 2014, Virgin Atlantic introduced yet another onboard bar design, this time on the Boeing 787-9s. This was once again designed by Viewport Studio and shared a similar, angled shape:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="865" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-805252 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar-400x288.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar-500x360.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar-768x554.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar-350x252.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p>The 787 bar retained the angled nature of the A330 bar but introduced new materials, including a subtly translucent white wall panel that let LED backlighting glow through in the shape of three-pointed stars.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“The cantilevered bar and the sharp cutaway on the underside create a distinctly architectural quality and also emphasis the lightness and volume of the aircraft entrance. The angled ceiling panels create a subtle refraction of light into the space.</p></blockquote><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar.jpg"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar.jpg" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-353578 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar.jpg 1024w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar-400x300.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar-500x375.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar-350x263.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure></div><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“Around the bar counter are four stools – two opposite each other so that you can dine face to face. There is a perch to lean on while having a drink and a 24 inch touchscreen monitor with content from the inflight entertainment or that allows you to upload material for a presentation.”</p></blockquote><p>The saga doesn’t end there. In 2017, Virgin Atlantic performed a major refit of its A330 fleet, ripping out the ‘Dream Suite’ Upper Class cabin. This had been installed in 2012 but had not performed well with customers, and was replaced with the same updated 2003-era seats fitted on the Boeing 787 fleet.</p><p>This necessitated a redesign of the bar. The location remained the same (at Doors 2) but the angled bar was removed and replaced with a perpendicular bar facing forward:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330-300-bar-2017.webp"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="800" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330-300-bar-2017.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-805327 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330-300-bar-2017.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330-300-bar-2017-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330-300-bar-2017-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330-300-bar-2017-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330-300-bar-2017-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330-300-bar-2017-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330-300-bar-2017-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p>This bar incorporated the same finishes as the 787 bar including the backlit thermoplastic panels but featured a more protected area for a crew member to act as bar-tender without blocking the aisle.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">A stool too far</h2><p>The 2017 A330 design ended up being the last incarnation of the onboard bar. From 2019 onwards, new aircraft deliveries came with a new social space called ‘The Loft’.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Loft.jpg"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1280" height="853" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Loft.jpg" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-279679 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Loft.jpg 1280w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Loft-325x217.jpg 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Loft-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Loft-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Loft-180x120.jpg 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Loft-360x240.jpg 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Loft-350x233.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /></a></figure></div><p>Still located at the main doorways where the majority of passengers board, the bar was ditched to be replaced by banquette seating where passengers could sit and talk. A later update, introduced in 2023 on the A330-900neo fleet, included a self-service drinks fridge.</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-loft.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-806338" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-loft.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-loft-400x225.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-loft-500x281.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-loft-768x432.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-loft-350x197.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure><p><strong>Also introduced during this time was another concept, The Booth.</strong> Five of the large A350-1000s were configured with smaller Upper Class cabins for routes with less premium demand. With only four rows of business class seating, the Upper Class cabin did not stretch to the second doors where The Loft was located.</p><p>Instead, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2022/04/06/virgin-atlantic-introduces-wine-and-cognac-tastings-in-the-booth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virgin Atlantic introduced something it called The Booth</a>. This was a small, two-person booth the size of an airplane lavatory that was fitted at the front of the aircraft.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Virgin-Atlantic-A350-leisure-The-Booth.jpg"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="800" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Virgin-Atlantic-A350-leisure-The-Booth.jpg" alt="Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bars from 1984 to 2025" class="wp-image-283793 aligncenter" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Virgin-Atlantic-A350-leisure-The-Booth.jpg 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Virgin-Atlantic-A350-leisure-The-Booth-325x217.jpg 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Virgin-Atlantic-A350-leisure-The-Booth-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Virgin-Atlantic-A350-leisure-The-Booth-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Virgin-Atlantic-A350-leisure-The-Booth-180x120.jpg 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Virgin-Atlantic-A350-leisure-The-Booth-360x240.jpg 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Virgin-Atlantic-A350-leisure-The-Booth-350x233.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p>The idea was that Virgin Atlantic would offer free experiences to passengers such as wine tasting, cognac and praline pairings, private dining and game time. However, with just a handful of aircraft featuring The Booth the concept never really took off.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2><p>Over the years, <strong>Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bar – and later The Loft – became part of its image</strong>. It proved that Virgin Atlantic was there to party, not to work – unlike ‘that other airline’ it has so often gone head-to-head with.</p><p>Although I wasn’t old enough to try it, it feels like the idea shined brightest in the late nineties and early noughties, when optimism was at its highest. New Labour, the Spice Girls, the new Millennium and Virgin Atlantic’s lie-flat all-aisle-access Upper Class. What more could you want!</p><p>In 2030 it will be time to bid farewell to this iconic Virgin statement. But <strong>not without, says Virgin Atlantic, one last big farewell party.</strong></p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/history-virgin-atlantic-onboard-bars/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>41</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">805171</post-id> </item><item><title>Bits: £15 Wizz Air cashback, 10% off Uber gift cards, no more shoes off in the US</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/save-15-on-wizz-air-with-american-express/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/save-15-on-wizz-air-with-american-express/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rhys Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 03:11:58 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><category><![CDATA[two]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=804654</guid><description><![CDATA[News in brief: Save £15 on a £150 Wizz Air spend with American Express As we mentioned last week, Wizz Air is now accepting American Express cards, both for flight bookings and in-flight purchases. A special offer has been launched to promote the deal. All UK American Express cardholders, except for British Airways cards, should […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>News in brief:</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Save £15 on a £150 Wizz Air spend with American Express</h2><p>As we mentioned last week, <strong>Wizz Air is now accepting American Express cards, both for flight bookings and in-flight purchases</strong>.</p><p>A special offer has been launched to promote the deal.</p><p>All UK American Express cardholders, except for British Airways cards, should see this available as as ‘opt in’ offer in the Amex app or website. (The comments imply that it is not showing for some Platinum cardholders either.)</p><p><strong>You will get £15 cashback when you spend £150 with Wizz Air by 4th August.</strong></p><p>The offer is valid for the first 90,000 cardholders to register.</p><p>Third party services booked via the Wizz Air, such as hotel bookings, car hire, airport transfers or airport parking do not count towards the £150 spend.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1181" height="790" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Wizz-Air-istock.jpg" alt="Save £15 on a £150 Wizz Air spend with American Express" class="wp-image-562165 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Wizz-Air-istock.jpg 1181w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Wizz-Air-istock-400x268.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Wizz-Air-istock-500x334.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Wizz-Air-istock-768x514.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Wizz-Air-istock-180x120.jpg 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Wizz-Air-istock-360x240.jpg 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Wizz-Air-istock-350x234.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1181px) 100vw, 1181px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Get 10% off Uber gift cards</h2><p>As part of Amazon Prime Day this week (yes, it’s no longer a day), <strong>Amazon has been offering 10% off Uber gift cards.</strong></p><p>The offer ends today.</p><p>It’s not a huge saving, but if you are regularly spending money with Uber or Uber Eats then you might as well pocket the extra money.</p><p>The <a href="https://amzn.to/46ACH8O" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon page you need is here</a>.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="333" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Uber-app-500x333.webp" alt="Uber 10% gift card discount on Amazon" class="wp-image-762798 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Uber-app-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Uber-app-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Uber-app-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Uber-app-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Uber-app-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Uber-app-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Uber-app-350x233.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Uber-app.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">No more ‘shoes off’ at US airports</h2><p>The UK is slowly relaxing liquids restrictions at airports thanks to next generation scanners, and the US has finally updated its own airport security procedures.</p><p><strong>You will no longer need to remove your shoes when passing through security in the US.</strong></p><p>The new rule comes on the back of a 20-year plan to implement something called ‘REAL ID’ for domestic travellers. Whilst not relevant to international passengers, it sets minimum security standards for forms of identification such as driving licences, which are issued state-by-state.</p><p>Although passed in 2005, REAL ID was finally implemented this year. None of this is particularly relevant to non-Americans except that, as a result of the implementation, the Transportation Security Administration has finally updated its procedures.</p><p><strong>Anyone travelling with a REAL ID or passport (including foreign passports) no longer needs to remove footwear. </strong>Anyone without REAL ID will have to go for further screening.</p><p>I think most people would agree that security at US airports is not a lot of fun, with aggressive shouting, long queues and burdensome rules such as the removal of footwear. Removing this final requirement will hopefully reduce some of the hassle.</p><p>Why it’s taken the TSA so long, when almost every other country has not required footwear to be scanned separately for years, is anyone’s guess. That said, TSA checkpoints generally seem less well-equipped than their international counterparts, often relying on older, less advanced equipment. </p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/save-15-on-wizz-air-with-american-express/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>61</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">804654</post-id> </item><item><title>ENDS SOON: Get a 60% bonus when you buy Virgin Points</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/get-a-60-bonus-when-you-buy-virgin-points/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/get-a-60-bonus-when-you-buy-virgin-points/#respond</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Katie Ridgers]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 02:11:33 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Virgin Atlantic and Flying Club]]></category><category><![CDATA[three]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=805530</guid><description><![CDATA[The current Virgin Atlantic 'buy points' bonus, which will get you a bonus of up to 60%, ends soon. If you are short of points for your next redemption, then now is a good time to top up. This bonus offer runs until 18th July. Let's take a look at how it works.]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="has-text-align-center"><em>This article is sponsored by Points</em></p><p><strong>The current Virgin Atlantic ‘buy points’ bonus, which will get you a bonus of up to 60%, ends soon</strong>.</p><p>If you are short of points for your next redemption, now is a good time to top up.</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-atlantic-points-article-link/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-atlantic-points-article-link/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This bonus offer</a> runs until 18th July.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-sunset.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="675" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-sunset.jpg" alt="Virgin Atlantic buy points bonus" class="wp-image-362087 aligncenter" style="width:450px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-sunset.jpg 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-sunset-400x225.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-sunset-500x281.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-sunset-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-sunset-350x197.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p>Let’s take a look at how it works.</p><p>The bonus depends on how many points you buy:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>5,000 to 24,000 Virgin Points – 20% bonus</li><li>25,000 to 69,000 Virgin Points – 30% bonus</li><li>70,000 to 124,000 Virgin Points – 50% bonus</li><li>125,000 to 200,000 Virgin Points – 60% bonus</li></ul><p>The maximum number of points you can buy via this offer is 200,000 Virgin Points plus the bonus. This is also the annual cap, so if you have already purchased points this year you can only buy enough to take you up to 200,000.</p><p>The usual cost is £15 per 1,000 points but you will be receiving a bonus on top.</p><p>At the top end, 200,000 Virgin Points, which actually gets you 320,000 points with the 60% bonus, will cost £3,000. This works out at 0.93p each, which is a good deal if you can find ‘Saver’ award availability.</p><p>That said, as always, we don’t recommend buying speculatively.</p><p><strong>Bonus points are credited at the time of purchase </strong>and will appear on your account within 24 hours. </p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Virgin-SkyTeam.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Virgin-SkyTeam.jpg" alt="Virgin Skyteam tail fins" class="wp-image-720226 aligncenter" style="width:450px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Virgin-SkyTeam.jpg 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Virgin-SkyTeam-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Virgin-SkyTeam-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Virgin-SkyTeam-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Virgin-SkyTeam-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Virgin-SkyTeam-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Virgin-SkyTeam-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p><strong>Virgin Atlantic is a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance.</strong> This allows redemptions across partners such as Aeromexico, Air France, China Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, KLM, Korean Air, SAS and Vietnam Airlines.</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/09/12/how-to-redeem-virgin-points-on-skyteam-flights-virgin-redemption-university-4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article from our ‘Virgin Redemption University’ series explains what it costs to redeem Virgin Points on SkyTeam partners</a>.</p><p><strong>You may also find value for top events at The O2, watching from the Virgin Red Room suite</strong>. Lorde, Jamiroquai and Little Simz tickets are currently available at 50,000 points for two people. Haim, Bastille, Judas Priest & Alice Cooper and OneRepublic are among the artists at 40,000 points for two suite tickets. Some events go as low as 30,000 points for two.</p><p>Points can be bought (or gifted) in increments of 1,000 and there is a one-off £15 administration charge per transaction regardless of size. You won’t be able to buy points if your current points balance is zero.</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-atlantic-points-article-link/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/virgin-atlantic-points-article-link/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The link to buy points is here</a>.</p><p>The 60% bonus offer runs to 18th July.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/get-a-60-bonus-when-you-buy-virgin-points/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>0</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">805530</post-id> </item><item><title>Get bonus Accor hotel points with Sixt car rentals</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/get-bonus-accor-hotel-points-with-sixt-car-rentals/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/get-bonus-accor-hotel-points-with-sixt-car-rentals/#respond</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 01:11:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Accor Live Limitless]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=804112</guid><description><![CDATA[Accor Live Limitless has launched a new promotion with Sixt. This could be quite valuable. Remember that Accor points are worth 2 Eurocents each towards a hotel stay, or convert at 1:1 into Iberia Avios (ignore the weaker option of 2:1 into BA Avios). This offer also includes a free additional driver. You receive: This […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Accor Live Limitless <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/sixt-accor-deal-19-june/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has launched a new promotion with Sixt</a>.</p><p>This could be quite valuable. Remember that <strong>Accor points are worth 2 Eurocents each </strong>towards a hotel stay, or convert at 1:1 into Iberia Avios (ignore the weaker option of 2:1 into BA Avios).</p><p>This offer also includes<strong> a free additional driver.</strong></p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="800" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Accor-app.webp" alt="Get bonus Accor points with Sixt car rentals" class="wp-image-762786 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Accor-app.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Accor-app-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Accor-app-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Accor-app-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Accor-app-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Accor-app-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HfP-Accor-app-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure></div><p>You receive:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>400 ALL points for a €50 rental</li><li>700 ALL points for a €100 rental</li><li>1,100 ALL points for a €150 rental</li></ul><p>This means you’d get points worth €22 for a €150 rental and get the free additional driver benefit.</p><p>The small print is:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Book by 22nd July</li><li>Return the vehicle by 30th September</li><li>Rent from 2 to 27 days</li><li>Points offer is valid in all countries</li><li>Free additional driver is valid for rentals in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Great Britain, France, Monaco, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, USA, Canada</li></ul><p>It is often the case that these offers force you to accept a poor value rate code. However, it is difficult to discount Sixt rentals, unlike Hertz and Avis which have codes galore.</p><p>I have a Sixt booking for next week in Germany which I have just rebooked under this offer, and the cost fell from €530 to €460 – and the €530 was using the Virgin Flying Club status discount code, not the standard rate. The Accor points I’ll receive are also worth more than Virgin Points.</p><p>You can find out more <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/sixt-accor-deal-19-june/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the Sixt website here</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/11/get-bonus-accor-hotel-points-with-sixt-car-rentals/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>0</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">804112</post-id> </item><item><title>Virgin Atlantic will bid farewell to its iconic onboard bar in 2030</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/virgin-atlantic-removed-onboard-bars/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/virgin-atlantic-removed-onboard-bars/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rhys Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 04:11:06 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Virgin Atlantic and Flying Club]]></category><category><![CDATA[one]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=805096</guid><description><![CDATA[All good things must come to an end and after 41 years Virgin Atlantic has decided to call time on its onboard bars. The move was announced on Tuesday as part of a suite of updates by CEO Shai Weiss at its Customer Experience Showcase in London. Between 2028 and 2030, the airline’s Boeing 787 […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>All good things must come to an end and after 41 years Virgin Atlantic has decided to call time on its onboard bars.</strong> The move was announced on Tuesday as part of a suite of updates by <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/virgin-atlantic-refurbishes-b787-fleet-adds-starlink/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CEO Shai Weiss at its Customer Experience Showcase</a> in London.</p><p>Between 2028 and 2030, the airline’s Boeing 787 fleet will be refurbished, finally bringing its latest Upper Class Suites (currently found on the A330neo) to this aircraft. There will be one casualty: the onboard bar.</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“At Virgin Atlantic people love a bar. It’s a very emotional word here ….</p><p>“But we can’t stand still and we have a new vision for social space. We always believe that a plane should come with the social space.”</p></blockquote><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar.jpg" alt="Virgin Atlantic 787 Upper Class bar" class="wp-image-353578 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar.jpg 1024w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar-400x300.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar-500x375.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-bar-350x263.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure></div><p>Replacing this social space will be Virgin’s new super-business class (image below), says Shai:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“I love the bar, and we do love a social space, but the extension of the social space on the 787 will be the Retreat Suites.”</p></blockquote><p>Currently<strong> Virgin Atlantic has just two Retreat Suites on board its A330-900neos</strong>. This will quadruple as part of the Boeing 787 refurbishment program, with a total of eight suites available per flight.</p><p>Although unconfirmed, I would expect this to include the first row of two Upper Class cabins – a large forward cabin and a smaller rear. For the first time, it appears that Virgin Atlantic will unveil solo Retreat Suites in the window seats.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite-500x281.jpg" alt="Virgin Atlantic will bid farewell to its iconic onboard bar in 2030" class="wp-image-468990 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite-500x281.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite-400x225.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite-350x197.jpg 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>Virgin Atlantic is one of the first airlines to introduce<a data-type="post" data-id="632883" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/06/24/business-plus-business-class-seats/"> ‘super business’ or ‘business plus’ seats</a>. These are larger, more spacious seats in bulkhead (front) rows.</p><p>By virtue of being in the first row, these seats have far more space to play with. Seat designers have been optimising their layout to create full-width business class seats which can be sold as upgrades to passengers. Virgin Atlantic currently charges a supplement of around £300 for a one-way upgrade to its Retreat Suites.</p><p>For now, upgrading to a Retreat Suite only gets you a bigger seat. Shai teased that Virgin Atlantic will “develop that further right now.”</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“Of course, it’s an unbelievable bed, and you can host a dinner party, but when we have more of these in the fleet, eight suites on the 787, six on the new A330neos, we can differentiate further. You know, different food, different champagne. You can do different things.”</p></blockquote><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="360" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar-500x360.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic will bid farewell to its iconic onboard bar in 2030" class="wp-image-805252 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar-500x360.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar-400x288.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar-768x554.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar-350x252.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Virgin-Atlantic-Boeing-787-2014-bar.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Virgin Atlantic’s onboard bar put it in an exclusive club</h2><p>Over the years, the onboard bar has become something of a signature. Virgin Atlantic was the first airline to introduce a bar in the sky when it launched in 1984 with a single Boeing 747-200.</p><p>Yet in a sign that its days were numbered, the airline decided to replace the bar with something it called ‘The Loft’ when it launched its fleet of A350s in 2019. It continued this trend in 2023 when its first A330neo arrived. Today, only 17 Boeing 787s and a handful of older A330s feature its classic bar concept.</p><p><strong>Virgin Atlantic was part of an exclusive club thanks to the bar and The Loft.</strong> Whilst onboard lounges were once commonplace on aircraft, particularly the Boeing 747, the number of airlines offering spaces to mix and mingle outside of your immediate seat have dwindled. These days, it is largely the preserve of the Gulf carriers, with Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad all offering bars and lounges. Korean Air and Qantas are the other notable exceptions.</p><p><strong>What set Virgin Atlantic apart was that it installed these social spaces on single-decker aircraft.</strong> Emirates Etihad, Korean, Qantas and Qatar Airways all feature them exclusively on their double-decker A380s. Virgin put them on all its aircraft, from the A330 and A350 to the 787.</p><p>It was a unique decision that genuinely cost the airline money. Every square foot of space on these smaller widebodies is hard-won. Turning a not-insignificant chunk over to a social space meant reducing the overall seat count and therefore reducing revenue.</p><p>At the time, the trade-offs must have made sense to management.<strong> It was good marketing and created a ‘halo’ effect for customers of Virgin Atlantic</strong>, regardless of what cabin they were travelling in.</p><p>The last few years have been cut-throat in the airline industry. Virgin Atlantic had it particularly tough during the pandemic and the airline’s financial viability was thrust into the spotlight. As a result, Shai Weiss has spent the last five years fighting to stabilise finances and even chart a course to profitability.</p><p>In some ways, the retirement of the onboard bar comes as no surprise. Back in the day – before my time! – Virgin Atlantic had a member of cabin crew dedicated to staffing the bar, chatting to passengers and making drinks. (In the 90s, Virgin Atlantic also offered complimentary massages with <a href="https://simpleflying.com/virgin-atlantic-inflight-beauty-therapists-history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">onboard beauty therapists</a>.) This ended long ago, with the bar unstaffed but for passing crew members who offer top-ups.</p><p>The bar wasn’t without its detractors. Being located directly behind the Upper Class cabin, it could cause cabin noise issues for passengers sat in the last rows of Upper or the front of Premium, particularly on night flights.</p><p><strong>Demographic and cultural shifts over the past 40 years have also played a part</strong>. Solo female business travellers are now far more common than they were in 1984, for whom the bar might be less attractive. More recently, the Gen Z shift away from drinking culture has been widely documented.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4938.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4938-500x375.jpg" alt="Virgin Atlantic A330neo Loft" class="wp-image-417853 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4938-500x375.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4938-400x300.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4938-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4938-350x263.jpg 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4938.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p><strong>In 2019, Virgin Atlantic replaced the bars with its new Loft concept</strong> on its latest aircraft, the A350. This was touted as a ‘social space’ for Upper Class passengers to gather, chat and relax in a lounge rather than bar setting</p><p>Hopefully someone has told Sir Richard Branson. Just last year he told <em><a href="https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/celebrity/article/richard-branson-virgin-atlantic-flying-interview-lfl9dspwz">The Ti</a><a href="https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/celebrity/article/richard-branson-virgin-atlantic-flying-interview-lfl9dspwz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">m</a><a href="https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/celebrity/article/richard-branson-virgin-atlantic-flying-interview-lfl9dspwz">es</a></em> that replacing the bar with The Loft “was a dreadful mistake. We’ll be bringing back the bar as soon as we possibly can.” Although still the airline’s largest shareholder, Branson is no longer directly involved in running it, having stepped down as President in 2013.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Virgin Atlantic’s last onboard bar will be ripped out in 2030</h2><p>Whilst it will be sad to see the onboard bars go, I’m also excited to see how Virgin Atlantic develops its Retreat Suites.</p><p>Since 2023, this sub-cabin has felt a bit orphaned with too few seats on too few aircraft. At the moment, <strong>Virgin Atlantic has just eight A330neos in its fleet which means there are just 16 Retreat Suites available across its entire network.</strong></p><p>This is far too few to roll out dedicated food, soft product or amenity kits for those passengers – the numbers simply don’t make sense. Refurbishment of the Boeing 787 fleet and the densification of the last ten A330neos to arrive will make further differentiation from ‘standard’ Upper Class possible. There will be a total of <strong>190 Retreat Suites available when the fleet expansion and refurbishment is completed in 2030.</strong></p><p>Until then, you have five years to enjoy the onboard bars which you can still find on the older A330s (being phased out by 2028) and the Boeing 787s (being refurbished from 2028-2030).</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/virgin-atlantic-removed-onboard-bars/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>65</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">805096</post-id> </item><item><title>Bits: BA adds three new short haul routes, how to check British Airways lounge loads</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/bits-how-to-check-british-airways-lounge-loads/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/bits-how-to-check-british-airways-lounge-loads/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 03:19:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[British Airways and Avios]]></category><category><![CDATA[two]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=804748</guid><description><![CDATA[News in brief: British Airways adds three new short haul routes BA announced three new routes to Europe yesterday. Because flights have only just been loaded to ba.com, Avios availability should be wide open, even at peak periods. The first new route is from Gatwick to Rabat in Morocco, image below. Rabat becomes BA’s third […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>News in brief:</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">British Airways adds three new short haul routes</h2><p><strong>BA announced three new routes to Europe yesterday.</strong> Because flights have only just been loaded to ba.com, Avios availability should be wide open, even at peak periods.</p><p>The first new route is from <strong>Gatwick to Rabat in Morocco</strong>, image below.</p><p>Rabat becomes BA’s third route to Morocco after Marrakech and Agadir (Casablanca is handled by oneworld partner Royal Air Maroc). Flights will start on 5th November and operate every Wednesday and Saturday.</p><p>Gatwick will also see the launch of<strong> flights to Graz in Austria</strong>.</p><p>There are currently no flights from any London airport on any airline to Graz, so BA is filling a gap. It becomes the fourth Austrian route after Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck.</p><p>The route will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 21st November.</p><p>Finally, <strong>London City Airport will see the launch of flights to Madrid</strong>.</p><p>There will be 11 flights per week, taking the total number of BA services across all airports to 44 per week. This excludes the multiple Iberia flights.</p><p>Flights will begin on 1st December.</p><p><strong>All three routes will operate year-round</strong>. These are not ‘winter only’ services.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rabat-supplied-by-BA.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="580" height="387" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rabat-supplied-by-BA.webp" alt="British Airways launches flights to Rabat" class="wp-image-805286 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rabat-supplied-by-BA.webp 580w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rabat-supplied-by-BA-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rabat-supplied-by-BA-500x334.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rabat-supplied-by-BA-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rabat-supplied-by-BA-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Rabat-supplied-by-BA-350x234.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px" /></a></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Check how busy the British Airways Heathrow lounges are</h2><p>Back in 2022, we posted a link to a handy tool. Whilst it keeps getting flagged in our forum we haven’t mentioned it for three years in an article.</p><p><a href="https://ba-uk-occupancy.livereachmedia.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Via this link</a> <strong>you can see the current passenger volumes in the British Airways lounges at Heathrow Terminal 5</strong>. A screenshot is below, taken at 5pm on Tuesday.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1280" height="536" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-BA-lounges.webp" alt="Check how busy the British Airways Heathrow lounges are" class="wp-image-804755 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-BA-lounges.webp 1280w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-BA-lounges-400x168.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-BA-lounges-500x209.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-BA-lounges-768x322.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-BA-lounges-350x147.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /></figure></div><p>Given how far apart the Galleries North and Galleries South lounges are, it could come in useful when deciding which way to go. I doubt many people can face the walk from North to South, or vice versa, if they arrive in one and find it busy.</p><p>It is also a reminder that, if your flight departs from the 5B or 5C satellites, the Galleries lounge in Terminal 5B is virtually certain to be quieter than those in the main terminal.</p><p>You can <a href="https://ba-uk-occupancy.livereachmedia.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check the lounge loads here</a>.</p><p>Thanks to Matthias for the reminder.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/bits-how-to-check-british-airways-lounge-loads/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>70</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">804748</post-id> </item><item><title>Bits: Nottingham Belfry leaves Marriott, The Hoxton hits Edinburgh, BA Marseille lounge woes</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/delta-hotels-nottingham-belfry-hotel-leaves-marriott/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/delta-hotels-nottingham-belfry-hotel-leaves-marriott/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 10 Jul 2025 02:11:53 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Accor Live Limitless]]></category><category><![CDATA[British Airways and Avios]]></category><category><![CDATA[Marriott Bonvoy]]></category><category><![CDATA[three]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=803475</guid><description><![CDATA[News in brief: Delta Hotels Nottingham Belfry leaves Marriott As we have covered in earlier articles, the QHotels group seems to be slowly breaking all of its branding agreements as the contracts come up for renewal. In late 2024, QHotels rebranded DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Westerwood Spa & Golf Resort, DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>News in brief:</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Delta Hotels Nottingham Belfry leaves Marriott</h2><p>As we have covered in earlier articles,<strong> the QHotels group seems to be slowly breaking all of its branding agreements as the contracts come up for renewal.</strong></p><p>In late 2024, QHotels rebranded DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Westerwood Spa & Golf Resort, DoubleTree by Hilton Oxford Belfry and Delta Hotels Cheltenham Chase.</p><p>The group went into 2025 with just two branded properties – DoubleTree by Hilton Stratford Upon Avon and Delta Hotels by Marriott Nottingham Belfry.</p><p>In late June, readers with bookings at Nottingham Belfry – which has been with Marriott since 2019 – received emails saying that <strong>the hotel would operate independently from 1st July 2025</strong>. Stays from that date, they were told, would not earn Bonvoy points or elite night credits, and elite status would not be recognised.</p><p>Fair enough …. except, oddly, <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/delta-nottingham/" data-shortcode="true">Delta Hotels Nottingham Belfry is still bookable on the Marriott website</a>. It’s not clear what’s going on there, especially as <a href="https://www.thenottinghambelfry.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the hotel now has its own booking website up and running</a>.</p><p><strong>It is no longer possible to book redemption nights via marriott.com</strong> so it is possible that Marriott has a clause in its contract to allow it to keep selling cash nights for a commission for a while longer.</p><p><strong>It always seems short-sighted when hotels change brands and then refuse to recognise your old elite status benefits</strong>. Nottingham Belfry appears to have been honoring benefits for a week – until 7th July – but no later.</p><p>How can you justify emailing someone who went to the trouble of choosing your hotel to tell them that they can no longer have an upgrade, free breakfast and/or late check-out? A decent percentage of people will simply cancel their booking, purely because the hotel refuses to provide benefits it was happy to fund a few weeks ago ….</p><p>Let’s see how long DoubleTree Stratford Upon Avon remains a branded property, given that all other QHotels have now reverted to the parent name.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1280" height="853" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Delta-Hotel-Nottingham.jpg" alt="Nottingham Belfry hotel drops Delta branding" class="wp-image-387689 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Delta-Hotel-Nottingham.jpg 1280w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Delta-Hotel-Nottingham-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Delta-Hotel-Nottingham-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Delta-Hotel-Nottingham-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Delta-Hotel-Nottingham-180x120.jpg 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Delta-Hotel-Nottingham-360x240.jpg 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Delta-Hotel-Nottingham-350x233.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Hoxton hits Edinburgh</h2><p>The Hoxton, which is part of Accor’s Ennismore collection of lifestyle brands, has opened its first Scottish hotel in Edinburgh.</p><p>The Hoxton has been on a rapid expansion since it <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2020/11/24/accor-buys-gleneagles-and-the-hoxton/" data-type="post" data-id="224926">merged to create Ennismore in 2020</a> and is nearing 20 hotels, including four in London (<a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/08/17/review-the-hoxton-southwark-hotel/" data-type="post" data-id="668346">we reviewed The Hoxton Southwark, here</a>). Other recent openings include Vienna, Florence and Copenhagen.</p><p>The Hoxton Edinburgh is located in the West End and took over 11 Georgian “inspired” terraced houses which previously housed the Hilton Grosvenor. 214 rooms are split across both sides of Grosvenor Street, with 150 in the main building and the remaining 64 across the street.</p><p>As with many Hoxtons, the smallest room types include ‘Snug Singles’ and ‘Bunk’ rooms. It is the second Hoxton to feature its new ‘House’ three bed / three bath suite for up to seven guests.</p><p>The Hoxton Edinburgh is part of the Dis-loyalty loyalty scheme. This is a subscription based program with multiple benefits (but no points) including discounted room rates, free coffees and more. </p><p><strong>You get 50% off all stays at new Ennismore hotels for the first three months after opening</strong> as a Dis-loyalty member, including The Hoxton Edinburgh. By my calculation this would run until 23rd September.<a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hoxton-edinburgh/" data-shortcode="true"> The hotel website is here.</a></p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Hoxton-Edinburgh.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="333" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Hoxton-Edinburgh-500x333.webp" alt="The Hoxton hotel hits Edinburgh" class="wp-image-804339 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Hoxton-Edinburgh-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Hoxton-Edinburgh-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Hoxton-Edinburgh-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Hoxton-Edinburgh-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Hoxton-Edinburgh-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Hoxton-Edinburgh-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Hoxton-Edinburgh-350x233.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Hoxton-Edinburgh.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Marseille lounge woes for British Airways passengers</h2><p>Marseille Provence Airport opened a new terminal extension designed by Foster + Partners last year. The extension almost doubled the size of the airport and <strong>allowed it to refurbish the existing building, including the non-Schengen departure lounge.</strong></p><p>The lounge has been closed since December 2024 but re-opened in early June.</p><p>Bizarrely, despite the six month lounge closure, it appears BA and the airport have not agreed a contract to allow access for BA status passengers and those flying in Club Europe. Instead BA is offering €20 vouchers. According to a reader, John, the voucher “can only be redeemed at one outlet after passport control:”</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“This miserly voucher doesn’t quite cover one glass of wine plus one sandwich plus one bottle of chilled water. There is no way to escape the noise and bustle of the general departure area.”</p></blockquote><p>Meanwhile the lounge itself (having to turn away unsuspecting BA passengers who have not necessarily been informed of the lack of lounge) has resorted to encouraging passengers to complain to BA, saying:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“We sincerely apologise that your boarding pass does not allow you to access the lounge and benefit from the services offered.</p><p>“We understand your frustration and encourage you to contact British Airways customer service via their website or by calling the BA Club with any complaints regarding this ineligibility.”</p></blockquote><p>A big QR code on the laminated sheet then takes you to the appropriate page on the BA website.</p><p>British Airways has had six months to agree to a contract with the new lounge, so it seems weak that nothing was in place when it opened. We reached out to BA for an update but have not received a response to date.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/10/delta-hotels-nottingham-belfry-hotel-leaves-marriott/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>32</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">803475</post-id> </item><item><title>Farce as Turkish Airlines closes the ‘one million miles for six continents’ challenge</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/09/turkish-airlines-closes-one-million-miles-challenge/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/09/turkish-airlines-closes-one-million-miles-challenge/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 03:30:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Star Alliance partners]]></category><category><![CDATA[three]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=804880</guid><description><![CDATA[Last weekend we covered the Turkish Airlines ‘one million miles for six continents’ challenge. It did what it says – you would receive 1,000,000 Miles&Smiles miles if you flew to all six continents by 27th October. ‘Would’ is now the operative word. The challenge was due to run until 27th October. However, yesterday afternoon, it […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Last weekend we covered the Turkish Airlines ‘one million miles for six continents’ challenge.</p><p>It did what it says –<strong> you would receive 1,000,000 Miles&Smiles miles if you flew to all six continents by 27th October</strong>.</p><p>‘Would’ is now the operative word.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="831" height="554" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Turkish-Airlines.webp" alt="Turkish Airlines million mile challenge" class="wp-image-741701 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Turkish-Airlines.webp 831w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Turkish-Airlines-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Turkish-Airlines-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Turkish-Airlines-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Turkish-Airlines-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Turkish-Airlines-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Turkish-Airlines-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 831px) 100vw, 831px" /></figure></div><p>The challenge was due to run until 27th October.</p><p>However, yesterday afternoon, it was cancelled.</p><p>The Turkish Airlines website for the challenge now says:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p><strong>Route: 6 Continents Has Ended</strong></p><p>Thank you for the great interest you have shown in our Route: 6 Continents campaign.</p><p>In line with recent updates, the campaign has officially concluded as of July 8, 2025.</p><p>Members who purchased at least one ticket or completed a flight across six continents by July 8, 2025 will retain their eligibility. If these members complete their all flights across six continents by October 27, 2025, they will be earned 1 Million Miles.</p><p>Tickets purchased after July 8, 2025 will not be considered within the scope of the campaign.</p><p>Thank you for being part of this inspiring journey with us!</p></blockquote><p>This is, clearly, a farce.</p><p><strong>Was Turkish Airlines overrun with people taking part?</strong> In truth, it is difficult for them to know because the promotion did not require registration.</p><p>It can only guess, based on booking patterns, how many people were planning to do it.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="333" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Turkish-Airlines-Crystal-business-class-4-500x333.webp" alt="Turkish Airlines Million Mile challenge" class="wp-image-663378 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Turkish-Airlines-Crystal-business-class-4-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Turkish-Airlines-Crystal-business-class-4-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Turkish-Airlines-Crystal-business-class-4-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Turkish-Airlines-Crystal-business-class-4-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Turkish-Airlines-Crystal-business-class-4-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Turkish-Airlines-Crystal-business-class-4-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Turkish-Airlines-Crystal-business-class-4-350x233.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Turkish-Airlines-Crystal-business-class-4.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><p><strong>The promotion wasn’t hugely generous either. </strong> It SOUNDS generous, because you think that one million miles goes a long way, but thanks to a heavily devalued Miles&Smiles reward chart and high taxes and charges, they don’t.</p><p>Turkish Airlines miles also have a ‘hard’ three year expiry. If you hadn’t used them in three years, they would expire, irrespective of your activity in the meantime.</p><p>On our maths, the best you could do would be to spend £5,000 flying to all six continents on Turkish Airlines (which, including hotel costs, was realistic) and then redeem your one million bonus miles for £5,000 of Amazon gift vouchers.</p><p>You’d effectively have got a free trip to all corners of the world in economy, but it would be ‘free’ if you had a strategy for using up the Amazon credit or whatever gift vouchers you took.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Do partly booked trips count?</h2><p>On the face of it, <strong>people who have already booked tickets are not being left high and dry</strong>.</p><p>The announcement says:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>Members who purchased at least one ticket or completed a flight across six continents by July 8, 2025 will retain their eligibility.</p></blockquote><p>However, the terms and conditions for the offer now state:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>The campaign ticketing dates were changed from June “27, 2025 – October 27, 2025” to “June 27, 2025 – July 8, 2025”. </p></blockquote><p>There is no mention of people who add flights later, who already have one qualifying flight booked, still qualifying.</p><p>It would be shocking if Turkish Airlines tried to stop people who had booked part of the trip but were waiting on booking the rest from qualifying. Let’s see what happens.</p><p>You can find out more about the challenge cancellation <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/turkish-airlines-million-mile-challenge-27-october/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on this page of the Turkish Airlines website</a>.</p><p>It’s also worth <a href="https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/turkish-airlines-miles-smiles/2197778-route-6-continents-1-million-miles.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">checking out the dedicated challenge thread at Flyertalk</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/09/turkish-airlines-closes-one-million-miles-challenge/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>53</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">804880</post-id> </item><item><title>American Express will open a Centurion lounge in Amsterdam</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/09/american-express-centurion-lounge-amsterdam/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/09/american-express-centurion-lounge-amsterdam/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rhys Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 03:11:09 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[American Express Platinum card]]></category><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><category><![CDATA[two]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=804607</guid><description><![CDATA[American Express has announced where its second Centurion lounge in Europe will open, almost four years since it opened its first European location at Heathrow Terminal 3. (Technically, American Express has a lounge for Platinum cardholders in Stockholm but this is branded as an ‘American Express Lounge by Pontus Frithiof’ rather than a Centurion lounge. […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>American Express has announced where its second Centurion lounge in Europe will open, almost four years since it opened its first European location at Heathrow Terminal 3.</p><p>(Technically, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/05/12/american-express-new-lounge-stockholm-arlanda-airport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Express has a lounge for Platinum cardholders in Stockholm</a> but this is branded as an ‘American Express Lounge by Pontus Frithiof’ rather than a Centurion lounge. It is more of a restaurant with free food than a lounge.)<a href="https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/lounges/the-platinum-card/ARN/American-Express-Pop-Up-Lounge-Terminal-5-wuF8H1KrZa/"></a></p><p><strong>It should come as no surprise that Europe’s fourth busiest airport, Amsterdam Schiphol, is next.</strong> The Amsterdam Centurion lounge will become the 30th location in the network.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Centurion-Lounge.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="800" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Centurion-Lounge.webp" alt="American Express Centurion Lounge Amsterdam Schiphol airport" class="wp-image-804643 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Centurion-Lounge.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Centurion-Lounge-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Centurion-Lounge-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Centurion-Lounge-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Centurion-Lounge-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Centurion-Lounge-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Centurion-Lounge-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p>In case you need a quick primer, <strong>Centurion lounges are Amex-owned airport lounges that cater to its top-tier credit card holders</strong>. Access is limited to those with <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/04/review-american-express-platinum-credit-card-2/" data-type="post" data-id="779854" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Platinum Card (review here)</a> or the <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/03/23/review-amex-centurion-card-uk-benefits/" data-type="post" data-id="610060" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(invite only) Centurion cards.</a></p><p>You can <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/08/11/where-are-american-express-centurion-airport-lounges/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">find out more about how Centurion lounges work, and where to find them, in our guide here.</a></p><p>Unsurprisingly,<strong> this will be the first lounge operated by a credit card company at Schiphol airport</strong>. These types of lounges are more common in the United States than they are in Europe, where the overall credit card market is less lucrative for card issuers due to the stricter regulatory environment over fees.</p><p>It’s still worth building one in Amsterdam, though, says the President of American Express Travel, Audrey Hendley:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“With a large number of American Express Card Members traveling through Schiphol each year, the new Centurion Lounge will be an important addition to our growing global Centurion Lounge Network.”</p></blockquote><p><strong>The American Express Centurion Lounge in Amsterdam will open in 2026 and be located between Concourses E and F.</strong></p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="600" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar.webp" alt="American Express Centurion Lounge Amsterdam Schiphol" class="wp-image-804641 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar-400x200.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar-500x250.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar-768x384.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Amex-Amsterdam-Centurion-lounge-bar-350x175.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p><strong>It won’t be big</strong>, unfortunately. At “nearly” 6,000 square feet (around 560sqm) it will be smaller than the 7,000sqft Heathrow Centurion lounge, with seats for (at a guess) fewer than 100 guests.</p><p>In terms of design you can expect a:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>“rich palette of blues, greens and earth tones that evoke Amsterdam’s famous waterways and tranquility, while the lines, proportion and repetition represent the iconic canal houses of the city.”</p></blockquote><p>The good news is that, unlike the Heathrow lounge, <strong>it will offer floor-to-ceiling windows with an abundance of natural light. </strong>That should immediately help make it feel airier and open.</p><p>Other details remain under wraps although there will be a coffee bar, presumably with a barista.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2><p><strong>The Amex Centurion Lounge is a welcome addition to the loungescape at Amsterdam Schiphol airport</strong>. Amsterdam generally has less impressive lounges than other large airports including Heathrow, so this addition will have a big impact.</p><p>The only challenge for Amex is that Centurion lounges are generally a victim of their own success, becoming so popular that some locations have become overcrowded. Continual attempts by American Express to restrict entry requirements and guesting rules have not had a major impact.</p><p>With its relatively small footprint, the Centurion Lounge in Amsterdam could face the same problems.</p><p><strong>Amex will open the new Centurion Lounge in “2026” with no further time-frame given.</strong> If you want to get a flavour of what to expect, you can <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/05/05/review-american-express-centurion-lounge-heathrow-terminal-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read our review of the Centurion lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 here.</a></p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/09/american-express-centurion-lounge-amsterdam/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>20</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">804607</post-id> </item><item><title>BIG NEWS: Virgin Atlantic to refurbish B787 fleet, add Starlink, refurbish Clubhouses</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/virgin-atlantic-refurbishes-b787-fleet-adds-starlink/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/virgin-atlantic-refurbishes-b787-fleet-adds-starlink/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rhys Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:30:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Virgin Atlantic and Flying Club]]></category><category><![CDATA[one]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=804732</guid><description><![CDATA[Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss unveiled a raft of customer experience upgrades at an event in London tonight which we attended. It is a cornucopia of announcements, including: It marks the biggest investment in the airline’s customer experience in years. Here’s what you can expect: Virgin Atlantic will adopt Starlink wifi You may remember my […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss unveiled a raft of customer experience upgrades at an event in London tonight which we attended.</p><p>It is a cornucopia of announcements, including:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>The roll-out of Starlink wifi</li><li>A commitment to refurbish the Boeing 787 fleet</li><li>Bigger Upper Class and Premium cabins</li><li>Refurbished Clubhouses in London and New York</li><li>New amenity kits</li><li>A new app</li><li>An Open AI partnership</li><li>New Flying Club recognition scheme for people who travel infrequently but regularly </li></ul><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo.jpg" alt="Virgin Atlantic launches Starlink wifi" class="wp-image-722846 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo.jpg 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure></div><p>It marks the biggest investment in the airline’s customer experience in years. Here’s what you can expect:</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Virgin Atlantic will adopt Starlink wifi</h2><p><strong>You may remember<a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/04/28/review-qatar-airways-starlink-wifi/"> my article about Qatar Airways’ astonishing new Starlink wifi</a>, which I called a “genuine game-changer”.</strong></p><p>The service, which relies on thousands of satellites orbiting the earth, delivered speeds of 200Mbps. This is better than the wifi speeds in our office, and was suitable for both Rob and I to do a full days’ work on board, gate to gate.</p><p>It is a real quantum leap in onboard connectivity, putting even terrestrial services to shame – the wifi and 4G/5G services on my Eurostar trip a few weeks later were pitiful in comparison.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330-500x375.webp" alt="Virgin Atlantic launches Starlink wifi" class="wp-image-777584 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qatar-Airways-Starlink-7330.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>It’s fantastic news to hear that <strong>Virgin Atlantic will be installing Starlink across its fleet, streaming quality wifi in all cabins.</strong></p><p><strong>It will be free to all passengers.</strong> This is a condition of adopting Starlink – it’s so good that airlines are willing to give up their existing wi-fi revenue in order to offer it.</p><p><strong>Virgin Atlantic plans to begin installing the antennas in 2026</strong>, with the intention of making it available from Q3 2026 onwards. It says it expects to complete the installation across its entire fleet of Boeing 787s, Airbus A350s and A330neos by the end of 2027. The older A330s will not be upgraded as they are planned to be retired by 2028.</p><p><strong>It is hard to explain how revolutionary Starlink wifi is until you have tried it.</strong></p><p>British Airways will not be pleased that Virgin Atlantic has pipped it to the post – <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-24/spacex-amazon-in-talks-with-british-airways-owner-on-wi-fi-deal">Bloomberg reported in December</a> that IAG was in talks with Starlink over a wifi deal that has not, yet, materialised.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-cabin-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-cabin-2-500x375.jpg" alt="Virgin Atlantic 787 Upper Class cabin 2" class="wp-image-353582 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-cabin-2-500x375.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-cabin-2-400x300.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-cabin-2-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-cabin-2-350x263.jpg 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Virgin-Atlantic-787-Upper-Class-cabin-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">AT LAST: Virgin will refurbish its Boeing 787 fleet!</h2><p>Better late than never …. we have been asking Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss for years (literally) when he will commit to refurbishing the ageing Boeing 787 cabins.</p><p>I’m pleased to say he has finally relented ….</p><p>The airline’s 14 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, although less than ten years old, sport Upper Class cabins that were <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2022/06/20/review-virgin-atlantic-upper-class-boeing-787/">first installed in 2003</a> and designed long before that (image above).</p><p><strong>These seats are so narrow that they were christened ‘coffin class’</strong> and do not live up to a modern standards. <strong>There is virtually no privacy, old tech and virtually no storage.</strong></p><p>Many HfP readers have told us that they refuse to book Virgin Atlantic, even when a modern aircraft is scheduled, because the risk of an aircraft swap to a Boeing 787 is not worth taking.</p><p>The good news is that the days of the 2003-era Upper Class seat are numbered. <strong>Starting in 2028, Virgin Atlantic will refurbish its Boeing 787s from top-to-toe</strong> with cabins “inspired by the award-winning A330neo design”.</p><p>In Upper Class, this means the <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2022/11/04/review-upper-class-seat-virgin-atlantic-a330neo/" data-type="post" data-id="417753">latest iteration of Virgin’s Upper Class Suite, reviewed here,</a> which is based on the Thompson Vantage XL seat. These are smart, comfortable seats and light years ahead of the current cabins:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4863.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4863-500x375.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-417845 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4863-500x375.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4863-400x300.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4863-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4863-350x263.jpg 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Virgin-Atlantic-A330neo-Upper-Class-4863.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>It will mean that<strong> the entire Virgin Atlantic fleet will finally have modern business class seating</strong> by the end of the decade. The days of the Upper Class seat roulette will be over.</p><p>Virgin Atlantic will also <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/04/25/review-virgin-atlantic-retreat-suite-a330neo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduce its ‘business plus’ Retreat Suite (reviewed here, image below)</a> on the Boeing 787s for the first time, with EIGHT Retreat Suites available. This suggests the new Upper Class cabin will extend beyond the second set of doors, with a forward and rear Upper Class cabin.</p><p>In addition, <strong>Virgin Atlantic will increase the size of its premium cabins</strong>. It is going from 31 to 44 Upper Class seats and adding an extra 21 Premium seats for a total of 56. To make space for all this, economy will reduce from 192 seats to 127 seats.</p><p>The downside? The bar is being removed to fit in the extra Upper Class seats.</p><p>The refurbishment will begin in 2028 and is scheduled to be complete by 2030.</p><p>It’s also worth noting that Virgin Atlantic seems to have retained the option to retain more than 14 787s. The decision to slim the fleet to 14 is not as firm as had been implied.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite-500x281.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-468990 aligncenter" style="width:450px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite-500x281.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite-400x225.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite-350x197.jpg 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Virgin-Atlantic-Retreat-Suite.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">…. and new A330neos will also feature more Upper Class and Premium seats</h2><p>Expanding its push for premium seats, Virgin Atlantic’s next batch of factory-fresh A330-900neos will be delivered with more Upper Class and Premium seats. </p><p><strong>The Upper Class cabin will grow from 32 to 48 seats whilst Premium will gain an additional ten seats, to 56.</strong></p><p>An additional row of four Retreat Suites will also be added to these aircraft, for a total of six per plane – presumably two in Row 1 and a further four at the front of a rear Upper Class cabin.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Virgin-LA-Clubhouse-16.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Virgin-LA-Clubhouse-16-500x375.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-770318 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Virgin-LA-Clubhouse-16-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Virgin-LA-Clubhouse-16-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Virgin-LA-Clubhouse-16-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Virgin-LA-Clubhouse-16-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Virgin-LA-Clubhouse-16.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Clubhouse refurbishments in London and New York</h2><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/12/03/review-virgin-atlantic-clubhouse-lounge-heathrow-terminal-3/" data-type="post" data-id="292444" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virgin’s Heathrow Clubhouse (review here)</a> may be one of the best business class lounges in the world, but it is getting long in the tooth. The Clubhouse opened in 2007 and whilst minor refurbishments have happened since, it still retains the broad layout of when it was built.</p><p>Virgin Atlantic unveiled what appeared to be a new look for its Clubhouses at the opening of the <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/04/06/review-virgin-atlantic-clubhouse-los-angeles-international-airport/" data-type="post" data-id="770259" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brand new Clubhouse in Los Angeles, which I reviewed here</a>.</p><p><strong>This is the airline’s first new lounge in a decade</strong> and marks a departure from its older Clubhouses, with darker, more velvety materials and a sunset colour palette of purples oranges and golds.</p><p>It’s only fair that Virgin’s flagship Clubhouses gets the same treatment, so<strong> it is committing to a “multi-million-pound investment” for both the Heathrow and New York JFK spaces.</strong> This will update “the look and feel of both flagship spaces to provide an even greater sense of comfort.”</p><p>It is also rolling out more signature food and beverage creations both in the lounge and onboard, including the Clubhouse Burger, Read Head cocktail, Mile High Tea, Virgin Atlantic Bloody Mary and Cherry Pie in the Sky ice cream.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">There’s more ….</h2><p>No stone is being left unturned. Shai also outlined a number of other initiatives that will roll out over the coming years including:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>New amenity kits </strong>with skincare brand Votary. Face creams, mists, multi-balms and hand creams will all be on board from the beginning of next year. Presumably this will also roll out to Clubhouses at a later stage.</li><li><strong>A new app </strong>focused on Flying Club with “improved personalisation” will launch later this year – a long time coming given the current state of the app, which gives BA a run for its money as ‘least useful’ ….</li><li><strong>A partnership with OpenAI</strong> – a first for a European airline – to integrate real time voice and “emotionally intelligent” AI concierge services. Virgin says it will be accessible via its new app with “personalised, hands-free assistance when needed, anytime, anywhere and in any language.”</li><li><strong>A new Flying Club benefit</strong> that will acknowledge “multi-year loyalty for guests who do not travel often enough to achieve tier status progression.” It’s worth noting that there seems to be a commitment to NOT move to revenue based tier status.</li></ul><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2><p><strong>Today’s announcements are huge news for Virgin Atlantic</strong>.</p><p>The last five years have been tough for Virgin Atlantic and Shai has had to make some difficult decisions in order to keep the airline afloat during covid.</p><p>It’s good to see Virgin Atlantic refocus on the customer, with a bumper crop of announcements and investment to come over the next five years. That said, beyond the new app we won’t see anything until the end of 2026 when the first Starlink and new configuration A330neo aircraft appear.</p><p>The installation of Starlink wifi and the full refurbishment of the Boeing 787 fleet will arguably have the greatest impact and put the biggest gripes to bed. <strong> It will, however, be 2030 before you can book a Virgin Atlantic flight with 100% certainty of not getting the ‘coffin’ suite.</strong></p><p>Never one to miss a good PR opportunity, a lot of the announcements today are light on detail. I suspect we will see Virgin Atlantic provide more information as and when these upgrades are ready to launch.</p><p>But after five years of surviving, here’s to five years of thriving ….</p><p>Further reading:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/04/28/review-qatar-airways-starlink-wifi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What’s it like using Starlink wifi when flying?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2022/11/04/review-upper-class-seat-virgin-atlantic-a330neo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virgin Altantic’s latest Upper Class suite reviewed</a></li><li><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/04/25/review-virgin-atlantic-retreat-suite-a330neo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Is Virgin’s Retreat Suite front-row business class worth the money?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/09/13/virgin-atlantic-unveils-los-angeles-clubhouse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our review of the new Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in Los Angeles</a></li><li>From last year: <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/06/18/shai-weiss-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an interview with Shai Weiss on the future of Virgin Atlantic</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/virgin-atlantic-refurbishes-b787-fleet-adds-starlink/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>143</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">804732</post-id> </item><item><title>(SOLD OUT) Join a ‘Six-Course Gourmet Odyssey With Wine Pairings’ with Marriott</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/marriott-bonvoy-gourmet-odyssey/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/marriott-bonvoy-gourmet-odyssey/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 04:11:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Marriott Bonvoy]]></category><category><![CDATA[one]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=804445</guid><description><![CDATA[Marriott Bonvoy is bringing its ‘Gourmet Odyssey’ programme back to London, with a six course extravaganza on Saturday 6th September. It is decent value at 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for two people. We joined one of these last year (our own points, not a media freebie!) and have booked on again. You can redeem via […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Marriott Bonvoy is bringing its ‘Gourmet Odyssey’ programme back to London</strong>, with a six course extravaganza on Saturday 6th September.</p><p>It is decent value at 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for two people. We joined one of these last year (our own points, not a media freebie!) and have booked on again.</p><p>You can <a href="https://moments.marriottbonvoy.com/en-us/moments/19505/redeem/600ed53194223444d2cd09616a9d6218" target="_blank" rel="noopener">redeem via ‘Marriott Moments’ here</a>.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="484" height="319" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Renaissance-St-Pancras-light-2.jpg" alt="Marriott Gourmet Odyssey" class="wp-image-389987 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Renaissance-St-Pancras-light-2.jpg 484w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Renaissance-St-Pancras-light-2-400x264.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Renaissance-St-Pancras-light-2-325x215.jpg 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Renaissance-St-Pancras-light-2-180x120.jpg 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Renaissance-St-Pancras-light-2-350x231.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 484px) 100vw, 484px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">This time, there’s a catch</h2><p><strong>This event is restricted to <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/starwood-amex/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marriott Bonvoy American Express</a> cardholders.</strong></p><p>This is the first time that Marriott has ever restricted a ‘Marriott Moments’ event in the UK to holders of its credit card. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a regular feature or not.</p><p>EDIT: Given that the event still sold out quickly, I suspect Marriott may be emboldened to try this restriction again to boost card sign-ups.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">What does this ‘Gourmet Odyssey’ include?</h2><p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b141dcb7816201c16c0e3a5d1d7d9634">This is what you get:</p><blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>Experience the culinary highlights of London while exploring the city on a six-course lunch on Saturday 6 September. You and your guest will attend <strong>a welcome reception at the iconic St Pancras London</strong>, Autograph Collection Hotel. Then make your way to three of the top restaurants in Kings’ Cross — Booking Office 1869, Bubala, and Porte Noire —to savour six courses with wine pairings during your Gourmet Odyssey.</p><p>Renowned for its expertly crafted cocktails and British-European cuisine, <strong>Booking Office 1869 </strong>offers a unique blend of history and innovation, making it a standout destination for both travelers and locals.</p><p><strong>Bubala</strong> (meaning “darling”) is all about vibrant food, generosity, and a passion for hospitality. They take inspiration from across the Middle East with bold, complex flavors and textures, resulting in food that is playful and champions the humble vegetable.</p><p>Founded by Idris Elba and David Farber, the wine-led restaurant – <strong>Porte Noire</strong> – offers a seasonal Mediterranean menu in an intimate and relaxed setting, bringing the hospitality from the classic wine regions to London. </p><p>Experience includes:</p></blockquote><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><em>11:30 – Welcome reception at the iconic St Pancras London, Autograph Collection Hotel</em></li><li><em>Six-course Gourmet Odyssey at three restaurants:</em><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><em>Booking Office 1869</em></li><li><em>Bubala</em></li><li><em>Porte Noire Restaurant and Wine Bar</em></li></ul></li></ul><p>No children under 18 are allowed and no transport or accommodation is included.</p><p>The way it works is that the whole group – it will be around 45 people – comes together at the beginning for the reception. You are then split into three sub-groups, each of which visits the restaurants in a different order.</p><p>One interesting effect of this is that each group gets a different experience. Some will have appetisers at the restaurant where another group gets its main courses and another group gets its desserts.</p><p>You can <a href="https://moments.marriottbonvoy.com/en-us/moments/19505/redeem/600ed53194223444d2cd09616a9d6218">book for 40,000 Bonvoy points for two people here</a>. There were 13 pairs of tickets left at 11pm last night.</p><p>Remember that <strong>you must be a <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/starwood-amex/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marriott Bonvoy American Express</a> cardholder to redeem</strong>.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/marriott-bonvoy-gourmet-odyssey/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>12</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">804445</post-id> </item><item><title>Who are the HSBC Premier credit card airline and hotel transfer partners?</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/hsbc-premier-credit-card-airline-hotel-partners/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/hsbc-premier-credit-card-airline-hotel-partners/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 03:11:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[HSBC Premier Mastercard]]></category><category><![CDATA[two]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=802235</guid><description><![CDATA[Three years ago, HSBC Premier undertook a substantial upgrading of its credit card transfer partners. What was a bit of a laughing stock – although Avios was a partner – suddenly became a real contender, at least for airline miles. Even better, transfers to airline and hotel partners are instant and there is no minimum […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Three years ago, <strong>HSBC Premier undertook a substantial upgrading of its credit card transfer partners</strong>.</p><p>What was a bit of a laughing stock – although Avios was a partner – suddenly became a real contender, at least for airline miles.</p><p>Even better, <strong>transfers to airline and hotel partners are instant</strong> and <strong>there is no minimum points transfer</strong>.</p><p>The only snag is that the HSBC Premier credit card is a faff to get. You need to sign up for free to HSBC’s Premier current account (£100,000 income or £100,000 in a HSBC investment product required) in order to apply for the free Premier credit card or the paid-for Premier World Elite credit card.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1300" height="860" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HfP-HSBC-Premier-free-Mastercard-webp.webp" alt="HSBC airline and hotel credit card partners" class="wp-image-598980 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HfP-HSBC-Premier-free-Mastercard-webp.webp 1300w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HfP-HSBC-Premier-free-Mastercard-webp-400x265.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HfP-HSBC-Premier-free-Mastercard-webp-500x331.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HfP-HSBC-Premier-free-Mastercard-webp-768x508.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HfP-HSBC-Premier-free-Mastercard-webp-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HfP-HSBC-Premier-free-Mastercard-webp-650x430.webp 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HfP-HSBC-Premier-free-Mastercard-webp-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/HfP-HSBC-Premier-free-Mastercard-webp-350x232.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1300px) 100vw, 1300px" /></figure></div><p>The two HSBC credit cards earn as follows:</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/30/review-hsbc-premier-mastercard-credit-card-3/" data-type="post" data-id="315266" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The free HSBC Premier card, reviewed here</a>, earns 1 HSBC point per £1 spent, which translates to 0.5 airline miles or hotel points. Overseas spend earns double points but has a 2.99% FX fee.</p><p><strong>The representative APR is 23.9% variable.</strong></p><p><a data-type="post" data-id="315268" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/30/review-hsbc-premier-world-elite-mastercard-credit-card-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The £290 HSBC Premier World Elite card, reviewed here</a>, earns 3 HSBC points per £1 spent, which translates to 1.5 airline miles or hotel points. Overseas spend earns 4 HSBC points per £2 spent but incurs a 2.99% FX fee. There is a sign-up bonus of 40,000 points, worth 20,000 airline miles or hotel points.</p><p><strong>The representative APR is 100.2% variable, including the annual fee. The representative APR on purchases is 29.9% variable.</strong></p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to transfer points to travel partners</h2><p>Annoyingly, <strong>it is not possible to make points transfers via the HSBC app</strong>. You need to log in to the HSBC UK website using your HSBC Premier details.</p><p>One bit of positive news is <strong>there are no transfer minimums</strong>. </p><p><strong>2 HSBC points will get you 1 airline mile or 1 hotel point.</strong></p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="595" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/HFP-HSBC-Premier-World-Elite-Mastercard-webp.webp" alt="HSBC airline and hotel credit card partners" class="wp-image-693039 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/HFP-HSBC-Premier-World-Elite-Mastercard-webp.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/HFP-HSBC-Premier-World-Elite-Mastercard-webp-400x264.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/HFP-HSBC-Premier-World-Elite-Mastercard-webp-500x331.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/HFP-HSBC-Premier-World-Elite-Mastercard-webp-768x508.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/HFP-HSBC-Premier-World-Elite-Mastercard-webp-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/HFP-HSBC-Premier-World-Elite-Mastercard-webp-650x430.webp 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/HFP-HSBC-Premier-World-Elite-Mastercard-webp-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/HFP-HSBC-Premier-World-Elite-Mastercard-webp-350x231.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Transfers to partners are instantaneous</h2><p><strong>Yes, instant</strong>. In the UK points market, this is still rare.</p><p>You aren’t at risk of missing out on a redemption by waiting for your HSBC points to go across.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Who are the HSBC Premier credit card travel partners?</h2><p>You can transfer your HSBC Premier points into the following airline schemes:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Asia Miles</li><li>British Airways Club</li><li>Emirates Skywards</li><li>Etihad Guest</li><li>EVA Air Infinity MileageLands</li><li>Finnair Plus</li><li>Flying Blue (Air France KLM)</li><li>Qantas Frequent Flyer</li><li>Qatar Airways Privilege Club</li><li>Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer</li><li>TAP Miles&Go</li></ul><p>There are also two hotel partners:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Wyndham Rewards</li><li>IHG One Rewards</li></ul><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Are these transfers good value?</h2><p>There are two ways of looking at this:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Are airline and hotel scheme transfers good value compared to redeeming for shopping gift cards etc?</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>If they are, are any of the airline or hotel options significantly better or worse?</li></ul><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Are miles and points transfers good value compared to the alternatives?</h3><p>Yes. Unlike many credit cards, <strong>airline miles are excellent value compared to taking shopping vouchers</strong> which is the only other option.</p><p>1,500 HSBC points gets you 750 airline miles or £5 of vouchers (Amazon, Costa, M&S, John Lewis, Tesco etc) so you are ‘paying’ just 0.66p per airline mile.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="334" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-500x334.webp" alt="HSBC airline and hotel credit card partners" class="wp-image-450355 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-500x334.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-768x513.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock-350x234.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/HSBC-iStock.webp 1253w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Are any of the airline or hotel options significantly better or worse?</h3><p>Since we always value airline miles at around 1p, at least as long as they are used for premium cabin flight redemptions, we can say that <strong>they are a good use of your HSBC points</strong>. Compared to taking shopping vouchers, you are ‘paying’ 0.66p per mile which is a great deal.</p><p>However, <strong>the hotel transfer ratios stink</strong>.</p><p>The exchange rate from HSBC to hotel points is 2:1 – the same rate as used for airline miles. This is shocking value because, <strong>using a very broad generalisation, airline miles are worth double what hotel points are worth.</strong></p><p>For example, I value an IHG One Rewards point at 0.4p. This means that 2 HSBC points gets you 0.4p of IHG One Rewards points – but would also get you 0.66p of shopping vouchers! Avoid – unless you need the points immediately, since the transfer to IHG is instant.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Are there ever transfer bonuses?</h3><p>Yes. HSBC has run, on a roughly annual basis, a 20% to 30% bonus for transfer into Avios via British Airways Club.</p><p>This year it has also run a transfer bonus into Avios via Qatar Airways Privilege Club.</p><p>We have also seen trials of bonuses into other programmes, most recently a 20% bonus on transfers into Qantas Points.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2><p>HSBC Premier has established itself as <strong>the clear leader in the Visa / Mastercard space for anyone who wants a ‘convertible currency’</strong> that can be moved to multiple travel rewards schemes.</p><p>For 11 of the 13 partners (the two Avios airlines being the exceptions) it is the <em>only</em> way of earning these points from Visa or Mastercard spend.</p><p>The snag is that <strong>you need a HSBC Premier current account to apply for these cards</strong>. This requires a £100,000 income or the holding of £100,000 in a HSBC insurance or investment product – albeit Premier has decent benefits, including full travel insurance, and is free.</p><p><strong>If you are 100% certain that you want to earn Avios, which as this is HfP is likely, then forget HSBC Premier. </strong> You should get <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/barclaycard-avios-cards-joint-home/" data-shortcode="true">the free Barclaycard Avios Mastercard</a> or <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/barclaycard-avios-cards-joint-home/" data-shortcode="true">the paid-for Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard</a> which has a 25,000 Avios bonus, and which doesn’t require you to move your current account.</p><p>Our <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/30/review-hsbc-premier-mastercard-credit-card-3/" data-type="post" data-id="315266" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full review of the free HSBC Premier credit card is here</a>.</p><p>Our <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/30/review-hsbc-premier-world-elite-mastercard-credit-card-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full review of the HSBC Premier World Elite credit card is here</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/hsbc-premier-credit-card-airline-hotel-partners/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>39</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">802235</post-id> </item><item><title>Earn Hilton Honors points, and save $15, with Lyft rides in the US and Canada</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/earn-hilton-honors-points-with-lyft-rides-2/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/earn-hilton-honors-points-with-lyft-rides-2/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 02:22:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Hilton Honors]]></category><category><![CDATA[three]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=802233</guid><description><![CDATA[A little known benefit of Hilton Honors is the ability to earn points on Lyft rides in the United States and Canada. If you find yourself in the US needing to get somewhere, Lyft may appeal to you. The company has not expanded quite as aggressively as Uber but it remains the second largest ride-hailing […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>A little known benefit of Hilton Honors is the ability to earn points on Lyft rides</strong> in the United States and Canada.</p><p>If you find yourself in the US needing to get somewhere, Lyft may appeal to you. The company has not expanded quite as aggressively as Uber but <strong>it remains the second largest ride-hailing company in North America</strong>.</p><p>Hilton and Lyft have been working together for six years now, and there is even a cash incentive to encourage you to sign up.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="333" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lyft-500x333.webp" alt="Hilton Lyft" class="wp-image-778207 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lyft-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lyft-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lyft-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lyft-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lyft-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lyft-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lyft-350x233.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lyft.webp 987w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h3 class="wp-block-heading">How many Hilton Honors points do you earn with Lyft?</h3><p><strong>You will earn 3 points per $1 spent on Lyft rides and 2 points per $1 on Lyft shared rides</strong>, up to a maximum $10,000 of Lyft spend annually. Points will arrive in your Hilton Honors account within 24 hours.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Don’t redeem your Hilton Honors points for Lyft credit though!</h3><p>This is actually a two way partnership. As well as earning Hilton Honors points, <strong>you can also redeem them for credit towards Lyft rides.</strong></p><p>This is poor value and we don’t recommend it.</p><p>You need to spend 4,500 Hilton Honors points to get a $10 Lyft credit. This is 0.22 cents (0.17p) per point, which is exactly half of <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/08/24/what-are-hilton-honors-hotel-points-worth-3/" data-type="post" data-id="528196" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our target HfP valuation of 0.33p per Hilton point</a> when used for hotel stays.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">How do you sign up?</h3><p>To earn Hilton Honors points from Lyft, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-lyft-page/" target="_blank">you must link your accounts on the special partnership site here</a>.</p><p>Once connected the process is automatic and points should start appearing in your Hilton Honors account.</p><p><strong>If you are new to Lyft, you will receive $5 off your first three rides </strong>if you sign up <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-lyft-page/" target="_blank">via this Hilton page</a>. Do NOT sign up immediately, however, as <strong>the credit must be used within 30 days of signing up</strong> and linking your accounts.</p><p>The offer is valid only for Lyft rides taken in the US and Canada. However, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/04/17/lyft-buys-freenow/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with Lyft recently buying the FREENOW taxi app</a>, we may seen benefits coming to the UK at some point.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/08/earn-hilton-honors-points-with-lyft-rides-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>7</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">802233</post-id> </item><item><title>Is ‘Part Pay With Avios’ for British Airways flights worth it?</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/is-part-pay-with-avios-worth-it/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/is-part-pay-with-avios-worth-it/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 04:11:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[British Airways and Avios]]></category><category><![CDATA[Sainsbury's and Nectar]]></category><category><![CDATA[one]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=802239</guid><description><![CDATA[Is it still worth using ‘Part Pay With Avios’ when booking British Airways flights, now that Nectar is an option? ‘Part Pay With Avios’ has, apparently, been very successful since it was launched.  It allows you to redeem your points for a discount against a cash ticket. British Airways Holidays also embraced ‘Part Pay With […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Is it still worth using ‘Part Pay With Avios’ when booking British Airways flights, now that Nectar is an option?</strong></p><p><strong>‘Part Pay With Avios’ has, apparently, been very successful since it was launched</strong>. It allows you to redeem your points for a discount against a <strong>cash</strong> ticket.</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/03/06/pay-for-ba-holidays-packages-with-avios/" data-type="post" data-id="461958" target="_blank" rel="noopener">British Airways Holidays also embraced ‘Part Pay With Avios’ in 2023</a> – click to read more.</p><p>Since we last looked at this, <strong>it appears to have been quietly devalued by BA.</strong></p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1300" height="860" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sainsburys-Nectar-Avios.webp" alt="Is 'Part Pay With Avios' for British Airways flights worth it?" class="wp-image-781383 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sainsburys-Nectar-Avios.webp 1300w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sainsburys-Nectar-Avios-400x265.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sainsburys-Nectar-Avios-500x331.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sainsburys-Nectar-Avios-768x508.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sainsburys-Nectar-Avios-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sainsburys-Nectar-Avios-650x430.webp 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sainsburys-Nectar-Avios-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Sainsburys-Nectar-Avios-350x232.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1300px) 100vw, 1300px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Avios / Nectar partnership moved the goalposts</h2><p>In early 2021 <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/01/21/sainsburys-new-avios-supermarket-partner/" data-type="URL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Avios and Nectar launched their partnership</a>. The ba.com page to transfer your points to or from Nectar <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/ba-nectar-page/" data-shortcode="true">is at this link</a>.</p><p><strong>You can transfer Avios into Nectar points at the rate of 400 to 400.</strong> As a Nectar point is worth 0.5p when you spend them in Sainsbury’s or Argos, it means your Avios now have a floor value of 0.5p.</p><p>You can spend all your Avios in Sainsbury’s or Argos by turning them into Nectar points, and get a fixed 0.5p per Avios. This means that<strong> you should not be redeeming Avios anywhere else when you get under 0.5p of value.</strong></p><p>Unfortunately,<strong> redeeming for ‘Part Pay With Avios’ will mean that you may get less than 0.5p per Avios.</strong></p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Let’s look at ‘Part Pay With Avios’ for BA flights</h2><p>Just for clarity, before we get started, remember that<strong> ‘Part Pay With Avios’ is NOT the same as ‘Pay with Avios and Money’</strong>:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>‘Part Pay With Avios’ lets you reduce the cash component of a standard <strong>cash flight ticket</strong> by redeeming Avios</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>‘Pay with Avios and Money’ lets you reduce the Avios component of an <strong>Avios redemption ticket</strong> by paying cash instead</li></ul><p>We last looked <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/09/best-avios-and-cash-combination-to-book/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at ‘Avios and Money’ redemptions in this article</a> where I outlined my ‘1p rule’ for finding the best option.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="333" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BA-A380-light-500x333.jpg" alt="How to use part pay with Avios on British Airways" class="wp-image-585750 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BA-A380-light-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BA-A380-light-400x267.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BA-A380-light-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BA-A380-light-325x215.jpg 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BA-A380-light-180x120.jpg 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BA-A380-light-360x240.jpg 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BA-A380-light-350x233.jpg 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/BA-A380-light.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to use ‘Part Pay With Avios’ on British Airways</h2><p>You can find <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/part-pay-with-avios/" target="_blank">full details of ‘Part Pay With Avios’ on the British Airways site here</a>.</p><p>As well as using ‘Part Pay With Avios’ for British Airways flights, it can also be used at ba.com to discount American Airlines flights between the UK and North America.</p><p>It can also be used on the majority of British Airways codeshare flights.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Using ‘Part Pay With Avios’ on short haul:</h3><p>On short haul European flights, you currently receive between 0.40p and 1p per point. The value gets <em>worse</em> the more points you redeem.</p><p><strong>It’s worth noting that ‘Part Pay With Avios’ has been devalued recently</strong>. The last time we looked at this, it would bottom out at 0.44p per Avios. You can now get as little as 0.40p.</p><p><strong>It’s not just the lowest redemption option that has devalued</strong>. Value now appears to fall away more quickly as you move down the scale.</p><p>Here is a typical example for an Economy flight to Hamburg, although the exact numbers will vary by route:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>£10 off for 1,000 Avios (1p per Avios)</li><li>£15 off for 1,650 Avios (0.91 per Avios)</li><li>£24 off for 3,270 Avios (0.73p per Avios)</li><li>£39 off for 6,650 Avios (0.59p per Avios)</li><li>£52 off for 10,120 Avios (0.51p per Avios)</li><li>£69 off for 15,290 Avios (0.45p per Avios) – worse than Nectar</li><li>£92 off for 23,280 Avios (0.40p per Avios) – much worse than Nectar</li><li>£143.12 off for 35,780 Avios (0.40p per Avios) – much worse than Nectar</li></ul><p>Remember that you get 0.5p per Avios by redeeming them via Nectar in Sainsbury’s or in Argos.</p><p>On this basis, <strong>you would be crazy to redeem 15,290 or more Avios against this booking.</strong> You are getting far less than 0.5p for your Avios.</p><p><strong>1p per Avios is decent</strong> and I would always seriously consider making a 1,000 Avios redemption to reduce the cost of my ticket by £10 if the option was available. </p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="333" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BA-British-Airways-777-webp-500x333.webp" alt="How to use part pay with Avios on British Airways" class="wp-image-566376 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BA-British-Airways-777-webp-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BA-British-Airways-777-webp-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BA-British-Airways-777-webp-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BA-British-Airways-777-webp-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BA-British-Airways-777-webp-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BA-British-Airways-777-webp-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BA-British-Airways-777-webp-350x233.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BA-British-Airways-777-webp.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Using ‘Part Pay With Avios’ on long haul:</h3><p>Here is an example for a £528 long haul Economy flight on British Airways, showing how <strong>you could lose out on £132:</strong></p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>£20 off for 2,000 Avios (1p per Avios)</li><li>£38 off for 6,420 Avios (0.59p per Avios)</li><li>£55 off with 10,300 Avios (0.54p per Avios)</li><li>£89 off with 19,080 Avios (0.46p per Avios) – worse than Nectar</li><li>£144 off for 35,320 Avios (0.41p per Avios) – much worse than Nectar</li><li>£190 off for 50,370 Avios (0.38p per Avios) – much worse than Nectar</li><li>£253 off for 63,250 Avios (0.40p per Avios) – much worse than Nectar</li><li>£338 off for 84,500 Avios (0.40p per Avios) – much worse than Nectar</li><li>£527.82 off for 131,960 Avios (0.40p per Avios) – much worse than Nectar</li></ul><p>There has also been a devaluation here, with the weakest option dropping from 0.43p to 0.40p recently. I think the 0.38p example example is a BA IT bug and that it wasn’t meant to drop that low.</p><p><strong>1p per Avios is decent</strong> and I would always seriously consider making a 2,000 Avios redemption to reduce the cost of my ticket by £20.</p><p>The further you go down the list, the less value there is using ‘Part Pay With Avios’. <strong>You are getting less – often far less – than the 0.5p per Avios that you get by redeeming via Nectar.</strong></p><p><strong>In the last example above, you are £132 worse off by using your Avios for a flight discount.</strong> The same 131,960 Avios that gets you a £527 discount would convert to Nectar points worth £659.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Is ‘Part Pay With Avios’ ever worthwhile?</h2><p><strong>Unfortunately the answer is ‘not really’, apart from potentially using 1,000 Avios to save £10</strong> <strong>or 2,000 Avios to save £20.</strong></p><p>This is not a new discovery. It has nothing to do with the Nectar partnership.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="331" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/British-Airays-Avios-500x331.webp" alt="How to use part pay with Avios on British Airways" class="wp-image-739555 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/British-Airays-Avios-500x331.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/British-Airays-Avios-400x265.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/British-Airays-Avios-768x508.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/British-Airays-Avios-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/British-Airays-Avios-650x430.webp 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/British-Airays-Avios-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/British-Airays-Avios-350x232.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/British-Airays-Avios.webp 1300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><p>I target a minimum 1p return when I spend my Avios, so almost all of the ‘Part Pay With Avios’ options were bad value in my book.</p><p><strong>The only thing that has changed with Nectar is that it has crystalised my opinion as fact.</strong> </p><p>You no longer need to take it on trust from us that getting 0.40p per Avios – as you get in some examples above – is a bad deal. <strong>You can get 0.5p per Avios via Nectar as a guaranteed return</strong> so don’t waste your points accepting less.</p><p>You can’t even use the excuse any longer that ‘I get all of my Avios points from business travel so I don’t mind what I get for them’. Even if all your Avios are ‘free’ from business travel, it makes no sense to redeem them for less than the 0.5p per point that Nectar offers.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">PS. You can also look at this the other way around</h2><p>Let’s flip the question. <strong>Is it worth converting Nectar points to Avios to part-pay for British Airways flights?</strong></p><p>1 Nectar point is worth 0.5p when used in Sainsburys or (based on 400 Nectar points = 250 Avios) can be converted into 0.625 Avios.</p><p>[Pulls out calculator ….]</p><p><strong>Unless you get more than 0.8p per Avios, you should NOT be converting your Nectar points into Avios – and as you can see above, ‘Part Pay With Avios’ will NOT get you 0.8p except when using small quantities.</strong></p><p>This means that<strong> it is NOT worth converting Nectar points into Avios to use them for ‘Part Pay with Avios’</strong>, unless it is for a token 1,000 Avios for £10 off (short haul) or 2,000 Avios for £20 off (long haul).</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/is-part-pay-with-avios-worth-it/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>32</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">802239</post-id> </item><item><title>Heathrow introduces paid-for Fast Track Arrivals</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/heathrow-introduces-paid-for-fast-track-arrivals/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/heathrow-introduces-paid-for-fast-track-arrivals/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 03:25:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><category><![CDATA[three]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=803478</guid><description><![CDATA[Whilst this won’t be of interest to our readers with UK, EU, US or other passports which can use the e-gates at London Heathrow, the airport has brought in a Fast Track Arrivals service for those who still have to use a manned desk. This includes UK families with young children. You can find out […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Whilst this won’t be of interest to our readers with UK, EU, US or other passports which can use the e-gates at London Heathrow,<strong> the airport has brought in a Fast Track Arrivals service</strong> for those who still have to use a manned desk. This includes UK families with young children.</p><p>You can find out more <a href="https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airport/airport-services/fast-track" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the Heathrow website here</a>.</p><p>The price is £25 per person during off-peak times and £35 per person at peak. Peak hours vary by terminal.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="600" height="400" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Heathrow-Fast-Track-immigration.webp" alt="Heathrow introduces paid-for Fast Track Arrivals" class="wp-image-803482 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Heathrow-Fast-Track-immigration.webp 600w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Heathrow-Fast-Track-immigration-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Heathrow-Fast-Track-immigration-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Heathrow-Fast-Track-immigration-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Heathrow-Fast-Track-immigration-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Heathrow-Fast-Track-immigration-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></figure></div><p>The service is available from 6am to 9pm.</p><p>Bookings can be cancelled for a refund up to 8pm the day before arrival.</p><p><strong>Is it worth it? I don’t know</strong> – I don’t know what the waiting times are like at Heathrow for non-UK/EU passport holders. However, I know if New York JFK allowed me to pre-book a ‘no queue’ immigration slot for £25, I’d be there.</p><p>Here’s what Heathrow has to say about it:</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="handorgel1-fold4-header">What is Heathrow Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control?</h3><p>Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control offers a separate lane to guide you to the entrance to passport control, especially convenient if you don’t have access to E-Gates.</p><p>Before passengers land at Heathrow Airport, they have the option to pre-book a 1-hour time window, subject to availability and offered on a first-come first-served basis. The cut-off time to book Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control is 20:00 on the day prior to your scheduled arrival date.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="handorgel1-fold5-header">How does the service work?</h3><p>When you reach passport control, follow the signs to the Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control entrance where you will be greeted by the Fast Track host. Once your booking is confirmed by the Fast Track host, you will be permitted access to a separate lane within the passport control hall. </p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">How do I make a booking for Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control?</h3><p>You can make a booking through Heathrow.com. You can pre-book up to 12 months in advance, and no later than 20:00 the day before your scheduled date of arrival into Heathrow Airport. Please note you will not be able to book and pay on-site at the Airport.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Who is Fast Track Arrivals available to?</h3><p>This service is available to passengers arriving at all Heathrow terminals, including any airline, passport type or cabin class.</p><p>You may already be eligible to use Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control with your airline. Please consult your airline before booking. If you book Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control and you are also eligible under their airline’s eligibility criteria, no refund will be offered by Heathrow, unless requested by 20:00 on the day before your booking date. <a href="https://www.heathrow.com/booking/fast-track"></a></p><h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="handorgel1-fold8-header">What are the times slots available for purchase to access Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control?</h3><p>Hourly windows are available to book, with the first window being available between 06:00-07:00 and the last window from 20:00-21:00, subject to operational requirements and availability.</p><p>If for any reason you miss your allocated time, we will endeavour to ensure access to Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control, however this cannot be guaranteed, and a refund will not be offered if we cannot accommodate you outside of your pre-booked time slot.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="handorgel1-fold10-header">What is the maximum number of people I can book Fast Track Arrivals for?</h3><p>You can book up to a maximum of 6 people (including both adults and children) in one booking by selecting the required party size, subject to availability. You will receive one email confirmation per party to the email address provided in the booking form.</p><p>All members of the booking will be required to arrive at the Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control entrance at the same time. You will still be able to access Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control without all passengers on the booking being in attendance, however any passengers who arrive separately will not be given access to Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="handorgel1-fold11-header">What is the cost of booking Fast Track Arrivals?</h3><p>The charge to book Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control per passenger is £25.00 during off-peak times and £35.00 during peak times. Peak periods vary between terminals and time periods. Infants and children will also require a booking.</p><p>Peak times for Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control are as follows:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Terminal 2: 06:00 – 09:00 and 18:00 – 21:00</li><li>Terminal 3: 06:00 – 10:00 and 14:00 – 21:00</li><li>Terminal 4: 06:00 – 09:00 and 12:00 – 21:00</li><li>Terminal 5: 06:00 – 09:00 </li></ul><h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="handorgel1-fold13-header">What do I do when I arrive at Heathrow?</h3><p>You will be required to present your booking confirmation email (including the booking reference number) to the Fast Track host at the Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control hosting desk to verify your purchase.</p><p>Once you have satisfied these primary checks you will be granted entry into the Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control lanes before being seen by the UK Border Force team. Access to Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control will not be permitted without booking confirmation. </p><h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="handorgel1-fold14-header">What happens if I arrive outside of my booking time on the day?</h3><p>Passengers are advised to book a time slot in line with their airline’s scheduled arrival time into Heathrow. Please ensure your booking allows adequate time for aircraft disembarkation and travel time to the passport control hall. </p><p>If for any reason you miss your allocated time, we will endeavour to provide access to Fast Track Arrivals Passport Control, however, this cannot be guaranteed, and a refund will not be offered if the wrong time slot is booked. </p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/heathrow-introduces-paid-for-fast-track-arrivals/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>81</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">803478</post-id> </item><item><title>The Wolseley and Cheval aparthotels join Global Hotel Alliance – we chat with CEO Chris Hartley</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/the-wolseley-joins-global-hotel-alliance/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/the-wolseley-joins-global-hotel-alliance/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 03:11:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><category><![CDATA[two]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=801982</guid><description><![CDATA[I spent two days in Brussels recently as the guest of Global Hotel Alliance, attending their annual meeting of brand CEOs. I managed to sit down with the CEO of Global Hotel Alliance itself, Chris Hartley, to discuss two new developments which would interest UK readers or visitors. These involve The Wolseley restaurant group and […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I spent two days in Brussels recently as the guest of Global Hotel Alliance, attending their annual meeting of brand CEOs.</p><p><strong>I managed to sit down with the CEO of Global Hotel Alliance itself, Chris Hartley</strong>, to discuss two new developments which would interest UK readers or visitors. <strong>These involve The Wolseley restaurant group and the Cheval Collection group of aparthotels.</strong></p><p>GHA paid for my travel and <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/25/review-corinthia-brussels-hotel/" data-type="post" data-id="799770" target="_blank" rel="noopener">my stay at Corinthia Brussels</a> where the event was held.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1057" height="705" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GHA-Global-Hotel-Alliance-logo-webp.webp" alt="The Wolseley is joining Global Hotel Alliance" class="wp-image-768233 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GHA-Global-Hotel-Alliance-logo-webp.webp 1057w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GHA-Global-Hotel-Alliance-logo-webp-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GHA-Global-Hotel-Alliance-logo-webp-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GHA-Global-Hotel-Alliance-logo-webp-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GHA-Global-Hotel-Alliance-logo-webp-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GHA-Global-Hotel-Alliance-logo-webp-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GHA-Global-Hotel-Alliance-logo-webp-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1057px) 100vw, 1057px" /></figure></div><p><a href="https://www.ghadiscovery.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Hotel Alliance</a> is a marketing group used by over 45 upmarket hotel brands with a total of 850+ combined properties. This will grow to 1,000 when Rotana, and some as yet unamed new partners, join later this year. It is <strong>the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands.</strong></p><p>Kempinski is the biggest one you might be familiar with. Other big names include Pan Pacific, Corinthia, Capella, The Doyle Collection, NH Hotels and Anantara.</p><p>In general, these are strong national chains in their respective heartlands which have not – with the exception of Kempinski, NH and Anantara – made the jump to being global brands.</p><p>The full list of members, including sub-brands, is:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Anantara</li><li>Andronis</li><li>Araiya</li><li>ASmallWorld</li><li>Avani</li><li>Bristoria</li><li>Capella</li><li>Cheval Collection</li><li>Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts</li><li>Corinthia</li><li>Divani Collection</li><li>The Doyle Collection</li><li>Elewana</li><li>JA</li><li>Kempinski</li><li>The Leela</li><li>Lore Group</li><li>Lungarno Collection</li><li>Maqo</li><li>Marco Polo Hotels</li><li>Mysk</li><li>NH Hotels</li><li>NH Collection</li><li>nhow</li><li>Niccolo</li><li>Nikki Beach</li><li>NUO</li><li>Oaks</li><li>Outrigger</li><li>Pan Pacific</li><li>Paramount Hotels</li><li>PARKROYAL</li><li>Patina</li><li>Shaza</li><li>Sun International</li><li>Sunway</li><li>The Residence</li><li>The Set</li><li>The Sukhotai</li><li>Tivoli</li><li>Ultratravel</li><li>Unike Hoteller</li><li>Viceroy</li></ul><p>There is also <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/03/06/plum-guide-home-rentals-to-join-global-hotel-alliance/" data-type="post" data-id="609765" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an earn partnership with Plum Guide apartment rentals</a> (which I used last year and got a decent rebate on what I paid) and <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/02/16/global-hotel-alliance-launches-a-partnership-with-regent-seven-seas-cruises/" data-type="post" data-id="752599" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Regent Seven Seas cruises, which I covered here</a>.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="475" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Chris-Hartley-GHA-500x475.jpg" alt="The Wolseley is joining Global Hotel Alliance" class="wp-image-417950 aligncenter" style="width:300px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Chris-Hartley-GHA-500x475.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Chris-Hartley-GHA-400x380.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Chris-Hartley-GHA-350x332.jpg 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Chris-Hartley-GHA.jpg 750w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">GHA DISCOVERY is the loyalty programme for Global Hotel Alliance</h2><p>Because of the loose nature of the GHA grouping, <strong>it has not been possible to develop a points based redemption programme</strong>. GHA does not have the muscle with its members to make them accept £50+ for a reward night, which is all the major hotel programmes pay to their properties if the hotel is not full.</p><p>Instead, you receive decent benefits plus DISCOVERY Dollars. This is essentially a cash rebate on your spending which you can put towards a future room booking.</p><p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ghadiscovery.com/our-programme" target="_blank">Here is the full list of benefits online</a> but in summary:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>Silver is the entry level</strong>, given to you immediately when you sign-up. <em>This is well worth doing</em>. It gets you access to member-only rates, free internet and 4% back in DISCOVERY Dollars.</li><li><strong>Gold requires just two stays</strong> or $1,000 of spending but has no real additional benefits, except that your cashback increases to 5%</li><li><strong>Platinum is the mid-tier status</strong> given after 10 nights in a year or $5,000 of spending or, more easily, staying at two different brands. Platinum gives you extra benefits on top – an upgrade to the next room category, a local amenity, 3pm late check-out and 6% back in DISCOVERY Dollars.</li><li><strong>Titanium status</strong> requires 30 nights, $15,000 of spending or, more easily, staying at three different brands. You receive an 11am check-in if available, 4pm late check-out if available, a double upgrade, free breakfast at selected brands (a new benefit, the brand list is constantly growing), a welcome amenity and 7% back in DISCOVERY Dollars.</li></ul><p><strong>The ability to reach Titanium or Platinum status by staying at just two or three brands is very interesting and could be achieved relatively cheaply.</strong></p><p>(Note that NH Collection, NH Hotels and nhow are treated as one brand for the purposes of earning status, which removes the cheapest option of hitting Platinum and Titanium in Europe.)</p><p>Whilst cashback-style reward schemes like DISCOVERY do not allow any arbitrage on redemptions ($1 = $1 off a room, so there are no bargains on peak pricing days), the upside is the ability to redeem against any room type.</p><p>You are not restricted, as you are with Hilton or IHG, to redeeming only for standard rooms which often don’t work for families or those looking for lounge access, premium views etc.</p><p><strong>You can receive Gold status with a subscription to <em>Business Traveller</em> magazine</strong> – <a href="https://www.businesstraveller.com/btgha/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">see here</a> – with a fast track ‘three night’ route to Platinum. This isn’t necessarily a lot of use, because Platinum status usually requires just TWO stays at different brands, or ten nights at the same hotel.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="336" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GHA-Discovery-500x336.webp" alt="The Wolseley is joining Global Hotel Alliance" class="wp-image-653703 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GHA-Discovery-500x336.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GHA-Discovery-400x269.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GHA-Discovery-768x516.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GHA-Discovery-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GHA-Discovery-350x235.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GHA-Discovery.jpg 800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">How has GHA developed?</h2><p>GHA CEO Chris Hartley originally joined Trusthouse Forte before moving on to Kempinski, the German hotel chain. This was owned by Lufthansa at the time, which meant that it was able to get free advertising on the back of every Lufthansa ticket issued. This is back in the old days of multi-part paper tickets stapled into shiny folders!</p><p>Kempinski was sold in 1994 to Thai group Dusit Sindhorn, although it now has a majority Bahraini shareholder. Having lost its free promotion on Lufthansa ticket wallets, <strong>forming a marketing consortium seemed like a good way of rebuilding its distribution capability.</strong></p><p>Global Hotel Alliance was launched in 2004 with the first iteration of a loyalty programme launched in 2010. The programme was overhauled in November 2021 when ‘DISCOVERY Dollars’ were launched.</p><p><strong>Because GHA is a marketing consortium, there are different dynamics at play compared to other large hotel groups</strong>.</p><p>If you are a hotel owner and adopt a Marriott brand, you need to join Bonvoy – it comes with the package. If you are a small chain such as The Set Collection, however, deciding to join a scheme such as GHA is totally voluntary. The hotel group needs to see that it can generate real value from its membership.</p><p>The house rule is that entire chains must join – Corinthia London, for example, couldn’t join without bringing the rest of the Corinthia chain with it. A typical deal runs for five years, but in reality GHA claims an excellent long term retention rate – losses are primarily due to chains being taken over, such as Alila (went to Hyatt) and Rixos (to Accor).</p><p>Interestingly, <strong>GHA brands can have their own sub-brand inside the loyalty programme</strong>. Stay at any Pan Pacific hotel, for example, and the programme is advertised as ‘Pan Pacific DISCOVERY’. This helps to cement the link between the individual brands and the programme, which is often an issue with marketing groups.</p><p>Whilst the big groups try to adopt the names of their sub-brands (‘Hampton by Hilton’, ‘Delta by Marriott’, ‘Courtyard by Marriott’ etc), GHA does not have that flexibility to get its name, literally, on the door.</p><p>Chris’s view, which I can agree with, is that <strong>by hand-picking individual brands GHA can offer a higher overall quality of hotel</strong>. Would you prefer to stay at a W (Marriott) or at a Nikki Beach or Viceroy (GHA)? Corinthia and the Cafe Royal in London would generally be seen as higher quality than anything the ‘big six’ global groups have to offer.</p><p>Indeed, whilst I’m sure Chris isn’t too happy about it, <strong>he should probably be flattered that three GHA hotels have left the group this year after being taken over by Mandarin Oriental, in Paris, Amsterdam and Venice</strong>.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="333" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Wolseley-from-website-500x333.webp" alt="The Wolseley is joining Global Hotel Alliance" class="wp-image-802209 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Wolseley-from-website-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Wolseley-from-website-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Wolseley-from-website-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Wolseley-from-website-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Wolseley-from-website-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Wolseley-from-website-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Wolseley-from-website-350x233.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/The-Wolseley-from-website.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">New development #1 – The Wolseley is partnering!</h2><p>In what is a bit of a coup, The Wolseley restaurant group, which comprises:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>The Wolseley on Piccadilly</li><li>The Wolseley City</li><li>The Delaunay in Aldwych</li><li>Brasserie Zédel in Soho</li><li>Colbert in Chelsea</li><li>Manzi’s in Soho</li><li>Bellanger in Islington</li></ul><p>…. is becoming an earn and burn partner of GHA. <strong>You will be able to spend your DISCOVERY Dollars in any of their restaurants</strong>, as well as earn Dollars on cash meals.</p><p>This partnership is possible because the restaurant group is now under the same ownership as Anantara, NH Hotels, nhow, Tivoli etc – Minor Group. </p><p><strong>This is not yet live so don’t try it out</strong>. We can hopefully give it a go and run an article showing how the process works.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">New development #2 – Cheval Collection is now integrated, get D$50 for trying it</h2><p><strong>Cheval Collection has just joined Global Hotel Alliance. </strong> This is a group of<strong> nine aparthotels in London</strong> and two aparthotels in Dubai. <a href="https://www.chevalcollection.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Their website is here</a>.</p><p>(Aparthotels are having a bit of a moment this year, with <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/08/20/marriott-adds-sonder-apartments-to-system/" data-type="post" data-id="673581" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sonder joining Marriott</a> on top of Cheval joining GHA. <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/20/marriott-adds-three-edinburgh-hotels/" data-type="post" data-id="797929" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cheval’s Edinburgh properties have just defected to Marriott</a>. We are planning a larger feature on aparthotels in a few weeks.)</p><p><strong>You will receive D$50 as a bonus on your first Cheval Collection booking</strong> if you book by 31st August 2025 and stay by 30th June 2026.</p><p>There is no minimum stay required.</p><p>The only bit of small print is that the D$50 bonus will expire after 12 months, whilst D$ earned from stays have an expiry date based on your status – 12 months for Silver, 18 months for Gold and 24 months for Platinum and Titanium.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Get D$25 free for joining!</h3><p>Here’s an extra bonus. If you are not a member of Global Hotel Alliance, you will receive D$25 (valid for 12 months) when you join <a href="https://www.chevalcollection.com/cheval-discovery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">via the Cheval website</a>.</p><p><strong>There is no obligation to redeem your D$25 at a Cheval property</strong>. You can redeem it at a Kempinski, NH, Anantara etc property or at a restaurant in The Wolseley group when they are integrated.</p><p>Thank you to Chris for his time, and for the invitation to Brussels.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/the-wolseley-joins-global-hotel-alliance/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>7</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">801982</post-id> </item><item><title>‘The Travel Brief’, the weekly Head for Points travel trade newsletter</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/business-travel-news-141/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/business-travel-news-141/#respond</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><category><![CDATA[The Travel Brief]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=804237</guid><description><![CDATA[Welcome to The Travel Brief, your weekly trade round-up of UK business travel and travel loyalty news as well as the latest reviews and features from the Head for Points team. If you are not a subscriber, you can sign up here to receive this free newsletter in your inbox every Monday. Please forward it […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="has-text-align-left">Welcome to <em>The Travel Brief</em>, <strong>your weekly trade round-up of UK business travel and travel loyalty news</strong> as well as <strong>the latest reviews and features</strong> from the <em>Head for Points</em> team.</p><p class="has-text-align-left">If you are not a subscriber, <a href="https://eepurl.com/iaRCsT" target="_blank" rel="noopener">you can sign up here</a> to receive this free newsletter in your inbox every Monday. <strong>Please forward it to any colleagues who you think may be interested.</strong></p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Oman-Air-Boeing-787.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-719963 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Oman-Air-Boeing-787.webp 900w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Oman-Air-Boeing-787-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Oman-Air-Boeing-787-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Oman-Air-Boeing-787-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Oman-Air-Boeing-787-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Oman-Air-Boeing-787-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Oman-Air-Boeing-787-350x233.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">This week’s top travel news stories:</h2><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/30/oman-air-joins-oneworld-today/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Oman Air finally joined oneworld this week</strong></a> ….</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/01/could-oman-air-be-the-next-avios-airline/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">…. <strong>and could Oman Air be the next Avios airline?</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/02/british-airways-drops-three-european-routes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>British Airways drops three European routes</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/03/norse-atlantic-launches-manchester-to-bangkok-flights/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Norse Atlantic launches flights from Manchester to Bangkok, with fares from £265</strong></a></p><p><strong><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/04/waldorf-astoria-helsinki-rebrands-hotel-maria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Waldorf Astoria will take over the excellent The Hotel Maria in Helsinki</a></strong></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/02/new-oneworld-airport-lounges/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The next oneworld lounge could open in 2026, CEO says</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/03/sas-orders-45-new-embraer-aircraft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SAS orders 45 new Embraers, its largest aircraft order since 1996</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/03/hilton-to-open-the-derby-london-city-hotel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hilton is opening a new Curio Collection hotel in the City of London</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/29/iberia-2030-flight-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Iberia launches its impressive 2030 Flight Plan, with new aircraft, cabins and lounges</strong></a></p><p><strong><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/03/hilton-to-open-the-derby-london-city-hotel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hyatt expands in Mallorca</a></strong> with a new beachside opening</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/02/british-airways-drops-three-european-routes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Turkish Airlines launches flights to Stansted</strong></a>, taking it to 170 weekly flights from the UK</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/04/eurostar-half-price-sale/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Huge 50% off Eurostar sale for Eurostar Plus and Premier</strong></a></p><p><strong><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/02/hilton-sale-extended/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The W Florence hotel opens</a></strong></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/02/hilton-sale-extended/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Hilton sale has been extended across EMEA</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/30/ana-no-recline-business-class-seat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ANA is the 2nd airline to install no-recline business class seats, and they look great</strong></a>, image below</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Stories we recommend from other sites:</h3><p><a href="https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2025/07/06/citizenm-dublin-st-patricks-marks-brands-entry-into-ireland/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">citizenM Dublin St. Patrick’s marks brand’s entry into Ireland</a> (<em>Business Traveller</em>)</p><p><a href="https://ukaviation.news/malaysia-airlines-doubles-airbus-a330neo-order/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Malaysia Airlines doubles Airbus A330neo order</a> (<em>UK Aviation News</em>)</p><p><a href="https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/esta-fee-to-almost-double-as-federal-funding-for-brand-usa-slashed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESTA fee to almost double as federal funding for Brand USA slashed</a> (<em>Travel Weekly</em>)</p><p><a href="https://www.businesstraveller.com/airlines/2025/07/04/air-france-klm-will-take-majority-stake-in-sas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air France-KLM will take majority stake in SAS</a> (<em>Business Traveller</em>)</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/External-with-lake-500x375.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-799867 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/External-with-lake-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/External-with-lake-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/External-with-lake-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/External-with-lake-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/External-with-lake.webp 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Our latest reviews:</h2><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/29/review-billesley-manor-hotel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Katie heads to Billesley Manor Hotel & Spa, a county estate near Stratford upon Avon which is now part of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio</strong></a>, image above</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/05/hyatt-house-leeds-hotel-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sinead heads to Leeds where we take a look at the new Hyatt House aparthotel</a></strong></p><p><strong><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/06/30/review-km-malta-business-class-between-london-and-malta/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rhys tries out KM Malta Airlines, </a></strong>one of Europe’s smallest scheduled airlines. How does its business class compare? Image below</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="333" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/KM-Malta-500x333.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-785019 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/KM-Malta-500x333.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/KM-Malta-400x267.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/KM-Malta-768x512.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/KM-Malta-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/KM-Malta-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/KM-Malta-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/KM-Malta-350x233.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/KM-Malta.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">The latest UK travel loyalty news:</h2><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/03/easyjet-flight-club-closing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>What’s happening with easyJet’s Flight Club?</strong></a> Memberships have been cancelled</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/05/sydney-avios-availability/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sydney: LOTS of Avios seats in Club World showing for April to June 2026</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/05/turkish-airlines-million-miles-challenge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Is the Turkish Airlines ‘one million miles for six continents’ challenge worth it?</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/05/krisflyer-sweet-spots-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>What are the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer sweet spots?</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/04/eurostar-half-price-sale/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Beware of Hotels.com OneKeyCash expiry coming up</strong></a> if you got a lump sum last year when the scheme launched</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/01/best-hotel-promos-july-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>What are the best hotel promos this month?</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/03/hilton-to-open-the-derby-london-city-hotel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hilton for Business ‘new employee’ bonus extended</strong></a></p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="794" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card.webp" alt="Get 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points with the Marriott American Express card" class="wp-image-402801 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-400x265.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-500x331.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-768x508.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-650x430.webp 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HFP-Marriott-Bonvoy-American-Express-Amex-card-350x232.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">ENDS SOON: Get 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points with the Marriott Bonvoy American Express card</h2><p>Until 15th July, so you have 10 days left, <strong>you can get a huge sign-up bonus of 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points on the Marriott Bonvoy American Express card</strong>. You can <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/starwood-amex/" data-shortcode="true">apply here</a>.</p><p>This is the biggest bonus you ever see on this credit card, and is TRIPLE the standard amount.</p><p>This is worth roughly £300 of free Marriott stays, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/08/26/what-are-marriott-bonvoy-hotel-points-worth-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">based on our 0.5p per point valuation</a>, or 25,000 Avios or other airline miles if converted.</p><p>There are four good reasons to hold this card long term, and not just for the sign-up bonus:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>you get 15 elite night credits EVERY YEAR in Marriott Bonvoy</strong> – this means, for example, that Platinum only requres 35 nights instead of the usual 50. Even better, these nights count towards Lifetime Status.</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>you get Silver Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy every year, because it is triggered automatically by the 15 elite night credits</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>you get Gold Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy if you spend £15,000 on the card in a membership year</li></ul><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>you get a free night voucher worth up to 25,000 Bonvoy points if you spend £25,000 on the card in a membership year</li></ul><p>There is an annual fee of £95 per year. The on-going earning rate is 2 Bonvoy points per £1 spent.</p><p>To learn more, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/03/60000-points-marriott-bonvoy-american-express-card/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here for our full article on the offer</a>. Please read the bit about whether you qualify for the sign-up bonus. The offer ends on 15th July.</p><p><em>Head for Points</em> receives a commission if you apply via our link – thank you.</p><p>You can <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/week-20-24-sponsored-article-mb-amex-60k/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apply here</a>.</p><p><strong>The representative APR is 53.7% variable, including the annual fee. The representative APR on purchases is 30.0% variable.</strong></p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thank you for reading</h2><p>Please drop me a note at rob@headforpoints.com with any feedback.</p><p>If you are booking a hotel this week, <strong><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/best-uk-hotel-points-promotions/" data-type="post" data-id="757923" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here to read our summary of the best bonus points offers for July from the big chains</a>.</strong></p><p>See you next Monday,</p><p>Rob, Rhys, Sinead and Katie @ Head for Points</p><p>PS. If you were forwarded ‘The Travel Brief’ by a colleague, you can sign up for a free email subscription by <a href="https://eepurl.com/iaRCsT" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filling in the form here</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/07/business-travel-news-141/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>0</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">804237</post-id> </item><item><title>REGISTER NOW: Get 750 Avios on your next Hilton hotel stay!</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/750-avios-on-hilton-hotel-stay/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/750-avios-on-hilton-hotel-stay/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2025 04:11:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[Hilton Honors]]></category><category><![CDATA[Qatar Airways and Privilege Club]]></category><category><![CDATA[one]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=803890</guid><description><![CDATA[Hilton Honors has launched a new offer with Qatar Airways Privilege Club, and it’s a very good one. You will earn 750 Avios, credited to your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account, when you next stay at any Hilton hotel. All Hilton brands are taking part. To be clear, this is 750 Avios ON TOP of […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hilton Honors has launched a new offer with Qatar Airways Privilege Club, and it’s a very good one.</p><p><strong>You will earn 750 Avios, credited to your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account, when you next stay at any Hilton hotel</strong>. All Hilton brands are taking part.</p><p>To be clear, <strong>this is 750 Avios ON TOP of your usual Hilton Honors points AND on top of the two Hilton Honors promotions that are currently running</strong> – <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/02/hilton-summer-2025-bonus-points-offer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1,000 bonus points on every stay (article here)</a> and <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/30/hilton-for-business-5000-bonus-points/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5,000 bonus points on three stays if you are a ‘Hilton for Business’ member (article here)</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-qatar-avios-offer-30-september/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here to register</a>.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="794" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Qatar-Airways-Avios.webp" alt="Get 750 Avios on your next Hilton stay" class="wp-image-739553 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Qatar-Airways-Avios.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Qatar-Airways-Avios-400x265.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Qatar-Airways-Avios-500x331.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Qatar-Airways-Avios-768x508.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Qatar-Airways-Avios-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Qatar-Airways-Avios-650x430.webp 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Qatar-Airways-Avios-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Qatar-Airways-Avios-350x232.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">How does the new 750 Avios bonus work?</h2><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Step 1 – open a Qatar Airways Privilege Club account (if you don’t have one)</h3><p><strong>You need a Qatar Airways Privilege Club account to take part.</strong> A British Airways Club account is no good.</p><p>If you don’t have a Qatar Airways account, <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/qatar-2000-points-promo-31-march/" data-shortcode="true">you can open one here</a>. <strong>You MUST ensure that all of the details – name, email address etc – match those on your British Airways Club account</strong>.</p><p>Whilst you don’t necessarily need to do it now, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/13/link-qatar-airways-privilege-club-and-british-airways-club-avios-accounts/" data-type="post" data-id="781481" target="_blank" rel="noopener">instructions on how to link your BA and Qatar Airways accounts are in this HfP article</a>.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Step 2 – register for this special Avios promotion</h3><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-qatar-avios-offer-30-september/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here to visit the special registration page</a> on the Hilton website.</p><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Step 3 – set ‘Qatar Airways Privilege Club’ as your preferred Hilton airline partner</h3><p>After registering there will be a link to take you to your Hilton Honors ‘Travel Preferences’ page. If you miss it, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-travel-preferences-profile/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here to go to the right page</a>.</p><p>You must:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>add your Qatar Airways Privilege Club number, and</li><li>ensure it is selected as your ‘Preferred’ partner</li></ul><p>It should look like this (I have deleted my membership numbers for security reasons):</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-Hilton.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1194" height="521" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-Hilton.webp" alt="Earn 750 Avios with Hilton Honors" class="wp-image-803893 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-Hilton.webp 1194w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-Hilton-400x175.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-Hilton-500x218.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-Hilton-768x335.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-Hilton-350x153.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1194px) 100vw, 1194px" /></a></figure></div><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Step 4 – stay at any Hilton Honors hotel</h3><p><strong>You have until 30th September 2025 to complete a stay</strong>.</p><p>Existing bookings count – Ithis is confirmed in the FAQ.</p><p>Reward nights do not appear to count.</p><p>Stays where check-in is before 30th September but check-out is after 30th September will not count.</p><p><strong>You only receive the 750 Avios bonus once. </strong> (Of course, if you stay with your partner then nothing stops you booking a stay in their name – although if they do not have elite status with Hilton and you do then the loss of elite benefits and elite bonus points may offset the value of the Avios.)</p><p><strong>Avios may take ‘six to eight weeks’ to arrive in your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account</strong>. You can then transfer them to your British Airways Club account if you wish.</p><p>You will this in the Hilton app on your account statement to show that Avios have been sent to Qatar Airways:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="388" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-QR-500x388.webp" alt="Hilton Qatar Avios bonus" class="wp-image-804287 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-QR-500x388.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-QR-400x311.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-QR-350x272.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-QR.webp 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2><p><strong>This is a great little Avios bonus</strong>, especially if triggered on a cheap stay.</p><p>Even better, it will double up (well, triple up) with the current ‘1,000 bonus points per stay’ offer (<a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-promo-30-september/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register here</a>) and the ‘5,000 bonus points per stay for ‘Hilton for Business members’ offer (<a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-for-business-offer-27-august/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register here</a>).</p><p>I am actually typing this in a Hilton hotel, and the combination of base points, 80% Gold Elite bonus points, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/02/hilton-summer-2025-bonus-points-offer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1000 bonus points via the summer promotion</a>, <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/30/hilton-for-business-5000-bonus-points/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5000 bonus points via the ‘Hilton for Business’ promotion</a> and 750 Avios is very attractive. I also got £75 cashback via <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/04/10/new-50-75-american-express-and-hilton-hotel-cashback-offers-launched/" data-type="post" data-id="771596" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the recent American Express / Hilton cashback deal</a> which ended last week by pre-paying my room.</p><p>You can <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/hilton-qatar-avios-offer-30-september/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register for the ‘750 bonus Avios’ promotion here</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/750-avios-on-hilton-hotel-stay/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>33</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">803890</post-id> </item><item><title>Bits: get a 100% bonus when you buy IHG points, bonus Avios with Qatar Airways flights</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/100-bonus-buying-ihg-one-rewards-hotel-points-2/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/100-bonus-buying-ihg-one-rewards-hotel-points-2/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2025 03:21:00 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[IHG One Rewards]]></category><category><![CDATA[Qatar Airways and Privilege Club]]></category><category><![CDATA[two]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=802886</guid><description><![CDATA[News in brief: Get a 100% bonus when you buy IHG One Rewards points IHG One Rewards is offering a new 100% bonus for buying points. This offer runs to 17th July. The maximum number of points you can buy is 400,000 (ie 200,000 plus the 200,000 bonus) although this can vary.  The minimum purchase to […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>News in brief:</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Get a 100% bonus when you buy IHG One Rewards points</h2><p><strong>IHG One Rewards is offering a new 100% bonus for buying points</strong>.</p><p>This offer runs to 17th July.</p><p>The maximum number of points you can buy is 400,000<strong> </strong>(ie 200,000 plus the 200,000 bonus) although this can vary. The minimum purchase to trigger the bonus is 5,000 points on my account but, again, this could vary.</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/ihg-buy-points-29-march/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The page to buy points is here</a>.</p><p><strong>With a 100% bonus, you would be able to buy up to 400,000 IHG One Rewards points for (at current exchange rates for $2,000) £1,465.</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/08/25/what-are-ihg-one-rewards-hotel-points-worth-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I usually value IHG One Rewards points at 0.4p</a>. <strong>You are paying 0.37p here</strong> so it is not necessarily a slam dunk unless you are just topping up your account, although you shouldn’t lose money either. The skill is to use them at hotels where you can get substantially more than 0.4p per point of value, although this got a little harder since IHG reward prices started getting more closely related to cash rates.</p><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/ihg-buy-points-29-march/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You can buy points via this link</a>. You have until 17th July to jump in.</p><p>Our <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/02/01/review-ihg-one-rewards/" data-type="post" data-id="747323" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full review of IHG One Rewards is here</a> if you want to know more about how it works.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1280" height="860" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IHG-One-Rewards.jpg" alt="100% bonus buying ihg one rewards points" class="wp-image-336586 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IHG-One-Rewards.jpg 1280w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IHG-One-Rewards-400x269.jpg 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IHG-One-Rewards-500x336.jpg 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IHG-One-Rewards-768x516.jpg 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IHG-One-Rewards-180x120.jpg 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IHG-One-Rewards-350x235.jpg 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Get up to 10,000 bonus Avios with Qatar Airways</h2><p><strong>Qatar Airways has launched a new bonus Avios offer for Privilege Club members </strong>who book a cash flight this month. <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/qatar-airways-bonus-avios-31-july/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Details are here</a>.</p><p>You will receive: </p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>2,500 bonus Avios for an economy flight</li><li>5,000 bonus Avios for a business class or First Class flight</li></ul><p>If you are travelling to Australia:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>5,000 bonus Avios for an economy flight</li><li>10,000 bonus Avios for a business class or First Class flight</li></ul><p>You must:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>book by 31st July 2025</li><li>travel by 31st March 2026</li></ul><p>You need to use code UKIAVIOS when booking.</p><p>Flights need to be credited to a Qatar Airways Privilege Club account, but you can transfer the Avios across to a British Airways Club account for free afterwards if preferred.</p><p>You can find out more <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/qatar-airways-bonus-avios-31-july/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on this page of the Qatar Airways website</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/100-bonus-buying-ihg-one-rewards-hotel-points-2/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>3</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">802886</post-id> </item><item><title>Review: the new ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/review-ita-airways-runway-lounge-milan-linate-airport/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/review-ita-airways-runway-lounge-milan-linate-airport/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rhys Jones]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2025 02:11:15 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[SkyTeam alliance partners]]></category><category><![CDATA[three]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=799405</guid><description><![CDATA[This is our review of the new Runway lounge in Milan Linate, operated by ITA Airways. Milan Linate airport is a mini secondary hub for ITA Airways, and one of only two airports outside Rome where the airline has an own-brand lounge. The other one is in Catania. Linate is the smaller, but closer, of […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>This is our review of the new Runway lounge in Milan Linate, operated by ITA Airways.</strong></p><p>Milan Linate airport is a mini secondary hub for ITA Airways, and one of only two airports outside Rome where the airline has an own-brand lounge. The other one is in Catania.</p><p><strong>Linate is the smaller, but closer, of the two Milan airports</strong> (think of it as their version of London City Airport) and is dominated by business-heavy routes to European destinations. In fact, I believe there are just three gates for non-Schengen departures and zero long haul flights.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="900" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800308 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-350x263.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></a></figure></div><p>Previously called the Piazza della Scala lounge, ITA Airways recently refurbished the space and it is now known as the Runway Lounge.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where is the Runway lounge?</h2><p>Milan Linate airport is a bit of a maze, particularly as you leave security and head through the winding duty free shop and then a winding corridor of luxury boutiques. Fortunately signage is good – simply follow the signs for the ITA Airways lounge and you will, eventually, find it. </p><p>The final stretch involves heading up this stairs:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-24.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-24-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800323 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-24-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-24-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-24-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-24-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-24.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>There is a lift for those who need it. Simply head towards the window and you should see it:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-01.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-01-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800306 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-01-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-01-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-01-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-01-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-01.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The lounge is in the Schengen area of the airport. However, the non-Schengen gates (all three of them) are just below. British passport holders are eligible to use the eGates, so it doesn’t take long to pass through.</p><p>The lounge is open every day from 6am until 10pm.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">ITA Airways Runway lounge access requirements</h2><p>Access to the Runway lounge is a little complicated as ITA Airways has joined Lufthansa Group but has not yet fully integrated into Star Alliance.</p><p>You can use the lounge if you fulfill one of the following criteria:</p><ul class="wp-block-list"><li>You are flying in business/Superior class (but not Superior Classic) on ITA Airways</li><li>You are a Premium or Executive member of the Volare programme and flying on ITA Airways or Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, Swiss, Brussels Airlines, Austrian, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Edelweiss, Eurowings, Lufthansa City Airlines)</li><li>You are flying in business class on Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, SWISS, Brussels Airlines, Austrian, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Edelweiss, Eurowings, Lufthansa City Airlines)</li><li>You are a Star Alliance Gold member travelling on Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, Swiss, Brussels Airlines, Austrian, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Edelweiss, Eurowings, Lufthansa City Airlines)</li><li>You are a Miles & More Senator or HON Circle member flying on ITA or Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, Swiss, Brussels Airlines, Austrian, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Edelweiss, Eurowings, Lufthansa City Airlines)</li><li>You hold the ITA Airways American Express Platinum Credit Card and are flying on ITA Airways</li></ul><p>The full access requirements, including how many guests you can bring, are <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/ita-airways-lounge-access/" data-shortcode="true">on the ITA Airways website.</a></p><p>An important gap is that <strong>Star Alliance Gold members who do NOT get their status via Miles & More cannot use the lounge when flying on ITA Airways</strong>. This will change in 2026 when ITA joins Star Alliance.</p><p>The website does not currently reflect a rule change on 1st July. <strong>Miles & More Frequent Traveller members can now use the lounge when flying on ITA Airways</strong>.</p><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Inside the Runway lounge in Milan</h2><p>This is a relatively compact lounge at 482 square metres, although the capacity has increased from 52 to 125 seats since the refurbishment. ITA Airways took over an additional 85 square metres during the refurbishment.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-07.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-07-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800309 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-07-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-07-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-07-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-07-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-07.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The shape of the lounge is broadly the same, with the main area a big squarish space. What is new is <strong>a big, fuselage-shaped cut out along the left hand side</strong> that is a designated quiet area. There are individual glass booths at the rear whilst by the window you’ll find high-backed armchairs looking out at the view.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-10.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-10-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800313 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-10-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-10-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-10-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-10-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-10.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The design of the lounge now reflects the rest of the ITA Airways experience, with the cream and navy branding of the airplane cabins. </p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800308 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-04.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>There’s a range of seating, from high co-working desks to solo low-backed armchairs and a dining area with restaurant style seating:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-14.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-14-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800314 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-14-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-14-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-14-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-14-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-14.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>There also some solo booths:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-19.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-19-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800317 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-19-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-19-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-19-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-19-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-19.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>The views across the airport are great, although the big windows also let in the hot Italian sun and I found the lounge to be on the warmer side.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-02.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-02-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800307 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-02-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-02-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-02-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-02-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-02.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>There are charging ports and sockets dotted around the room – virtually every seat has them.</p><p>The buffet is along the right hand wall:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-22.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-22-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800320 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-22-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-22-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-22-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-22-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-22.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>Additional hot food is brought out between 11am and 2pm and 7pm and 9:30pm. For the rest of the time you have access to a good selection of cold food from a DIY salad bar to cold cuts of meat, ham and cheese. </p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-21.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-21-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800319 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-21-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-21-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-21-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-21-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-21.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>Despite the lack of hot food all day, I thought this was a good offering for a Schengen lounge where almost all passengers are heading to other destinations in Europe.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-20.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-20-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800318 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-20-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-20-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-20-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-20-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-20.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><p>Despite the relatively small selection, the staff were constantly topping it up and making sure everything was available. </p><p><strong>The staffed bar is excellent</strong>, half illy coffee bar and half Campari-sponsored alcohol bar. Service was quick with drinks made on the spot. The cocktail menu included drinks such as Aperol Spritz, Campari Spritz, Negroni, Sbagliato, Paloma, Margarita and G&Ts.</p><p>The bartenders were exceptionally friendly and – assuming they had the necessary ingredients – happy to make whatever you want.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-09.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-09-500x375.webp" alt="Review: ITA Airways Runway lounge in Milan Linate airport" class="wp-image-800311 aligncenter" style="width:500px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-09-500x375.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-09-400x300.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-09-768x576.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-09-350x263.webp 350w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ITA-Runway-Lounge-09.webp 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2><p><strong>ITA’s new Runway lounge in Milan Linate is a big upgrade from the previous space</strong> and it finally feels like an ITA Airways lounge, rather than a third party lounge that had been taken over.</p><p>What stood out to me was the bar service, and especially the friendly bartenders.</p><p>Do beware that it fills up quite quickly around 4pm to 5pm, although even then there are some seats still available with some guests preferring to stand and chat.</p><p><a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/ita-runway-lounge-milan/" data-shortcode="true">More details are on the ITA Airways website here</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/06/review-ita-airways-runway-lounge-milan-linate-airport/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>2</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">799405</post-id> </item><item><title>Sydney: LOTS of Avios seats in Club World showing for April to June 2026</title><link>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/05/sydney-avios-availability/</link><comments>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/05/sydney-avios-availability/#comments</comments><dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Burgess]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 05 Jul 2025 21:03:02 +0000</pubDate><category><![CDATA[General]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.headforpoints.com/?p=803951</guid><description><![CDATA[A reader flagged this evening (Saturday) that a LOT of Avios availability in Club World is currently showing for April, May and June 2026. On many dates you can get FOUR Club World seats. Whilst its heading into winter, I’m sure demand is still there from the ‘friends and family’ market. There is also a […]]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A reader flagged this evening (Saturday) that <strong>a LOT of Avios availability in Club World is currently showing for April, May and June 2026.</strong></p><p>On many dates<strong> you can get FOUR Club World seats</strong>.</p><p>Whilst its heading into winter, I’m sure demand is still there from the ‘friends and family’ market.</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1252" height="838" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Sydney-Australia-iStock.webp" alt="Avios seats to Sydney" class="wp-image-404121 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Sydney-Australia-iStock.webp 1252w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Sydney-Australia-iStock-400x268.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Sydney-Australia-iStock-500x335.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Sydney-Australia-iStock-768x514.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Sydney-Australia-iStock-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Sydney-Australia-iStock-360x240.webp 360w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Sydney-Australia-iStock-350x234.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1252px) 100vw, 1252px" /></figure></div><p>There is also a LOT of inbound Club World availability in September, October and November 2025, but virtually nothing in business class going out.</p><p>Here’s a SeatSpy screenshot (<a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/seatspy-home/" data-shortcode="true">our preferred seat search partner</a>) which shows dates with TWO seats in Club World between London Heathrow and Sydney:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1405" height="1429" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD.webp" alt="Avios seats to Sydney" class="wp-image-803953 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD.webp 1405w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD-400x407.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD-500x509.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD-768x781.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD-80x80.webp 80w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD-350x356.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1405px) 100vw, 1405px" /></a></figure></div><p>Here is availability for FOUR seats in Club World:</p><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD2.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1397" height="1420" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD2.webp" alt="Club World Avios seats to Sydney" class="wp-image-803954 aligncenter" style="width:400px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD2.webp 1397w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD2-400x407.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD2-500x508.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD2-768x781.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD2-80x80.webp 80w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-SYD2-350x356.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1397px) 100vw, 1397px" /></a></figure></div><p>This is not ‘phantom’ availability as far as I can tell. Of course, by the time you look things could have changed from 10pm Saturday when I wrote this.</p><p class="has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-162234febea3073727aab5364269ed56"><strong><strong>PS. If you are not a regular <em>Head for Points</em> visitor, why not sign up for our FREE weekly or daily newsletters? They are full of the latest Avios, airline, hotel and credit card points news and will help you travel better. To join our 70,000 free subscribers, click the button below or <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/join-the-hfp-email-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><u>visit this page of the site</u></a> to find out more. Thank you.</strong></strong></p><div class="subscribe text-md-left"><div class="row align-items-center justify-content-between"><div class="col-12 col-md-auto" style="text-align:center;width:100%;margin-bottom:20px;"><button class="btn btn-primary"aria-label="Subscribe"data-toggle="modal"data-target="#subscribeModal"type="button">Subscribe</button></div></div></div><hr class="wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide"/><div class="wp-block-image"><figure style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;' class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1200" height="794" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HfP-Barclaycard-Avios-credit-card.webp" alt="How to earn Avios from UK credit cards" class="wp-image-442142 aligncenter" style="width:350px; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;" srcset="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HfP-Barclaycard-Avios-credit-card.webp 1200w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HfP-Barclaycard-Avios-credit-card-400x265.webp 400w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HfP-Barclaycard-Avios-credit-card-500x331.webp 500w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HfP-Barclaycard-Avios-credit-card-768x508.webp 768w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HfP-Barclaycard-Avios-credit-card-325x215.webp 325w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HfP-Barclaycard-Avios-credit-card-650x430.webp 650w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HfP-Barclaycard-Avios-credit-card-180x120.webp 180w, https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/HfP-Barclaycard-Avios-credit-card-350x232.webp 350w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></figure></div><h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (July 2025)</h2><p>As a reminder, <strong>there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards</strong>. Many cards also have <strong>generous sign-up bonuses!</strong></p><p>In February 2022,<strong> Barclaycard launched two exciting new <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/barclaycard-avios-cards-joint-home/" data-shortcode="true">Barclaycard Avios Mastercard</a> cards</strong> with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/barclaycard-avios-cards-joint-home/" data-shortcode="true">You can apply here</a>.</p><p>You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:</p><div id="summarybox-block_2cd5c26406ee314cabeb9bf1eeaf108d" class="hfp-cpm summary-box-cmp"><div class="summarybox"><div class="summarybox--card"><figure><img decoding="async" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Barclaycard-Avios-Plus-card-400x253.png" alt="Barclaycard Avios Plus card" /></figure><div><h3>Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard</h3><p>Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/06/07/review-barclaycard-avios-plus-mastercard-credit-card-3/">Read our full review</a></p></div></div><div class="summarybox--card"><figure><img decoding="async" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Barclaycard-Avios-card-400x253.png" alt="Barclaycard Avios card" /></figure><div><h3>Barclaycard Avios Mastercard</h3><p>Get 5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/05/28/review-free-barclaycard-avios-mastercard-credit-card/">Read our full review</a></p></div></div></div></div><p>There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:</p><div id="summarybox-block_483fad02e85f30fb4d4bfc2a123ec5aa" class="hfp-cpm summary-box-cmp"><div class="summarybox"><div class="summarybox--card"><figure><img decoding="async" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/British-Airways-Premium-Plus-American-Express-webp-400x253.jpg" alt="" /></figure><div><h3>British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card</h3><p>30,000 Avios and the famous annual Companion Voucher voucher <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/17/review-british-airways-american-express-premium-plus-credit-card-3/">Read our full review</a></p></div></div><div class="summarybox--card"><figure><img decoding="async" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/British-Airways-American-Express-BA-Amex-webp-400x253.webp" alt="" /></figure><div><h3>British Airways American Express Credit Card</h3><p>5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/11/review-british-airways-american-express-ba-amex-credit-card-4/">Read our full review</a></p></div></div></div></div><p>You can also get <strong>generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards</strong> which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.</p><div id="summarybox-block_a5e80cf88627f2fd6bf50b4a4c7e3662" class="hfp-cpm summary-box-cmp"><div class="summarybox"><div class="summarybox--card"><figure><img decoding="async" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Amex-Gold-new-card-2023-400x253.jpg" alt="" /></figure><div><h3>American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card</h3><p>Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/03/review-american-express-preferred-rewards-gold-amex-gold-credit-card-4/">Read our full review</a></p></div></div><div class="summarybox--card"><figure><img decoding="async" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/American-Express-Amex-Platinum-card-webp-400x252.webp" alt="" /></figure><div><h3>The Platinum Card from American Express</h3><p>50,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/05/04/review-american-express-platinum-credit-card-2/">Read our full review</a></p></div></div></div></div><h3 class="wp-block-heading">Run your own business?</h3><p><strong>We recommend <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/capital-on-tap-capital-club/" data-shortcode="true">Capital on Tap</a> for limited companies.</strong> You earn points worth 0.8 Avios per £1 on the FREE standard card and 1 Avios per £1 on the Pro card. Capital on Tap cards also have no FX fees.</p><div id="summarybox-block_02d0d5f7a5413b3f666386d753d9df2f" class="hfp-cpm summary-box-cmp"><div class="summarybox"><div class="summarybox--card"><figure><img decoding="async" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Capital-on-Tap-400x253.png" alt="" /></figure><div><h3>Capital on Tap Visa</h3><p>NO annual fee, NO FX fees and points worth 0.8 Avios per £1 <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/09/01/review-capital-on-tap-business-rewards-visa-credit-card-4/">Read our full review</a></p></div></div><div class="summarybox--card"><figure><img decoding="async" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Metal-Pro-Credit-Card-Front-SML-400x253.png" alt="" /></figure><div><h3>Capital on Tap Pro Visa</h3><p>10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/09/01/review-capital-on-tap-pro-visa-credit-card/">Read our full review</a></p></div></div></div></div><p>There is also <strong>a <a rel="nofollow noindex, sponsored" target="_blank" href="https://www.headforpoints.com/hfp/ba-amex-business-card/" data-shortcode="true">British Airways American Express card for small businesses</a></strong>:</p><div id="summarybox-block_1aa5840b6e759f7f9a6ec1b75a75f3e2" class="hfp-cpm summary-box-cmp"><div class="summarybox"><div class="summarybox--card"><figure><img decoding="async" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/BA-Accelerating-Business-2024-webp2-400x253.webp" alt="" /></figure><div><h3>British Airways American Express Accelerating Business Card</h3><p>30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/09/01/review-british-airways-accelerating-business-american-express-card-3/">Read our full review</a></p></div></div></div></div><p class="has-black-color has-text-color">There are also <strong>generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards</strong>, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.</p><div id="summarybox-block_666d692cb6d1d6d471a5cc051f45534e" class="hfp-cpm summary-box-cmp"><div class="summarybox"><div class="summarybox--card"><figure><img decoding="async" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/American-Express-Business-Platinum-webp-400x253.webp" alt="" /></figure><div><h3>The American Express Business Platinum Card</h3><p>50,000 points when you sign-up and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/09/01/review-american-express-business-platinum-card-3/">Read our full review</a></p></div></div><div class="summarybox--card"><figure><img decoding="async" src="https://www.headforpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/American-Express-Amex-Business-Gold-2023-400x253.jpg" alt="" /></figure><div><h3>The American Express Business Gold Card</h3><p>20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year <a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/09/01/review-american-express-business-gold-card-4/">Read our full review</a></p></div></div></div></div><p><a href="https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/06/06/what-is-the-best-avios-credit-card-9/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios</a>. This includes both personal and small business cards.</p>]]></content:encoded><wfw:commentRss>https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/07/05/sydney-avios-availability/feed/</wfw:commentRss><slash:comments>47</slash:comments><post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">803951</post-id> </item></channel></rss>
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