Bits: new BA flights with Avios seats to LA and Rio, The Westbury on Bond Street joins SPG

News in brief:

New British Airways services announced

British Airways announced a number of new services yesterday for the Winter timetable.

As usual, what is important here is that the two guaranteed Club World and four World Traveller Avios seats are available on each flight.  This means that you still have a chance to, for example, get to Los Angeles for Christmas even if the rest of the flights were snapped up months ago.

This is what was launched yesterday:

Seven (!) additional weekly flights to Los Angeles, to add to the existing 14.  The additional daily flight will leave Heathrow at 11.55, arriving 15.30

An additional weekly flight to Rio, departing on a Tuesday

An additional weekly flight to New Orleans, departing on a Tuesday

All flights start on 29th October.  Cash and Avios bookings are available now at ba.com.

The Westbury joins Starwood

This has been kept very low key, but the luxury The Westbury hotel on Conduit Street, on the corner of Bond Street, is joining Starwood’s The Luxury Collection on Tuesday.  The hotel is probably best known for the Polo Bar inside.

If you are looking for a London hotel to use as the base for a major shopping trip, you can’t go wrong here.  It is literally within 60 seconds walk of Hermes, Tods, Berluti, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Ferragamo etc.

Redemptions will cost 20,000 Starwood Preferred Guest points per night.  Cash rooms run at over £300 per night so you will easily get my target SPG valuation of 1.5p per point.

That said, redeeming for any top-end Starwood hotel in London now looks expensive.  The most expensive Marriott hotels are only 45,000 points – including the two on Park Lane – which requires a conversion of 15,000 SPG points.  Neither of those are as close to the boutiques though …..

You find out more about the hotel on spg.com here.

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How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (April 2025)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express

20,000 points for signing up and 15 elite night credits each year Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.

We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points indirectly:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (50,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Marriott Bonvoy points is 2:3.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points.