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Bits: BA lounge guesting rules, AirPortr partners with AA, 40% off PartnerPlusBenefit redemptions

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News in brief:

British Airways lounge guesting rules relaxed over Christmas

Whilst there has been no official announcement, British Airways seems to have relaxed its Gatwick and Heathrow lounge access policy for Gold members.

Until 13th January it appears that:

a Gold card holder can take up to FIVE guests into Galleries Club (not Galleries First) as long as all passengers are on the same ticket

a Gold Guest List member can take up to FIVE guests into Galleries First as long as all passengers are on the same ticket

You can find out more in this Flyertalk thread with post 24 being the key.

AirPortr bag check-in now available for AA flights

AirPortr, the luggage collection and delivery service, has expanded its unique ‘door to destination’ baggage check-in service.

Until now you were only able to use the full ‘door to destination’ service – which includes checking in your bags for you – when flying with British Airways.  You can now also use the service when flying American Airlines from Heathrow.

You can travel without seeing your luggage all the way to your final destination.   Your luggage will be picked up, tagged and checked in for you.  When you arrive at the airport you can head straight to security.  This service can be used for pick ups from your front door, hotel lobby or office. I tried AirPortr early this year and my review of AirPortr’s pick up service is here.

AirPortr check-in can be booked on this page of the AirPortr website. Prices start from £30 for the first bag and £10 for each additional bag within Central London.

To promote the new new American Airlines partnership, AirPortr is currently offering £10 off by using the code AAUPANDAWAY.

Save 40% on PartnerPlusBenefit redemptions

PartnerPlusBenefit is the small business scheme for the UK and Ireland run by 11 of the Star Alliance airlines.  This includes Lufthansa and Swiss.

We wrote about PPB in detail in this article.  It is a LOT more flexible than the British Airways On Business scheme which we reviewed here – although you’d be daft not to join On Business too if you have a VAT registered UK business.  Click here to sign up – you’ll receive 1,500 BenefitPoints just for joining.

Until 31st December, PPB is offering 40% off all flight redemptions and upgrades.  A return flight from the UK to Germany is just 2,100 points, reduced from 3,500 points, for example.  The discount applies to flights on all PartnerPlusBenefit partner airlines.  Full details of this offer are in your PPB account online.

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How to earn Star Alliance miles from UK credit cards

How to earn Star Alliance miles from UK credit cards (March 2025)

None of the Star Alliance airlines currently have a UK credit card.

There is, however, still a way to earn Star Alliance miles from a UK credit card. 

The route is via Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty points convert to over 40 airlines at the rate of 3:1.

The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points is via the official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card. It comes with 20,000 points for signing up and 2 points for every £1 you spend. At 2 Bonvoy points per £1, you are earning (at 3:1) 0.66 airline miles per £1 spent on the card.

There is a preferential conversion rate to United Airlines – which is a Star Alliance member – of 2 : 1 if you convert 60,000 Bonvoy points at once.

The Star Alliance members which are Marriott Bonvoy transfer partners are: Aegean, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Avianca, Copa Airlines, Singapore Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and United Airlines.

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

Category

American Airlines and AAdvantage, British Airways and Avios, Lufthansa and Miles & More

Comments (74)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Cate says:
    12 Dec12 December 16:31

    Just getting my head round this, you apply for a status match with Marriott from another hotel provider, they then give you a challenge to get to Platinum which when completed you become platinum with SPG and Ritz till 2020?

    I didn’t know Marriott did status challenges but if there was a way to get SPG Plat status I’d be interested (currently gold).

  • ankomonkey says:
    12 Dec12 December 17:37

    I have a cash stay at a Hilton soon and then a separate points booking for the final day of the stay. Do I remember correctly people saying Hilton don’t award points on any part of the stay when this happens? Or did I dream this? I do dream about points opportunities. Had one already this week…

  • Temp says:
    12 Dec12 December 19:10

    Sorry for the total OT – Anyone without a ticket going to the HfP party tonight?

    • the real harry1 says:
      12 Dec12 December 19:12

      gotta make my own fun! 🙂

      I await reports!

      • Temp says:
        12 Dec12 December 19:28

        Are you at your place in the sun?? TBH I completely forgot about it as haven’t been on the site for a while (and didnt bag a ticket), but a reminder just popped up.

        There was talk at the time of people meeting nearby and heading down anyway, but not sure if anything came of it?…

        • the real harry1 says:
          12 Dec12 December 19:37

          there are a load of people going to another pub across the road then joining the late-stayers at the HFP party at 8pm

          too early (school term) for me to head out on hols – we’re going on Saturday, all relevant bits crossed etc

          as it was, got into hot water for pinching 2 days, my wife went a bit nuts & actually my son asked me not to do it again now he is Y10/ GCSE – fair dos

        • Temp says:
          12 Dec12 December 19:42

          Hahaha… Harry! You know youve done wrong when the son has a word! Anyway, cheers for info and have fun next week…

      • ee says:
        12 Dec12 December 21:41

        Not sure where the reports are. Another great night, thanks Rob and Anika for organising, and also thanks for organising the prizes, of which I was lucky to win one! And the goodie bag! Met some interesting people and learnt at least one new trick, and it had nothing to do with programming a bot!

  • Boon says:
    12 Dec12 December 23:38

    On the Partnerplusbenefit offer. Where do you find the details on their website after logging in?

  • PJK says:
    14 Dec14 December 08:34

    Hopefully not too late to get seen here, but having looked at the PPB 40% off redemptions, I think it is actually a correct offer, but that returns to Germany are 4200, as each “routing” is min. 2100 points instead of the usual 3500.
    Can you confirm, Anika or Rob, that my reading of the table & notes is correct?
    “Each route segment is paid for separately with BenefitPoints – for an outbound and return flight double BenefitPoints therefore apply.”

    Additionally, I also think that a redemption from, say Manchester – Munich – Graz would be 2 legs each way and therefore 4 x 2100 points in total. Is that right?
    Cheers

    • Rob says:
      14 Dec14 December 08:50

      Potentially. I took the comment in the article from the PPB document I was sent but we could have confused single for return.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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