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Plaza Premium loses management of the Cathay Pacific lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3

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Plaza Premium confirmed to us this week that it is no longer managing the Cathay Pacific lounge in Heathrow Terminal 3.

We had heard rumours of this from readers in the last couple of weeks, along with more worrying reports about a deterioration in food quality and service.  I don’t know who has replaced Plaza Premium – Accor manages the nearby Qantas lounge so it could be them – or who initiated the move.

Cathay Pacific Business lounge Heathrow plants

The Cathay Pacific First Class lounge was, by far, the best option for a British Airways Executive Gold member flying out of Heathrow Terminal 3.  I reviewed it here.  You’d be a mug to use BA’s Galleries First lounge, which I reviewed here.  Let’s hope that the recent feedback reports are only a transitional blip.

Before anyone asks, if you have a British Airways Executive Club Silver card then I tend to recommend the Qantas lounge in Terminal 3, purely on grounds of scale.  The Cathay Pacific Business lounge is smaller but quieter.  Unless you are looking for a specific drink, item of food or magazine there is no logical reason to go near the American Airlines or British Airways lounges.

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2024)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus card

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard

Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios card

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 Read our full review

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, along with a sign-up bonus worth 10,500 Avios.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 12th May 2024, the Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa card is offering a bonus of 30,000 points, convertible into 30,000 Avios. You must have a Limited Company to apply. Click here to learn more and click here to apply.

Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa

Huge 30,000 points bonus until 12th May 2024 Read our full review

You should also consider the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card. This is open to sole traders as well as limited companies and has a 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus.

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.

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oneworld alliance partners

Comments (136)

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

  • Anon says:
    6 Dec6 December 10:05

    LOT have a bid for upgrade option – anyone had any success with this and know what a good offer is to get to business from Warsaw to Singapore? No idea what loads are like and never flown them before.

    • Pangolin says:
      7 Dec7 December 10:57

      Their business loads (especially Eastbound) tend to be quite low. TBH you have a good chance of the bid being accepted even if you offer the minimum.

  • BlueHorizonuk says:
    6 Dec6 December 10:17

    OT: Rob I got a notification from twitter when you posted something last night about GUF changes. But clicking on it the tweet was deleted.

    What was it!!! LOL

  • TripRep says:
    6 Dec6 December 10:37

    OT: what’s the best travel FX deals at the moment, got an Amex spend target to hit, but only needing £300ish USD.

  • BlueThroughCrimp says:
    6 Dec6 December 10:50

    Been to Vilnius a couple of times.
    It’s a nice place, and when the City Fiesta is on at the end of August / beginning of September there’s a really good atmosphere around, with a huge range of stalls of local produce along one of the main streets.

  • Benylin says:
    6 Dec6 December 11:51

    OT: Wilko £10 back for £40 spend posted for 4 purchases, bought Amazon vouchers.

    • Anna says:
      6 Dec6 December 16:06

      Mine posted within 3 days, £10 back for GAP and Domino’s spend also appeared pretty quickly.

      • Roger says:
        6 Dec6 December 19:31

        Anna, got your split spend on GAP credited successfully?
        I still need to wait for few more days before I can chase Amex

        • Anna says:
          6 Dec6 December 21:37

          Yes it’s appeared now but took a few days longer than the credit to one of my other cards even though the orders were placed a few minutes apart.

  • Benylin says:
    6 Dec6 December 12:38

    OT: got this from Air France:
    GIVE THE GIFT OF TRAVEL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

    For a limited time only, purchase an Air France gift card and receive a free additional £20 when you spend £100 or more!*

    • BJ says:
      6 Dec6 December 13:01

      I was going to post this but was not sure if it was targetted. Under 200 left.

  • Matt says:
    6 Dec6 December 12:54

    Does anyone know what the lead times are for launching new routes? Flying ISB-LHR at the end of Feb and I’d love to fly direct rather than faffing around in the Gulf as I have done for the last eight years…

    • Rob says:
      6 Dec6 December 16:03

      In general it happens at the end of the season, most likely nearest Sunday to 31st March when the world airline timetables all switch overnight.

      • Nick says:
        6 Dec6 December 18:31

        Rob, slight correction… it’s always the last Sun in March, not the closest to the 31st… so it would be 25 Mar rather than 1 Apr, for example. Same day the clocks change, if that helps.

        As for BA’s new routes, note that PIT begins with next year’s summer schedule, so I would be amazed if ISB were sooner. Although stranger things have happened!

  • Craig says:
    6 Dec6 December 13:19

    OT: Amex Platinum car rental insurance, does this have to be paid for on the Platinum or is any Amex OK?

    • Alan says:
      6 Dec6 December 13:23

      Any is fine

    • Alan says:
      6 Dec6 December 13:23

      *Any card (doensn’t even have to be Amex)

    • Craig says:
      6 Dec6 December 13:57

      Many thanks.

      Also, if I book directly with Avis can I earn Avios using my BAEC number? It is pricing about £15 cheaper than through the BA website.

      • Alan says:
        6 Dec6 December 13:58

        I mainly use Hertz I’m afraid – I’d have thought you could still earn them but not sure if at a different rate or not.

      • Vivian says:
        6 Dec6 December 15:28

        yes you can as long as your BAEC number is entered onto your Avis profile.

    • Rob says:
      6 Dec6 December 16:03

      Any card you want. No requirement to use an Amex.

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

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