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Aspire to manage the British Airways lounge at Belfast City Airport

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British Airways has handed over management of its lounge at Belfast City Airport to Aspire.

Aspire is already active at the airport, operating the independent lounge which is literally next door.  We reviewed the Belfast City Aspire lounge here and the British Airways lounge here.

The good news is that the changes so far are positive according to HfP reader feedback.

Aspire has put in a new coffee machine, expanded the range of premium drinks and launched new food options across the day.

It isn’t clear what the long term plans are.

Flybe was the biggest airline at Belfast City, and the necessity for two lounges will probably depend on how many ex-Flybe routes are picked up by other operators.

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Getting airport lounge access for free from a credit card

How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (April 2025)

Here are the five options to get FREE airport lounge access via a UK credit card.

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with two free Priority Pass cards, one for you and one for a supplementary cardholder. Each card admits two so a family of four gets in free. You get access to all 1,500 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here.

You also get access to Eurostar, Lufthansa and Delta Air Lines lounges.  Our American Express Platinum review is here.

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

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for the first year. It comes with a Priority Pass card loaded with four free visits to any Priority Pass lounge – see the list here.

Additional lounge visits are charged at £24.  You get four more free visits for every year you keep the card.  

There is no annual fee for Amex Gold in Year 1 and you get a 20,000 points sign-up bonus.  Full details are in our American Express Preferred Rewards Gold review here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 30,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard gets you get a free Priority Pass card, allowing you access to the Priority Pass network.  Guests are charged at £24 although it may be cheaper to pay £60 for a supplementary credit card for your partner.

The card has a fee of £290 and there are strict financial requirements to become a HSBC Premier customer.  Full details are in my HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard review.

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard

A good package, but only available to HSBC Premier clients Read our full review

Got a small business?

If you have a small business, consider American Express Business Platinum which has the same lounge benefits as the personal Platinum card:

American Express Business Platinum

50,000 points when you sign-up and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

You should also consider the Capital on Tap Pro Visa credit card which has a lower fee and, as well as a Priority Pass for airport lounge access, also comes with Radison Rewards VIP hotel status:

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits Read our full review

PS. You can find all of HfP’s UK airport lounge reviews – and we’ve been to most of them – indexed here.

Category

British Airways and Avios

Comments (148)

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

  • Crafty says:
    6 Mar6 March 12:05

    OT: Now that Curve levies a fee, is Tesco debit card the next most beneficial way to pay HMRC?

  • BlueHorizonuk says:
    6 Mar6 March 12:32

    BA has opened the tap on Club and First availability to Sydney!! GO, GO , GO!!!!

  • Jane says:
    6 Mar6 March 12:35

    OT – since we are on the theme of best ways to pay things and earn points, I’m going to need to pay a builder soon (circa £5K so not masses) – I’m assuming debit and credit card’s won’t be accepted so do any other options work to transfer money to him ?

    • BlueHorizonuk says:
      6 Mar6 March 12:37

      Billhop is your friend

      • Jane says:
        6 Mar6 March 12:39

        Lovely, thanks. I had forgotten that name and was assuming Revolout would be the way forwards.

        • MD says:
          6 Mar6 March 16:38

          Revolut IS the way forwards. Absolutely no need to pay Billhop’s fees. Top up your Revolut with one of several points earning credit cards (might need to be gradually depending on the card, and be aware of recent BTL comments on cash advance fees). Then simply do a bank transfer from Revolut if your builder won’t take cards directly.

    • xcalx says:
      6 Mar6 March 12:41

      Most tradesmen will take card payments now. Just let them know from the outset that it’s how you want to pay.

      • Anna says:
        6 Mar6 March 13:16

        They rarely take Amex IME. I’ve got similar home improvements pending so will use Billbop with BAPP to trigger a 2 4 1 then downgrade to blue.

        • Lady London says:
          6 Mar6 March 21:08

          Humph! Every builder or plumber probably has Amex Gold or Centurion to spend on, they just won’t accept you paying them on yours 🙂

      • Spursdebs says:
        6 Mar6 March 14:38

        They might take cards in cities, but rarely in the countryside. Bill hop worked fine for me via Amex.

    • mark2 says:
      6 Mar6 March 14:03

      If you get a Monese card (£14.95 per month) you can load at Paypoint (Coop) from Amex up to £5000 per month and then pay builder into their bank account using FastPay.
      Then down grade to basic free Monese account. You may find a free code somewhere or use code MARKW642 to get £10 credit.

      • Rhys says:
        6 Mar6 March 14:04

        Or use ours for £20, ROBE820 🙂

      • RWJ says:
        6 Mar6 March 14:04

        Worth stating that this will trigger a cash advance fee though – won’t it?

      • RWJ says:
        6 Mar6 March 17:40

        You can use the codes 1MONTHFREE and PREMIUMPLEASE to get 1 and 3 months of Monese premium free. Apply them in that order – wait for the first one to expire first.

    • Charlieface says:
      6 Mar6 March 15:17

      Often merchants claim they don’t take Amex when they do. Best is not to tell them, just stuff the card in.

      • RWJ says:
        6 Mar6 March 15:53

        Indeed – easy to do with Apple/Google/whatever Pay too, you can scan it and they won’t know what card is backing it really.

  • New Card says:
    6 Mar6 March 13:31

    O/T – Could someone please remind me what the current process is to add a return leg to a booking and use a 2-4-1 voucher? I’ve booked the outbound flight using Avios already as a one way (without applying the voucher). I want to book the return (when it becomes available) and have my 2-4-1 applied to the booking.

    • New Card says:
      6 Mar6 March 13:55

      That should read – I’ve booked the outbound as a one way USING my 2-4-1 voucher. How do I add on the return @ 2-4-1 prices when the return leg becomes available?

  • xcalx says:
    6 Mar6 March 13:48

    OT I have a IB reward booking BCN-LHR-LBA on BA avios plus cash booking 5800 avios plus £51.17 cash Flight price has plummeted to £70.

    I know that canceling a IB reward booking is 25euro. is this per leg = 50 Euro

    Thanks. ?

  • Paul74 says:
    6 Mar6 March 13:55

    OT I’ve used Gold Priority Reward to good effect before, in certain circumstances.
    I’ve identified three or four trips between now and August where it could come in handy (notwithstanding the virus knocking them on the head entirely).
    I know you need to book at least thirty days prior. My question is, if anyone could help please, if you cancel less than thirty days before, do you get the full double avios back? Has anyone ever done this?
    There are reasons not related to coronavirus that I’m only making flexible and semi flexible bookings at present.

  • Anna says:
    6 Mar6 March 15:00

    BA baggage handlers now diagnosed with corona virus. It doesn’t specify where they work though.

  • The Urbanite says:
    6 Mar6 March 15:33

    OT Amex SPG card. I put in a complaint about being paid 2x points for transactions made on the 25th February when the 26th was the switch to Marriott Bonvoy product. Complaint upheld and compensated to the correct amout of points plus a few k on top. It was painless once reviewed by someone who understood the situation.

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

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