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News: Norwegian plans 142 weekly UK flights, get 25x Nectar points with Europcar car rentals

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News in brief:

Norwegian selling 142 weekly flights from the UK and Ireland for next Summer

Norwegian is still alive and kicking, albeit now as a short haul airline focused on Scandinavia.

The airline has just put its Summer 2022 schedule on sale. It is planning to operate 142 flights per week from the UK and Ireland. This is made up of:

  • London Gatwick to Oslo, Stavanger, Trondheim, Bergen, Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen (115 weekly flights)
  • Manchester to Oslo, Stavanger, Bergen and Stockholm (eight weekly flights)
  • Edinburgh to Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen (15 weekly flights)
  • Dublin to Oslo and Copenhagen (four weekly flights)

Flights are now available to book at norwegian.com.

Norwegian planning 142 UK flights weekly for 2022

Get 25 Nectar points per £1 with Europcar UK

Europcar has launched a generous Nectar promotion.

As you can see here, you receive 25 Nectar points per £1 spent. This will convert to 15.6 Avios per £1.

The key rules are:

  • Valid for car or van rentals in the UK only
  • Must book by 1st September
  • Must pick up the vehicle by 16th October
  • Must book via the special promotional website
  • Rental must be for at least 3 days

If you book by Monday 16th August, you will also receive a 15% discount on standard rates. From 17th August, you will still receive the bonus Nectar points but not the discount.

You can learn more, and book, here.

PS. If you are not a regular Head for Points 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 65,000 free subscribers, click the button below or visit this page of the site to find out more. Thank you.

How to get FREE car rental status and other benefits via UK credit cards

How to get FREE car rental status and other benefits via UK credit cards (April 2025)

If you hire a car in the UK, you can get special benefits (discounts, upgrades, free additional drivers etc) if you have elite status with a car rental programme. You can get elite status for free via certain American Express cards.

The Platinum Card and American Express Business Platinum

The Platinum Card from American Express and American Express Business Platinum come with two free car hire status cards. Your supplementary Platinum cardholder can also receive status in their own right.

From Avis, you receive President’s Club status in Avis Preferred. This gets you up to 25% off standard rates, a free additional driver and a guaranteed one class upgrade. For weekend rentals you will receive a two class upgrade, subject to availability.

From Hertz, you receive ‘Five Star’ status in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards. This gets you up to 15% off standard rates, a free additional driver and a one class upgrade, subject to availability.

Hertz also offers Platinum cardholders a 4 hour grace period on rentals. Your final day is treated as 28 hours, so a 1pm pick up with a 5pm return the following day is only charged as one day, not two days. We wrote about the Hertz / Platinum 4 hour grace period here.

The Platinum Card also comes with full car hire insurance with no obligation to pay for the rental via American Express. You can refuse any attempts to sell you additional insurance at pick up. This benefit has substantial value if you rent on a regular basis.

You can find more details on the two Platinum cards, and apply, in our full reviews linked below. You can apply here for the personal card and here for the business card.

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 Business Platinum

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

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is an excellent card in its own right. You receive 20,000 Membership Rewards points for signing up (convert to 20,000 Avios amongst other things), four airport lounge passes and £120 of Deliveroo credit. Even better, your first year is free.

There are two car rental benefits:

  • you receive Preferred Plus status in Avis Preferred
  • you receive a special package with Hertz – 10% off best available rates at participating locations, a one class upgrade for rentals of 5 days or more, subject to availability, and no additional driver fees

Find out more about the benefits of American Express Preferred Rewards Gold in our review. You can apply 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

Category

Sainsbury's and Nectar

Comments (49)

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

  • Save East Coast Rewards says:
    14 Aug14 August 04:48

    The official name for the hotel is now HMP Sofitel

    • Mike says:
      14 Aug14 August 06:43

      I do hope it gets a good clean having been used as a quarantine hotel for months on end – it would really put me off

      • Nick says:
        14 Aug14 August 08:31

        Why, because you think covid lives for weeks in the air (it doesn’t), or because those who have to quarantine are somehow ‘dirtier’ than us? You’re not the first commenter to say something along these lines, but I’m really struggling to find any sense in it at all.

        • Chrisasaurus says:
          14 Aug14 August 09:38

          Driving down to Ealing I was waiting at the crossroads opposite the Hampton Inn on the high street. The number of windows with forlorn faces pressed against them was haunting – the volume of negative emotion from those cooped up in a tiny hotel room for a fortnight, I’d just be fearful of the place itself being sad for years!

  • Hardpack says:
    14 Aug14 August 05:08

    How does the prestige suite sleep 4 (according to website) with only 1 king size bed? Cozy maybe? No other beds mentioned online

    • Chris says:
      14 Aug14 August 08:04

      Accor site says it’s suitable for 4; maybe the sofa folds out. Swapped a Crowne Plaza Gerrard’s cross for the Sofitel for myself. Also lets me use their onsite halo testing service than fuss about…

      If you are looking at it; the parking wasn’t good value – 8 nights parking added over more than 200 pounds – more than the Heathrow valet parking – there is a single nights overnight parking option in the upsells for £16 though.

      • Chrisasaurus says:
        14 Aug14 August 09:59

        It’s a high price but, it beats valet parking IMO since it’s the only genuine on-site parking option where you keep your keys and can walk straight to your car on landing. No fuss, no wait, no concern if you’re early or late. For the same reason I’ll rent only from Hertz/Avis when abroad, I will pay the extra for one fewer thing to be anxious about if I’m on holiday.

    • Chrisasaurus says:
      14 Aug14 August 08:43

      Sofa bed when we’ve stayed, but a comfortable one that fits three young children (5-9) without problem

  • milleriom says:
    14 Aug14 August 05:15

    A new approach to prisons though. With the inmates made to pay large sums for the compulsory bed and board!

    Let’s hope it catches on and is implemented across the entire prison system!

  • Dominic Barrington says:
    14 Aug14 August 05:40

    I’m bemused by this news. I had bookings for late Sep and early Oct refunded because it was going to stay a COVID hotel until 1 November. Are we sure this is ending earlier?

  • Dominic Barrington says:
    14 Aug14 August 05:41

    I should also say that I have had this room before when my children were younger. We were given a sofa double bed that just about worked for children aged four and six. If it is the same, it would be ill advised for children much older than that, as I recall.

  • roberto says:
    14 Aug14 August 07:08

    Talking about Heathrow Hotels the executive lounge at the Hilton T4 is still not open and you will now be offered just three alcoholic options as a diamond , Stella beer , an acidic white and a horrid red. Not worth paying extra for an executive level room or suite currently.

    • VerdantBacon says:
      14 Aug14 August 08:13

      Seems to be a bit of a pattern with Hilton and their ELs. Was at Paddington and Cardiff last weekend, Paddington lounge not yet reopened and Cardiff permanently closed. Feeling that diamond status devaluing further and further.

    • IanM says:
      14 Aug14 August 08:39

      Exec lounge access is guaranteed for Diamond so why would you need to pay for an Executive room?

  • Chris says:
    14 Aug14 August 07:26

    Does anyone know if I could preserve a GUF2 voucher that’s about to expire (Oct 21) using the FTV method for preserving 241 rob suggested

  • Nick G says:
    14 Aug14 August 08:30

    I’m not seeing the book your suite with confidence rate at all. I can see non refundable rates at £255 ish but not prepared to take a punt just yet

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

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