‘The Travel Brief’, the weekly Head for Points travel trade newsletter
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Welcome to your weekly trade round-up of UK business travel and travel loyalty news as well as our latest reviews and features.
If you are not a subscriber, you can sign up here to receive this free newsletter in your inbox every Monday. Please forward it to any colleagues who you think may be interested.
This newsletter is the successor to Malcolm Ginsberg’s Business Travel News. Malcolm’s new monthly forward-looking Travel News Update is available at travelnewsupdate.co.uk.
The latest UK business travel news:
Cathay Pacific reveals its new Aria Suite business class and premium economy – image above
Get British Airways Silver equivalent status with this Royal Jordanian status match, matching from most major non-oneworld carriers including Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic adds priority boarding for ‘no status’ members of Flying Club
Hilton buys Graduate Hotels including two UK sites in Oxford and Cambridge
‘MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy’ – what you need to know about the new casino partnership
You CAN use a railcard on Stansted Express – ignore what the website says!
Fly Business class to New York from £990 with Aer Lingus from Paris
Save on No1 Lounges at Gatwick, Heathrow T3 and Birmingham via their Virgin Atlantic partnership
Aer Lingus launches a Manchester sale to New York, Orlando and Barbados. New York is £1,500ish in Business Class.
Hyatt confirms the end date for its Small Luxury Hotels partnership
The 1903 Lounge at Bristol Airport is to close permanently
Get £100 cashback via American Express with Preferred Hotels
What are the best IHG One Rewards hotels at Heathrow Airport?
Get extra Preferred Hotels benefits when you book via our preferred partner agent – including free breakfast and $100 credit
Stories we recommend from other sites:
Aer Lingus signs codeshare with Qatar Airways (Business Traveller)
Alstom planning open access rail service between London, Shropshire and Wrexham (Railnews)
Inverness Airport wins ‘best small airport in Europe’ for fourth year (UK Aviation News)
Analysis: Why the Budget rise in APD may not be a ‘one off’ (Travel Weekly)
Hilton to open DoubleTree hotel at Sheffield’s Bramall Lane stadium (Business Traveller)
Our latest reviews:
Review: the Canopy by Hilton Cannes hotel on the French Riviera, with its impressive rooftop bar and restaurant pictured above.
Review: the excellent Berlin Marriott hotel revisited. Rob explains why this is his regular haunt during the annual ITB travel show.
The latest UK travel loyalty news:
Finnair has joined Avios, but you can’t transfer in or out yet. Here’s a reminder of what benefits the partnership will bring people in the UK.
Get 50% off USA redemptions in the Virgin Atlantic reward seat sale – this excellent deal is back for a limited period
How to upgrade your British Airways flights using American Airlines miles
Which 35 airlines can you earn Avios on? The number went up by two this week.
Avios unveils a new logo – what do you think?
How to use a BA Amex 2-4-1 companion voucher to book an Avios flight – a beginner’s guide
How does the Hertz car rental benefit for Amex Gold cardholders work?
ENDING SOON: Get 120,000 points with Amex Business Platinum and 60,000 points with ‘free for a year’ Amex Business Gold
American Express has brought back the biggest payment card sign-up bonus we’ve seen in the UK. Ever.
If you apply for American Express Business Platinum, you can receive 120,000 Membership Rewards points as a sign-up bonus. This converts into, amongst other things, 120,000 Avios or 120,000 Virgin Points.
If you apply for American Express Business Gold, which is FREE for Year 1, you can receive 60,000 Membership Rewards points as a sign-up bonus. This converts into, amongst other things, 60,000 Avios or 60,000 Virgin Points – and from a card which is free for 12 months.
T&C apply to the bonuses – read our articles for details:
- here is our full review of American Express Business Platinum and what you can do with the 120,000 bonus points (and you can apply here)
- here is our full review of American Express Business Gold and what you can do with the 60,000 bonus points (and you can apply here)
Sole traders are welcome to apply as well as Limited Companies. If you don’t have a business of your own, please forward this email to any friends who may be interested.
The application form for Business Platinum is here and for Business Gold is here.
Head for Points receives a commission from American Express if you are accepted which helps support the site.
Thank you for reading
Please drop me a note at rob@headforpoints.com with any feedback. See you next Monday.
Rob, Rhys and Katie @ Head for Points
PS. If you were forwarded this email by a colleague, you can sign up for a free subscription by filling in the form here
