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Bits: United adds at Edinburgh, IHG hotel sale, 50% bonus OneKeyCash with Hotels.com

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News in brief:

United Airlines expands at Edinburgh

United Airlines has announced that its service from Edinburgh to Washington DC is moving to (almost) year-round from ‘summer only’.

Instead of ending on 25th October, flights will now continue for much of the winter.

Here are the details:

  • additional flights will run from 26th October 2025 to 5th January 2026, and from 20th February to 28th March 2026
  • services will operate from Edinburgh on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
  • the airline will use a Boeing 757, as it does in the summer, which includes 16 flat-bed business class seats

Daily flights will resume on 29th March 2026.

The existing Edinburgh services remain unchanged:

  • daily flights to New York Newark (twice daily in summer peak)
  • daily flights to Chicago during the summer peak

Our review of United Airlines business class, albeit on a Boeing 777, is here.

United AIrlines expands Washington service from Edinburgh

IHG launches its Europe summer hotel sale

IHG has launched its European summer hotel sale, covering brands such as InterContinental, Kimpton, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Staybridge Suites and many others.

The ‘Book Early and Save’ sale runs until 15th July.

You can book for stays at any time until the end of the booking window, usually 11 months out.

You must book at least three days in advance of your stay.

The headline discount for ‘Book Early and Save’ rates is 15% off Best Flexible Rate.

As we always say with these sales, it is NOT a true 15% discount because – whilst the discount is off the Best Flexible Rate – sale rooms are NOT flexible or refundable.

It is more accurate to compare it to the standard Advanced Purchase rate, in which case you should be saving an additional 5% or so.

Note that Iberostar Beachfront Resorts have different booking terms.

You can find out more on the IHG website here.

Hotels.com sale

Hotels.com launches a sale and bonus cashback

Hotels.com is also running a promotion for the next month.

For all bookings made by 26th May, for travel by 30th September, you will receive 3% back in OneKeyCash instead of the usual 2%. Elite members will receive an extra 1% on top of their standard rate.

Selected properties are also on offer at 25% off in The Summer Getaway Sale.

We (and the rest of the market) have been critical of the new One Key reward scheme. Even Hotels.com hates it, which is why the roll-out was abandoned after the US and UK had switched, in the face of falling sales.

An extra 1% of OneKeyCash won’t move the needle but, if you can find a bargain in The Summer Getaway Sale, it’s a little extra bonus on top.

You can find out more on this special page of the Hotels.com website.

Comments (12)

  • Gerry says:

    United’s 757 business class product is so woefully outdated and unbelievably bad that I’m not sure it makes sense to include a link to the 777 review, no matter how many disclaimers… 🙂

    • Jimbo says:

      Spot on. Comparing two very different products. One reasonable on a 777 and one dire (and often more expensive from Scotland) isn’t sensible or helpful. US airlines deliberately run small aircraft to Scotland and ex-London UK airports because it saves them money but they always charge more than the bigger and better seats from LHR which is a disgrace and a contemptuous attitude to passengers. The time for this blog to do an article on this and actually shame these operators is well overdue.

    • RC says:

      90pct of the 757 doesn’t fly business class, so there is a pretty standard product there.
      The United 757 business class is fine. It’s older generation but it’s flat and well-padded. It’s STILL better than what BA offers – either old club , or club suite with the big gap in the middle and metal soars that bite into your a&s when ‘flat’
      More interestingly the 757s will get replaced with 321xLR with an excellent looking product (in all cabins).

  • Tom says:

    OneKey is a joke. It is laughable that they think that going from 2% to 3% will move the needle.

  • Dan says:

    Hotels made a huge mistake with onekey. Most people have moved on now to better options and I am guessing its near impossible to win them back.

  • Bob says:

    A whole 5%…….woohoo !

  • Andrew J says:

    And still no sign of an IHG global bonus points offer. Maybe the weak USD making everyday points earning for us more generous, means they don’t need to bother.

  • kevin86 says:

    Bad time to be increasing flights to the US!

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