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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 (37)

  • kevin86 says:

    Bad time to be increasing flights to the US!

    • Peggerz says:

      I take your point.
      But EDI has become very busy with North American flights, particularly in the summer months. The baggage holds are full of golf clubs and the premium seats of golf enthusiasts as well as visitors coming to an ever expanding tourist destination. There are at least five 4/5* hotels being constructed in the city centre presently. Those beds have to be filled….

    • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

      But a good time for increasing them to the UK.

      UA will be primarily serving the US market and their US customer base rather than their UK customers.

  • Nicholas says:

    Quick questions about Hotels.com/Tesco…

    1) Is it possible to use multiple vouchers towards one stay (i.e. If I exchange £10 + £20 of Tesco vouchers, can I then use the full £60 towards one night?

    2) Is the invoice that is generated then likely to be suitable for a business expense? Or is it best just using these for personal stays?

    Thanks!

    • Dom says:

      @Nicholas on point 2 it can be an issue even when not using vouchers. Sites such as hotels.com, booking.com etc don’t issue VAT invoices as they use the Tour Operators Margin Scheme. If you are expensing through a corporate employer they may not be keen on this. We got caught on this with my wife’s employer, they did accept it in the end but it was a lot of hassle and now we stuck with direct bookings where we get a normal VAT invoice.

  • Rts says:

    As bad as OK is…. They are still my main hotel site booking of choice… C.50% discount on everything iykyk. 😛😛😛😛

    • Tiberius says:

      I don’t know… how?

    • Angel says:

      Can you give at least a vague hint how?

      • Andrew. says:

        No idea where the 50% on everything comes from, but there are a huge number of opportunities to get a discount on Expedia out there.

        Start with your employer’s staff benefit portal. If Expedia runs their Corporate book, then you may have access to all your employer’s negotiated rates worldwide.

  • Garry says:

    I live 10 minutes from Edinburgh and love the flight options introduced in the last 10-15 years….Pity that United have decided to increase their Edinburgh capacity just as I’ve removed the USA from my list of destinations !!

  • Matarredonda says:

    Hotels prices generally softer this summer.

  • Skywalker says:

    Good news re: United at EDI.

    Just keeping my fingers crossed for another Amex United Airlines offer 🙂

    • AlanC says:

      I’m holding out for UA / Amex too. Used it for an Economy seat on one card then used another card for the co pay upgrade to Business twice last year. However I did notice Jetblue Edi to Boston £1400 return in Business for May.

  • Andrew. says:

    “Show us your human side…
    We can’t tell if you’re a human or a bot.”

    I’m now on No10 of point the item in the direction of the Finger trying to access Expedia.

    • AndrewC says:

      Those expedia puzzles are really off-putting.

      My solution is to delete all cookies relating to expedia then reload.

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