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Hilton introduces the Apartment collection by Hilton
Hilton has announced the launch of the Apartment Collection by Hilton, a new lodging category within Hilton’s brand portfolio. If you have tried Marriott Homes & Villas and think this sounds familiar, this concept seems slightly better. The Marriott offering is similar to accommodations on Airbnb or Booking.com, where you book with a private owner through the Marriott platform. Hilton’s brand will be offering unique, spacious furnished apartments with the reliability guests expect from Hilton. Apartment Collection by Hilton will be available for booking through Hilton channels in the first half of 2026, with initial properties in the U.S. launched in partnership with Placemakr—a leading apartment hospitality brand and operator specializing in flexible, short-term, and extended-stay accommodations in mainly cities.
The launch of Apartment Collection by Hilton allows the company to build on its existing 10,000 apartment-style units, adding as many as 3,000 new units through its partnership with Placemakr. Hilton expects to significantly grow its apartment-style inventory over the next few years through this new partnership and through additional franchise agreements with new owners.
Apartment Collection by Hilton will have studio to four-bedroom furnished apartments. The apartments are said to feature “chef-ready kitchens, spacious separate living areas, and on-site laundry”. There will also be dedicated team members available on-site 24/7 to provide support which is quite different from the Marriott model.
While we don’t know the exact details of how it will be incorporated into Hilton Honors, it does say Apartment Collection by Hilton will participate in Hilton Honors, with members able to book, earn and redeem Hilton Honors Points for stays. Members will also have access to instant benefits, including exclusive member discounts and free standard Wi-Fi.
In the first half of 2026, travelers will be able to book stays via Hilton.com at Apartment Collection by Hilton in destinations including New York City, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta.
Guests will also enjoy access to fitness centers and select properties may also feature rooftop pools and terraces, communal gathering and workspaces, and on-site dining and retail.
Lufthansa group to offer free Starlink Wi-fi
The Lufthansa Group will equip all of the group’s around 850 aircraft with high-speed Starlink broadband internet access from 2026 onwards, both within the existing fleet and on all new aircraft.
Lufthansa Group consists of:
- Lufthansa Airlines,
- SWISS,
- Austrian Airlines,
- Brussels Airlines,
- Eurowings,
- Discover Airlines,
- Air Dolomiti,
- Lufthansa CityLine,
- ITA Airways,
- Edelweiss Air,
Higher bandwidth and speed will enable streaming, cloud-based working, and other high-speed applications during flights in the future. The new internet service will be free of charge for all status customers and Travel ID users across all travel classes. Travel ID is simply having an account with Lufthansa, which is free to everyone. At the moment, Travel ID and Miles & More customers can benefit from free, unlimited messaging in the FlyNet® portal on all short-haul and medium-haul flights with aircraft of the A320 family equipped with wi-fi.
“In our anniversary year, in which we are celebrating Lufthansa’s 100th birthday, we have decided to introduce a new high-speed internet solution from Starlink for all our airlines. The Lufthansa Group is taking the next step and setting an essential milestone for the premium travel experience of our customers. Connectivity on board plays an important role today, and with Starlink, we are not only investing in the best product on the market, but also in the satisfaction of our passengers,” said Dieter Vranckx, Chief Commercial Officer of the Lufthansa Group.
The gradual introduction of Starlink will begin as early as the second half of 2026. By 2029, the entire fleet will be equipped.
Get up to 7000 Avios when you purchase with Vodafone
As well as being able to get Avios with online shopping, you can also link one of more of your credit cards to your Avios account and earn Avios in shops and restaurants too. You should sign up for this even if there is nothing on there currently that you think you would use. New partners are added all the time, so you may have a nice surprise and earn some Avios without even knowing at the time, which is what happened to me!
One of the best offers for “in-store” earning at the moment is with Vodafone, where you will earn 1760 Avios when you make a purchase in-store as a new customer. Avios will not be offered on purchases less than £20, and you should check the terms and conditions for the store you plan to visit as some credit cards are excluded depending on location. The reward is not offered for the Victoria Shopping Centre store.
If you prefer to shop online, there is an even bigger bonus available: up to 7,000 Avios. Here are the rates depending on what you buy:
| SIM only Standard bundle £20+ | 5,000 Avios |
| SIM only Standard bundle £10.01-£19.99 | 4,000 Avios |
| For a pay monthly handset contract with a tariff of £50 or more | 7,000 Avios |
| For a pay monthly handset contract with a tariff £20 – £49.99 | 5,000 Avios |
| SIM only Standard bundle £0-£10 | 1,500 Avios |
| Fibre 1, Fibre 2, Fibre 100, Fibre 200, Fibre 500 or Fibre 900 | 5,000 Avios |
| Mobile Broadband | 1,800 Avios |
| For a pay monthly handset contract with a tariff up to £19.99 | 2,500 Avios |
Your Avios will be awarded 90 – 120 from the policy, contract, or subscription start date. Make sure you don’t use any vouchers in the purchase, and it only applies to new customers/contracts. Check the T&C carefully!
