In this post:
Lufthansa’s new A380 business class
Lufthansa has gradually been updating its business class seats, which were long overdue with their current 2-2-2 configuration which has very little privacy and limited aisle access. Firstly, the airline leased aircraft from other airlines with a better 1-2-1 business class, then the Allegris seats have been gradually rolling out. Lufthansa has ordered over 80 new aircraft, including B787-9s, A350s, and B777-9s, which will be delivered with the new seats. Additionally, some existing aircraft in Lufthansa’s fleet will be retrofitted.
Lufthansa has announced it will also refurbish its A380s and B747-8s. For the A380, the airline has decided to go with a different seat design, which means at least 4 different business seat types will be available, not including the variations within the Allegris cabins themselves. The Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A350-900 will both receive new seats across all classes. The Airbus A380-800 will be equipped with new Business Class seats starting in February at Elbe Flugzeugwerke in Dresden. Further retrofits of the existing fleet will follow soon afterwards.
The A380 will feature Business Class seats from manufacturer Thompson. Each seat will have direct aisle access and offer a seat width of 58 cm, a bed length of at least two meters, Bluetooth connectivity, and flexible partitions.
The good news is that Lufthansa can rely on existing certification for thecabin upgrade, eliminating the need for a lengthy approval process. As a result, passengers will be able to enjoy the new Business Class onboard Lufthansa’s A380 from April.
Heiko Reitz, Hub Manager Munich, Lufthansa Airlines:
“Lufthansa operates the only strong A380 fleet in the EU, stationed at our 5-star airport. The retrofit underscores our commitment to providing a top flight experience on the long-haul aircraft that is so popular with our customers. The new premium seats offer more privacy and significantly more comfort than before. We look forward to offering our passengers this enhanced travel experience in Business Class starting in April.”
Overall, the A380 will soon feature 68 new Business Class seats. In addition, with eight First Class seats, 52 seats in Premium Economy, and 371 seats in Economy. By mid-2027, all eight A380s are expected to be fully retrofitted.
Up to 100% bonus with Hilton buy points – how I saved £600 on a one-night UK standard Hilton stay by buying points
Hilton has a new buy bonus when you buy points. The offer is targeted – I only got 80% – but up to 100% is potentially available. The promotion runs until 14 March 2026, and you need to buy at least 5,000 points to get the bonus.
Usually, Hilton Honors allows you to purchase up to 160,000 points per account per calendar year, before any bonuses. During this promotion, you can buy up to 240,000 points, not including the bonus.
I’ve often advocated this as a cost-effective way to save on a hotel stay. I recently wrote about how I had saved over £1000 a night on a luxury Caribbean hotel using buy points. However, I now have another example which may be more relevant to people. If you are planning to stay at a Hilton near an event venue where cash rates can be extremely high during peak periods, points could be the answer.
I am off to Wembley in the summer for a concert, so I had a look at the Wembley Hilton. This is generally well regarded, with a decent lounge and very close to the Stadium and the Arena. Prices for my date were around £880 a night – well over my budget! I had resigned myself to staying in a more basic Hilton further away for around £250, which was more than enough for a basic hotel. Then, when I saw the latest points promotion, I thought I would check whether any points rooms were available at the Hilton Wembley. I was very surprised to see that not only were there rooms, but they were still available for a reasonable 60,000 points. I only had an 80% bonus offer, but I was still able to buy enough points for the room with around £275, giving a saving of £600 for the night.
You can find the buy Hilton points page here.
World of Hyatt integrates Bahia Principe
Bahia Principe is a group of hotels in mainly Spanish-speaking countries, but also in Jamaica. They often have great value sales so it was good news when Hyatt announced they would be intergrating them into the brand. It has now been confirmed that Bahia Principe resorts will begin participating in World of Hyatt from 24 March 2026 with members able to earn and burn Hyatt points on thier Bahia Principe stays.
Here is the detail of what you can expect:
- 5 Base Points per eligible $1 (US) spent on room rates at participating Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts locations.
- Standard tier Bonus Points on eligible purchases
- Credit toward earning tier status and Milestone Rewards#
- Credit toward a Brand Explorer Award on qualifying stays—earn a free night for every five unique Hyatt brands experienced, including participating Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts locations
- Award chart participation, with free nights starting at 12,000 points, off-peak
- On-property benefits for elite members, like late checkout and room upgrades (both subject to availability)
Frequently asked questions
How many Bahia Principe properties will begin participating in World of Hyatt?
On March 24, 2026, 22 Bahia Principe properties will begin participating in World of Hyatt.
I made a reservation for a stay at a participating Bahia Principe property with a checkout date after the property started to participate in World of Hyatt. How do I earn World of Hyatt points and Tier-Qualifying Night credits for this stay?
To earn World of Hyatt points and Tier-Qualifying Nights once a property participates in World of Hyatt, you must:
- Be a member of World of Hyatt, or join prior to your checkout
- Be a registered guest staying at the participating property and associate your World of Hyatt membership number with the reservation (when reserving, at the time of check-in or by requesting retroactive credit). (See below for details on requesting retroactive credit within one year of your eligible stay.)
- Pay an Eligible Rate (see the World of Hyatt terms for details on Eligible Rates)
- Complete your stay
Will I be able to earn World of Hyatt points for on-property spend at participating Bahia Principe properties, such as room upgrades and elevated dining experiences?
No, World of Hyatt members will only be able to earn points for eligible room rate when staying at participating Bahia Principe properties.
Can I earn World of Hyatt points, Tier-Qualifying Night Credit and in-hotel benefits for stays at participating Bahia Principe properties before the applicable property begins participating in World of Hyatt?
No, World of Hyatt program credit or benefits of any kind—including, without limitation, points, Tier-Qualifying Night credit, in-hotel benefits or credit toward the Brand Explorer Award—will not be awarded for any stay with a checkout date prior to when a property begins participating in World of Hyatt.
What happens if I booked a stay at a Bahia Principe property through Bahia-principe.com prior to that property’s integration into World of Hyatt, but where the stay has a check-in date on or after the property joined World of Hyatt?
The rate booked will be honored and is eligible for World of Hyatt program credit/benefits if the Member associates their World of Hyatt membership number with the reservation. After a property begins participating in World of Hyatt, World of Hyatt member rates will be available. You can enroll in World of Hyatt here.
Can I redeem points for dining, spa or incidentals on property at participating outlets at these properties?
No, members will not have the ability to redeem points for dining, spa or incidental charges at participating Bahia Principe properties.
Can I redeem Points + Cash at participating Bahia Principe properties?
No
Where do I find a list of properties and how many points each requires for a Free Night Award?
A property’s category will be able to be found on the property’s page on Hyatt.com or in the Hyatt app and in the booking flow.
What Milestone Reward options do participating Bahia Principe properties participate in?
Bahia Principe properties will participate in the Category 1-7 Standard Room Free Night Award, Ultimate Free Night Award and Guest of Honor awards.
See the World of Hyatt terms for more details.
2 comments
Great tip re Hilton – just booked for Wembley ahead of Bruno Mars room was £1100 got it fo r£60k points – would never have thought of doing it this way.
That is even more of a bargain than my booking!
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