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AMEX OFFER: £100 Cashback with Leading Hotels of the World
You can now get £100 statement credit with AMEX when you spend £600 with Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) by 27th July 2026.
This offer is targeted, so you may not see it on your account. If you plan to stay at a participating LHW property before 27th July, make sure you check! If you have multiple cards, make sure you check them all. Just make sure you save the offer to your card before you make any bookings!
There are a huge number of properties included in the offer, but unfortunately, not many in the UK. There are still some good options, including the following in London:
- Brown’s Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel
- L’Oscar
- The Adria
- The Landmark
- The Ritz
- Althoff St. James’s Hotel & Club
You can view the full list of participating hotels here. There are plenty of choices for European breaks and a few good options for long-haul trips.
£100 back on a £600 spend effectively gives you 16.7% off. The best value comes from finding a rate that’s already good, then knowing you’ll get an even bigger discount!
Even better, cumulative spend does count. If paying abroad, note that foreign exchange fees are not included. Generally, you’ll need to pay at the hotel to get the bonus unless you’re going to spend £600+ on extras at the hotel.
Another thing to note is you don’t have to book via LHW for the statement credit, provided you pay at check-out with your saved card. Some included properties also belong to other hotel groups, including Meliá and Kempinski. If you are booking via LHW, make sure you join the Leaders Club Loyalty Programme for extra benefits.
View the included properties here >>>
Lufthansa’s Cheapest Fares Will No Longer Include A Cabin Bag
Lufthansa’s new Basic Economy fare will now include only a small personal item (e.g. a laptop bag or handbag) with a maximum size of 40x30x15 cm, unless you hold eligible status, including Senator, HON Circle or Star Alliance Gold equivalent (then you can bring an additional cabin bag of up to 8kg on Economy Basic).
The new Economy Basic fare is being gradually rolled out for short and medium-haul flights on Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Discover, Lufthansa City and Air Dolomiti, with travel from 19th May.
This essentially makes status more valuable to have if you plan to travel on Economy fares often, as you can save on each trip. But if you mainly fly Business, it won’t make any difference; it does show that the Lufthansa Group is cutting back on what’s included in fares!
According to Lufthansa:
“The “Economy Basic” fare is the ideal choice if you’re travelling only with one personal item and know when you plan to fly, as tickets cannot be rebooked and are excluded from refunds. You can add one carry-on baggage and an advanced seat assignment for an additional fee.”
In comparison, the next fare up, Economy Light, is described as:
“The ideal choice if you’re travelling with only a personal item and one carry-on bag and already know your travel dates, as tickets can only be rebooked for an extra charge. You can add a checked bag and reserve a seat in advance at any time for an additional fee.”
This is smaller than the allowances offered by Ryanair, EasyJet and Wizz…
The best thing to do when booking Lufthansa Group fares now is to compare carefully. Usually, Economy Light is not that much extra. For example, I found a Zurich flight with Economy Basic at £111 vs £120 for Light, and a flight to Istanbul with Basic at £200 vs Light at £226.
In January 2026, MEPs backed passengers bringing a personal item and small hand baggage on board. However, it has not gone through the EU legislative process before becoming law.
Yes, you can book the next fare up, and Economy Basic is a cheaper alternative, but this will likely mean Economy Basic fares rising.
Luxury Escapes Status Match
Luxury Escapes has launched a new status match opportunity, open until 25th May 2026, for those with status with The British Airways Club, the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, or Booking.com Genius.
Luxury Escapes specialises in curated luxury holidays with exclusive rates and premium inclusions across hotels, tours and experiences.
Though the status match is free, there are still requirements. You’ll then need to book a qualifying hotel, tour or cruise (minimum 3 nights) for travel within 3 months of your match application. Once the trip is completed, your status will be upgraded within 4 weeks, so you won’t be able to benefit from it during your first trip.
If you are already a Société Silver status holder, booking a trip like this will upgrade your status to Gold.
Matches are as follows:
| Existing loyalty programme Status | Luxury Escapes Société Match | Status Benefits |
|---|---|---|
|
Société Silver |
|
|
Société Gold |
|
To apply for the status match, upload proof of your existing status that shows your name, tier, and validity. This can be a screenshot of your dashboard, digital card or app. You can only match every 3 years.
