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30% Bonus Virgin Points When You Convert Tesco Clubcard Vouchers
Clubcard members who manually exchange Clubcard vouchers into Virgin Points from now until 23rd September 2026 will receive a 30% Virgin Points bonus on each qualifying manual exchange.
Automatic exchanges do not qualify for the 30% bonus, so if you currently have auto-exchange switched on, you’ll need to make a manual exchange instead to benefit from the offer.
Tesco Vouchers already double in value when you exchange them for Virgin Points. For example, £20 in Clubcard vouchers would normally convert to 4,000 Virgin Points. With the 30% bonus, you would receive 5,200 Virgin Points in total – an extra 1,200 Virgin Points simply for making the most of the offer.
To put that into context, one-way Upper Class Saver fares to New York start from 29,000 points + £720 in taxes and fees. £112 of Clubcard vouchers during the promotion would convert to 29,120 Virgin Points, enough to cover the points needed for an Upper redemption. Including the £112 face value of the vouchers and £720 cash element, the redemption would cost you just £832. That’s a substantial saving for a flight, which would be around £2,450 if you paid in cash, saving around £1,618.
Virgin Points can also be used for hotels and experiences via Virgin Red as well as cabin upgrades and partner reward flights with airlines such as KLM, Air France and Delta.
You must have at least £1.50 in Clubcard vouchers to exchange. Log in to your Tesco Clubcard account, select the value of vouchers you would like to exchange and enter your Virgin Red ID. Your Virgin Points will be added within 24 hours.
Find out more here or download the Virgin Red app
Trenitalia Moves Closer to Launching London-Paris Trains
Trenitalia has 19 high-speed trains on order as it pushes ahead with plans to compete with Eurostar between London and Paris, targeting a 2029 launch.
The trains are part of an investment programme worth around €2 billion and will support expansion in France and internationally.
The trains will be based on Hitachi Rail’s Frecciarossa 1000, an international high-speed train which already operates on Trenitalia’s Paris-Milan route and many routes across Italy. The new generation will have redesigned interiors, an updated bistro and catering concept, and improved onboard WIFI.
There are still hurdles to overcome. Trenitalia was unsuccessful in obtaining access to the Temple Mills depot in London, with the ORR instead approving Virgin Trains, which is targeting its own cross-Channel services from 2030. Trenitalia is now building a new maintenance hub near Paris, although further approvals will still be needed before London services can begin.
Eurostar is expanding too, with 30 new double-deck trains on order and ambitions to increase capacity and add more European destinations
Competition between train operators would be welcome, hopefully bringing better fares, more choice and improved service, while making travelling by train much more tempting.
We’ve been eagerly anticipating the launch of this route since plans were first announced in 2025 and we’re excited to see how this progresses.
New Hilton Istanbul Airport – Ideal for Connections
Istanbul Airport now has a brand new Hilton Hotel, just a 6-minute walk from Istanbul Airport – ideal for connections! For longer connections, the metro station is opposite the hotel for easy access to Istanbul city centre for a quick trip into the city.
The hotel has 485 spacious rooms and suites, and some even have runway views. There’s a large variety of rooms to choose from, including Suites with a terrace, Executive Rooms, two-bedroom family rooms, accessible rooms and more.
Eligible Hilton status holders are well catered for too, with an Executive Lounge overlooking the runway and gates.
The interiors have plenty of contemporary local touches, inspired by the colours, textures and atmosphere of Istanbul. The design is based on the historic neighbourhoods and skyline, as well as the changing colours of the Marmara Sea.
The hotel marks Türkiye’s debut of Hilton’s global dining brand OXBO, with a restaurant, café and 24-hour bar serving dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. The 24-hour bar is a particularly useful touch at an airport where passengers are arriving and departing at all hours.
There’s plenty here if you have a longer stopover. Facilities include an indoor pool, sauna, Turkish bath and spa with three treatment rooms. There’s also a 24/7 fitness centre, while business and event facilities include eight meeting rooms and a grand ballroom seating up to 250.
When we checked, rates started from around £168 or 80,000 Hilton Honors Points per night.
The hotel is Hilton’s 100th hotel in Türkiye and Türkiye’s first Hilton airport hotel. It’s one of 14 openings in Türkiye for this year, including the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus and Hilton’s first cave hotel in Cappadocia.
At Istanbul Airport, you also have the option of Yotel, but this new Hilton is a fantastic full-service option. The biggest selling point is the location. Airport hotels requiring a shuttle to the terminal can be a pain, particularly after a long-haul flight. It’s certainly a very useful addition to Istanbul Airport.
