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British Airways to Resume Dubai Flights Next Week
BA is preparing to resume direct flights to Dubai following an eight-month suspension due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Daily flights from Heathrow to Dubai will start on 3rd November, leaving Heathrow at 20:00 and arriving in Dubai at 7:45 the following morning. The return departs Dubai at 10:00 and arrives at Heathrow at 14:55. Flights are scheduled to increase to twice daily for summer 2027.
Surprisingly, BA is pressing ahead with its plans to resume flights first announced in September, despite the worsening situation in the Middle East.
Though BA will have made its own safety assessments, many other airlines seem to be taking a more cautious approach. Virgin Atlantic will not resume flights until October 2027, while a number of airlines plan to start flying to Dubai in early 2027. However, a few other European airlines will also launch Dubai flights in November, with Air France’s current suspension ending on 8th November and Lufthansa aiming to restart services on 25th November.
Flights to Abu Dhabi remain cancelled until the winter 2027-2028 season, and services to Bahrain are not expected to resume until the end of March 2027.
If you’re considering booking, I’d keep a close eye on the latest Foreign Office advice and be well prepared for further last-minute schedule changes.
MeliáRewards Overhaul Coming in 2027
Meliá has announced a major overhaul of its MeliáRewards loyalty programme from January 2027, with changes to status qualification and a greater focus on experiences rather than just points.
Meliá has published a vague preview of the changes, raising the question of whether points will still be usable towards hotel stays. The programme has already moved away from reward charts towards dynamic pricing. The wording of ‘points to experiences’ hints that points could become focused on experiences and spending during a hotel stay rather than redemptions. Hopefully that won’t be the case.
An evolution of its status tiers has also been promised, with activity and spending counting towards qualification. Quite what this means in practice remains to be seen, particularly whether the existing tiers will change or whether there will be spending requirements.
There are also some potentially positive changes. With the introduction of companion nights, stays shared by two MeliáRewards members will count towards both members’ status. Any nights earned beyond your current tier requirement will also roll over for 12 months after renewal.
The other question that remains is how this will affect MeliáRewards Gold status, which is also a benefit of the AMEX Platinum card. With the separate MeliáRewards Amex credit card in Spain being withdrawn, I hope the UK partnership continues, and Gold status still has the same value. One of the most valuable Gold benefits is three 20% hotel discount vouchers each calendar year, which can be very lucrative and would be a shame to lose.
If you do have a MeliáRewards points balance, keep a close eye on this. If you have a stay in mind, it may be worth checking the current redemption options rather than waiting until January.
We will keep you updated with any changes announced!
Cape Town EDITION Now Open: Rooms from 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points
The EDITION hotel in Cape Town is now open. It’s the debut EDITION hotel in Africa, located at Quay 7 on the V&A Waterfront, overlooking the new superyacht marina, with views towards Table Mountain. It’s an ideal location for a Cape Town trip, with a great atmosphere and plenty of shops, restaurants, and attractions.
Being regular visitors to Cape Town, I am happy to see the addition of additional hotels in the very safe V&A Waterfront.
The EDITION brand focuses on contemporary design, destination dining and a more relaxed approach to luxury, which works particularly well in a destination like Cape Town.
The hotel has 142 rooms and suites, all with bespoke furniture and large windows to maximise the views.
Neri&Hu designed the hotel, working alongside local Cape Town architects, with a design inspired by Quay 7’s industrial and maritime heritage. One of its most interesting features is The Drum, an open-air space with a spiral staircase leading to a viewing platform.
There is a good selection of restaurants and bars to choose from:
- Shale: The main restaurant focuses on seasonal South African ingredients, locally sourced seafood, dry-aged meat and local wines. Executive Chef Phil Carmichael previously worked at Berners Tavern at The London EDITION.
- EAVE: The rooftop restaurant and bar, alongside the heated outdoor swimming pool. Enjoy indoor and outdoor seating, cocktails, small plates and music in the evenings. It sounds like a lovely spot for sundowners overlooking the harbour.
- Lobby Bar: The signature EDITION Lobby Bar is a more relaxed setting for drinks.
- Punch Room: Inspired by the centuries-old tradition of punch drinking along the Cape’s historic trade routes, serving cocktails inspired by local ingredients.
The spa sounds particularly appealing, with five treatment rooms, a couples’ suite, sauna and steam room, and treatments using Omorovicza products. There are also infrared beds and Therabody recovery boots, plus a 24-hour gym and wellness sessions such as yoga, breathwork, and sound baths.
Cash rates start at £868 per night for a King Room with Ocean View and go up to £2,872 for the Penthouse Suite with Mountain View.
Redemptions start at 110,000 Marriott points per night, with the best deals for March to July 2027, though some earlier dates are closer to 140,000 points. Make sure you check the cash rate to make sure you’re getting good value per point.
Cape Town has been lacking a really high-end Marriott option in such a good location, and I think the EDITION fills that gap nicely.
