News & offers: New Avios partner, TWA hotel in New York and 10% off hotels.com,

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New Avios partner – Monese

Avios is partnering with Monese, a globally-connected banking service so customers can easily track and maximise their Avios balance as well as Avios earn and spend opportunities. The tie-up creates a way for customers to view their bank and loyalty balances on one app, while developments, including exclusive earn opportunities, will launch over the next few months.

Within the Monese app, Avios will appear as a separate account, alongside other Monese currency accounts such as euros and pounds. This allows customers to view their Avios balance and latest transactions as they fly, travel, or spend across hundreds of Avios partner brands such as ASOS, John Lewis and Just Eat.

In the coming months, this service will become even smarter, to help customers get the most out of collecting and spending Avios. For example, Monese customers will earn Avios for referring friends; they will be able to send and receive Avios between Monese customers and link their Monese account cards to Avios in-store offers, to allow for Avios earning while using their Monese card. Further plans include a smart feature (via app push-notifications) that will highlight how and where everyday spending can help customers earn more Avios across hundreds of Avios partner brands.

Andrew Crawley, CEO, Avios Group, says: “Partnering with Monese is a significant move to making it even more convenient for customers to track their Avios while on the go.

“As Avios can be collected and spent in over 190 countries, we understand the need to have a banking account that’s as mobile as our customers. We look forward to working with Monese on our exciting plans to make collecting and spending even more rewarding.”

Monese offers instant, smart and connected banking services. Customers can track and manage all travel and finances, including Avios earned on any credit cards, in one place, via one, simple-to-use app. As customers travel and earn Avios, they can seamlessly switch between their Avios account – linked to British Airways Executive Club – and their UK, European and business current accounts all from within the Monese app.

So what is Monese?

Monese was founded in 2013 by Norris Koppel, after his first-hand experience of the hassle involved with opening a bank account in a new country. Monese offers an instant, locally smart and globally connected banking service..

With its mobile-only dual UK and European IBAN current account, its portability across 20 countries, and both the app and its customer service available in 11 languages, Monese allows people and businesses to bank like a local across the UK and Europe. Monese has a 9.1/10 TrustPilot score. In November 2018, Monese was named by the Sunday Times’ Fast Track as one of 10 ‘Disruptors to Watch’ in 2018.

You can find the Monese website here.

TWA Hotel New York open for booking

**Photo by Max Touhey courtesy of TWA hote**l

If you remember anything about Trans World Airlines (better known as TWA), you may remember the legendary white TWA Flight Center by JFK airport in New York. This 1962 iconic building has now been transformed into the TWA hotel which opens on 15th May 2019. The hotel is now taking bookings and rooms start from around $239. Hopefully, we will bring you a full review shortly after it opens.

The hotel will feature a rooftop pool with views of the runway, six restaurants and eight bars. The hotel boasts amazing soundproofing – the only building with thicker glass is the US Embassy! This means the rooms have great views with floor to ceiling windows but without the noise. Each guestroom features a glamorous wetbar custom built from walnut, glass, mirrors, brushed brass and crystallized glass. The model room bar is stocked with the ingredients for a perfect cocktail hour: Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne, Hennessy V.S.O.P Privilège Cognac and the Belvedere Martini with Belvedere Vodka.

The hotel will have many special features, including a bar inside a renovated TWA Lockheed Constellation. There will be two hotel wings, designed to reflect the landmark TWA Flight Center, sit behind the historic building and contain 512 guestrooms with views of JFK’s runways and the TWA Flight Center. The hotel has:

512 ultra-quiet guestrooms with exhilarating views of JFK’s runways and the iconic TWA Flight Center
50,000 square feet of meeting and event space that can host up to 1,600 people
6 restaurants and 8 bars
10,000-square-foot rooftop observation deck with pool
State of the art 10,000-square-foot fitness facility with yoga, spinning and other amenities
Museum devoted to the Jet Age, TWA and the midcentury modern design movement

If you can’t make it to stay at the hotel there’s always the TWA Lounge on the 86th floor of One World Trade Center. The viewing platform inspired by the Sixties has panoramic vistas from Manhattan to JFK. You can have a drink and enjoy seeing the collection of vintage TWA air hostess uniforms, artifacts and memorabilia. There are more details here.

The booking page for the hotel is here.