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REVEALED: New British Airways World Traveller Plus Cabin
BA’s director of marketing has revealed the design of the new World Traveller Plus cabin. The update is all part of BA’s £7bn transformation plan, which includes ‘new cabins’. We’ve seen BA introduce new First Class seats and the launch of the Club Suites product, but this news has still come as a surprise! We didn’t think BA would be updating Premium Economy so soon.
The aircraft in question is the first Boeing 787-9 to be refurbished in Cardiff with BA’s new Club Suite Business Class. We’d assumed the refurbishment would include installing the 2019 Premium Economy seats currently used elsewhere in the fleet, but we were wrong!
This isn’t a huge redesign, but it’s certainly an update. There are a few noticeable changes, including:
- Winged headrests (finally)
- Dark navy fabric upholstery with black leather headrests and contrast stitching
- Light grey shells and dark armrests
- A deeper side pocket
Although much of the layout remains the same, the refreshed World Traveller Plus cabin keeps the 2-3-2 configuration and the same seat count. The in-flight entertainment screen also looks to be about the same size as before (still smaller than those of Virgin, KLM, and Air France).
BA hasn’t issued an official release and hasn’t disclosed the seat manufacturer, although it’s believed to be a Recaro design, similar to the one currently used in Cathay Pacific’s Aria Premium Economy.
FAA approval of the aircraft is expected to take a few weeks. Once granted, refurbishment of the remaining 787-9 fleet is likely to follow soon after.
This change is very much a step in the right direction for BA. It’s nice to see BA giving the World Traveller Plus cabins a much-needed refresh. The best news is the addition of the winged headrests, which are becoming more popular in Premium Economy designs. They will make a big difference to quality of sleep and privacy, especially on an overnight flight.
However, there are still some things that would have made the seats even better. I do wish BA had taken the opportunity to upgrade the screen size.
There’s now a real inconsistency across BA’s World Traveller Plus cabins. It’s hard to know what you’ll get. Some still feature the older, pre-2019 design, whereas others have the 2019 seats. Comfort, storage and screen size vary!
Earn Double Avios on LeShuttle Bookings
In June, LeShuttle adopted Avios as its reward currency for its new Club LeShuttle loyalty programme. You can now collect double Avios on new bookings made by 14th October 2025 for travel until 30th September 2026 using the code 25AVIOSOCT.
Le Shuttle runs a cross-Channel car service between Folkestone and Calais, with a journey time of just 35 minutes. It runs 24 hours per day, every day of the year. You can drive straight on and stay with your vehicle throughout the crossing.
Standard tickets start at £117 per vehicle each way, and tickets for a day trip or overnight stay start from as little as £59 each way.
Here are the promotional rates:
| Ticket Type | Standard Rate | Rate until 14th October |
|---|---|---|
| Short Stay Flexiplus & Flexiplus | 6 Avios per £1 | 12 Avios per £1 |
| Day Trip & Overnight, Short Stay Saver, Standard, Standard Plus | 3 Avios per £1 | 6 Avios per £1 |
For example, if you book a week-long trip for four people during the October half-term on the Flexiplus fare, it would cost £492 and you would earn 12 Avios per £1. You would earn 5,904 Avios, whereas without the promotion, you would earn 2,952 Avios.
The code can be added to the vehicle details page:
Things to note:
- Certain payments will not earn you Avios. This includes fees for things like pets, insurance and payments on the day of travel.
- Payments not using a credit or debit card or promotional fares will not earn Avios.
- Existing bookings do not qualify.
- If you cancel, don’t travel, or amend to a non-qualifying fare, you’ll lose your Avios.
- Avios will post within 30 days after travel
- You must have a BA and LeShuttle account to earn extra Avios
If you’re planning a trip with LeShuttle soon, make sure you remember to add the code 25AVIOSOCT at check-out.
Up to 10,000 Bonus Avios with Royal Caribbean
Until 2nd November 2025, you will receive bonus Avios when booking a cruise in a Balcony or Suite stateroom as long as the cruise departs before 26th October 2026.
This includes 10,000 bonus Avios if you book before 19th October or 5,000 bonus Avios if you book before 2nd November.
Bonus Avios are awarded on top of the 3 Avios per £1 you would usually earn when booking selected cabins. If you’re planning to book, make sure you book before 19th October so you don’t miss out on the highest bonus.
You have the choice of crediting your Avios with BA, Aer Lingus, Vueling or Iberia. You just need to add your loyalty number on the confirmation page before booking.
In summer 2026, there are a number of European and Mediterranean cruises from Southampton. From US ports, there are also Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean sailings. You can view all the sailings here.
Things to Note:
- Avios will be in your account 28 days after your sailing.
- Avios will be awarded based on the total cruise fare of your cruise-only booking, including taxes and fees. All other charges, e.g. flights, hotels, transfers, gratuities, or onboard purchases such as drink packages, Shore Excursions, and Casinos, do not qualify for Avios.
- The maximum number of Avios that can be awarded by RCI to an Eligible Person for a single cruise booking is 100,000 Avios.
- This offer has previously run, and I’m sure it will be launched again in the next few months!
