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New Hilton Double Points Promotion
Hilton Honors has launched the latest Double Points Promotion, where Hilton Honors members can earn 2X Bonus Points on all Hilton stays between 2 May 2 – 2 September 2024. Hilton usually alternates every six months for their bonus between double points and a fixed bonus of 2000 points or more. This bonus is better for high spenders as it usually works out better than a fixed bonus.
As usual, you will need to register in advance on this page. The bonus will apply to dates within the promotion range, even if you booked before registering. You also get double points on stays before 2 May, provided you are checking out on or after 2 May 2024 but by 2 September.
You just need to have registered before your stay on this page.
Conrad New York Midtown leaving Hilton
My favourite Hilton property in New York, the Conrad Midtown, is to leave the Hilton group on 4 June 2024. This is a real shame as it had a great location near Central Park, and most of the rooms were large suites, which is very unusual in New York. As yet, it is not known what will happen to the hotel in terms of being independent or joining another brand.
It is still available for booking on points as usual, so if you were thinking of booking it, I would not hang around! Usually, they honour points bookings when the hotel exits a brand, but not always.
The Conrad Downtown will still be an alternative, which also features suites, but they are a little smaller.
HT: Loyalty Lobby
American Airlines improves food, bedding, and amenities
AA has been slipping behind the competition for some time, so it is good to see that they are finally beginning to try and improve their premium offerings. The last business class amenity kit that I got was woeful! It’s a shame that before BA brought out their Club Suites, I often would choose AA to fly with instead due to their consistent business class seats, which are 1-2-1. Plus, of course, the ice cream sundaes!
New Flagship suites
Future Boeing 787-9, 777-300 and Airbus A321XLR aircraft, will feature a new interior with the Flagship® Suite seat and refreshed seats and amenities across Premium Economy and Main Cabin.
Customers traveling in the Flagship Suite® seat will have wireless charging, Bluetooth capability and multiple storage spaces. American has added privacy doors to their standard business class seat and the ability to relax in a chaise lounge position.
There will now also be a new front row experience, i.e., business class plus, which is becoming very popular with airlines such as Malaysia, Air France, and Virgin, all offering a premium business class seat in the front row. Their new Boeing 787-9 and retrofitted 777-300 aircraft will feature the Flagship Suite® Preferred seat. This seat will offer customers expansive space, several storage areas, and exclusive amenities like a Nest Bedding® mattress pad, a throw blanket, a memory foam lumbar pillow, Nest Bedding® pajamas, and an exclusive amenity kit featuring additional skincare products from Thirteen Lune by Joanna Vargas and Relevant.
As these new interiors roll out, customers traveling in Premium Economy will also enjoy new amenities like wireless charging, additional storage space and privacy headrest wings. Customers traveling in Main Cabin will have new 4K seatback screens and new Bluetooth connectivity and AC and USB-A/USB-C charging ports. All customers will be able to browse high-speed Wi-Fi and watch up to 1,500 free entertainment content offerings.
Amenity kits
The new program will be on board more than 300 international and transcontinental flights from 25 May 2024 in Flagship® First Class, Flagship® Business Class and Premium Economy cabins.
American’s primary amenity kit will be available yearlong for customers flying in premium cabins. The kit will include staple amenities such as a toothbrush, dental kit, eye mask and earplugs, in addition to new and evolving skincare products and offerings. American will cycle new brands and products within the kits for customers in all premium cabins. I like this idea as if you fly frequently, you can get a bit bored with the onboard kits.
American collaborated with beauty retailer Thirteen Lune to curate the skincare offerings, which will feature high-quality beauty brands such as Joanna Vargas and Relevant (I’ve never heard of either of these and would consider myself fairly up on US beauty brands).
In addition to these rotating products within the kits, customers will enjoy limited-edition specialty kits created in collaboration with US designers and brands.
The program will launch with a Thirteen Lune specialty kit to introduce customers to the new kit line and the opportunity to start collecting the limited-edition kits. Customers flying in premium cabins will receive the Thirteen Lune kit for the first few weeks of the kickoff to the new program.
Each specialty kit will be available for a limited time on eligible flights in Flagship® First Class, Flagship® Business Class and Premium Economy. Travelers will be able to learn about each brand and partner featured in the specialty kit by scanning a QR code found within the kit.
Bedding
Flagship® First Class or Flagship® Business Class will enjoy a dual-sided pillow with cool touch fabric on one side, and traditional fabric on the other.
I find it odd that they are introducing new amenities to AA First when they are due to phase out International and Transcontinental first shortly.
Those traveling in Flagship® First Class on international flights will continue to get a set of pajamas, based on feedback that 80% of first class customers value having pajamas onboard. In addition, travelers in Flagship® Business Class on all international flights will now receive slippers onboard instead of only on ultra-long-haul flights.
Customers in all cabins, including Premium Economy and Main Cabin, will get enhanced bedding, with cabin-specific options such as lumbar pillows, throw blankets, premium duvets and fleece blankets.
Flagship® First, Flagship® Business, and Premium Economy will now receive their bedding in a reusable zipper product bag also made with recycled fibers. Using the bag will save 25 tons of plastic waste a year.
Food
There are also new menus inspired by popular American Airlines destinations worldwide.
Travellers flying to American’s new summer destinations like Nice, France; Naples, Italy; or Copenhagen, Denmark, will be able to sample offerings like macadamia crusted sea bass with citrus cream sauce, quinoa, toasted orzo, and haricots verts. In addition to these offerings, pan-roasted chicken, tortellini pasta, and other offerings, including new pre-order options, will continue to roll out this spring for business class on flights from the U.S. to international destinations.
Customers traveling from Europe in business class can choose menu items like chili marinated chicken with mojo verde sauce, sweet potato mash, roasted corn, and mini chili or gnocchi duet with plain and beetroot gnocchi, lentil ragout, apple chutney, brown butter, roasted spring onion, and sliced green onion.
Customers traveling on domestic first class will also have new food to try.
Travellers will have dishes such as shawarma-seasoned grilled chicken, three-cheese sacchetti pasta, chicken enchiladas, or a plant-based stuffed red pepper.
Customers can also choose from new pre-order options, including short rib mac and cheese.
6 comments
Sorry all these ads make it very hard to read long articles on the phone.
I agree that on occasions it sometimes takes an extra few seconds to download articles but I have found that’s usually due to my connection, rather than the content.
This is a free site that many of us have benefited from, and I imagine it would have to cease if it wasn’t for the ads.
I can’t think of any free access content online that doesn’t include any sort of advertising, so unless we’re willing to start paying Michele for ad free access, out of necessity, we have to accept ads are here to stay.
It’s my full time job so unless you expect me to work for free, ads are how I make a living! It costs hundreds of pounds a month just to keep the site running let alone making a living from it.
Do you work for free? It costs you nothing to read and if you don’t like the ads there are plenty of ad blockers available.
Agreed.
So how do you expect me to a) make a living wage b) pay for the running of the website that you read for free?
I actually much prefer the Conrad Downtown so thankful this is remaining in the Hilton fold
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