Travel Deals: Sao Paulo Business Class, Glasgow-NYC, Hilton Points

The article highlights three significant travel and loyalty program updates. Firstly, Iberia is offering an appealing business class return fare from Madrid to Sao Paulo for under £1,700 for travel in 2026. While passengers must arrange their own travel to Madrid to potentially avoid higher Air Passenger Duty, this deal provides excellent value and allows for earning Avios and British Airways Club tier points.

Secondly, United Airlines is reintroducing its seasonal direct flight service between Glasgow and New York/Newark (EWR) for summer 2026, operating from May 8th until September 26th. This marks Glasgow's first direct connection to New York since 2019. However, the service will utilize a Boeing 737MAX 8, a domestically configured aircraft, meaning lie-flat business class seats will not be available. The front cabin, which features larger 2-2 configured seats, will be sold as “Premium Economy” to manage passenger expectations, offering a more comfortable experience than economy but not a full business class product.

Lastly, Hilton Honors has launched a 100% bonus promotion for buying 5,000 or more points, valid until November 21st, 2025. While purchasing points can be beneficial for specific redemptions, especially to cap costs at high-demand properties, potential buyers should calculate the value against their target hotels, as Hilton recently increased points prices for many top-tier properties. The maximum purchase with the bonus is 480,000 points for £1,980, equating to 0.41p per point, which is slightly above the ideal 0.33p valuation. New Hilton Honors members face restrictions, requiring 30 days of account activity or 90 days post-enrollment before they can purchase points. The article also notes that the Hilton Honors Debit Card offers instant Silver status, enabling the ‘five reward nights for the points of four' benefit.

(Source: https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/10/11/good-sao-paulo-business-class-deal-with-iberia/)