Travel Updates: On Business, Hotel Rebrands, and SeatGuru’s End
The article details several significant changes across the travel industry, focusing on British Airways' On Business program, the rebranding of InterContinental Singapore, and the closure of SeatGuru.
British Airways' On Business is a small business loyalty program shared with Iberia, American Airlines, and Japan Airlines. Its primary benefit allows companies to earn On Business points while individual travelers simultaneously earn Avios, a practice known as “double-dipping.” While Iberia's version recently shifted to a revenue-based redemption model, offering €5 off for every 100 points (though making these redemptions non-refundable), the British Airways iteration will retain its reward chart for 2026. Key updates for BA's program include the eligibility of certain travel agent-booked ticket types for point earning, a feature previously unavailable. However, package holiday flights remain excluded. A minor change also eliminates the option for a cash discount instead of points, which had negligible practical impact. A potential risk highlighted is that Iberia made its change without notice, implying BA could follow suit in the future despite current plans.
In hotel news, the InterContinental Singapore on Middle Road is transitioning from IHG to Marriott's The Luxury Collection, effective January 1st. This move follows its prior unavailability for 2026 reservations under IHG. The hotel's exact new name, beyond being suffixed with “a Luxury Collection hotel,” is still unclear, with an example being the ex-Conrad New York Midtown now operating as ‘The Luxury Collection Hotel Manhattan Midtown.' The property is not yet bookable via Marriott.
Finally, the article reports the closure of SeatGuru, a once-important resource for checking aircraft seating plans for issues like missing windows or noise. Owned by TripAdvisor, the site became obsolete due to a lack of updates and the inherent difficulty in monetizing such niche travel tools beyond declining programmatic advertising. Airlines have also improved their own seat maps, though they rarely highlight specific issues. For those seeking alternatives, AeroLOPA is highly recommended as an independent, accurate, ad-free, UK-based hobby project, praised for its detailed and to-scale seat maps, including window placements.
(Source: https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/11/04/british-airways-on-business-changes-2/)
