[dundj]

I’d already asked about this off the forum if it could be done, and was given the go ahead. Only 9 airports to go.

[dundj]

It is also showing now on the Star Alliance lounge finder at https://www.staralliance.com/en/lounge-finder

[dundj]

Agreed Freckles, the only possible issue is that if having access via a Star Alliance flight and it is being run by Plaza Premium, that there will be no changes and it would be necessary to us a PP card to try and get into Aspire next door or all the way down towards gate 5 and to the Escape Lounge.

Assuming you have *A status which gives access that is, or flying in business.

[dundj]

Interesting

[dundj]

The whole lounge or just a section?

[dundj]

Hilton have based their Diamond Reserve figures based on their data of their members, and also with an uplift based on those who think it is worth plumping for Diamond Reserve (I feel sorry for those people).

Even if, and it is a very massive if, they are short by 40 to 100 percent, the numbers are not huge on a nightly basis. Add in the few hundred to very, very low four figure Hilton Honors Society members then unless you are only staying at the most desired Hilton properties, the benefits as a standard Diamond is not really going to change much.

Gold members on the other hand, I would suggest booking the room type you want to be upgraded into.

And for @Pangolin, even though a few of my close friends may call me Davina as an in joke, I’m definitely a he.

[dundj]

I should add for the OSL Lounge which would have been your only option, you are not missing much.

[dundj]

No, Norway is a strange outlier with the PP in that no lounge or dining options are on it.

[dundj]

@JDB there really won’t be 10 million Diamond Reserve members. The active number of Hilton Honors members is a fraction of the total number of members they have. Those also staying 80 nights or 40 stays, and spending over $18k pre taxes is going to be far smaller. As I said previously, it will be around 50-60 thousand overall. There may be a small increase on that number in the first year with people reaching to see what Diamond Reserve is like, but unlikely to be too many.

[dundj]

It’s not a guaranteed upgrade, so you may not receive it even if you do plump for the offer.

It’s an ok lounge, though small, however I think it still remains open 24 hours a day to get tea/coffee, soft drinks and to satisfy any Tunnocks cravings you might have and also to use as additional space to work in before retiring to bed. Food is on a platter and is not substantial by any stretch of the imagination.

If you have lounge access already, I would not entertain paying for the upgrade.

[dundj]

That’s an unusual one, how many stays have you had in those 30 nights?

[dundj]

No, that is one of the ways to reach Diamond currently. It is not necessary to reach 60 nights. Other option is 120,000 base points.

[dundj]

I have to agree with @Froggee in relation to CDG, having done both arrivals and connections there, arriving on Air France or British Airways and connecting with Air France.

The experience with British Airways on arrival is horrible in 2C with the tight space for passport and the queue system. Departures is worse in that terminal too.

2E for Air France is much larger with good space all around and as mentioned the Sky Priority lane is fairly quick when compared to the regular line. At most I’ve had a 20 minute wait when behind a large number of US arrivals. Connecting I find easy too with having Sky Priority as well.

[dundj]

I’ll pass on that issue as no idea why. Any particular hotel and I’ll see if I can replicate it?

[dundj]

Rather than use your fingerprint to sign in or the initial sign in via password on the front page, click on account and then sign in from there adding in your Hilton Honors account number and your password, if at this stage it asks you to add biometrics you can. There seems to be an issue with the front page sign in option not connecting to the database properly from what I can see.

[dundj]

There is a note stating it will no longer earn Hilton Points in a banner at the top of the booking page.

[dundj]

That’s right @RonnieB. I’m there tomorrow night for the princely sum of £57.43, and upgraded from a Standard Double Room to one of the Superior Suites.

[dundj]

Assuming @Ranger43 that your booking is between the 13th and 20th November? Which would make sense as they will likely need to replace a lot of the inventory that was purchased from Hilton, and will only keep open the rooms needed for contractual purposes like bus tours.

[dundj]

This morning’s hotel offers on Plat and BA cards are:-

IHG – Spend £300 get £75 back
Premier Inn – Spend £125 get £25 back

[dundj]

My partner and I have planned a weekend in Paris in late November to complete EES registration. That both of us will also be Flying Blue Ultimate to bypass the passport queues at CDG came into our thoughts around this as well, rather than doing it via AMS which is a complete mess at the best of times.

[dundj]

Not likely at that level as the benefits on US version is far higher in value , and the overall satisfaction rate on the UK Platinum is not.

It would need to see a vast improvement in benefits to be worthwhile, otherwise I suspect droves of people cancelling their cards at £800 or even raising above £695 in the mid term.

[dundj]

Also Berlin and Brussels, plus any other airport using Collins Aerospace software.

[dundj]

Rob Burgess wrote:

freckles wrote:

Any idea when that VIP room will be in operation @Rob? I’m presuming not in the short term.
There is definitely nothing VIP about the Plaza at the moment!

Not sure what it’s like at present because I don’t think I’ve ever seen the second area at Edinburgh, only the main lounge.

The VIP room is the room immediately on the left through the double glass doors, usually was my go to section of the lounge for peace and quiet. My suspicion is the the kids area, which is usually empty during a large portion of the day, will be repurposed into something of a more upmarket section within the lounge, or be specifically for airlines (like QR) during their flight operations.

[dundj]

tusker wrote:

Just checking – currently no opportunity to use Radisson VIP status in NYC, or, for that matter, anywhere in the USA?

Because Radisson Americas is no longer part of Radisson Rewards since they split due to being owned by a Chinese company.

[dundj]

@Waffles1 thank you for the heads up. I’ve returned to VIP as well. Let’s see if the hokey cokey overnight puts the left foot, right back to Premium again.