From the best local hotspots to fraud protection: four ways ‘chief holiday officers' can ace their planning
However, even the best CHOs could do with support, and to make their lives easier Barclays has curated a suite of products, including the Travel Pack1 (£14.50 per month), which offers cover for lost bags, cancellations and breakdowns for those who are looking for great value as well as peace of mind, and the Travel Plus Pack1 (£22.50 per month), which not only offers traditional travel insurance, but also a wealth of extras that help make any holiday feel safe, comfortable and – dare we say it – an adventure. From discounted fast-track security at airports to 24/7 concierge service, this means being looked after at every stage of the trip. So buckle up, these are the holiday gamechangers you never knew you needed.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, flights from UK airports departed on average 18 minutes and 24 seconds late last year. While even the savviest of travellers do their best to take delays in their stride, it can be a drag arriving at the airport only to be hit with the news that you're going to be waiting around a while – not to mention the inevitable check-in queues and uncomfortable waiting areas that have to be endured.
Thankfully, the Barclays Travel Plus Pack1 (£22.50 per month) is designed to help soothe these moments. It comes with the DragonPass Premier+ app2, which offers a discounted fast-track service at airport security – all you have to do is pre-book online to avoid the stress and walk straight past those seemingly neverending queues. Once through, you can enjoy six free visits to more than 1,000 airport lounges, with 25% off at selected restaurants. With this extra assistance, that typically harried time spent at the airport can be transformed into a relaxing – and enjoyable – experience. Even better, if you boost your regular Barclays account with Blue Rewards3, you get access to exclusive Apple Original shows and movies only on Apple TV+.
While escaping the great British weather is often at the forefront of most people's minds when booking a trip, CHOs are often thinking about how to make the most of their expenditure. The Barclaycard Avios Plus credit card* allows you to collect Avios – the currency of the British Airways Club – with every £1 you spend on eligible purchases (T&Cs apply). Collecting Avios through day-to-day spending can save you money on flights, upgrades, hotels and car hire.
If you plan to use your credit card abroad, then a Barclaycard Rewards credit card** comes with zero foreign transaction fees. Even better, you get 0.25% cashback on eligible purchases (T&Cs apply). Top tip: always pay in local currency to get the best exchange rate on the day.
In 2025, keeping your bank account secure has to be a priority – and Barclaycard has a fraud team on hand in the UK and abroad. This means if the unfortunate does happen, Barclaycard will refund you for any fraud on your account, including associated interest payments. So keep your local helpline number close and get in touch as soon as possible if you think you've been targeted. The Barclays app4 also makes keeping your money safe abroad a breeze – you can temporarily freeze your account with the click of a button should you lose your card while away or fear it's been compromised.
*Representative example. 80.1% representative APR (variable); purchase rate 29.9% p.a. (variable); based on £1,200 credit limit; monthly fee, £20. The approval of your application depends on your financial circumstances and borrowing history, so do the terms you may be offered. The interest rates may differ from those shown. T&Cs apply.
**Representative example. 28.9% representative APR (variable); purchase rate 28.9% p.a. (variable); based on £1,200 credit limit. The approval of your application depends on your financial circumstances and borrowing history, so do the terms you may be offered. The interest rates may differ from those shown. T&Cs apply.
Delving deep beneath the touristy hubs of any destination is a must when getting to know the wondrous places that host you. Visiting restaurants, markets and businesses that are owned and run by local communities not only enable you to experience the local way of life, but you can also be reassured your money is going back into the local economy and to those who need it the most.
A part of the Barclays Travel Plus Pack1 (£22.50 per month), the digital concierge service provided by Ten offers seamless access to the best activities, events and eateries wherever you are in the world. From booking top-name restaurants to activities unique to the destination, the Ten activities hub will guide you to a list of unmissable things to do. Additionally, Ten allows you to book room upgrades and spa experiences in hotels. If your timing is right, members might also be offered complimentary tickets to exclusive events in town, such as music gigs and sporting events.
Every good CHO knows that the best way to stay safe while travelling is to have reliable travel insurance that protects every aspect of your holiday. Teaming up with Aviva to include winter sports, cruises and even non-manual work outside of the UK, the Barclays Travel Pack1 (£14.50 per month) protects you on both family holidays and work trips, without any need for extra cover. And if you enjoy the freedom of having your own transport while travelling – especially with a family – it also comes armed with RAC breakdown cover, with unlimited UK callouts for account holders in any vehicle they are travelling in. Even better, this cover will ensure you have access to a hire car, alternative transport options (for example, you'll be able to take a train or plane), and overnight accommodation, if your car was to break down – ensuring your holiday doesn't come to an end too early.
If you intend to be away for more than 31 days, you can purchase a 'longer trip upgrade' for up to 120 days. This option is ideal for those taking a sabbatical or those who are off on the adventure of a lifetime. A pre-trip call is all you need to remember, and then the fun can begin!
Find out more about Barclays travel perks by visiting barclays.co.uk/travel/
1 Terms, conditions, exclusions and eligibility criteria apply. You must have a Barclays current account, be 18 or over and hold this product for at least six months from the date of purchase – then you can cancel at any time.
2 Terms and conditions apply for the DragonPass Premier+ app and fast track security.
3 To join Barclays Blue Rewards, eligibility, conditions and a £5 monthly fee apply.
4 You must be 11 or over to use the app. T&Cs apply.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Heathrow Airport's expansion plans to cost £49bn, plans reveal
Heathrow Airport has revealed details of its plan to expand and modernise the airport at a cost of £49bn. Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Heathrow Airport, said expansion was "urgent" as the airport was currently working at capacity, "to the detriment of trade and connectivity". The work would be funded by private government has backed plans for a third runway, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves saying it would "make Britain the world's best connected place to do business".However, the plans face opposition from environmental groups, politicians, and locals. London's mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said it would have a "severe impact on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets". The plans come a day after the deadline set by the government for parties to submit plans, which it estimates would be completed within a decade, include:Creation of a third runway, called the "North-Western Runway", which would be up to 3,500m (11,500 ft) long. Heathrow bosses say this will increase capacity to 756,000 flights and 150m passengers a year - it currently serves about 84mA new terminal called T5X, expanding Terminal 2 and three new satellite terminals. It would close Terminal 3Enhancement of local rail connections, plus walking and cycling routesDiversion of the M25, which would involve a new road tunnel under the airport, and widening the motorway between junctions 14-15Creation of two new Heathrow parkways Improvements to Heathrow's bus and coach stationsHeathrow said it would cost £21bn to build the third runway, which includes procuring the land, changing the M25 and other associated infrastructure costs while building the new terminal would be £12bn and modernising the current airport's infrastructure £15bn. Due to rounding, it will total £49bn.A spokesperson added the plans would grow the UK economy by 0.43% GDP. 'Unlock billions' The plans revealed by Heathrow were welcomed by business groups and airline companies. A joint statement from the Confederation of British Industry, British Chambers of Commerce, MakeUK, Federation of Small Businesses and Institute of Directors, said it was "an investment in the nation's future".It added: "The benefits are clear: for exporters, it opens up vital access to major and emerging markets; for visitors, it enhances global and domestic connectivity; and for businesses, it unlocks billions in private investment, strengthening supply chains, creating jobs, and driving skills across the country."John Dickie, chief executive of BusinessLDN, said as the airport was currently operating at full capacity, the expansion would give businesses "better connectivity to overseas markets and support Britain's growth".He added it would also help achieve the government's target of 50 million international visitors per year to the UK. Environmental damage Mr Woldbye said Heathrow's submission was in line with the aviation industry's target to be net zero by 2050. He added that Heathrow was "the airport in the world with the highest uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuel", and that planning permission would not be granted by government unless legal limits of emissions were adhered to. However, the plans were heavily criticised by groups who called the environmental justifications for the plans as "hopeful marketing spin". Dr Douglas Parr, policy director for Greenpeace UK, said the government had "decided yet again to prioritise more leisure opportunities for a comparatively small group of frequent fliers, whilst the rest of us have to live with the consequences of their disproportionate polluting".He suggested a "frequent flier levy", and said no expansion should take place until there was a solution to the "pollution problem". His concerns were echoed by politicians including Sir Sadiq who said he remained "unconvinced" that hundreds of thousands of additional flights each year would not have a "hugely detrimental" added City Hall would "carefully scrutinise" the impact the extension would have on people living in the area and the "huge knock-on effects for our transport infrastructure, which would require a comprehensive and costed plan to manage". A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: "Heathrow is already the single largest polluter in the UK, and the Climate Change Committee itself has said expansion would put the UK's climate goals at risk."It's also clear we can't rely on the silver bullet of Sustainable Aviation Fuels to save the day," they added. The Green Party deputy leader, Zack Polankski, said the plans were being delivered "regardless" of the environmental impact. "If Labour's environmental commitments were worth the paper they're written on, these proposals would never have seen the light of day," he residents living in Harmondsworth, near the airport, told the BBC earlier this year a third of the village would be destroyed if a third runway was to go ahead. Rival plans Heathrow's plans follow the publication of a rival proposal by the Arora Group, which has outlined a way to expand the airport without needing to redirect the M25. Owner of the group, hotel tycoon Surinder Arora, said the creation of a third runway and a new terminal, under his plans, had a cost estimate of under £25bn, not including the redevelopment of the airport's existing central proposal crucially does not involve an expensive alteration to the M25, as the group said it was possible to build a 2,800-metre (9,200 ft) third runway instead of the full-length 3,500-metre (11,500 ft) runway planned by the Group said its plan, called Heathrow West, could have a new runway fully operational by 2035, while a new terminal would open in two phases, in 2036 and 2040. Moving the M25 When asked about the added expense of altering the M25 to accommodate a new, third runway, Heathrow's CEO said: "The whole conversation about the M25 has been slightly exaggerated", and that disruption to drivers would be minimal. "We will build a new and much better M25, 100m (330 ft) to the west of the current one. It will be wider and it will be safer and it will have more capacity," Mr Woldbye added. He said plans to create a much shorter runway to avoid moving the M25 - like the one proposed by The Aurora Group - would "not provide the capacity that we and the airlines need", but said the airport would be open to a discussion with airlines about building a shorter runway if it could deliver the same benefits. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the two proposals were a "significant step towards unlocking growth, creating jobs, and delivering vital national infrastructure"."We'll consider the proposals carefully over the summer so that we can begin a review of the Airports National Policy Statement later this year," she added. 'Half the battle' BBC London's political editor Karl Mercer said: "History has not been kind to plans to build a third runway, whoever has put them forward, and whichever colour government is in power."Gordon Brown's Labour government supported Heathrow expansion in 2009 - that didn't happen. "Then during Conservative Theresa May's reign in 2018, MPs voted overwhelmingly in support of a third runway - only for a series of court challenges and then Covid to put an end to those plans. "There are plenty of Labour MPs in the capital who are still strongly opposed to expansion - 28 voted against it last time and most are still in the House. "Having bidders interested is only half the battle - the hardest half will be getting it delivered."
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Heathrow's £21bn third runway plan revealed – and could be ready by 2039
Heathrow airport has said it can build a third runway for £21billion within a decade. The airport is seeking permission to open a new 3,500-metre runway to the north-west of its existing location. Plans have been submitted to the government for a new full-length runway, but insisted it is open to considering a shorter one. This would enable an additional 276,000 flights per year, from 480,000 today to 756,000. The M25 motorway would need to be moved into a tunnel under the new runway. Heathrow also wants to create new terminal capacity for 150 million annual passengers, up from 84 million currently. This would involve a new terminal complex named T5XW and T5XN, extending Terminal 2, and demolishing Terminal 3 and the old Terminal 1. Heathrow said its runway and airfield plan would be privately funded at a cost of £21billion. It attributed the increase from its estimate of £14billion in 2018 to 'construction inflation'. The total plan, including terminals and supporting infrastructure, would be expected to cost £49 billion. Airlines have expressed concern that the airport will hike its passenger charges to pay for the project. Heathrow believes it is possible to meet the government's ambition of securing planning consent by 2029 and the new runway being operational within a decade. The airport's chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, said: 'It has never been more important or urgent to expand Heathrow. 'We are effectively operating at capacity to the detriment of trade and connectivity. 'With a green light from government and the correct policy support underpinned by a fit-for-purpose, regulatory model, we are ready to mobilise and start investing this year in our supply chain across the country. 'We are uniquely placed to do this for the country. It is time to clear the way for take-off.' EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said Heathrow expansion 'represents a unique opportunity for easyJet to operate from the airport at scale for the first time and bring with it lower fares for consumers'. The airline carries the most passengers on flights from UK airports but does not serve Heathrow. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said he remains opposed to a third runway 'because of the severe impact it will have in terms of noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets'. He warned that City Hall will 'carefully scrutinise' the proposals, adding: 'I'll be keeping all options on the table in how we respond.' Tony Bosworth, climate campaigner at the charity, Friends of the Earth, said if Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wants to be 'seen as a climate leader' then backing Heathrow expansion is 'the wrong move'. He went on: 'A third runway raises serious, unanswered questions about how it fits with the UK's climate commitments.' On Thursday, hotel tycoon Surinder Arora published a rival Heathrow expansion plan which involves a shorter runway to avoid the need to divert the M25 motorway. The billionaire's Arora Group said a 2,800-metre runway would result in 'reduced risk' and avoid 'spiralling cost'. Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who gave her backing for a third runway in a speech on growth in January, said: 'We are one step closer to expanding our biggest airport – boosting investment in Britain, increasing trade for businesses, and creating up to 100,000 jobs.' Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the expansion proposals as 'a significant step towards unlocking growth, creating jobs, and delivering vital national infrastructure'. She will consider the plans over the summer so that a review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) can begin later this year. The ANPS will provide the basis for decision-making on any development consent order application. Conservative shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said his party welcomed the investment in UK infrastructure, but insisted it must be privately funded. He said: 'This is a private venture, and it must remain that way. There can be no backup blank cheque from taxpayers. 'Britain needs infrastructure that is affordable, accountable and ambitious, and that means open scrutiny, real competition, and a clear eye on delivery.'
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
Heathrow submits ‘shovel-ready' plans for third runway
Heathrow has submitted its 'shovel-ready' plans for a third runway as part of a £50bn investment, as the government said expanding Europe's largest airport could create 100,000 jobs and drive growth. The 2-mile (3.2km) runway expansion would cross a diverted M25 and allow more than 750 additional flights a day over London, helping bring the total annual number of passengers to 150 million. Environmental campaigners called it a 'doomed scheme' that would release millions of tonnes of CO2 while benefiting only a small minority of rich flyers. Heathrow said that with government support it could obtain planning permission by 2029 and have the runway in operation by 2035. Its proposals remain essentially the same as those submitted in 2019 and approved in principle by the government and MPs. That scheme survived a brief block on climate grounds sparked by legal challenges from campaigners, overturned on appeal in 2020. However, the plans were put on hold as passenger numbers dropped during the pandemic. The shareholders in the airport, which include the French private equity firm Ardian and Saudi Arabia and Qatar's sovereign wealth funds, are seeking legislative change, as well as long-term political support, before filing a full planning application. Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, has strongly endorsed expansion, but Heathrow is seeking firm policy guarantees after previous runway plans were overturned. These include airspace modernisation to ensure extra flight paths and the passing of the planning and infrastructure bill. The airport is also seeking guarantees that the aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), would allow Heathrow to levy charges to airlines at a level high enough to recoup its investment. Heathrow said the price of the runway itself would now be £21bn, up from £14bn six years ago, due to inflation in construction costs. An additional extension of Terminal 5 to support the extra passengers would cost £12bn, while another £15bn spend is planned to upgrade the wider airport regardless of the runway development. The chief executive of the airport, Thomas Woldbye, said it had 'never been more important or urgent to expand Heathrow'. He said: 'We are effectively operating at capacity to the detriment of trade and connectivity. With a green light from government and the correct policy support underpinned by a fit-for-purpose regulatory model, we are ready to mobilise and start investing this year in our supply chain across the country. We are uniquely placed to do this for the country. It is time to clear the way for takeoff.' A government spokesperson said: 'Expanding Heathrow could drive growth, trade and tourism, whilst unlocking over 100,000 jobs.' The government has promised to review the plans over the summer, with Heathrow pressing for a green light in September. It will also examine a rival proposal from a developer, the Arora Group, which has drawn up plans for a shorter runway further to the east. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion A Heathrow spokesperson said the airport was open to discussing with airlines the potential for a shorter runway, but it did not believe alternative schemes could reduce the cost or deliver the same benefits as the existing plans. The hub's expansion is backed by business groups and unions, as well as the government, despite arguments that unchecked aviation growth is incompatible with Britain's net zero ambitions and tackling the climate emergency. The CBI, British Chambers of Commerce, MakeUK and the Federation of Small Businesses said in a joint statement that the third runway 'opens up vital access to major and emerging markets [and] unlocks billions in private investment, strengthening supply chains, creating jobs, and driving skills across the country'. Heathrow claims expansion would also create more competition. British Airways currently operates half of all flights from Heathrow and airlines jealously guard rights to valuable slots. EasyJet said the runway represented 'a unique opportunity for easyJet to operate from the airport at scale for the first time and bring with it lower fares for consumers'. However, opponents questioned whether the scheme would progress, having failed to move ahead so far despite approval from two previous governments. Paul McGuinness, the chair of the No 3rd Runway coalition, said: 'There's a real danger that we'll end up with a hole in the ground and a debt pile for taxpayers to underwrite, because the government had foolishly encouraged Heathrow's profligate self-interest, as if blind to the lessons of HS2.' The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said a new runway would have 'a hugely detrimental impact on our environment'. Dr Douglas Parr, the policy director for Greenpeace UK, said the announcements meant residents around Heathrow would have 'their lives put on hold for a few more years while more money and time is wasted on a doomed scheme … the economic case for the whole debacle just will not fly'.
