Your Gold frequent flyer card is your ticket to a free upgrade on the Heathrow Express.
Flying to London and holding Star Alliance Gold status with a member airline such as Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa or any of the group’s 26 carriers?
With trains every 15 minutes plus a 15-minute journey time from start to finish, the Heathrow Express is the quickest way to zip between Heathrow Airport and Paddington Station, where you can settle into your hotel or hop a Tube train or an Uber to your final destination.
And a flash of your Gold frequent flyer card with any Star Alliance airline gets you (and one companion) a free upgrade to the Heathrow Express premium ‘Business First’ carriage.
(This is one of the least-known perks of Star Alliance Gold status – and that status can be yours without taking a single flight, thanks to the HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card.)
A standard one-way Heathrow Express fare costs £25, although advance bookings can be made for just £10; by comparison, a one-way Business First fare costs £32.
Usually found at either end of the Heathrow Express, the swish Business First carriages offer more legroom than the Standard carriage shown below.
The Business First seats are wider and arranged in a 1-2 layout – some with personal tables – plus an AC/USB sockets at each seat in case your device needs a fast top-up.
The Business First carriages are also less crowded and noticeably quieter than regular carriages.
So what’s the trick to getting a free first class bump on the Heathrow Express?
Just buy a standard Heathrow Express ticket, but make your way to the Business First carriage and settle in.
When the conductor passes through, simply show your ticket and your Star Alliance Gold-grade frequent flyer card (or the digital card on your airline’s own smartphone app).
While the terms and conditions of this offer specify “you must purchase of a full fare standard class ticket to and/or from London Paddington and Heathrow Airport”, many frequent flyers have report no issues with claiming their free Star Alliance Gold upgrade to Heathrow Express Business First against the heavily-discounted advance purchase fare.
Of course, the Elizabeth Line has proved something of a game-changer for anybody darting between Heathrow and greater London, and has won over many former Heathrow Express passengers.
Credits: Heathrow
