It seems that British Airways has chosen the last week of the year to drop the news that it’s switching around how its elite members earn tier points – the currency used to obtain Bronze, Silver and Gold Memberships.
The move follows last year’s move when Avios collection move to a revenue-based Avios collection – where British Airways quotes that over 70% of its members earned more Avios (which I debate, based on my travel patterns).
The new changes go into effect from the. Let’s get on to the gritty stuff.
The airline is offering a new Tier Point system when flying, with members earning Tier Points based on the cost of their flight and, for the first time, for ancillary spend including seat selection and excess baggage. Members will earn 1 Tier Point for every £1 of eligible spend, which comes with recalculated Tier thresholds to reflect the new model.
Think about that. If you’re on a cheap economy fare or discounted business fare, congratulations – you’ve just had your earnings kneecapped.
In the airline’s own words, Eligible spending includes the base fare and the Carrier Imposed Charges (YQ and YR), but not the non-airline taxes and fees. Considering how much these make of a fare, your Tier Point earning potential is dropping.
The new tier limits are:
- Bronze: 3,500
- Silver: 7,500
- Gold: 20,000
- Gold Guest List (first time): 65,000 – with at least 52,000 earned through British Airways-marketed flights, qualifying add-ons and British Airways Holidays packages
- Gold Guest List (renewal) 40,000 to retain – with at least 32,000 earned through British Airways-marketed flights, qualifying add-ons and British Airways Holiday packages
What about earning on other oneworld airlines?
For those thinking of using other airlines to earn Tier Points, the second part of the kneecapping comes into effect. From 1 April 2025, flights marketed by American Airlines (AA) and Iberia (IB) will earn Tier Points based on total eligible spend. You’ll also earn Tier Points for qualifying add-ons on flights marketed and operated by Iberia.
For flights marketed by oneworld or other air partners, you’ll earn Tier Points based on a percentage of how many miles you fly, as well as your booking class and the cabin you fly in. This will vary per partner, with some as low as 2% in the lowest economy cabin, 12.5% in the lowest business cabin and up to 30% in the top first class cabin.
There are no changes to how you collect Avios on partner airlines.
But you can be sustainable and earn Tier Points…
For those looking to top up Tier Points, these will be offered on you contributing to purchasing Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). Members will also earn Tier Points and collect Avios by purchasing a contribution to SAF, earning up to 1,000 Tier Points per year.
You can also use Avios to pay too, if you’re so inclined from the 1st of April.
Unlimited Tier Points on British Airways Holidays.
After the success of the British Airways Holidays double Tier Points promotion, the airline has created a permanent proposition on holiday packages. Members will earn Tier Points based on the price of the entire package, with no limit in place, making it possible to earn elite status in fewer trips than under today’s offer.
Although, if you’re travelling with another person or more, I’d be interested to see how they apportion the points around. Given British Airways IT History, I have my doubts.
Later in the year…
The airline is promising additional features added to the programme over the year, including.
- Tier Points on credit card spending: BA American Express Premium Plus Cardmembers will be able to earn up to 2,500 Tier Points by spending on their card. More details of this offer will be announced closer to the launch date. Notably, those on the Barclay Avios Credit Card or the basic-tier American Express Card have been left with nothing.
- New milestone benefits between Tiers: By introducing more milestone moments between Tiers, Members will be able to unlock rewarding benefits before reaching their next level. This will start with gifts of 2,500, 4,000 and 5,000 Bonus Avios at milestones within Bronze and Silver. More benefits will be announced in the coming months.
In Quotes.
Colm Lacy, British Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said:
“The changes we have announced today underline our continued investment in our loyalty programme and in our customers. Based on our Members’ feedback, we’ve built on the changes we’ve already made – including how customers collect Avios and their membership year – in a way that we believe better rewards their loyalty and reflects their changing travel needs.
“While we have announced a number of positive changes today, I particularly wanted to highlight better rewarding our customers who book through British Airways Holidays and making this a permanent part of our proposition, removing the limit on earning. We know that many of our customers make their holiday plans during our annual January sale period, so it’s great to be able to announce this today.”
The next steps.
As noted, this goes into effect from the 1st of April 2025.
Customers who already hold bookings for travel after 1 April 2025 will be awarded Tier Points based on a conversion of the existing method. Any existing bookings will earn proportionally the same number of Tier Points, or more, as they would today.
All the information is loaded at https://www.britishairways.com/content/executive-club/faqs/introducing-the-british-airways-club.
With these changes coming in, the airline is throwing in a sweetener, with limited-time bonus Tier Points when booking before 14 February 2025 for travel from 1 April 2025. Bonus Tier Points will be awarded based on cabin, from Euro Traveller to First. The bonuses are below:
- Euro Traveller: 50
- Club Europe: 100
- World Traveller: 70
- World Traveller Plus: 140
- Club World: 210
- First: 330
Goodbye, cheap loyalty customers.
Congratulations. You’re about to be screwed for more money – Image Generated by Microsoft Copilot.
With this move, British Airways has told its leisure and low-spending business customers to look elsewhere if they want to be treated as loyal frequent, but low-earning flyers.
Unless you have the spending capacity for first class fares, or frequent business class trips, good luck in hitting Gold. As for Silver, that’s going to be a very hard stretch. It was made harder with the ridiculous tier point earning on partner fares especially as some of them earn as low as 2% of the total mileage you fly.
Considering how some of the lounges have been – the airline seems to be wanting to do a clean-out of its ranks.
And those who contribute the least are the easiest flab to cut, whilst keeping those who pay full fares.
As for me?
I have Silver to lock in this year – along with a Chicago trip. After that, I am a very free agent. Given the planned changes to club that were announced earlier last year, along with these – I’m seeing little reason to hang around with Britsh Airways (along with any Avios-related airline).
I’m of a great opinion that loyalty is earned, not given. And perhaps, I’ve given British Airways more than enough rope over the years.
That finally changes.
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I did enjoy reading about yoru Tier Point runs in the meantime