British Airways (BA) will introduce significant changes to its loyalty programme in 2025, shifting how members earn and retain their status.
The current British Airways Executive Club will be rebranded as the British Airways Club on April 1, 2025. Tier points will be based on money spent rather than miles flown.
Key Changes to the British Airways Loyalty Programme
1. Earning Points
Under the new system, members will earn one tier point for every £1 spent on eligible purchases, including plane tickets, seat selection, and extra baggage.
This marks a departure from the traditional model, which rewarded frequent fliers based on miles flown.
2. Revised Tier Requirements
Gold Status: Requires 20,000 points annually, a significant increase from 1,500 points.
Silver Status: Now needs 7,500 points, up from 600.
Bronze Status: Requires 3,500 points, a steep rise from 300 points.
Gold Guest List: To join, new members must accumulate 65,000 points (previously 5,000), and renewing members need 40,000 points (previously 3,000).
Basic Blue membership remains free and unchanged, offering free Wi-Fi and the ability to earn Avios points.
3. Milestone Rewards and Holiday Packages
Members can unlock milestone benefits, offering rewards before reaching new tiers.
Unlimited tier points can now be earned on BA Holiday packages, potentially allowing members to achieve higher status with just one or two bookings.
Mixed Reactions from Customers
The changes have sparked customer debate, with many sharing their frustrations on social media.
One loyal Silver member for 12 years expressed concerns:
“It will now be impossible for me to retain my Gold membership status, and it’s highly unlikely I will even retain Silver.”
Another customer remarked:
“As my travel is 100% self-funded, there’s no way I can maintain status with British Airways. If I don’t get status perks, there’s no point in spending with them.”
A frequent flier noted:
“The amount of people loyal to BA for Gold or Silver status are likely to rethink their loyalty now. Why pay more when the rewards are removed?”
BA’ss Response
British Airways assures customers that, depending on the conversion rate, existing bookings will still earn tier points under the current system or better.
Colm Lacy, Chief Commercial Officer of British Airways, emphasized the airline’s commitment to rewarding customer loyalty:
“The changes underline our continued investment in our loyalty programme. We’ve built on customer feedback to reward their loyalty better and reflect their evolving travel needs.”
He also highlighted enhanced benefits for BA Holiday bookings, removing the previous limit on tier point earning.
Final Thoughts
While the new spending-based model aligns with airline industry trends, the steep increases in tier requirements may alienate long-time loyal customers. As the changes roll out,
British Airways’ ability to retain customer loyalty in a competitive market will be closely monitored.
For travellers considering alternatives, the shake-up could indeed be a game-changer.
