BA shakes up tier point earning basis
British Airways, Monday 5 February, announced major changes to the way in which its Executive Club members qualify for Bronze, Silver and Gold status.
Members earn tier points when purchasing cash tickets with BA and other Oneworld airlines. Tier points are earned in a specific ‘membership year’ that until now had been derived from the date which you took your first Oneworld flight as an Executive Club member. At the end of that year, the clock, and the points, are reset.
The thresholds needed for a member to qualify for status start at 300 for Bronze (dedicated check in desks, choice of seat 7 days before departure, and priority above Blue members), rising to 600 for Silver (business lounge access, fast track at certain airports, seat choice from moment of booking). That threshold then jumps to 1500 for Gold (first lounge access and additional reward availability), and 5000 for Gold Guest List (Concorde Room access, and status gifting).
However, the changes announced today affect the earning period specifically. Until now, Executive Club members all had different windows in which to earn tier points and qualify for status the following year - which could be particularly annoying for couples, for instance, taking similar trips but qualifying at different times. Effectively from 1 April 2024 (though BA claim it’s from 2025), all members will have the same tier point earning year, ending 31 March.
In the coming months, members will find their tier point collection year shortened for one time only, to end on 31 March 2025. However, they will have any tier points earned after 1 April 2024 added to the curtailed collection year as a one-off adjustment.
For example, if your current tier point year is due to end on 8 July 2024, your next year will be curtailed to end on 31 March 2025 instead of 8 July 2025. However, any tier points earned between April 1 and July 8 2024 will be applied to the shorter year as a one-off tier adjustment.
There will inevitably be one camp delighted with these changes; but another furious. There are obvious advantages to those whose tier point collection year now aligns with their partner’s. But, for those seeking to maximise their time holding status, jetting off on tier point runs in April each year is likely to become very expensive, with a surge in popularity resulting from members wishing to do so all at the same time.
If you’d like to discover how to strategise your tier point earning, in order to achieve and maintain status in the most efficient way, become a member of The Airmiles Agency - your concierge can help design a bespoke plan to get you to the skies.
