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Join us in learning how to use miles & points to travel & save money!
Welcome to Smart With Points, the podcast where we dive into the world of travelling with miles and points. I'm your host, Jack, and today we're discussing the radical transformation of British Airways' Executive Club program, soon to be known as The British Airways Club. This change is huge, and we're going to break it down for you. British Airways has just announced that from April 1st, 2025, they'll be moving to a revenue-based earning system. This means that members will earn 1 point for every pound spent on base fare, BA-imposed carrier surcharges, and ancillary purchases like seat selection and extra baggage. The new status thresholds are as follows: Bronze will require 3,500 points, up from 300 tier points; Silver will require 7,500 points, up from 600 tier points; Gold will require 20,000 points, up from 1,500 tier points; and Gold Guest List will require 65,000 points, up from 5,000 tier points, with at least 52,000 points coming from BA flights and holidays. Now, let's talk about what this means for different types of travellers. Leisure travellers, this change hits you particularly hard. Currently, a savvy traveller could earn Silver status with a couple of carefully planned business class trips to Asia using ex-EU fares, spending around 2,000 to 2,500 pounds total. Under the new system, they'll need to spend 7,500 pounds on eligible fare components, roughly triple the cost. Small business owners who currently achieve Gold through strategic booking of business class sales and ex-EU fares will find the path to status significantly more challenging. The requirement to spend 20,000 pounds on eligible fare components essentially means you'll need to be regularly booking flexible business class tickets or taking numerous premium flights throughout the year. On the other hand, corporate travellers on flexible business class tickets are the clear winners here. A single round-trip Club World ticket to New York at full fare, around 8,000 to 9,000 pounds in eligible spend, will get you most of the way to Gold status. There are also some additional earning opportunities to note. British Airways American Express Premium Plus cardholders can earn up to 2,500 points annually through card spend, although the exact earning rate is still to be confirmed. You can also earn up to 1,000 points through Sustainable Aviation Fuel contributions, and points on BA Holidays bookings at a rate of 1 point per pound on the entire package cost. If you're currently chasing BA status, it's worth considering a few strategic moves. Book flights for travel after April 1st, 2025, before February 14th, 2025, to take advantage of the bonus tier point offer. Look into oneworld alternatives, as other airlines like Qatar Airways or American Airlines may offer easier paths to oneworld status. And consider whether BA Holidays might offer better value under the new system. This change signals British Airways' clear focus on high-value corporate customers. For leisure travellers and small business owners, it may be time to explore alternatives. You can use our Smart Redemptions tool to compare options across different airlines and alliances. The British Airways landscape is changing dramatically, and we'll be keeping a close eye on the developments and updating our readers as more details emerge. Thanks for listening to this episode of Smart With Points. If you want to stay up to date with the latest news and tips on travelling with miles and points, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on all major platforms or visit our website at smartwithpoints.co.uk.