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After first teasing this change in 2022, British Airways confirmed earlier this year that it will adopt a revenue-based Avios earning model. This new model took effect starting October 18, 2023.
British Airways is following in the shoes of its IAG partner Iberia, which announced a switch to a revenue-based system back in November 2022. At that time, British Airways indicated that it would likely follow suit.
As the new changes loom, you should book your British Airways flights now to lock in distance-based earnings on any paid fares.
The New British Airways Avios Earning Model
From October 18, 2023, British Airways Executive Club members will no longer earn Avios based on the distance flown but instead based on the cost of the ticket. Members also will earn Avios for spending on ancillary services like seat reservations and upgrades.
The new model strips significant value from long-haul destinations since the distance flown is now irrelevant. For example, travelers may be able to earn more Avios on an expensive 2.5-hour economy fare from London to Rome than a cheap economy fare from London to Singapore — a 13-hour flight!
New British Airways Avios Earning Rates
From October 18, 2023, British Airways Executive Club members booking and flying with BA and Iberia will earn Avios according to their tier status as follows:
- Blue members: 6 Avios per qualifying £1 spent.
- Bronze members: 7 Avios per qualifying £1 spent.
- Silver members: 8 Avios per qualifying £1 spent.
- Gold members: 9 Avios per qualifying £1 spent.
In terms of what is considered qualifying spending, these include:
- The base fare of the ticket.
- Carrier-imposed surcharges.
- Online or at airport upgrades, charges, seats, or excess baggage fees.
How This Change Is a Stealth Status Bonus Devaluation
Unsurprisingly, British Airways has taken a page out of Iberia’s playbook — both are owned by the same company, after all — and implemented a tier status bonus devaluation along the way.
Taking 6 Avios per £1 spent as the baseline, elite members would earn the following bonuses under the current system:
- Bronze members currently receive a 25% bonus, which would yield 7.5 Avios per £1 spent instead of 7X.
- Silver members currently receive a 50% bonus, which would yield 9 Avios per £1 spent instead of 8X.
- Gold members currently receive a 100% bonus, which would yield 12 Avios per £1 spent instead of 9X.
That means the new earning rates represent a devaluation. The effective status bonus will be reduced to the following:
- Bronze members receive a 16.7% bonus (down from 25%).
- Silver members receive a 33% bonus (down from 50%).
- Gold members receive a 50% bonus (down from 100%).
Our Take
British Airways is trying to spin this negative change as the airline listening to customer feedback! We very much doubt that most travelers have been pressing BA to strip value from the Executive Club program and further reduce their earning potential. Unless you command a significant corporate travel budget, this is a significant devaluation and reduces the value of BA Executive Club for most leisure travelers. Simply put, you'll earn less after the changes.
You don't need to fly by October 18 to lock in the existing earning rates; you just need to book your flights by that date. For most people, this is a smart move.
What do you think of the new structure? Will you stick with BA, or will your loyalty be jumping ship to another carrier? Let us know in the comments below.
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