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Update: The new qualification year has taken effect. This post is being retained for reference on when this change took place. Note that the British Airways Executive Club has since been rebranded as the British Airways Club program.
If you're a British Airways Tier Point collector, this news is for you. British Airways is modifying the Tier Point collection period to simplify the Executive Club frequent flyer program. Starting in April 2024, British Airways will begin to transition to a uniform status-qualifying year, doing away with the current system of unique collection year periods for every member.
Or, at least simplicity is the goal — but the transition period makes an already convoluted system even more confusing. Here's a breakdown of what's new with the Tier Point collection year.
British Airways Adjusting Tier Point Collection Years
For those unfamiliar with British Airways Executive Club, Tier Points are the airline's metric for earning British Airways elite status. Like most other frequent flyer programs, you have a year to earn enough Tier Points or take enough paid flights to qualify for one of three elite status levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold).
But what's quirky about British Airways' system is the period you have to earn Tier Points. Currently, the collection year for earning Tier Points depends on the date you joined the Executive Club program. Your elite status earning year currently ends on the eighth day of your anniversary month every year. Your earned elite status is valid through the end of the month 13 months later.
That means that a British Airways Executive Club member could have one of 12 possible collection periods — the 8th of each calendar month.
Now, British Airways is doing away with these individualized collection period end dates and simplifying it to just one: March 31.
Starting this April, British Airways will start the transition to make the new Tier Point collection period April 1 through March 31 every year. The changes will start with a transition period starting April 1, 2024.
How the changes will look
Let's look at an example of a Tier Point collection year currently ending in August to explain the changes. The new important dates are broken down as follows:
- Your standard collection year will continue as normal until August 8, 2024.
- The next collection period will technically be August 9, 2024, through March 31, 2025.
- Then, your following collection period will start on April 1, 2025 and continue through March 31, 2026.
To keep you from having a sub-12-month Tier Point collection year, you'll get credit for Tier Point earnings between April 1, 2024 and the end of your next Tier Point collection year.
In the above example, the Tier Points you earn during the April 1 through August 8, 2024 transition period will also count toward the collection year ending March 31, 2025.
In effect, that means that all flight earnings from April 1 to August 8 (in this example) will count twice. These earnings will first count toward your tier point collection year ending August 8, 2024 — but will also count toward the tier point collection year that effectively runs from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.
You can check when your current qualification year ends in your Executive Club account. And for your specific situation, British Airways has a handy FAQ page showing what your collection years will look like until the changes take effect.
Related: A Complete Guide to Earning and Redeeming British Airways Avios
Final Thoughts
British Airways is trying to simplify the Executive Club program by implementing a single Tier Point collection year for every member starting in April 2024.
The period from April 1, 2024 to the end of your current tier point collection year will count twice — both toward your current collection year but also toward the new tier point collection year ending March 31, 2025.
Yes, the changes are confusing. But, after this transition period, the Tier Point collection period should be easier to navigate.
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