What is the British Airways Club?

The British Airways Club is the airline’s reimagined loyalty programme, officially launched in April 2025 to replace the long-standing Executive Club. While many travellers initially saw it as a rebrand, the truth is that British Airways used the transition to reshape how loyalty works, how status is earned, and what it actually means to be a frequent flyer today with British Airways.

With updated branding, revised thresholds, and a more flexible earning structure, the British Airways Club represents a new chapter in how the airline recognises and retains its most engaged customers.

It's been a year since the changes, so we thought we'd take another look at the revamped BA Club.

What is the British Airways Club?

At the most basic level, the British Airways Club is straightforward. Membership is free, and once you join, you begin earning rewards when you travel with British Airways or spend with its partners.

Those rewards come in two different forms: Avios and Tier Points. Understanding the difference between the two is essential, because they serve completely different purposes within the programme.

Avios are the programme’s currency. They are collected over time and can be spent on reward flights, upgrades, hotels, car hire, and a wide range of travel-related purchases. Tier Points, on the other hand, are not something you spend at all. They are used solely to determine your status level within the Club, and that status is what unlocks benefits when you travel.

Tier Points are the way BA track's how loyal a customer you have been. The more you pay to fly with BA, the more Tier Points you collect. The more Tier Points you collect, the more perks you can expect when you fly BA or any other oneworld airline.

Put simply, Avios are about rewards, while Tier Points are about recognition.

The move to a spend-based loyalty programme

One of the most significant changes introduced with the British Airways Club is the move toward a spend-based earning system.

Historically, airline programmes rewarded distance flown and the cabin class you travel in, above all else. Today, British Airways focuses far more heavily on the amount a customer spends. Members now earn Avios and Tier Points primarily based on the eligible cost of flights and related travel services rather than mileage alone.

This includes not just ticket prices (excluding taxes and government fees), but also airline-controlled extras such as seat reservations, additional baggage, and elements of British Airways Holidays bookings. The intention behind this shift is rather clear: British Airways only want to reward those who generate a lot of revenue for the airline.

For travellers who regularly fly in premium cabins or book full travel packages, this change can actually make earning status more predictable. At the same time, it has made the programme less dependent on complex routing strategies or mileage optimisation, which were once common among frequent flyers.

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British Airways Club tiers explained

The British Airways Club retains a familiar tier structure, although the thresholds have been recalibrated to reflect the new earning model.

Every member begins at Blue level, which requires no Tier Points and provides access to earning and spending Avios.

From there, members can progress through three core status levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Bronze status begins at 3,500 Tier Points and introduces benefits such as priority check-in, earlier seat selection and modest Avios bonuses. While these perks may seem small on paper, they can make short-haul travel noticeably smoother.

Silver status, reached at 7,500 Tier Points, is widely considered the point at which the programme becomes significantly more valuable. Lounge access, free seat selection at booking, priority boarding and additional baggage allowances combine to make the airport experience far more comfortable, particularly for regular travellers.

There is then a hefty jump up to Gold status, which requires 20,000 Tier Points and sits firmly in frequent-flyer territory. Access to first-class check-in areas, higher Avios earning rates and entry to more premium lounges where available all contribute to a markedly different travel experience.

Above Gold sits Gold Guest List, a tier designed for the airline’s highest-spending customers. Qualification requires 65,000 Tier Points in a membership year, with at least 52,000 earned on British Airways flights or British Airways Holidays. Renewal thresholds are lower, requiring 40,000 Tier Points, including 32,000 from qualifying activity.

How to earn Tier Points

Earning Tier Points in the British Airways Club is now primarily based on how much you spend rather than how far you fly. On British Airways-marketed flights and eligible British Airways Holidays packages, you earn Tier Points based on qualifying spend, 1 point per £1, with government taxes and certain fees excluded. Paid extras such as seat selection and additional baggage also count, while reward flights booked entirely with Avios do not (although paid add-ons attached to them can still generate Tier Points). In simple terms, the more eligible money you spend with British Airways, the more Tier Points you earn.

It is also possible to boost your balance beyond standard flight bookings. Tier Points can be earned through British Airways Holidays, limited credit card promotions such as the British Airways American Express Premium Plus, and by purchasing Sustainable Aviation Fuel credits (subject to annual caps). You can also earn on selected partner airlines, though the calculation method varies by carrier and fare type, with some based on spend and others still using distance and cabin class.

We will be doing a deep dive into this in the comings weeks, as the above is what I would call a very brief mention!

All the ways you can earn Avios

While Tier Points determine status, Avios remain the most visible and widely used part of the programme. If you haven't already read our "What Are Avios" article, head on over to here to read it.

Flying with British Airways and its partner airlines continues to be the most obvious way to earn Avios, particularly in premium cabins where earning rates are higher. However, many UK-based collectors (including ourselves) now earn a significant portion of their Avios through everyday spending rather than travel alone.

Credit cards, particularly those linked to American Express Membership Rewards or British Airways directly, allow members to accumulate Avios through daily purchases. Here is our definitive guide on the best UK Avios earning points cards.. Online shopping portals offer additional earning opportunities by awarding Avios for purchases made with participating retailers. Hotel stays, car hire bookings and holiday packages all provide further opportunities to build a balance. You can read our top 10 surprising way to earn Avios here.

For many travellers, this means Avios accumulate steadily in the background, often faster than expected, until there are enough for a meaningful redemption.

We will do a further deep dive in the coming weeks on all the different ways you can earn Avios, because honestly some of them will really surprise you! But if you want a spoiler, please do go over to our free Avios Guide.

What can you spend Avios on?

Avios remain one of the more flexible airline currencies available to UK travellers.

Reward flights are the most popular redemption, particularly on short-haul routes where pricing is more accessible and taxes are relatively modest. Upgrades to a higher cabin are another common use, allowing travellers to improve the comfort of a journey without paying the full cash fare.

Avios are not limited to British Airways flights, which means you are never tied to just one airline. You can redeem them across a range of partner carriers, including Iberia, Aer Lingus, Finnair and Qatar Airways, giving you far more flexibility when planning trips. This can be particularly useful if another airline offers better availability, lower taxes and fess, or a more convenient route.

With Qatar Airways, Avios can also be used for unique experiences in addition to flights. These include F1 tickets, O2 Arena box seats, and football related experiences. These are typically offered via a bidding system, meaning you may be outbid by another member, but if that happens your Avios are returned to your account.

Avios can also be used to part-pay for flights, reserve seats, or cover additional travel extras.

Hotels and car hire bookings are also available, although these options often represent lower value than flights or upgrades.

The key point is that the flexibility of Avios remains unchanged despite the broader programme changes. Long-time members will find that this aspect of the Club feels very familiar.

Is The British Airways Club Worth Joining?

For most travellers, joining the British Airways Club is an easy decision. Membership is free, and even occasional flyers can accumulate Avios slowly over time without needing to change their habits dramatically.

The more complex question is not whether to join, but whether to actively pursue status. That decision depends heavily on how often you travel and how much you would genuinely use the benefits that status provides.

For frequent travellers, particularly those already spending significant amounts on flights or holidays, status can enhance journeys in meaningful ways. For others, the benefits may be more occasional, and chasing Tier Points purely for the sake of status is often harder to justify than it once was.

What is clear, however, is that the British Airways Club remains one of the most relevant and accessible loyalty programmes for UK-based travellers, and understanding how it works is the first step toward getting real value from it.

Helena

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