British Airways elites now get benefits on Aer Lingus
It has been a long time coming (considering BA and Aer Lingus share a parent company), but as of today, British Airways Bronze, Silver, and Gold card holders now get to enjoy select benefits when they fly with Aer Lingus.
Earn 2x Avios with British Airways and Qatar Airways [UK accounts only]
British Airways has launched a new promotion for Executive Club members whose accounts are linked to a UK address in which it's offering double Avios on very select routes that it or Qatar Airways operates and that are booked through ba.com.
30% more Avios when you convert Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Chase Ultimate Rewards has launched a promotion in which it's offering a bonus on points transfers to the three key Avios-issuing airlines - British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus - so anyone who wasn't able to take advantage of the Amex transfer bonus that ended yesterday now has a second chance to boost their account balance(s).
Ending Monday: Convert Amex points to Avios with a 30% bonus
For the past couple of months, Amex has been offering a 30% bonus to cardholders willing to convert Membership Rewards Points into Avios issued by three airlines, and in certain circumstances (discussed in this article), this bonus can put to very good use despite recent short-haul Avios devaluations. This conversion bonus will, however, be ending on Monday night, so you only have a few days left to check what award availability looks like and to decide if you should convert some Amex points or not.
How to link Finnair Plus & British Airways Executive Club accounts
With Finnair now using Avios as its loyalty currency, there will come a time for most serious Avios collectors when it will be useful to be able to move Avios to/from a Finnair Plus account to/from another Avios account (e.g. to make the most of an award chart sweet spot).
How to upgrade a British Airways booking with Avios (a step-by-step guide)
Compared to a lot of major airlines, British Airways makes it relatively easy for passengers to upgrade their bookings to the next cabin of service, so as upgrades can be one of the better ways to get good value out of an Avios balance, here's a simple step by step guide to show how you can upgrade an existing British Airways booking with Avios.
Be careful: Check these two Avios sales to get the best price for you
Finnair has been running an Avios sale since the middle of last week and British Airways has just launched a new flash sale, and the key thing for Avios collectors to know right now is that it while both sales are offering different bonuses, the best sale for you may not be the one offering the highest headline bonus.
The British Airways Avios subscription service (what you need to know)
Back in October 2022, in what may have been a world-first for a major airline loyalty program, the British Airways Executive Club introduced a subscription service that permits its members to purchase Avios at a highly discounted rate.
In this article, we take a look at what this subscription service offers.
Why it can be important to credit at least 1 Avios to the British...
Normally, when you see an article or post reminding you to credit some activity to your rewards accounts it's because the author doesn't want you to accidentally allow your hard-earned balances to expire. This article, however, isn't about that.
How to earn Avios on Lounge Pass bookings
For flyers who don't routinely get access to airport lounges courtesy of elite status or the fares they purchase, lounges that allow travelers to pay to access their facilities and programs that allow travelers to pay to access a variety of lounges without the need for an annual membership, can be very useful.
Earn 1,000 bonus Avios with Uber in the UK
Right now, Uber and British Airways are shining a light on their partnership by launching a new short-term promotion in which eligible bookings made through the Uber app will earn Executive Club members up to 1,000 Avios.
British Airways says it’s bringing Texas BBQ to its Austin route (for a month)
Come Sunday (3 March), British Airways will have operated its Heathrow to Austin route for 10 years (with the occasional break for a pandemic) and to celebrate the occasion, the airline has adapted the menu on the Austin route for the month of March and has partnered with a famous Texas barbecue institution to produce limited edition bottles of their BBQ sauce.
Generous Virgin Atlantic status match for British Airways elites
It's probably not a coincidence that just a few days after British Airways made a mess of announcing how it plans to align all BAEC members' elite status years, that Virgin Atlantic has published one of the more generous status matches that I've seen. Unfortunately, however, if you've status marched to Virgin Atlantic in the past, you're not invited to the party.
Decoding the British Airways move to align Tier Point earning years
Yesterday, British Airways announced that it would be changing the timeframe in which members of its Executive Club program earn Tier Points (elite qualifying points) and to say that the messaging coming from the airline has been poor would be a gross understatement. It has been a mess.
British Airways aligns elite status years and the results are as clear as mud
One of the stranger things about the British Airways Executive Club has long been the fact that a member's elite status year has been based on when they joined the program and not on a standard program year shared by all other members. My elite status year, for example, ends in December, while Joanna's ends in March and that can make things awkward. Apparently, this won't be how things work for much longer.
This is how much top-tier airline status costs me each year
I gave up on the AAdvantage program and Executive Platinum status as soon as American Airlines introduced Elite Qualifying Dollars and the concept of a minimum spend requirement, and since then, I've been using the British Airways Executive Club as my primary airline program.
Cash upgrades are not affecting British Airways Avios earnings on pre-devaluation bookings
Back in October last year, British Airways changed the way that Avios are earned as it moved from a model where the number of Avios awarded is based on a combination of the fare class and the distance flown, to a model where the number of Avios awarded is based entirely on the cost of a fare.
Just 7 days to book before the British Airways devaluation
For flights booked from 18 October 2023 onwards, British Airways will be offering members of its Executive Club program considerably fewer Avios that it currently does as it transitions part of its rewards program to a spending-based model.
Two less well known British Airways Gold benefits that I have come to love
Since my move away from AAdvantage, British Airways Gold status has been good to me and I've come to appreciate it for more than just the oneworld Emerald benefits that it gives me. In particular, it's two of the less well known benefits of British Airways Gold status that I have come to appreciate more and more.
British Airways announces five more ‘Avios only’ flights for 2023/24
In recent times, Qantas is probably the best known airline to publish flights on which all seats can only be purchased using miles or points (rather than cash), but in April this year, British Airways joined in the fun when it announced 'Avios only' flights to/from Sharm El Sheikh and Geneva.
I tried out the British Airways ‘Best Price Guarantee’ earlier today
The fact that most large hotel chains offer some sort of guarantee that the price a customer will pay when they book directly through them is the lowest price available is pretty well known. What appears to be less well known is that a number of airlines offer a similar policy and earlier, I finally had a chance to see how well (or badly!) BA's best price guarantee policy can work.
[Updated] Did British Airways just slash award surcharges for US departures? (Yes & No)
British Airways appears to be pushing through some big changes to its loyalty program today and because we haven't yet had a public announcement from the airline, it's not yet clear what all the changes will look like.
The British Airways Avios calculator appears to be returning some odd results
The British Airways Avios calculator can be a very useful tool for anyone wanting to see how many Avios and Tier Points they'll earn from whatever bookings they're making or planning but right now, I'm not convinced that it's showing the correct information.
Coming soon: Earn Avios on Uber rides taken in the UK
British Airways has announced that at some point later this month, members of its Executive Club loyalty program will be able to collect Avios every time they make a booking through the Uber app in the UK.
The inevitable British Airways Executive Club devaluation is on its way
It has been rumored for some time and now, thanks to a press release from Iberia, we know that the British Airways Executive Club will take its first step towards being a revenue-based program at some point in 2023.
Quick tip: You may be able to book British Airways awards further out than...
British Airways opens up award space further out that a lot of other airlines but even if you know that BA will start opening awards up to 24 days before the likes of American Airlines and Delta start to do the same, you may not find that award space if you're not being careful with your searches.
Indirectly, British Airways is now a Citi ThankYou transfer partner
An important change that took place in the miles and points world earlier this year had the knock-on effect of making Citi's ThankYou points a little more valuable and it's that knock-on effect that I'll discuss in this article.
Good news: British Airways reduces surcharges on Iberia bookings
For quite a few years, there have been a number of reasons why it has been a good idea for flyers to have an Iberia Plus account as well as a British Airways account despite the fact that BA and Iberia are sister airlines and share the same rewards currency. Quietly and without any apparent notice being given, British Airways appears to have removed one of those reasons.
Chase & British Airways improve the Travel Together companion voucher
Earlier today, I wrote about British Airways improving the Companion Voucher issued by UK-issued American Express cards and while that news probably wasn't particularly interesting to US-based readers, the follow-up news that Chase and British Airways have improved the Travel Together benefit that comes with the British Airways Visa Signature® card will probably attract more attention.
British Airways increases surcharges on most Business Class long-haul award bookings (ex. UK)
If you're a British Airways flyer based in the United States, the airline showed its disdain for your loyalty a little while ago when it increased the surcharges for award travel originating on this side of the pond without any notice. Now, in what appears to be BA's version of 'leveling up', the surcharges for Business Class award travel originating in the UK have also been increased without warning.
The British Airways Executive Club is still down but here’s a workaround
Last Saturday, British Airways closed down access to its Executive Club and access to all Avios-related functionality as part of a planned outage that was supposed to end yesterday morning. Well, at the time of writing, access to the Executive Club is still down but there's a workaround that may be of help if you're desperate to make a reward booking or to access your account.
Is British Airways paying out the wrong number of Avios on Qatar Airways Business...
The title of this post is a question to which I don't have an answer but it's a question that has come to light as a result of the recent changes that Qatar Airways made to how its Business Class fares are structured and how many Avios British Airways now says that Qatar Airways Business Class fares will accrue. If you're flying in Qatar Airways Business Class and crediting your flights to the Executive Club, this is something to look out for.
Phew! British Airways didn’t drop the hammer when Qatar Airways refreshed its Business Class...
The title of this post probably should read "...and breathe" because ever since we heard that Qatar Airways was refreshing its Business Class fare structure for the thousandth time, I've been holding my breath and waiting for British Airways to destroy what is undoubtedly one of the easiest routes to earning valuable elite status. Fortunately, my fears appear to have been unfounded.
British Airways Devalues JAL & Cathay Pacific Partner Awards (Another No Notice Devaluation)
Sadly, the headline says it all. British Airways has increased the cost of select Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific partner awards without giving Executive Club members any notice whatsoever. The changes only affect short-haul flights of up to 2,000 miles but with some awards now costing over 50% more, this isn't good news for Avios collectors.
Alaska Airlines Flights Now Earn British Airways Tier Points (First Class Earns Fewer Avios)
Today is 31 March, and that means that after a slightly longer process than was first anticipated, today is the day that will finally see Alaska Airlines join the oneworld alliance as a full member. We've already seen Alaska Airlines make changes to its award chart as it prepared to join the alliance, and now British Airways has updated its systems to reflect Alaska Airlines' new status as a member of the oneworld alliance.
No Notice Devaluation: British Airways Increases The Cost Of Some Short-Haul Awards
In a move that's very true-to-form, British Airways has quietly and without any notice to Executive Club members, increased the cost of some of its short-haul awards. The increases are already in effect (so there's no way to avoid them) and they affect most of the routes that British Airways operates within Europe.
2021 Could Finally Mark The End Of My Top-Tier Oneworld Status
My chosen airline loyalty program, the British Airways Executive Club, has extended elite statuses by a year and cut the targets for elite status in 2021 but it still looks like I may have to accept that I'll have to give up my top-tier status when it runs out at the end of the year.
Last Week’s Announcements From British Airways May Change My Plans Considerably
Back in April, I said that the argument that airlines shouldn't extend elite statuses because it will encourage flyers to defect to other airlines is nonsensical because people look to earn status to enjoy the joys of that status. Generally speaking, they don't earn status only to then fly with airlines with which they have no standing. I also said that if British Airways extended my status I wouldn't be seeing what other airlines I can fly. Well, it turns out that this isn't entirely true.
British Airways Announces 12-Month Elite Status Extensions…And More
The headline says it all. British Airways has finally followed most other global airlines in announcing that it is extending elite status for its frequent flyers by a period of 12 months.
British Airways Is Testing A New Avios Redemption Option On Its New York Route
One of the major issues with British Airways long-haul awards is the high surcharges that accompany all such bookings. While the number of Avios needed to book a flight can often be reasonable, the cash co-pay that British Airways charges can make bookings highly uneconomical...especially in Economy Class. Now British Airways is testing out a new redemption option on its New York - London route.
British Airways reduces elite status targets but misses the mark (by a distance!)
British Airways has finally published details of the changes that it's making to the British Airways Executive Club Tier Points targets in light of the current travel crisis but, unsurprisingly, the changes are mostly miserly and poorly thought through.
2 Years On & My Move To The British Airways Executive Club Seems To...
I didn't make the change to BA lightly. I had enjoyed the best part of a decade as a top-tier AAdvantage member but the rapid devaluation to benefits that followed the US Airways takeover of American Airlines combined with the introduction of minimum spend criteria meant that AAdvantage Executive Platinum status was no longer a sensible option for me. The status cost too much to earn and math just didn't stack up.
British Airways Is Trialling New UK/Europe Avios Pricing Options
A few months back British Airways ran a trial in which flyers were given the option to use Avios to reduce the cost of the taxes and fees due on its long-haul award bookings. Now the airline has extended the trial to include its short-haul flights between the UK and Europe as well as its flights within the United Kingdom.
Good News: British Airways Makes Upgrades Easier To Use
Historically, the upgrades that British Airways issues to flyers who earn a minimum of 2,500 Tier Points have, on the whole, only been usable if the airline was offering award availability in the cabin passengers were trying to upgrade into. For most people it has been a time of 'no award availability, no upgrade'.....but that just changed.
You Can Now Earn Avios Through Airbnb
Delta has been offering its Sky Miles members the chance to earn extra miles through Airbnb bookings/listings since 2016 and Qantas partnered up with Airbnb in 2017 but we haven't really had any other major miles & points earning partnership open up with Airbnb for a while. Yesterday, that changed.
I Used A British Airways Gold Benefit I Never Thought I’d Use
I'm very new to British Airways status (having given up on American Airlines status last year) so I'm still learning the finer details of what my Gold status gets me in the British Airways Executive Club but, after a few months of paying closer attention than normal, I'm finally starting to feel like I'm getting on top of everything I really need to know.
British Airways Releases New Partner Award Costs (And The News Isn’t Too Bad!)
Earlier this year British Airways made a less than helpful comment indicating that it would be revising the cost of partner awards without actually telling us how the costs would be revised so we've been waiting to see just how good or bad the news will be. Well, now we know.
Avios Devaluation No. 1 Is Coming On 30 May 2019
British Airways has announced that it will be changing the to cost of Avios awards on partner airlines from 30 May 2019 but, for some unfathomable reason, the airline has declined to provide any clues as to what those changes will look like.
Qatar Airways Has A New Route And It Has Potential To Be GREAT For...
Qatar Airways has today announced another new European route which it plans to start operating from Summer 2019 and it could mean a very nice haul of Tier Points if you're starting your travels in the UK.
Ordinarily, an announcement of a new Qatar Airways route is just good news - it's another route on which to earn and burn AAdvantage Miles or Avios - but the route announced today could signify a great opportunity for UK flyers looking to earn a lot of tier points in a single trip.
Was Earning BA Gold Status Cheaper Than Earning American Airlines Executive Platinum?
Late last year I wrote a post in which I concluded that simple mathematics suggested that I shouldn't credit my 2018 flights to the American Airlines AAdvantage program. Now, almost a year to the day since I wrote that post, I've finished my flying for 2018 and it's time to see how that decision played out.
British Airways Avios Changes On The Way … But To Whom Will They Matter?
Yesterday morning Head For Points ran a post quoting an interview Alex Cruz (BA's CEO) had with the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. In the interview Cruz gave the SCMP an insight into how he sees the airline's loyalty program evolving and what we changes we can expect to start seeing later this year (or possibly in 2019). The changes Alex Cruz is describing are not in the slightest bit surprising but how they're perceived will depend on what group of flyer someone falls into and how the implementation actually works.
The Math Tells Me Not To Credit Flights To American Airlines
I've been trying my hardest not to be one of those travelers who complains incessantly about an airline devaluing its frequent flyer program only to keep handing that same airline his/her cash on an ongoing and frequent basis.
American Airlines has destroyed the AAdvantage program for travelers like me (for a very small minority it may have improved) so my plan has been to avoid flying American Airlines as much as possible...but it's been quite hard.
I Booked A British Airways Tier Point Run – 520 Tier Points For $1,407
I don't normally cover Tier Point runs as, to be frank, they're not really my forte (I'm still learning all I need to know about earning Tier Points easily) but one of the fantastic transatlantic Business Class fares I wrote about last week seemed like a good opportunity to help out a friend of mine who was looking to earn some BA Tier Points.
British Airways Status May Be About To Become Much Harder To Earn (For Some)
I was sitting in an airport lounge idly browsing through my Twitter feed when I noticed two tweets, one after the other, which made me sit up and pay attention...literally. They weren't tweets from an official source but they were from someone who's got a pretty decent track record of getting information before it has been released and, if I understand these tweets correctly, some BA flyers are about to find that earning status is going to get a lot harder.
British Airways Doesn’t Understand Its Own Promotion
British Airways launched a Triple Avios promotion last week but, what should have been a simple enough promotion to understand, turned out to be confusing and contradictory. The blame for the mess lies squarely at the feet of whoever drafted the promotion details and whoever gave the go ahead to post those details to the British Airways website.
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