Summary
- British Airways is implementing a new system for its Executive Club frequent flyer program, moving to a single unified points collection year from April 2024.
- The new system will run from April 1st to March 31st every year starting in 2025, aligning with the UK’s fiscal year and other loyalty programs.
- Passengers’ current status and points will be extended to ensure a smooth transition, and any Tier status earned during the transition period will be valid for at least 12 months.
British Airways is rolling out a significant change to its Executive Club frequent flyer program. Beginning in April, the program is moving to a single unified points collection year to replace the current system, which tracks flights and Avios point accrual based on when each member joined the program. The transition will take place over the next 15 months to ensure that all members can extend their current status and accrue additional points based on when their current membership year ends.
What are the changes to the British Airways Executive Club?
The current system is based on when each Executive Club member joins the program, with the 12-month period starting from the 8th day of the month in which a member takes their first flight (or the following month if they join later than the 8th). The new system brings everyone up to the same collection period, which will now run from April 1st to March 31st every year, beginning in 2025. The transition to the new Tier Point collection year starts on April 1st, 2024.
How Does The British Airways Executive Club Work?
What’s the difference between the Club’s offering of Avios and Tier Points?
The airline confirmed that there will be no change to how passengers earn Tier status during the transition, and any status earned within this period will be valid for at least 12 months. According to the British Airways, the changes are being implemented to streamline operations:
“This change will simplify the journey for Executive Club Members by aligning all Members to the same Tier Point Collection Year, making it easier to manage travel plans for yourself, colleagues, and family.”
Photo: London City Airport
These updates will align the program with the UK’s fiscal year and other major loyalty programs, including those operated by other airlines in IAG, such as Iberia.
How will they affect me?
Beginning in April, everyone’s Tier Point Collection Year will be shortened to end on March 31st, 2025. The Club will then look back at the full 12-month period ending March 31st to determine each member’s status for the following membership year. In an effort to align the deadlines for Executive Club members, the airline announced it would award a Tier Point Adjustment to combine the status earned over the full year with that accrued during the truncated collection period.
For example, passengers whose current collection year is due to reset this month will continue as normal until February 8th, 2025. The following collection period will be from February 9th to March 31st, 2025, when the new system launches. According to the airline, “We’ll add on any Tier Points you earn during April 1st, 2024 – February 8th, 2025 to work out your Tier status“. The same applies to passengers with membership years expiring before May.
Photo: London City Airport
Beginning in May, the collection year for all members will continue as usual until the end of the current period, with the following shortened year ending on March 31st, 2025. The program will then add any points accrued between April 1st of this year and the end of the existing collection period to the shortened year to determine status. British Airways explained how the process would work for Club members who are set to renew in October and includes information for the other eleven months on its website:
- Your current Tier Point Collection Year will continue as normal until October 8th, 2024
- Your next collection period will be October 9th, 2024 – March 31st, 2025
- Tier Point Adjustment: we’ll add on any Tier Points you earn during April 1st – October 8th, 2024, to work out your Tier status
- Any Tier status you receive during the transition period will expire on April 30th, 2026
The new status will be valid until April 30th, 2026, the new Membership Card expiry date. Passengers who do not have the required Tier Points to maintain their status will be downgraded starting May 1st, 2025.
For passengers looking to maximize Avios flights, the independent British Airways reward availability website Reward Flight Finder launched its mobile application. The app can be found on both Apple and Google Play stores and shows real-time BA reward seat availability information for up to 355 days in advance.
