British Airways Loyalty Program: The British Airways Club Guide 2025

This article has been reviewed by Wego’s editorial team to ensure that the content is up to date & accurate.  

Key Takeaways

• Enjoy the best value flights in Europe, now available on long-haul flights too.  

• Pool up to 7 members & enjoy 1:1 Avios transfers across BA, Qatar, etc. 

• Earn 1 point per GBP 1 spent on BA & qualify for higher status. 

What is the British Airways Club? 

The British Airways loyalty program is referred to as The British Airways Club, replacing the previous program known as the Executive Club.  

• You collect Avios, i.e., the reward currency, for flights and partners, and Tier Points that determine your elite status, e.g., Blue, Bronze, Silver and Gold. 
• You earn 1 Tier Point for every GBP 1 spent on British Airways and select partners. Tier-point collection runs from 1 April to 31 March the next year, and status remains valid until 30 April.
• BA also keeps a flight-count route to Bronze/Silver for frequent short-haul flyers.

Join the British Airways Club

To join the British Airways loyalty program, follow the steps below: 

• Create your account on British Airways’ site by hovering over  “Join the Club” and clicking on it. 
• Add your Club number to every booking going forward.
• You can even claim Avios and Tier Points retroactively for British Airways flights you took in the past 3 months.

 Note: partners and non-flight earning options vary by country.

Book British Airways flights on Wego

Avios vs Tier Points 

• Avios = your spendable points (think: free flights, upgrades, part-pay with Avios). 
• Tier Points = your status progress (think: lounge access, priority services). 
• You earn Avios and Tier Points together on most cash tickets, although the exact method depends on the airline and fare.

How you earn Avios

• On British Airways-marketed flights, Avios are revenue-based: 
  • Blue: 6 Avios per £1 
  • Bronze: 7 Avios per £1 
  • Silver: 8 Avios per £1 
  • Gold: 9 Avios per £1
    (Eligible spend includes base fare and BA carrier charges; taxes/airport fees don’t count.) 
• Many oneworld partners still award Avios by distance and booking class (e.g., Cathay, JAL, Qantas, Qatar), while American Airlines and Iberia now mirror BA’s revenue-based model. Check out the partners in the Other Airlines section of the tier points page of British Airways to learn more. 

Please note that Avios remain valid as long as you collect, spend, buy, or share at least one Avios every 36 months.

Earning Tier Points (status) 

The current spend-based Tier Points system states that 1 Tier Point is given per £1 of eligible spend (fare + BA carrier charges) on British Airways, with similar treatment on American Airlines and Iberia for tickets BA can price. 

You also earn Tier Points on paid add-ons (e.g., seat selection, extra bags), British Airways Holidays packages, and limited-time bonus offers.

Status thresholds (per year):

• Bronze: 3,500 Tier Points 
• Silver: 7,500 Tier Points 
• Gold: 20,000 Tier Points  

Alternative flight-count route: You can also qualify via 25 BA-coded flights (Bronze) or 50 BA-coded flights (Silver) in your year, which is particularly useful for frequent short trips. 

Status benefits at a glance 

Oneworld status is recognized across the alliance, so Silver (Sapphire) and Gold (Emerald) get lounge access and priority services when flying any oneworld airline, subject to each airline’s rules. Check out “Compare the tiers” on the official British Airways page to learn more. 

Avios: Earn & redeem the smart way 

Earn

Here are ways you can earn British Airways Club currency Avios in ways other than flying: 

• Hotels & cars: Book with partner hotels like Accor, Airbnb and car rentals to earn Avios. 
• Shop via the official Avios shopping portal  & lifestyle partners like American Express, HSBC & Uber.    
• Credit cards: Co-branded cards with American Express in some markets (e.g., UK/US) earn Avios and unlock vouchers. 
• Combine Avios across airlines that use Avios (BA, Qatar, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Finnair, Loganair) to top up where you need them most. Transfers are 1:1 and free. 

Redeem

Make use of the Avois earned in the following way: 

Reward Flights (incl. Reward Flight Saver) 

Flights booked using Avios are called Reward Flights.

• Reward Flight Saver (RFS) lets you trade more Avios for lower cash fees on BA flights. On short-haul flights (Europe), you’ll often see very low cash amounts; on long-haul flights, RFS reduces surcharges, but cash co-pays still apply. 
• Use British Airways’ Reward Flight Finder to scan availability up to a year out (British Airways flights only). 

Reward Flights can be useful for last-minute getaways (cash fares spike), school holidays/peak weekends, or when you value cash savings over maximizing cents-per-point.

Part-pay with Avios

Reduce the cash price of a revenue ticket by using Avios at checkout, handy when work or timing locks you into specific flights.

Upgrades with Avios

Upgrade one cabin (e.g., Premium Economy to Business) on BA when upgrade inventory exists; also possible on Iberia and American in many cases. Not all cash fares are upgrade-eligible; check the fare rules during booking. 

Companion Vouchers (power-ups in select countries)

• UK: BA American Express Companion Voucher (2-for-1) lets you take a companion for no extra Avios (taxes/fees apply) or travel solo for 50% off the Avios on BA/Iberia/Aer Lingus reward flights. Earning/spend thresholds and validity vary by card; see BA/Amex pages for current rules. 
• US: The Travel Together Ticket (via the BA Visa) works similarly: pay Avios for one seat, get the second for no additional Avios (taxes/fees apply); valid across BA/Iberia/Aer Lingus. 

Family pooling & more

Household Accounts & Family & Friends

• Create a Household Account to pool Avios with up to 7 people total at the same address (you + up to six others). Children can join (they’ll earn Avios/Tier Points), but only adults can spend Avios. Address changes are limited; members must usually stay on the account for 6 months before changes.
• Add up to 5 people to your Family & Friends list so your household can redeem Avios for them even if they live elsewhere. (Their Avios aren’t pooled; it just lets you book awards for them.) 

Link to Qatar Airways Privilege Club (and others) 

Combine your Avios by linking your BA and Qatar accounts to move Avios instantly (1:1) and access Qatar’s network and award pricing. This is useful for routes where BA availability is tight. BA also supports moving Avios to/from Iberia, Aer Lingus, Finnair, and Loganair. 

FAQs

Is the British Airways Club the same as the Executive Club? Yes. The program was rebranded in April 2025 with new spend-based Tier Points, refreshed thresholds, and a fixed membership year.

Do I need to fly BA to earn/ redeem? No. You can earn and redeem across oneworld and other partner airlines; exact earning depends on the partner. 

Do Avios expire? Only after 36 months of total inactivity. Any earn or redeem activity resets the clock. 

What is Reward Flight Saver? A pricing option on BA flights where you pay more Avios to reduce cash taxes/fees—especially valuable on short-haul. 

Can I still qualify by number of flights? Yes: 25 BA-coded flights for Bronze, 50 for Silver (per membership year). 

Which global airline has the best loyalty program? Check out our dedicated article for Best Airline Loyalty Programs in 2025 to learn more.