British Airways Adds Sector-Based Routes to Bronze and Silver Status

British Airways announced major changes to its BA Club in December 2024, which included renaming it The British Airways Club and shifting to a new Avios reward flights accumulation system. One of the biggest changes was that tier points would be earned from money spent instead of miles flown. This meant that gaining and maintaining BA tier status was tied closely to spending on tickets, seat selection, and extra baggage.

However, the response from the flying public was clear: they were not pleased. The airline faced considerable pushback from BA Club members and Avios collectors. Many expressed concerns that this change would heavily disadvantage those who managed to find good deals or those who flew long but inexpensive routes.

British Airways has not withdrawn its spend-based Tier Point model. It has added an alternative sector-based route to Bronze and Silver status: 25 eligible BA-coded flights for Bronze and 50 for Silver. There is no sector-based route to Gold.

Revised Frequent Flyer Programme Details

British Airways did not abandon its spend-based Tier Point model. From 1 April 2025, members have earned 1 Tier Point per £1 of eligible fare and carrier-imposed charges. British Airways also added an alternative flight-count route for Bronze and Silver: 25 eligible flights for Bronze or 50 for Silver. Gold still requires 20,000 Tier Points.

For the flight-count route, an eligible flight must carry a BA flight code. A codeshare operated by another airline can therefore count when it is marketed with a BA code. This flight-count option sits alongside the spend-based model; it does not replace it.

From 1 April 2026, British Airways also added fixed extra Tier Points by haul, cabin and fare type, plus 2 Tier Points per £1 on eligible bags, seating and Sustainable Aviation Fuel contributions.

Check the latest earning rules on British Airways’ Tier Point page. Rules and offers can change, so use BA’s live estimate before paying for a status-led trip.

The bonus Tier Point promotion described below applied only to flights booked by 31 December 2025 and is now closed. Its details are retained for historical reference.

The airline has also increased the number of bonus Tier Points members can earn per flight. Flights must be booked by 31 December 2025 and you must opt-in to the offer. It is not automatic. Here are the updated points you can earn per flight:

• Short-haul Euro Traveller (Economy) flights now earn 75 points, increased from 50.
• Club Europe (Business Class) on short-haul routes will earn 175 points, increased from 100.
• Long-haul World Traveller (Economy) flights earn 150 points, up from 70.
• World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) jumps to 275 points from 140.
• Club World (long-haul Business Class) flights now award 400 points, up from 210.
• First Class travel now earns 550 points, up from 330.

If you’re wondering ‘how can I use Avios to maintain my status,’ the airline has provided the following examples to explain how passengers can maintain their Silver or Gold status with the new bonus points system: 

To maintain Silver status, which requires 7,500 Tier Points, you could book:

• An Economy flight to Geneva (£343 + taxes)
• A Business Class flight to New York (£3,240 + taxes)
• A Premium Economy flight to Singapore (£2,561 + taxes)
• A holiday package to Barbados (£1,429)
• Purchase £300 worth of Sustainable Aviation Fuels.

To maintain Gold status, which requires 20,000 tier points, you could book:

• 13 return Business Class trips to Geneva (£9,971 plus taxes)
• Three return Business Class to New York (£9,720 plus taxes)
• A budget holiday package to Tenerife (£759).

Colm Lacy, BA’s chief commercial officer, said, “We’re confident that moving to this model is the right thing to do for our customers, but we acknowledge that we need to reassure them that there are now lots more ways to earn status. We’re implementing a system that allows us to flex and adapt to respond to our customers’ needs, and the Bonus Tier Point campaign is a perfect example of this. Moving to a spend-based model is reflective of most loyalty programmes in the UK, so it was a logical step in the evolution of The Executive Club.”

Want to see how many Tier Points you’ll earn on your next trip? Use our British Airways Tier Points Calculator below to quickly check your route and start planning your next status upgrade.