Similar to Miles&More, FlyingBlue and other loyalty programs, British Airways is going to change its Executive Club to become a revenue based program. From October 18, 2023, onwards, reward miles (Avios) will no longer be based on travel distance and booking class, but on money spent. This applies to flights operated by American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia (the flight number is crucial).
This is why we decided to remind you that booking flights before Wednesday will result in Executive Club earning Avios according to the old, generally more favorable rules. Especially cheap economy tickets can earn up to 90% more Avios when purchased before the deadline.
The crucial aspect is that your ticket needs to be issued before October 18, 2023. While British Airways usually issues tickets immediately after booking, buying tickets from American Airlines can result in up to 24-hour-long delays before the ticket is issued. So it is absolutely worth it to purchase tickets in time and not wait until the very last second.
We currently have the following deals that will be affected by the system change:
There are even more comely tickets available than we have featured, like a bunch of flights from Europe to the USA for €500 or less.
If you don’t purchase your tickets in time (for example because you are waiting for better prices), you can still circumvent the revenue-based system by purchasing Oneworld flights with an AY (=Finnair) flight number. Prices are usually the same that American Airlines and British Airways charge. We fully expect Finnair to implement similar changes in the upcoming year.
Example of Reduced Earnings
Especially for bargain hunters, these changes are highly unattractive. To exemplify this, we took a look at an economy trip from London to Dallas. British Airways, American, and other airlines often sell tickets from Europe to Dallas, Texas for around €375. The fare breaks down as follows:
- Base fare: €1
- Fuel surcharge: €170
- “Real” taxes & fees: €204
Under the new system, you will earn 67% to 90% fewer Avios:
- The old system (booking until October 17):
- Without status: 2,620 Avios
- With Gold status: 13,098 Avios
- The new system (booking after October 17):
- Without status: 876 Avios
- With Gold status: 1,314 Avios
Status customers in the BA Executive Club are particularly affected. Previously, they could earn up to a 100% bonus based on distance. Instead of earning 25% of the miles for booking class O, they could earn up to 125% of the miles.
Cover Picture: Photo by Arkin Si on Unsplash