British Airways Executive Club and Avios are popular with many frequent flyers. It has long been regarded among the best of the oneworld programs. Undoubtedly, its value has decreased since it switched to revenue-based earning (with Avios earned based on the ticket price rather than the flight distance). Low-fare travelers on British Airways’ own flights are the big losers.

However, there are still ways to get more value from the program - especially for the more frequent traveler. This guide shares some ideas for this, arranged as a series of tips around earning Avios, spending Avios, and elite status.

Earning Avios

Remember that you can earn Avios on all paid extras. With the switch to revenue-based earning in 2023, all British Airways flights (and bookings made with Iberia and American Airlines) earn Avios on the base fare and taxes (but not carrier-imposed charges). Avios are also earned on extras, including seat selection fees, baggage, and any later upgrade offers. This is a small consolation for such a significant change in earnings, but it can make a difference for some travelers.

Fly with partner airlines. Flights with all other partner airlines allow earning Avios through a distance-based method. This is unlikely to change as it would require airline systems to share further fare details from partners. Distance-based programs are more lucrative for many, especially those who fly on lower-priced tickers in any cabin.

Look at low fares in premium cabins. Some of the best earning opportunities (with distance and cabin-based earning) are in premium cabins. Sale or discount fares in premium economy or business class usually earn significantly more Avios (and, of course, give a better travel experience) relative to the cost of the ticket. Again, this is no longer possible with British Airways flights but remains a primary consideration when flying with partners.

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Remember that Avios points are shared with other airlines. Unusually, with airline loyalty programs, several airlines use the same Avios currency. Avios can also be earned with Iberia and Qatar Airways (and Finnair from 2024) and transferred between loyalty programs. This feature is even more critical following the switch to revenue-based earning. Crediting British Airways flights to Qatar Airways, for example, could earn a higher Avios rate (and these can then be simply transferred to Executive Club if desired). You would not, of course, earn Tier Points to help with status.

Consider bookings through British Airways Holidays. This scheme allows you to book flights, hotels, and car hire together and earn Avios on the total spend. It also offers good deals on flights (often cheaper than booking flights separately) and more flexible booking terms. Importantly, it will also (for now at least) still award Avios based on the distance method. This is because British Airways Holidays quotes a total package price and cannot differentiate a price for just flights.

Consolidate earnings from other sources. British Airways Executive Club offers many additional ways to earn miles through credit cards, banking, travel bookings, and retail. Bringing all this together can really boost earnings. Again, this is now more important after switching to revenue-based earning for flights.

Spending Avios

Search flexibly and consider alternatives. One of the challenges of “traditional” award schemes is whether seats are available or not. There is no option to pay more on busy routes. This makes it very important to search for flexible dates, times, and even entire routes. Flights to less obvious nearby destinations may be available, for example.

Take advantage of the shared Avios currency. Avios is a joint points scheme used (currently) by British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Aer Lingus, and Qatar Airways (and in 2024, Finnair). Points can be transferred openly between the loyalty programs and, in this way, used for other flights. Vueling flights, for example, cannot be booked directly through British Airways Executive Club but can be through Iberia Plus. Qatar Airways adds several non-oneworld redemption options, such as Bangkok Airways, LATAM, and Middle East Airlines.

Use Avios for upgrades. Upgrading cash tickets can represent excellent value use of Avios – especially as you will still earn Avios based on the original fare purchased. Upgrades from premium economy (World Traveller Plus with British Airways) into business class can represent excellent value compared to cash prices in some cases. Also, lower-priced or promotional World Traveller Plus fares upgraded into Club World can be excellent value.

Use Avios for short flights. The distance-based reward zones stand out when you look at shorter flights. Many other programs (such as fellow oneworld program American Airlines AAdvantage) charge based on regions, with the same miles/points needed, no matter how far (or how many) flights are used. Short flights (especially on premium routes) using between just 4,750 and 8,000 Avios can represent great value.

Consider routes that offer outstanding value. With the fixed distance-based pricing method for Avios tickets, there are many opportunities to get better value out of Avios. A few of our favorite options include:

• Long-haul premium cabins. In general, you will find much better value using Avios for premium cabins rather than economy. Avios rates are two or three times for premium economy or business class, whereas the difference with cash fares can be much bigger.
• Use for aspirational premium cabins. Oneworld partners have some of the best premium cabin experiences available. Several airlines still offer first class on key routes – this will require more Avios but is an experience often far out of reach otherwise. In business class, you can try Qatar Airways and the excellent QSuite cabin. Unlike cheaper cash tickets, all Avios tickets will still include full business class lounge access as well.

• Last minute flights. Rates of award flights will not change close to departure (as they often will for cash fares). With some airlines and on some routes, additional Avios seats may even be made available.
• Flights from US to Latin America. Flights with American Airlines to many destinations, such as Quito, Bogota, and many Caribbean destinations, can be excellent value based on distance.
• Aer Lingus flights from the US to Ireland. East coast US to Dublin with Aer Lingus price from just 13,000 Avios in economy class. Taxes are also very low.

• International flights within Asia. These can often be very expensive in cash but well-priced in Avios. In Asia, you can use Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and Malaysia Airlines to fly many key routes. There used to be similar great value opportunities in South America with LATAM. This is not the case since the airline left oneworld, but it is still possible via Iberia Plus.

British Airways Executive Club elite status

Status only comes from flying. Unlike many other loyalty programs (including most of the main US programs), there is no opportunity to shortcut status earning with credit card use or other methods. This makes Executive Club one for the frequent flyers. The good news following the earnings changes in 2023 is that there has not yet been any change to Tier Point earnings (this could change in the future).

Use multiple sectors to increase Tier Points. Bear in mind that Tier Points are awarded per flight sector. Different routings can, therefore, be used to increase Tier Point earnings. For example, a direct flight from London to Los Angeles in business class would earn 140 Tier Points. If this was split into London to New York and New York to Los Angeles flights, 280 Tier Points would be awarded.

British Airways Holidays offers double Tier Points. British Airways Holidays has a promotion (currently confirmed until the end of 2024) where twice the number of Tier Points are awarded on all packages of more than five nights.

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Choose higher fares for more Tier Points. Of course, no one wants to pay more when they don’t have to. But the number of Tier Points earned increases significantly when you move up from discount economy fares to higher fares and on long-haul flights when you move to premium economy. This no longer makes the significant differences it used to with Avios earnings, but it still affects Tier Points.

Time flights around year-end dates. Tier Points are awarded based on each person’s membership year with the Executive Club. If high-earning flights are taken towards the start of this membership year, your status will be valid longer (for the rest of that year and the next).

There are many ways to earn and spend Avios and get great value out of British Airways Executive Club. This guide has just shared some of our favorites. Feel free to discuss these and others you know or use in the comments section below.

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  British Airways

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  BA/BAW

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport

  Year Founded:

  1974

  Alliance:

  oneworld

  Airline Group:

  IAG

  CEO:

  Sean Doyle

  Country:

  United Kingdom

  Loyalty Program:

  British Airways Executive Club

  Region:

  Europe