The loyalty points collected by many British Airways passengers could be drastically reduced next year, a leading business travel expert has warned.
On a London-New York round-trip, the minimum Avios points earned by an economy class could drop by 30 per cent – or possibly much more.
Rob Burgess, editor of the Head for Points website, spotted the revelation in an announcement by BA’s sister airline, Iberia.
The Spanish carrier shares the Avios frequent flyer currency with British Airways. The online message from Iberia promises “a new way of earning Avios”.
The airline’s Iberia Plus scheme previously awarded Avios points based on the distance flown, adjusted according to the category of ticket and cabin.
With immediate effect, the key variable on the Spanish airline is the amount spent on the ticket.
Frequent flyers who have achieved “elite status” – which is based on the number of flights taken in the course of a year – will continue to earn Avios at a higher rate than other travellers.
Going forward, Iberia passengers will earn five Avios for each euro spent. Higher-tier travellers will earn up to three additional points per €1.
Silvia Morán, Iberia’s client loyalty director, said: “We think this is a more fair and transparent way to reward our more loyal members.”
The Iberia announcement includes a quote from BA’s head of retail and customer relationship management, Ian Romanis, revealing BA will follow suit next year.
He said: “We congratulate our colleagues at Iberia for introducing this change and we look forward to joining them in 2023.”
If the Iberia conversion rate is adopted and sterling-euro exchange rates remain largely the same, for each £1 spent British Airways passengers will earn six points – or up to 10 points per pound for higher-tier travellers.
Passengers will also get points for money spent on seat selection and baggage, which are currently not taken into account.
Mr Romanis said the move “will unlock even more opportunities for our members to earn Avios when they fly”.
But Mr Burgess, editor of the Head for Points frequent flyer blog, ridiculed the claim. In an article, he wrote: “I challenge anyone to give an example of how these changes ‘will unlock even more opportunities for our members to earn Avios when they fly’.
“When you have to resort to peddling claims like…
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