British Airways is to change radically the way passengers earn Avios loyalty points on flights. From 2023, frequent flyer points will be awarded according to the fare paid rather than the distance flown.
BA says the change “will unlock even more opportunities for our members to earn Avios when they fly”.
But the move has been condemned as “a dud” by a leading loyalty expert.
These are the key questions and answers.
What’s the current deal?
Passengers on British Airways who enrol for the airline’s Executive Club can earn Avios points based on how far they fly. The loyalty points, formerly known as Air Miles, can be redeemed for future flights and other benefits.
The number of Avios per mile flown is calculated according to three variables:
- Cabin class – World Traveller Plus, Club World and First passengers earn extra points, adding 25, 50 or 100 per cent to accrued points
- “Fare class” – on heavily discounted fares, the Avios points are cut by 50 of 75 per cent
- Executive Club tier – frequent flyers who have achieved elite status gain an uplift of 25, 50 or 100 per cent in Avios
What does that mean for a typical flight?
On a London-Singapore flight, a discount passenger in economy in the lowest (blue) tier earns 5,294 Avios, while a gold card member in first class accrues 42,344.
What is an Avios worth?
It is impossible to establish a cash value for each Avios, because it all depends how they are redeemed. For very short notice British Airways domestic and European flights, they can be extremely valuable.
Looking at a Edinburgh-Heathrow one-way flight on 1 November, booking 90 minutes before departure, the cash fare is £422. But the same seat is yours for just 4,750 Avios plus £17.50 in cash – making each Avios worth 8.5p.
Upgrades to business class paid for by Avios can also represent excellent value.
Conversely, on some long-haul flights, Avios can be worth a pittance . For a London Heathrow-New York JFK return booking on 15 November for a week, a cash buyer will pay £400. With Avios, it’s 50,000 plus £100 – making an Avios worth only 0.6p.
One penny per point is a reasonable ballpark figure.
What’s changing?
From a yet-to-be announced date in 2023, the distance flown will be irrelevant. British Airways is to align with the policy just adopted by its Spanish sibling, Iberia.
Passengers will earn Avios based…
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