Previously you earned Avios points based on the distance you fly, but now you’ll earn points based on the cost of your ticket.
Here, Which? takes a closer look at what the changes mean for British Airways Executive Club members and how it will impact your Avios balance.
What's changing?
From 18 October, Executive Club members will collect Avios based on the total spend of their ticket and add-ons, excluding airline taxes and fees.
This means that you’ll collect Avios points on:
How many Avios points can you earn?
The rate of Avios you earn per pound spent is dependent on what tier you’re in of the Executive Club.
For example, a Blue member flying from London to Nice in economy (Euro Traveller) could earn 894 Avios points on a trip with the new system.
British Airways said that the passenger would spend £149 on their fare and carrier charges, and they would then earn six Avios points per pound spent, equating to 894 Avios.
If they spent an extra £14 choosing their seat, their Avios total would be boosted to 978.
British Airways said that under the old system this journey would only get them 648 points.
Find out more:.What about other airlines?
British Airways has confirmed that the changes will also impact flights marketed by American Airlines and Iberia.
However, flights marketed by other Oneworld or air partners won't be impacted. This means that members will collect Avios based on a percentage of how many miles flown and the cabin you fly in.
Some tickets where the fare paid isn’t disclosed or isn’t available, including flights booked as part of a British Airways Holiday package, will continue to collect Avios based on the existing mileage system.
Find out more:Will you be better off?
There will be winners and losers of the new scheme, with passengers that shell out more for their ticket and add-ons now rewarded for their spending.
However, passengers who managed to snap up cheap fares to long-haul destinations may be worse off.
However, we spotted a return from London to New York in March 2023 with no checked baggage for £369.61.
Of this amount, only £171 is eligible for Avios points as the rest is made up of taxes and fees.
Therefore, a Blue member in this scenario would only get 1,026 Avios points (171 x 6), but this would increase if the passenger paid for extras such as seat selection and baggage.
Find out more:.What can you spend Avios points on?
Avios points can be spent on reward flights, upgrades and hotels.
Most of the time points can only be claimed against the cost of the flight, but not taxes and fees. So even when you’ve earned enough points for a free flight, you may still have to pay hundreds of pounds.
How to boost your Avios points
One way to boost your balance is with an air mile credit card which rewards you with Avios points for your everyday spending.
The British Airways American Express Credit Card has no annual fee and a representative APR of 30.7% (credit is subject to status and terms apply). New card members can get 5,000 Avios points if they spend £1,000 in the first three months and a companion voucher (which you can use to save money on a flight or to buy another ticket with just the taxes to pay) if they spend £12,000 in one year.
The Barclaycard Avios Credit Card offers the same introductory bonus and also has no annual fee. It has a representative APR of 28.9% (credit is subject to status and terms apply). If you spend £20,000 in your first year, you’ll get a cabin upgrade voucher or 7,000 bonus Avios points.
Find out more:.Is British Airways a good airline?
British Airways came towards the bottom of our tables for short-haul and long-haul airlines.
On short-haul, it earned the same three-star rating for customer service as Ryanair, while seat comfort and the boarding process gained just two stars.
It received slightly higher ratings on long-haul, including four stars for customer service, but it was still behind almost every other rival.
Find out more: .Which? Limited is registered in England and Wales to 2 Marylebone Road, London NW1 4DF, company number 00677665 and is an Introducer Appointed Representative of the following: 1. Inspop.com Ltd for the introduction of non-investment motor, home, travel, pet, van and temporary insurance products (FRN 610689). Inspop.com Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to provide advice and arrange non-investment motor, home, travel and pet insurance products (FRN310635) and is registered in England and Wales to Greyfriars House, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff, South Wales, CF10 3AL, company number 03857130. Confused.com is a trading name of Inspop.com Ltd. 2. LifeSearch Partners Limited (FRN 656479), for the introduction of Pure Protection Contracts, who are authorised and regulated by the FCA to provide advice and arrange Pure Protection Contracts. LifeSearch Partners Ltd is registered in England and Wales to 3000a Parkway, Whiteley, Hampshire, PO15 7FX, company number 03412386. 3.Which? are an Introducer Appointer Representative of Optimise Media Limited (FRN 313408), for the introduction of HSBC Group, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to provide credit brokering activity. Optimise Media is registered in England and Wales to Exchange Street Buildings, 35-37 Exchange Street, Norwich, England, NR2 1DP and company number 04455319. We do not make, nor do we seek to make, any recommendations on financial products or services that are regulated by the FCA, as we’re not regulated or authorised by the FCA to advise you in this way. In some cases, however, we have included links to regulated brands or providers with whom we have a commercial relationship and, if you choose to, you can buy a product from our commercial partners. If you go ahead and buy a product using our link, we will receive a commission to help fund our not-for-profit mission and our campaigns work as a champion for the UK consumer.
source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/british-airways-is-changing-how-you-earn-avios-points-will-you-be-better-off-azub30a2e1Bm