Definitely a Downgrade? Avios Closes as a Stand-Alone Program
Joe Cortez April 09, 2018
Britons who collected points from the Avios Travel Rewards program will have a limited window to continue their earnings before the program shuts down. IAG, the airline conglomerate behind the frequent flyer points, will end the UK-only club this summer, converting all accounts to British Airways Executive Club memberships.
British flyers who earned Avios for shopping at Tesco and other activities from the UK Avios Travel Rewards program will see their options reduced by the end of summer 2018. In a thread posted to FlyerTalk, British Airways announced the shutdown timeline of IAG’s stand-alone loyalty program this year.
Under the restructuring, all current accounts will be converted to British Airways Executive Club memberships by the end of July 2018. Flyers who already have Executive Club memberships can begin transferring Avios now from the Travel Rewards program. In addition, those who have memberships in Aer Lingus’ AerClub or Vueling’s Vueling Club can continue to access their accounts through avios.com.
According to a statement by Avios Group Limited, the change will give Avios Travel Rewards program members more rewards for their points. By consolidating loyalty programs, former Travel Rewards members can collect or use Avios on 11 more airline partners, including those in the Oneworld alliance.
“This consolidation will improve collection and spending opportunities, simplify the customer experience and be more attractive to current and future Avios partners,” said Chris Treadwell, commercial director of Avios, in the statement. “Our business is centered on creating a world-class loyalty currency and this move will enable us to focus on enhancing airline loyalty programs and developing new partnerships for them and any new programs we bring on board.”
Reaction to the news in the FlyerTalk community is mixed. While some are speculating the shift is just a prelude for more changes to come, others are calling it a complete downgrade. One flyer notes that it will be difficult to exchange Avios between IAG’s loyalty programs without the Avios Travel Rewards program, while FlyerTalker chongcao explains that some rewards are only allowed on Avios.com, but not through British Airways Executive Club.
“I have to say unless BA.com eStore improve its offering by July this is definitely an [Downgrade],” chongcao writes.
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We've been members of the BA Exec Club for many years & have just returned from CPT in Club using a 241. Already have the same route booked in Club for next October & also Feb/ Mar 2019, out in Club, back in F. Therefore I see no problem whatsoever with these changes.
Hasn't this gone full circle? I joined the BA Executive Club years ago and was forced to convert to Avios. Now it's going back to BA.
have never used any of my Avios points since a debacle cancelling award flights during the Iceland volcano shutdown while semi-stranded in Lisbon. Last three or four time I tried to use points for flights in the UK the tax (based apparently on the full fare value of the ticket) was more than the price of a discount ticket for the same flight, so I paid less and never used the points. Good riddance, I say.
I don't think this will make much difference really. I gained avios both on Flybe and BA and used to just transfer my Avios.com Flybe ones to my BA exec club account when I wanted to buy a flight with them. Flybe is going to announce its own loyalty scheme anyway I think...which it used to have!