Very sorry of these questions have been asked before, but I have rarely visited the BA Forum until now. And, I am mowing through the mounds of info here on BAEC (thanks to all the contributors for that; very impressive).

With the announced revamp of Cathay's Marco Polo Club, I am thinking of ditching MPC Diamond and going for BAEC Gold instead. BAEC looks like a much more attractive earnings program now!

My situation is that I have an upcoming trip in December HKG-LHR-MXP return booked on BA. Normally, I would just credit these flights to MPC, but I am now thinking to credit to BAEC instead. The issue is that my membership year ends each February (I am a lowly blue now) and I would like these four flights to credit to my NEW membership year instead (so as to satisfy the requirement of minimum four eligible BA flights each year for Gold BAEC). I will easily qualify for Gold BAEC within each membership year, but I only travel to Europe approximately once per year, but in the near future, not within 2016 again.

Therefore, can I take the four BA flights without crediting to any frequent fly program and then apply to BAEC for retroactive credit once my new membership year kicks in? Would the flights still post to my account and be counted towards the new membership year, and thus I have the 4 eligible flights requirement, and I can start my way towards Gold? Or, will BAEC still look at the actual FLIGHT DATE and post these to my old membership year (which would be useless for me)?

Thanks everyone.