Jan 28, 2015, 1:49 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
The changes in summary
Applicable to bookings made from 28 April 2015
For more information, see BA's 28 January announcement and FAQ on ba.com
Earning
Changes to Avios accrual rates and tier bonuses
Earning with partners
Reduced earnings in Economy and Premium Economy
AA, IBERIA, JAL, LAN, TAM, ALASKA, SRI LANKAN, QANTAS, CATHAY.
Changes to tier bonuses
Changes to minimum Avios amounts (accrued per flight)
Changes to Tier Point earning rates
Spending
Promise of greater reward inventory/availability
Changes to standard flight redemption rates
Changes to Upgrade with Avios
Applicable to bookings made from 28 April 2015
For more information, see BA's 28 January announcement and FAQ on ba.com
Earning
Changes to Avios accrual rates and tier bonuses
- earning rates increase for flights booked in F, A, J, C, D, and W selling classes
- no change for flights booked in R, I, Y, B, and H selling classes
- earning rates reduce for flights booked in E, T, K, L, M, N, S, V, Q, O, and G selling classes
Earning with partners
Reduced earnings in Economy and Premium Economy
AA, IBERIA, JAL, LAN, TAM, ALASKA, SRI LANKAN, QANTAS, CATHAY.
Changes to tier bonuses
- no change to Gold tier bonuses (100%)
- Silver tier bonuses reduce from 100% to 50%
- no change to Bronze tier bonuses (25%)
Changes to minimum Avios amounts (accrued per flight)
- minimum thresholds increase for long haul premium fares (F, A, J, C, D, W)
- no change to restricted business class fares (R and I class) and flexible econony (Y, B, and H class)
- minimum thresholds decrease for WT+ (E and T class) - although there are no BA WTP flights that short
- minimum thresholds decrease from 500 to 250 Avios for mid priced economy (K, L, M, N, S, and V classes)
- minimum thresholds decrease from 500 to 125 Avios for cheapest economy (Q, O, and G classes)
Changes to Tier Point earning rates
- Club World London City flights reduce from 210 to 140 Tier Points
- Cheapest economy flights (in selling classes Q, O, and G) reduce from 50% to 25% Tier Points
- No change to minimum 2/4 segments for earning Bronze/Others
- No change to 25 segment / 50 segment Bronze/Silver earning option
- No other changes, thresholds still Bronze 300,Silver 600,Gold 1500,GGL 5000 (3000 to retain)
Spending
Promise of greater reward inventory/availability
- Guaranteed minimum 4 seats in economy on every flight
- Guaranteed minimum 2 seats in business on every flight
- Guaranteed seats will be available to book from 355 days before departure and may vanish 45 days before departure, if not already booked.
Changes to standard flight redemption rates
- Variable rates introduced divided into Off-peak and Peak
- For Peak time (school holidays and other busy times), and partner costs
- WT - stays the same cost
- WTP increases - from x1.5 to x2.0 multiplier (33% increase)
- Club World increases - from x2.0 to x3.0 multiplier (50% increase)
- First increases - from x3.0 to x4.0 multiplier (33% increase)
- For Off Peak time (including every Tuesday and Wednesday throughout the year)
- WT decreases by 35% from current values
- WT decreases by 13% from current values
- Club World increases by 25% from current values
- First increases by 13% from current values
- Free domestic add-ons abolished on short haul redemptions
- No word if CE redemptions will be charged 4500/Ł17.50 or 9000/Ł25 for the UK leg
- Variable rates introduced on Iberia
- Flight redemptions on BA's other airline partners will be charged at Peak rates all year round
Changes to Upgrade with Avios
- Eligible booking codes is set to increase in the near future, allowing mile upgrades from economy (WT and ET) for more travellers - K, L, M, N, S, and V classes added (exact fare codes subject to confirmation)
- Avios required for upgrade now based on the formula: Avios redemption price for the cabin you want to upgrade to, minus the Avios redemption price for the cabin you have paid for with cash. This means that certain off peak WTP to CW upgrades are more expensive than peak WTP to CW upgrades (assuming peak/off-peak variables will apply to UuA)
Executive Club Changes
Jan 28, 2015, 2:02 am
#16
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,212
It is worth reading the link to ba.com Jeni provided us with.
New Avios accrual rates
New minimum Avios accrual levels
New Off-peak and Peak redemption prices
New Avios accrual rates
New minimum Avios accrual levels
New Off-peak and Peak redemption prices
Last edited by Prospero; Jan 28, 2015 at 2:07 am
Jan 28, 2015, 2:02 am
#17
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: UK
Programs: I go wherever the content takes me.
Posts: 5,698
Goodness, what a package. Generally bad news I think, there's a lot of KLM-Air France in this. The free domestic add-ons was good while it lasted, but even I thought that was very generous.
One clarification please: there is effectively a 1,000 Avios minima on short flights for Golds and above (and Silvers too at the moment). Presumably that will be adjusted downwards?
Poor UncleT's cat!
One clarification please: there is effectively a 1,000 Avios minima on short flights for Golds and above (and Silvers too at the moment). Presumably that will be adjusted downwards?
Poor UncleT's cat!
Until the change, I will continue to earn and burn on domestics in this way, which is by far the most efficient use of Avios I've found that works for me.
A very mixed bag of changes!
Jan 28, 2015, 2:04 am
#18
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: GGL/CCR
Posts: 1,899
Off peak period isn't that restrictive thankfully 
Jan 28, 2015, 2:04 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,722
So on the short LHR-AMS hop, where previously it was 500+500 = 1000 Avios, it will now be 125 + 63 = 188 Avios.
Jan 28, 2015, 2:06 am
#20
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,759
The domestic add on was excellent and I make no secret of using them strategically as open jaw tickets (EDI-LHR-BHD) with huge stopovers to maximize their value.
Until the change, I will continue to earn and burn on domestics in this way, which is by far the most efficient use of Avios I've found that works for me.
A very mixed bag of changes!
Until the change, I will continue to earn and burn on domestics in this way, which is by far the most efficient use of Avios I've found that works for me.
A very mixed bag of changes!
Jan 28, 2015, 2:06 am
#21
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA BLUE BADGE
Posts: 1,323
Yay more enhancements!
Thanks BA............a good turn of pace in the race to the bottom.
Why don't you spend the money you are fleecing us for on buying another airline?............oh hang on..........
Thanks BA............a good turn of pace in the race to the bottom.
Why don't you spend the money you are fleecing us for on buying another airline?............oh hang on..........
Jan 28, 2015, 2:06 am
#22
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: BA Gold Guest List, Concorde Room Card, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 728
Redemption rates up!
160k Avios return in F to US East Coast (was 120k)
200k Avios return in F to US West Coast (was 150k)
400k to SYD (was 300k)
etc.
160k Avios return in F to US East Coast (was 120k)
200k Avios return in F to US West Coast (was 150k)
400k to SYD (was 300k)
etc.
Jan 28, 2015, 2:07 am
#23
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Londondinium
Programs: BAEC Sludge
Posts: 96
As a Silver flying mostly in Europe, I feel a bit of a slap in the face on this. The reduction in Tier bonuses and Avios earned will make me rather less of a BA loyalist in future. The benefits of paying more for a BA flight compared to the competition are markedly reduced, or non-existent going forward.
Jan 28, 2015, 2:08 am
#24
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Thatcham, UK
Programs: BA Gold, HHonors Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 470
The tier point cut is bad news for me, I have to book using a corp travel agent... so get no choice in fare buckets. Most of my travel is euro (LHR>LIN/LIS etc)
I was going to struggle to get to silver, now I've got no chance!
Thanks BA, certainly losing the incentives to stay loyal.
I was going to struggle to get to silver, now I've got no chance!
Thanks BA, certainly losing the incentives to stay loyal.
Jan 28, 2015, 2:09 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 143
Peak weeks
As ever, the devil is in the detail. It is a "peak" period during 28 weeks of the year!
Jan 28, 2015, 2:09 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,722
Much has been written here on FT about Flying Blue's "April Fools Day" changes a few years back.
This is BA's own April Fools Day....
This is BA's own April Fools Day....
Jan 28, 2015, 2:10 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: London
Posts: 3,500
Oh dear. The strategy to use the EC to keep members off Norwegian and Easyjet is significantly changing, and the
European LCCs must be clapping their hands this morning. The demise of Little Red is allowing BA to flex their dominance at LHR.
Interestingly, the FAQs show the gold mailer from a couple of years ago promising a reward seat on every flight in every cabin was a load of old tosh.
European LCCs must be clapping their hands this morning. The demise of Little Red is allowing BA to flex their dominance at LHR.
Interestingly, the FAQs show the gold mailer from a couple of years ago promising a reward seat on every flight in every cabin was a load of old tosh.
Last edited by 710 77345; Jan 28, 2015 at 2:15 am
Jan 28, 2015, 2:10 am
#28
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Herts, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL, HH Diamond.
Posts: 3,177
wow not good news for me, Silver for last 4 years or so and it looks all over with my current flying pattern.
By the look of it i guess i fit exactly the type of customer that they do not think justifies having status.
Thats a shame, but I hope for those of you who remain that the lounges will be a bit quieter!
By the look of it i guess i fit exactly the type of customer that they do not think justifies having status.
Thats a shame, but I hope for those of you who remain that the lounges will be a bit quieter!
Jan 28, 2015, 2:11 am
#29
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: BA Gold Guest List, Concorde Room Card, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 728
Jan 28, 2015, 2:14 am
#30
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London UK
Programs: All Expired... :-(
Posts: 410
If you only fly S/H ET, I think EasyJet Plus now looks like better value to me than BAEC.