UK Avios Travel Rewards Programme Changes
Apr 9, 2018, 1:02 am
#1
Company Representative - British Airways
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 834
UK Avios Travel Rewards Programme Changes
Just to let you know today Avios Group (AGL) Limited have announced that it is closing the UK Avios Travel Rewards Programme in the coming months. All Avios Travel Rewards Programme Members, who don’t currently belong to another qualifying airline loyalty programme, will be welcomed into the British Airways Executive Club. Executive Club Members who are not also part of the UK Avios Travel Rewards Programme are not affected.For more information go to avios.com/travelrewards
Apr 9, 2018, 1:07 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat
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hi,
thanks for that, british airways executive club.
guess I will be transferring my avios to my baec account
regards
tbs
thanks for that, british airways executive club.
guess I will be transferring my avios to my baec account
regards
tbs
Apr 9, 2018, 1:38 am
#3
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
JUST IN: Avios Travel Rewards programme to be transfered to BA Executive Club
As per Business Traveller article
Apr 9, 2018, 1:40 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Bronze
Posts: 573
Or their website: https://www.avios.com/gb/en_gb/about...me-is-changing
You may have heard the news. In the coming months, the UK Avios Travel Rewards Programme will close, but Avios, the currency, will remain. As part of the closure, some of our customers will be moving to the British Airways Executive Club. You’ll still be able to collect and spend your Avios in many of the same ways, plus there’ll be lots of exciting new benefits coming your way.
Apr 9, 2018, 1:42 am
#6
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Posts: 4,477
Can not edit my original post. Here I am quoting Business Traveller for some details:
Originally Posted by Business Traveller
According to a press release “New British Airways Executive Club accounts will begin to be set up for customers from early summer 2018 (unless they already have one, in which case they can chose to transfer their Avios across now) and the British Airways Executive Club will be in touch with customers’ new account details and how to activate it”.
Balances held at avios.com will then be moved across to Executive Club accounts by the end of July.
Members can opt out of transferring Avios, but they must do so by May 20, and will then have six months to spend their balance.
Note that the loyalty programmes of Vueling and Aer Lingus use the Avios platform, and will continue to do so after the closure of the UK Avios Travel Rewards Programme.
So what does this mean for the individual customers? Well, Avios says that Travel Rewards Programme members will gain 11 additional collection / redemption airline partners, as well as “60,000 additional partner hotels” and “50,000 additional sightseeing experiences” when their accounts are moved over to the Executive Club.
Balances held at avios.com will then be moved across to Executive Club accounts by the end of July.
Members can opt out of transferring Avios, but they must do so by May 20, and will then have six months to spend their balance.
Note that the loyalty programmes of Vueling and Aer Lingus use the Avios platform, and will continue to do so after the closure of the UK Avios Travel Rewards Programme.
So what does this mean for the individual customers? Well, Avios says that Travel Rewards Programme members will gain 11 additional collection / redemption airline partners, as well as “60,000 additional partner hotels” and “50,000 additional sightseeing experiences” when their accounts are moved over to the Executive Club.
Apr 9, 2018, 1:44 am
#7
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Apr 9, 2018, 1:46 am
#8
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Well I think there was some speculation, though it may have reached into darker areas of the collective thought process.
In terms of commentary, it may be best to hang on a bit, I suspect some more announcements / official communications are going to be made today.
In the mean time, there is an FAQ on the Avios site (same link as above) about the changes, including "exciting new partners". One side effect is that Flybe is getting an Avios.com mini site like Aer Lingus and Vueling.
In the mean time, there is an FAQ on the Avios site (same link as above) about the changes, including "exciting new partners". One side effect is that Flybe is getting an Avios.com mini site like Aer Lingus and Vueling.
Last edited by corporate-wage-slave; Apr 9, 2018 at 1:52 am Reason: fast moving morning!
Apr 9, 2018, 1:49 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
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Apr 9, 2018, 1:53 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,771
Interesting. First thought: will this end up creating lots of duplicate BAEC accounts? E.g. I currently route my transfers through IB as Avios.com won't let me transfer directly to BAEC. As such am I likely to find myself with a new pointless BAEC account set up by Avios because their IT doesn't see my existing one?
Apr 9, 2018, 1:57 am
#11
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Posts: 4,477
I had a look at BA eStore compare with Avios eStore. I think I will be pissed off.
1, In Avios.com eStore, I can click and book hotels with IHG, Hilton, Best Western and others to accumulate Avios based on spending as well as hotel points as it is booked direct. A nice double dip. In BA.com eStore the travel section is poor and this path will be closed if BA.com does not improve its offering.
2, Some interesting eStore on Avios.com is not available on BA.com. For example HolidayTaxis and Royal Caribbean.
I have to say unless BA.com eStore improve its offering by July this is definitely anenhancement (Downgrade).
1, In Avios.com eStore, I can click and book hotels with IHG, Hilton, Best Western and others to accumulate Avios based on spending as well as hotel points as it is booked direct. A nice double dip. In BA.com eStore the travel section is poor and this path will be closed if BA.com does not improve its offering.
2, Some interesting eStore on Avios.com is not available on BA.com. For example HolidayTaxis and Royal Caribbean.
I have to say unless BA.com eStore improve its offering by July this is definitely an
Apr 9, 2018, 2:04 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
Interesting. First thought: will this end up creating lots of duplicate BAEC accounts? E.g. I currently route my transfers through IB as Avios.com won't let me transfer directly to BAEC. As such am I likely to find myself with a new pointless BAEC account set up by Avios because their IT doesn't see my existing one?
Apr 9, 2018, 2:13 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,021
If an Avios.com account with recent activity is merged into a BAEC account that has points expiring shortly, will the transfer reset the expiry date? Normally transfers don't effect expiry dates, but in this case the arriving points would have kept the Avios.com account valid for another 2 years plus.
(Older family member's account, so asking them to buy something from eStore isn't going to work. The plan was to transfer from BAEC to Avios.com, but that won't be possible)
(Older family member's account, so asking them to buy something from eStore isn't going to work. The plan was to transfer from BAEC to Avios.com, but that won't be possible)