It appears there is considerable speculation and misinformation circulating on various blogs and forums regarding the soft landing proposition for Gold and Silver members under the new British Airways Club (BAC) program.

I have spoken to a contact within BA to seek clarification and obtain a definitive answer. I have been advised that the information has been verified with the relevant team.

The official line is that there is no change to the soft landing proposition. This is what all agents will advise you should you contact BA via any of the contact centres. As under the existing BAEC program, Gold will soft land to Silver, and Silver will soft land to Bronze.

However, and I suspect this is where the confusion originates, those who obtain their status via a nomination for a Partner Card will not be soft landed. Instead, the nominee, if not re-nominated, will land to the status level that they achieved in the previous 12-month period. I will provide more information on this in the https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...5-onwards.html thread.

If one gets Gold before 1 April will this result in Gold until 30 April 2026, then soft landing to Silver until April 2027?

I wonder if they will keep the soft landing?

I�m not too bothered�. I will achieve AA Platinum this year just from half a year of credit card spend. If next year I swap everything to AA I will at least get Platinum Pro. Will miss the free access to AA flagship lounges on a basic economy ticket .

But it�s a slap in the face a bit. Self funded support for BA for many years.

Leisure goldie. It was indeed fun while it lasted. I�m 160 short for the current year so am hoping the soft landing will endure.

But as the axe fell swiftly, it�s now an easy choice to switch money I would have spent in 2025 to *A (and if moderately well planned to re-qualify for Gold there).

I�ve spent a good part of my 2024 travels on *A planes and, overall, the experience has been more than positive.

It�s not goodbye BA but my travel plans will no longer be OneWorld biased. I�m sure the bean counters have done their job and decided that low value people like me aren�t important after all.

We don't have to fly BA, indeed go out of our way to fly from LHR/LGW. Happy with the 'package' that BA Gold offered - fast track/lounge/select seats so actively chose to fly BA.

Now, close to no chance we'd even retain Silver so back to TUI from MAN for holidays I'm guessing, and maybe even have a look at Virgin/Delta and SkyTeam.

Massive own goal by BA. Maybe to address the number of leisure Gold and Silvers that have appeared as a result of the DTP promotion, but by doing this a considerable cash cow will now be looking elsewhere for holidays.

I am Gold until November 25. I was already looking at options next year to retain it. Now I don't need to!

Here's to reaching Gold for my first and only time before April 2025. Lets hope for a soft landing to Silver for 2026.

Time to start flying *A again even if it does involve having to book a shorthaul from Glasgow to London with a very disappointing BA.

Just to check I take it there will be no soft landing from Gold to Silver either going forward. Looks like I will be done from April 2026 was fun while it lasted.

Time to point my biannual long haul J trip at another airline and no more need to do a Transcon Shuffle either.

I wonder what this will mean for regional lounges too as a lot will be status passengers in Y
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Have they actually said anything on that? Soft landings were never a published benefit were they?

No soft landing would be the real cherry on top of an awful announcement. Clearly they have the data but given I work for a large multinational and getting J authorisation is like blood from a stone, are there really enough full fare business travellers to make up for hemorrhaging self funded flyers. Particularly as these people won't really be getting any benefits from the changes. It seems like a loss for everyone.

This will be very sad if true.

Wow... This decision is amazing and will go down as big a major mistake - I was short of Silver and though I will get it for the following year, as I understand it, the fact there is no soft landing and you all go directly back to blue is stupid and downright idiotic... I don't recall ever being asked for feedback at all, so I'd be curious as to who replied

Now looking at Lufthansa for some flights

As a - mostly - leiserue traveller in Premium Economy BA Gold was a nice status and I valued it in some cases even a bit higher than my Lufthansa Senator Status. Requalified till April 2026. Will try to make use of it as long as I can, but after this, I do not see me getting Gold again and I not even sure, if I will try to get Silver. The move of BA actually will affect my travel with other oneworld airlines as well. And if the Soft Landing disappears as well ....

I wouldn't be so sure, the rev team are certainly not immune to making mistakes, and BA as a whole have made some big mistakes in the recent past.

Well by the sounds of it soft landings might be a thing of the past too, so you might not have as long as you think

I may have missed it due to the amount of information in one hit and a fast-moving thread, but what is the situation with soft landing status "decay" now?

If someone earns gold before April 2025, they will be gold until April 2026.

In April 2026, without sufficient earning to retain gold, what happens? Do they drop to silver? To bronze? To blue?

My understanding from the very same question I asked is you will be Blue unless you meet the 3500/7500 for Bronze and Silver