Its now 2 months since BA announced the major changes to the BAEC (BAC) program (switching it more to a rewards program than a loyalty program).
I would love to hear how it has already affected people's travelling/booking patterns, perhaps picking up any tips for how to deal with it.
I have certainly made some big changes, but I might remain with Oneworld, possibly BAC as my main "pot".
I am GFL and GGL, with just over 5000 TP for the year ending 31March. I mostly fly USA, Japan and Korea with a few other Asia for Business,
and a monthly Europe and 3-4/yr long haul for family. Company policy is up to Premium Economy, but allows Business class if the routing is reasonable and
does not cost much more (ex Ex DUB,GOT,AMS etc.). I dont need to do tier point runs, but almost always take advantage of a �80 upgrade to CE and use BA vs Easyjet to get the TP.
I know a few others with similar patterns, many in my business - which is UK HQ but most business in Asia and USA..
One World suits me because of BA, JAL, AA and CX giving very good coverage on routes I frequently travel. I would say I have been very loyal, and even a "promoter".
So what now?
I was rattled by the 30 Dec announcement. Maybe because I can predict and adapt roughly how I book flights and see the year ahead in Tier point (sector) terms on one world, but
I find it very hard to predict how much money I will spend - I am always looking to be economical, while wanting lie flat on long haul. Lounge access really helps for work and when there
are long layovers or I am travelling with colleagues.
Changes I made:
(1) Status matching. Previously the only status match I did was to ITA top level - because LCY-LIN is a frequent route and BA timing might not always work. Also it got me Delta lounges in USA.
In the last month I have status matched to FlyingBlue/AF Ultimate and to Miles&More/Lufthansa Senator(Gold).
On bookings, I decided to accelerate Avios burn to benefit from the extra space releases that my 4 month overlap gave me, so I booked most of my 2025 long haul with Avios - burning about 2M,
but I still have about 3M left t use - and will get more space releases after April to finish if needed. I also have a load of 2for1 and GUFs to use up.
In March I need to do two long hauls TYO and SEL and this was where I made a big change. Normally I do a Oneworld flight search and choose one of those. However, Japan RTN on Oneworld
is really expensive just before Golden Week (�4500 CX to �8000 BA from Lon an dnot much better from AMS,MXP,BUD...). I dont like routing via China, Istanbul or UlanBator, and surprisingly
Lufthansa was doing �3.2K for LHR-FRA-HND Rtn. SO I just booked that. First time on LH for about 15 yrs, and teh 747 looks a bit clonky, but its a chance to use my new Senator and try it out.
I picked a 2hr layover vs a 1hr layover so I can check out the LH FRA lounge. Interesting to see how LH booking etc differs from BA/JL,QR,CX,RJ which would be my usual choices.
For Seoul, I almost decided on an AMS startingpoint and then KLM direct or via CDG - to test out my "Flying Blue Ultimate", but Lufthansa was offering really good deals from FRA on the days
I wanted - probably due to the competition from T'way (�1460 RTN old KL near flat). Normally I would use BUD-HEL-ICN but FInnair was actually more expensive for my dates, and getting to
BUD vs FRA is a factor.
I am feeling a bit weird that the Only BA revenue booking I have is for a family trip to NYC+IAD which is a BA Holiday. I booked alone, so I don't have to split the very expensive room cost in Washington,
and it will be my first earn of "New Tier Points". My family members are going out on a mix of avios and regular tickets on the same flights.
SO, Loyalty wise, what is teh impact on BA.
(1) I have become seriously disloyal for the first time in about 10 years. OneWorld spend probably �7K less ( moved to StarAlliance) in March alone and I will be sampling LH (although the old 747-8)
Also I spent �9K less myself and about �30K less across my family by using Avios vs Paying full price, but BA will get a few �xx from teh Avios company and will not have to pay for Avios on those tickets.
(2) I am holding back bookings for business trips because I have decided to evaluate options for each nearer the time. However, but default I expect to stay OneWorld. I like using the CCR, I like JAL,
QR and AY are good if the price is right, and CX often has good asia routes.
(3) As it gets really hard to figure out how many new TP I will earn on these options, I will have to spend time doing some
sort of projection to see what it will take to retain GGL. I would definitely like to, but I am 40,000 TP away from GGLFL - so there is no significant incentive to go Y->J to get 30 or 35TP round Europe,
or to fly AA vs JetBlue/DL/UA round USA - although I need to figure that one out.
(4) Via the recent Status Matches, in the year ahead I am toppish tier in Star Alliance and SkyTeam so I will definitely be checking them out
while I digest the new scheme.
(5) Normally we have a big FS Villa family holiday to Maldives, Seychelles or similar in the New Year. Seems like I can book a 2 bedroom Villa on BA holidays with my flight, so that might
be a good way to add �20-�30K spend later on, with the rest of the family coming on Avios or "the best carrier".
(6) Credit Card spend has all switched to Amex Plat. As I am not booking BA I don't get the Avios boost, and the Plat points can come back to Avios later or go to another scheme if
I treat it seriously. When we learn the � -> New TP (I'm guessing 30), it might be sensible to shift back to BA. Although a family member used her card for the Lufthansa flights
which bizarrely got her the BA 241 that might be used for a future family trip.
(7) There is a lot of thinking / evaluation / learning to do over the coming few months. I expect I will make a decision to retain GGL - Jokers/CCR/5guests/service being the big benefits for me.
I am fortunate in being GFL so if I drop back severely in 2026 the fall will not be so bad as for some, including many in my business. This is going to be really interesting.
I think my dismay at the hassle / uncertainty / gaslighting / cockyness of teh announcement has abated, and I am realising that this does bring some spice to life, and it will be
interesting to get out of the BA trench and have a look around....

BA to offer GfL CCR access and 5 guests into GF. Partner cards not required. Oh and through in Hilton Diamond Access as well.

Grapevine or wishlist?

No chance I�m afraid. We�ll be lucky to see GfL remain, let alone the offering getting any better. When BA see that GF is full of people with lifetime status not spending much on BA it�ll be the first thing in the crosshairs.

Yours faithfully, Mr eternally pessimistic!

To answer your question, OP- I remain 9k nTPs worth of bookings short of retaining GGL next year. I have priced up the flights that would get me there but not booked yet. Either BA is or I am stewing, I�m just not sure which�

Long and short is I haven�t booked anything bar one Y return in May.

I�ll have Gold until April �26 so I would be mad not to make use of that, but it�s more something I factor in looking at advantages over other carriers.

Can�t see myself booking any CE for the next year; there�s no real point to it for a 1-2 hour jaunt now it really earns so little unless you�re going full whack fares. And I�ve always been about the cheapest ones.

I�m status building with AY.

My BA flights in F to MIA and AA to POS in January got me to OWR.

My (last ever) BA holiday on QR metal in April but credited to AY will get me to OWS.

I have booked flights with AY to BKK and HKG in December which almost get me to OWE. On AY you can buy Tier Points with Avios and I�ll make up the difference that way.

I'd already flounced off well before 'the end of the world is nigh' news broke. I had booked tickets with Lufty as they were cheaper than BA's. Not having status to cloud one's judgement certainly helped.

Is it possible to do a back-to-back there?

You�ll end up at the gates of HEL.

especially if you start off from SIN�

Like Hiddy, I made a decision to transition away from BAEC coming up on a year ago, primarily given the increased redemption rates (particularly for connecting redemptions), the A321 on their TLV route, and cuts to a North America route I'd previously used frequently. Since then, no long-haul cash bookings with BA: they've all gone to KL/AF/DL. I have used BA for some short-haul bookings, but in those cases simply redeemed Avios.

With the extended cancellation of the TLV route, they extended my BA Gold status an additional year, but at this point the better value is elsewhere. And not being UK/London-based, there's less of a natural reason to gravitate towards them.

Me too. Four CE flights in the last fortnight but that�s it from me. I�ll be that man in the exit row and keeping my options open with status matching.

I have a couple of LH trips coming up. BA or QR would have been an automatic choice but this has forced a complete rethink on how I spend my leisure budget. A first world problem of course but I�d be concerned as a IAG shareholder.

I'm definitely moving elsewhere unless big changes are made to the qualifying regime for the new Club but as I have Gold until April 2026 (somehow, I don't think I should have but I appear to be benefitting from a glitch) and hopefully Silver until April 2027 I'm going to spend the next year enjoying the Gold benefits and make a decision what to do next this time next year.

Free agency here, and the cheapest carrier will be booked unless there is a large amount of inconvenience involved, relative to the saving. The premium I will pay for BA has diminished also.

I have one cash booking presently with BA. I am sure there will be other flights on BA booked as well (I do have a year of silver I would like to rinse), but I anticipate to earn a number of nTPs totalling less than 1000 for the year ahead. Hard to gauge with the bonuses, although my existing booking is basic economy, and of course I'll need to get the calculator out after booking to know what I'm getting.

I am hopefully wrong here, but I expect dynamic pricing on redemptions by April 2026 so I am also looking to burn my avios. Currently have a couple of redemptions and have been looking at another couple.