British Airways Club

British Airways Avios expire after 36 months of inactivity in your account. This means you need to collect, spend, buy, or share Avios at least once every 36 months to keep your balance active. Unlike some other loyalty programs, simply having a co-branded credit card doesn’t prevent expiration; you need actual activity in your account.

Fortunately, there are many easy ways to keep your Avios from expiring:

• Make a small purchase through the British Airways eStore shopping portal
• Transfer points from a partner program like American Express, Chase, or Capital One (even just 1,000 points)
• Book a cheap award flight
• Earn Avios from a hotel stay or car rental
• Complete a survey through Avios for Thoughts
• Purchase a small amount of Avios (though this isn’t the most cost-effective option)

Avios and tier points serve completely different purposes in the British Airways Club program:

Avios:
• Function as the program’s reward currency (like miles or points)
• Can be redeemed for flights, upgrades, hotels, and other rewards
• Are earned based on spending with British Airways and partners
• Can be transferred between Avios programs and shared with family members
• Do not expire as long as there’s activity every 36 months

Tier Points:
• Used solely to determine your elite status level (Blue, Bronze, Silver, Gold)
• Cannot be redeemed for anything
• Until March 31, 2025: Earned based on flight distance and fare class
• From April 1, 2025: Earned based on spending (1 tier point per £1 spent on BA, American, and Iberia)
• Reset at the end of your membership year (now standardized to March 31)
• Cannot be transferred or shared with others

Think of tier points as the measuring stick for your loyalty to British Airways, while Avios are the rewards you receive for that loyalty.

You can move Avios at 1:1, free of charge, between British Airways Club and the other Avios programs, including Iberia Plus, Aer Lingus AerClub, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, and Finnair Plus. British Airways Club is the hub: Qatar Airways Privilege Club links only with British Airways Club, and Finnair Plus does not link with Qatar Airways or Loganair. Our Avios guide covers every route. Here’s how to do it:

1. Ensure your accounts are eligible:
• Both accounts must have two-factor authentication turned on
• Both accounts must be at least 30 days old
• Your name and email address must match on both accounts, and so must your date of birth if it is registered

2. Link your accounts:
• Go to avios.com and open the “Move Avios” tool
• Log in with one of your Avios program accounts
• Add the other program and confirm the link with two-factor authentication (the link is permanent)

3. Transfer Avios:
• Once linked, you can move Avios in either direction
• Transfers are free and usually arrive almost instantly
• There’s no minimum transfer amount
• Members without elite status can move up to 1,000,000 Avios per program in any rolling 12-month period (999,999 per transaction)

This flexibility is extremely valuable because each Avios program has different award charts and fees. For example, transferring Avios to Iberia can save hundreds of dollars in fees on transatlantic flights, while transferring to Qatar might give you better access to certain award seats.

The Travel Together Ticket is one of the most valuable benefits of the British Airways Visa Signature^® Card. Here’s everything you need to know about it:How to earn it:• Spend $30,000 on your British Airways Visa card within a calendar year• The voucher is issued at the end of the billing cycle in which you reach $30,000 and appears in your British Airways Club account 4 to 6 weeks later• It’s valid for 24 months from the date of issueHow it works:• When you redeem Avios for a British Airways flight, your companion travels on the same flights for only the taxes and fees (no additional Avios required)• Both travelers must be on the same exact itinerary in the same cabin• The primary traveler must use their own Avios for their ticket• You must designate your companion at the time of booking• If you travel without a companion, you can use it to pay half the usual Avios on one reward ticketRestrictions:• Only valid on British Airways-operated flights (not partner airlines)• Both travelers must be traveling together on the entire itineraryBest uses:• Premium cabins (business or first class) offer the most value• Long-haul flights where you’d otherwise use a large amount of Avios• Off-peak travel when Avios requirements are lowerDespite the high fuel surcharges on British Airways flights, the Travel Together Ticket can still provide exceptional value, especially for premium cabin redemptions where you’re essentially getting a buy-one-get-one-free deal on the Avios portion.

Finding and booking award flights with British Airways Avios is relatively straightforward, though there are some tips to maximize your success:

Where to search:
• The British Airways website (ba.com) is the primary place to search for most Avios redemptions
• Log in to your account and select “Book a flight with Avios” under the “Book” tab
• For some partners like Aer Lingus, you might need to call to book

Search tips:
• When the search screen asks about stopovers, select “No, I want to continue without stopovers” to see partner flights
• Search segment by segment for complex itineraries
• Use the calendar view (±3 days) to find better availability
• Start searching 355 days in advance for the best premium cabin availability

Booking process:
1. Enter your origin, destination, dates, and number of passengers
2. Select “Pay with Avios” to see award options
3. Choose your preferred flight and cabin
4. Select any Avios + Money options if desired
5. Complete passenger information and payment for taxes/fees

If you can’t find what you want online:
• Call British Airways Club (1-800-452-1201 from the US)
• Be specific about the flights you want, including dates, flight numbers, and cabin

Remember that British Airways prices each flight segment separately, so a nonstop flight usually costs fewer Avios than a connecting itinerary.

As of April 1, 2025, British Airways Club has switched to a revenue-based elite status system. Here’s how the new system works:

Earning tier points:
• You earn 1 tier point per £1 of eligible fare and carrier-imposed charges on British Airways, American Airlines, and Iberia flights (the US dollar equivalent varies with the exchange rate)
• Since April 1, 2026, you also earn a fixed number of extra tier points per flight (up to 1,250, depending on cabin and fare type) and 2 tier points per £1 on bags, seat selection, and SAF contributions
• Airport fees and government taxes do not count toward tier point earning
• British Airways Holidays packages earn 1 tier point per £1 of the total package price, split evenly among travelers, plus extra tier points per flight since April 1, 2026. Some travel-agent fares still earn tier points based on distance flown
• For other partner airlines, tier points are still earned based on distance and fare class

Status thresholds:
• Bronze: 3,500 tier points or 25 eligible BA flights
• Silver: 7,500 tier points or 50 eligible BA flights
• Gold: 20,000 tier points
• Gold Guest List: 65,000 tier points in the first year (at least 52,000 from BA-marketed flights, qualifying add-ons, or BA Holidays), then 40,000 to renew (at least 32,000)

Status period:
• All members now have the same tier point collection year: April 1 to March 31
• Status earned is valid for the remainder of the current collection year plus the entire following year

Lifetime status:
• Lifetime Gold requires 550,000 lifetime tier points (up from 35,000 under the old system)
• Existing lifetime tier point balances have been converted proportionally

This new system generally makes elite status harder to earn for most travelers, especially those who fly long distances on inexpensive tickets. It rewards those who spend more on premium cabins and additional services, aligning with industry trends toward revenue-based loyalty programs.