British Airways has announced a significant restructuring of its loyalty program, slated to take effect on April 1, 2024. The revamp, which includes a name change from the British Airways Executive Club to the British Airways Club, introduces a substantial increase in the number of points required to achieve each tier of status. Most notably, the threshold for Gold status, which grants perks such as access to First lounges and increased baggage allowance, has been dramatically raised from 1,500 points to 20,000 points annually. This represents a more than thirteen-fold increase, effectively redefining the landscape of the airline’s reward system and prompting strong reactions from frequent flyers.
The airline justifies the changes by highlighting a shift in the points accrual system. Instead of basing points earned on distance flown, the new program will award points based on the total amount spent with British Airways, including purchases made through its holiday package division, British Airways Holidays. While a British Airways source asserts that this fundamental change renders a direct comparison between the old and new programs impossible, critics argue that the drastic increase in points requirements effectively shuts out a significant portion of their customer base from achieving elite status.
British Airways positions the overhaul as a response to customer feedback and a reflection of evolving travel needs, emphasizing that the changes represent continued investment in both its loyalty program and its customers. Colm Lacy, the airline’s chief commercial officer, stated that the new system “better rewards their loyalty and reflects their changing travel needs.” However, independent analyses suggest that the new structure heavily favors high-spending business travelers while making it significantly more challenging, if not impossible, for leisure travelers and small business owners to attain higher tiers of status.
Rob Burgess, editor of the frequent flyer website headforpoints.com, contends that these changes effectively signal British Airways’ prioritization of business travelers over the leisure market. He points out that achieving Gold status under the new system would require the equivalent of more than one and a half fully flexible Club World return flights to New York, costing approximately £12,000 each. This pricing structure, according to Burgess, clearly indicates the target demographic and makes attaining status virtually unattainable for those traveling on economy tickets or self-funding their leisure trips. He further suggests that even achieving Silver status, a lower tier, will become a considerable challenge for many.
The announcement has sparked widespread criticism and expressions of discontent among frequent flyers on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). Many loyal customers have expressed their frustration, arguing that the increased requirements make maintaining any meaningful status unrealistic for those who are not heavily subsidized by their companies. The sentiment expressed is that the removal of achievable loyalty rewards negates the incentive to remain loyal to British Airways, potentially pushing customers towards competitors who offer more accessible reward programs.
The prevailing concern among frequent flyers is that the new loyalty program structure effectively devalues their existing loyalty and creates an almost insurmountable barrier to earning status perks. The dramatic increase in points requirements, coupled with the shift to a spend-based system, is perceived as a move away from rewarding frequent travel and towards rewarding high expenditure. This has led many to question the future of their relationship with British Airways, with some expressing intentions to explore alternative airlines that offer more attainable and rewarding loyalty programs. The overall response suggests that the perceived prioritization of high-spending business travellers may alienate a substantial portion of British Airways’ existing customer base.
