Utilizing airline loyalty standing to unlock luxurious journey perks

When you belong to an airline loyalty programme, otherwise you’re a frequent flyer with a specific airline, you may unlock some significantly good journey treats by utilizing your standing everytime you journey. And, as you progress up the tiers of your scheme, the perks get higher and higher. Free lounge entry – certain, precedence boarding – no downside. Right here’s tips on how to work the British Airways Membership, tiers and standing, to your benefit. 

For these of you which are a member of the British Airways Membership, or are planning to turn into one, understanding tier factors and standing is crucial. In contrast to Avios, that are used to redeem flights and upgrades, tier factors enable you to climb the BA Membership standing ladder—unlocking unique bonuses like lounge entry, fast-track safety, additional baggage, and precedence therapy.

Lets break down what tier factors are, tips on how to earn them, and the advantages you get at every British Airways Membership Tier.

What are tier factors?

Tier factors are a part of the British Airways Membership, the airline’s loyalty programme. Whereas Avios are earned and spent like foreign money for flights, tier factors measure your journey exercise and decide your elite standing. You may’t spend tier factors—however you positively need them.

Methods to earn tier factors

You earn tier factors once you fly on British Airways, Iberia and different Oneworld alliance companions (American Airways, Qatar Airways and many others). The variety of tier factors you earn depends upon the airline and route you fly on, the fare class you guide (Economic system, Premium Economic system, Enterprise, First), and the kind of ticket (versatile vs. primary financial system). To provide you an instance, if you happen to fly between London and Amsterdam in versatile Economic system seats you’ll solely earn 20 tier factors, however if you happen to fly between London and Dubai in First Class you’ll earn ten instances as a lot – 210 tier factors. 

As a member of the BA Membership, from 1 April 2025 you can even earn tier factors once you guide your vacation via BA Holidays, and once you spend in your BA American Specific bank card. 

British Airways Membership tiers/standing

There are 4 BA Membership Tiers, every providing progressively higher advantages as you obtain greater standing. Right here’s how they work:

Blue Tier (Entry degree)

Blue Tier members get entry to Avios redemptions, Family BA accounts to pool Avios factors for household journey, “Avios + money” choices for flight bookings, they usually can handle bookings by way of their Membership account

Everybody begins right here after they be part of the BA Membership. No Tier Factors are wanted in your account to utilise your advantages, however I’m certain you’ll agree, they’re very primary. Consider Blue as your beginning line. From right here, each tier level helps you climb.

Bronze tier – 300 tier factors 

Bronze Membership members profit from precedence check-in (even if you happen to fly Economic system), free seat choice 7 days earlier than departure, 25% bonus Avios earnings on flights and precedence boarding. Additionally they qualify for Oneworld Ruby standing, which opens up an entire host of different advantages (extra particulars on this to return).

It is a good standing to realize if you happen to’re an occasional traveller who desires some premium therapy. 

Silver tier – 600 tier factors 

Silver standing is far beloved by British Airways Membership members. When you attain this tier you may unlock some nice extras and actually begin to spoil your self everytime you fly. 

You’ll get lounge entry throughout BA and Oneworld enterprise lounges worldwide (14 different airways’ lounges together with these of Qantas, American, Qatar, Malaysia Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airways). You’ll get precedence safety lanes (at choose airports), free seat choice at reserving for all flights, additional baggage allowance, a 50% bonus Avios incomes price and Oneworld Sapphire standing.

Silver is the candy spot for many travellers— that lounge entry and different perks could make a giant distinction to your journey expertise, significantly when you will have an Economic system reserving. 

Gold tier – 1,500 tier factors

The rockstar of British Airways standing, Gold will get you entry to BA First Class lounges, First Class check-in desks, precedence boarding (Group 1), free seat choice for you and journey companions, further baggage allowances, 100% bonus Avios earnings on flights, and Oneworld Emerald standing.  Some Gold members even get Visitor Record & Concorde Room invites – however these are solely open to very excessive spenders.

Gold actually does unlock the total luxurious journey expertise ever time you fly, it doesn’t matter what cabin class you guide. 

Tier level assortment 12 months and retention

Your Tier level assortment 12 months runs for 12 months, and on the finish of every assortment 12 months, your Tier factors reset to zero. When you don’t re-qualify for a similar standing after that 12 months – i.e you haven’t earned the required variety of tier factors – you drop one degree, so when you get the standing you need, it’s best to ideally formulate your journey plans and incomes technique round conserving it that approach. 

Tier level runs

Some BA Membership members do “Tier level runs” by reserving particular flights designed to maximise their tier factors earnings on the lowest attainable price, particularly when their renewal date is approaching. Others particularly be careful for promotional provides from British Airways, whereby they provide travellers double tier factors for sure routes. When you’re a standing chaser, these journey hacks can actually enable you to retain your BA standing. 

Lifetime tier factors

Complicated, I do know, however when you earn annual tier factors to realize annual standing, which reset, you additionally earn Lifetime Tier Factors that accumulate indefinitely, so long as you’re part of the British Airways Membership. When you hit 35,000 Lifetime Tier Factors you’ll get Gold standing for all times. When you can miraculously handle 100,000 Lifetime Tier Factors, you’ll get Gold Visitor Record for Life. You must be a significantly huge spender although to realize these – so I’d counsel you focus in your annual standing. 

Methods to observe your tier factors

So, how do you observe all these factors?! Effectively, you may simply observe your tier factors in your BA Membership account on-line or by way of the British Airways app. Your account will present you what number of tier factors you’ve earned in your present 12 months, the flights eligible towards your tier, and what number of factors that you must attain or retain a tier. I make it a behavior to maintain a frequent examine on this as a result of it helps me plan what I’m more likely to earn as I transfer via the 12 months, and what I must do to remain on my present degree, or transfer up if I’m near the following. 

Closing ideas

Tier factors don’t get as a lot consideration as Avios, however I discover them to be simply as priceless. They’re the important thing to unlocking elite journey advantages. My standing is indispensable if I need to breeze via the airport and skip lengthy strains, once I need to take time to loosen up within the lounge earlier than I fly, or make certain I can guide seats all collectively upfront. In my view, climbing the Membership ladder is effectively value it.

Do you will have any questions on tier factors or have any tier run suggestions? Share them within the feedback beneath!

Kayleigh Hepworth

Kayleigh Hepworth is Head of Advertising and marketing at Reward Flight Finder. Reward Flight Finder is the right software to seek for British Airways reward flights. If you want to be a visitor blogger on A Luxurious Journey Weblog so as to elevate your profile, please contact us.