What you need to know about British Airways Executive Club Tier Point changes
Editor's Note
Back in February, British Airways announced a big change to Tier Point collection year-end dates, aligning all members to the same date starting from April 1, 2025. We're now in the transitional year of Tier Point collection, changing over to the new process.
Prior to April 1, each British Airways Executive Club member was given a "Tier Point year collection end date" on the eighth day of the month following the date they first joined the Executive Club. For example, if you joined on Oct. 15, 2022, you would have had until Nov. 8, 2023, to qualify for elite status.
Once members earn sufficient Tier Points to reach an elite status level, they are awarded that status for the remainder of their year date and the following Tier Point year-end date. If a member's date is Feb. 8 each year and they earn enough Tier Points to reach Executive Club Silver status by November 2023, they would be awarded Silver status until Feb. 8, 2025 — 12 months after the 2024 year-end date.
This system has now undergone some slight changes regarding the year-end date. Keep reading to find out more.
Related: Complete guide to earning British Airways Avios
What are the changes to British Airways Tier Points year-end dates?
British Airways is now aligning all members' year-end dates to start on April 1 and end on March 31, beginning in April 2025. Rather than having different dates based on when you initially joined the Executive Club, all members must earn the required Tier Points by the same March 31 date to earn status.
For Tier Point collection periods starting on or before March 2024, "there will be no change to how you earn Tier status, and any status earned within this period will be valid for at least 12 months," per British Airways' website.
Any existing status that is valid past March 31, 2025, will remain for the full period of time. However, if your Tier Point collection begins on or after April 2024, your collection year will end on March 31, 2025, and an adjustment will be made to your Executive Club account.
British Airways issued the following example to highlight the changes.
"Your Tier Point Collection Year resets on 8 July 2024, meaning that your next Tier Point Collection Year starts on 9 July 2024 and ends on 31 March 2025 instead of 8 July 2025. The Tier Points you earned between 1 April 2024 and 8 July 2024 will contribute to your overlapping qualification periods and will be applied as a Tier Point Adjustment."
British Airways has added a handy breakdown of how the Tier Point calculations will work depending on the month of the member's year-end date. It appears that members with a year-end date of, say, November 2024 will have a shorter period to earn the required Tier Points before the March 31, 2025, cutoff date; however, British Airways will add any Tier Points earned between April and November 2024. So, a full 12-month period is counted, and flyers can receive elite status if they earn enough Tier Points in 12 months.
The program has advised that it's doing this to simplify the earning system. Many major U.S. programs already use this system of members having the same status end date. However, they tend to use calendar years rather than the April to March year that the British Airways Executive Club will adopt in 2025.
There are no changes to how to earn or redeem Avios, the loyalty currency of the Executive Club.
Related: How to transfer your Avios between British Airways, Qatar Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus accounts
What do British Airways end-date changes mean for Executive Club members?
So, is this good or bad news for Executive Club members? Very little will change for those members whose year-end date is before April 2024.
Any status earned until March 31, 2025, will be valid until April 30, 2026, regardless of previous year-end dates.
If you don't meet the requirements for Tier Points to maintain your status, the Executive Club offers a "soft landing" so you won't completely lose your status. Instead, you'll be downgraded. For example, say you're a Gold member whose status is valid until April 2024; if you don't earn sufficient Tier Points to earn Silver or Gold status, you will only drop to Silver.
Related: Airlines you can book using Avios: How to maximize your points
Bottom line
Aligning millions of members' status dates will always be complex and will result in some winners and losers. However, this simplification to a single date for all members will make the system easier to understand.
British Airways does appear to be using a fair system of counting all Tier Points earned in the 12 months to March 31, 2025, when the transition happens.
With the change, travelers may see generous British Airways Holidays double Tier Points offers in February and March of each year. This is because there will likely be a surge in last-minute Tier Point runs due to so many Executive Club members trying to lock in their status for another 12 months.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees