Big Changes Coming to British Airways Executive Club Program
I just got an email from British Airways that nearly made my heart stop - they are changing their frequent flyer program starting November 16. Immediately I thought, "Oh crap, here we go - a major devaluation!," but instead it seems like an attempt to expand the program and include Iberia's frequent flyer now that the two carriers are as closely aligned as ever.
However, after looking into it, I don't think this will be an earth-shattering change (like a move to a revenue-based redemption system like JetBlue/Southwest, etc) and it may even make the rewards you redeem cheaper. The new miles will be called Avios miles, which seems a little weird, but I'm sure we will get used to it. Per the BA release, "The name reflects the valuable, global and distinctive nature of the currency that will offer members a more rewarding experience in the Executive Club. It is simple to pronounce and evokes travel and flight in many languages."
What isn't changing: Elite program, non-air partners (like hotel stays), expiration (still after 36 months of no activity)
Key changes:
1) Award charts will change and some routes will go up and some down. There was nothing about partner award charts or stopovers, so we will have to wait and see. See the full chart here. The good news:
JFK-London will go down. 80,000 roundtrip for business class (down from 100,000) and 120,000 for First (down from 150,000), 60,000 for Premium Economy (down from 75,000) and 40,000 roundtrip for coach (down from 50,000).
2) There will be more redemption options for car and hotels. This isn't surprising, because British Airways has minted millions upon millions of miles this year with 100,000 mile credit cards and 50% American Express transfer bonuses, so I knew they needed to come up with new ways for their members to redeem miles.
3) New Saver Awards for short-haul flights. Lower amount of miles and taxes needed.
There is still a lot of "wait and see," specifically with partner rewards, but I'm hoping for the best. Either way, we have until November 16, 2011 so if necessary we can unload as many miles as possible before then if any real negative changes are implemented. Check out this businesstraveller.com article on the program for more information.
[card card-name='Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express ' card-id='22035076' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
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- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
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Rewards Rate
| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
$395Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month