44 British Airways Club questions – answered

Words: Hannah Ralph

Part one: the basics

1. What is The British Airways Club?
The British Airways Club is our loyalty programme – a Club designed to recognise and reward the flyers who trust us with their travels.

2. What’s the difference between The British Airways Club and the Executive Club?
The former has evolved from the latter, but it’s still our loyalty programme and our continued commitment to reward those who choose to fly with us, just with a new name and fresh approach. 

3. Why did British Airways introduce The British Airways Club?
Travel has changed a lot since we first launched our loyalty programme more than 40 years ago. To reflect that, it needed to better recognise how our customers travel today. That’s why the updated model rewards you based on what you spend, rather than the cabin and distances you fly. This brings it in line with Avios, our frequent flyer currency. Overall, it’s a simpler and more transparent way to recognise and reward your loyalty.

4. How does The British Airways Club work?
Being a part of The British Airways Club allows you to collect and spend Avios (more on that soon). The British Airways Club also rewards you for choosing us in other ways. There are four main tiers, and the more you spend within the British Airways universe – whether that’s on flights and holidays or add-ons such as extra baggage – the higher you can advance through them, with increasing perks along the way. 

5. What are the benefits of joining The British Airways Club?
Being a part of the Club means collecting rewards every time you travel – and then putting those rewards towards your future travels. Priority check-in, lounge access, seat selection and free extra baggage are all perks of ascending through the tiers. Avios, meanwhile, can replace cash on purchases of Reward Flights, cabin upgrades, holiday packages, car hire and much more. Members can also message on a device across every Wi-Fi-enabled flight, meaning you can stay connected at 35,000 feet completely free of charge. The magazine you’re reading this in? That’s another Club perk – delivered straight to your inbox each month.

6. How do I join The British Airways Club?
Simply sign up online at ba.com. You can start reaping rewards right from the jump.

7. Is it free to join The British Airways Club?
Yes! Joining the Club and becoming a member doesn’t cost a penny.

8. How old do I have to be to join The British Airways Club?
Members have to be at least 18 years of age, as per our Terms and Conditions. For those under 18, there’s the household account (head to question 15 to learn more).

9. Do I have to live in the UK to join The British Airways Club?
No. Travellers of almost every country can become a British Airways Club member by signing up online. More information can be found here.

10. Does my British Airways Club membership expire?
The membership itself won’t expire unless you actively cancel it. Tier points, however, expire at the end of each tier point collection year on 31 March. But they’ll be added to your lifetime tier points. Your Avios won’t expire as long as you collect, spend, buy or share at least one Avios every 36 months.

11. How do I find my British Airways Club membership number?
A handy fact: your Club membership number is at the bottom of all emails you receive from The British Airways Club. You’ll also see it appear whenever you log in to your Club account using your email and password, whether that’s online or via the British Airways app or Avios app.

12. How do I add my British Airways Club membership number to a booking?
After you’ve selected your flights and seats on ba.com, the next page will ask for your contact details, with the option to include your frequent flyer number. Look out for a dropdown menu called ‘Add Frequent Flyer details’. You can also add your details at a later date if you forget to do this at the time of booking or want to add to an existing trip that’s already booked. 

13. Do I need a physical British Airways Club membership card?
Club members will not need to show a physical card at any point of their journey. For Blue, Bronze and Silvers members, there’s a digital membership ‘card’ attached to your account, which can be shown if required. Gold members are able to request a physical card, but it’s not a requirement.

14. What is a British Airways Club ‘third-party nominee’? 
If you’re a third-party nominee to someone’s Club account, it means you are authorised to manage that account with them, giving you permission to alter bookings and make general enquiries, despite the fact you are not the direct membership holder. Best of all, it’s not limited to one nominee – you can select up to five third-party nominees. It’s handy for busy bees who like to outsource their travel admin.

15. How does a British Airways Club household account work?
A household account lets up to seven people pool their Avios into one shared balance. While one member of the household must be the designated ‘head’ of the account, each individual member still collects their own Avios and has their own individual balances. The advantage is that when one member of the account decides it’s time to book, they can draw Avios from the collective pot.

16. How does the British Airways ‘Family & Friends’ list work?
Only the head of a household account can create the ‘Family & Friends’ list, which allows up to five additional people to enjoy the benefits of the household’s collective Avios pool.

17. How do I link my British Airways American Express® Credit Card to my British Airways Club account?
You’ll have to enter your British Airways Club number while applying for the British Airways American Express® Credit Card. This automatically links the Card and the account, after which you’ll start collecting Avios on your everyday spends.

18. How do I contact The British Airways Club?
Bronze, Silver and Gold members should log into their accounts to find a dedicated contact number. Blue members can head here and select their country of residence to find the appropriate contact number.

Part two: tiers and tier points

19. What are British Airways tier points?
Tier points are the vehicle that move you up through the tiers of The British Airways Club.

20. What are The British Airways Club tiers?
There are four main tiers: Blue (where everyone starts), Bronze, Silver and Gold.

21. How many British Airways tier points do I earn per flight?
All British Airways Club members earn one tier point for every £1 of eligible spend on British Airways flights and eligible add-ons such as extra baggage booked through British Airways. This means that every pound spent on your fare and any carrier-imposed charges added by British Airways all count towards your annual and lifetime tier point balances.

22. Do I earn tier points on a British Airways codeshare flight?
You can collect Avios and earn tier points when flying on partner airlines. The full list can be found here.

23. Do I earn tier points on British Airways Reward Flights?
You do not earn tier points (or indeed collect Avios) on the cash portion of any Reward Flight booking. Reward Flights are flights paid for using Avios and thus are considered a redemption of your frequent flyer currency, separate from tiers and tier points.

24. Do I earn tier points if I upgrade my British Airways flight?
Yes. Whether you upgrade your seat online or at the airport, you’ll get one tier point for each £1 you spend bumping up from one cabin to the next.

25. Do I earn tier points if I book with British Airways Holidays?
Yes again. You’ll earn one tier point for every £1 of eligible spend on British Airways Holidays: that’s on ‘Flight + Hotel’ and ‘Flight + Car’ bookings or all three. Tier points will be split evenly between the number of people on the booking. All passengers (except infants under two) who add a British Airways Club membership number will receive tier points.

26. How do British Airways Club membership years work?
The tier point collection year runs from 1 April to 31 March every year. The tier points you earn during this period will determine your tier status until 30 April the following year.

27. How long does my British Airways tier last for?
The tier you achieve this year (April 2025 to March 2026) will stick around for the duration of the next full membership year (April 2026 to April 2027). Your travel habits during that year will decide which tier you’ll be the following membership year, and so on.

28. What happens to my British Airways tier points at the end of my membership year?
At the end of the membership year – 31 March – your tier points reset to zero. It’s a fresh start on whichever tier you achieved in the previous membership year.

29. Can you buy The British Airways Club tier points?
Only by spending money on flights, holidays, upgrades and other eligible British Airways purchases. Tier points cannot be bought outright.

30. Does The British Airways Club offer lifetime status?
Yes it does. Lifetime tier points build up over the course of a person’s membership, regardless of the annual tier point reset. These points accumulate over time and can, once a certain threshold is reached (550,000 tier points, specifically), unlock the coveted Gold for Life tier.

31. What’s the best way to climb the tiers? 
There are two strategies – frequency (25 flights a year takes you up to Bronze, and 50 to Silver, regardless of how much these flights cost) and meeting tier point thresholds through spending on eligible flights and holidays and picking up bonus tier points. Also make sure to consider extras, such as cabin upgrades, seat selection and extra baggage, to top up your tier points. And remember that codeshare flights count as well. 

32. How do I become a Gold for Life member of The British Airways Club?
To reward you for your loyalty, Gold membership for life is yours once you reach 550,000 tier points. Your Gold membership is automatically renewed every year from then onwards so you can always enjoy Gold benefits.

Part three: Avios

33. What is the difference between tier points and Avios?
Tier points determine your membership tier and benefits. Avios is the frequent flyer reward currency that can be collected and redeemed on myriad perks, including Reward Flights, upgrades and more.

34. How can I see how many Avios I have?
Your Avios balance appears when you log in to your account online at ba.com, when you log into the Avios shopping portal, or on the British Airways or Avios apps. It also appears at the bottom of every email you receive from The British Airways Club.

35. How can I spend my Avios with The British Airways Club?
There are countless ways to spend the Avios you bank. The most popular is on Reward Flights – flights paid for using Avios, with additional cash purely covering the carrier fees and taxes. Avios can also be spent on upgrades, hotels, car hire, wine and even charitable donations. Finally, you can use Avios part-payment to pay for a portion or all of the price of your holiday, reducing the cash amount.

36. Can I claim Avios if I wasn’t a member when I flew?
Yes, but only on flights taken in the three months before you signed up. You also have six months from the date of the flight to make a claim for past Avios, in case your British Airways Club number was not attributed to the original booking.

Part four: membership perks

37. Can I get priority boarding if I join The British Airways Club?
Not when you first sign up, but Blue members who advance to Bronze, Silver, and Gold will be invited up for priority boarding and can then use the designated priority boarding lanes.

38. Do I get free seat selection as a member of The British Airways Club?
All tiers can benefit from free seat selection, but at different stages. If you’re a Bronze member, you can pre-use free seat selection seven days out from departure. Silver members can pre-use free seat selection for their whole party at the time of booking (except exit row seats on long-haul flights, which they can select for free 24 hours before departure). Finally, Gold members can select any seats for free and for their whole party at the time of booking.

39. Do I get extra baggage allowance as a member of The British Airways Club?
Gold and Silver members get one extra (32kg) suitcase on top of the standard allowance. For Silver members, this is in World Traveller/Euro Traveller (short-haul and long-haul economy) cabins only. And no matter which tier of the Club you’re in, a hand luggage fare means just that – no additional baggage allowed.

40. Can members of The British Airways Club use the Club lounges?
Our lounges are a perk of Silver and Gold members only. However, regardless of tier, if you’re flying Club World or Club Europe (long- or short-haul business class), you will have access to our Club lounges.

41. Which British Airways lounges can I use as a Club member?
Silver members have access to our Club (business-class) lounges when flying with us or a  oneworld™ partner, while Gold members have access to our First lounges, including Galleries First and the Concorde Room, when flying in First. They can also use the Club lounges, should they prefer.

42. Do I need to show a British Airways Club membership card to get into a lounge?
It’s good practice to have evidence of your membership on your persons (on the British Airways app, for instance), but your boarding pass will do the work.

43. Can I use other airline lounges with a British Airways Silver or Gold card?
You can, as long as they’re the lounges of our fellow oneworld™ partner airlines. For instance, Silver and Gold members can use American Airlines, Cathay and Qantas lounges when travelling from Heathrow Terminal 3.

44. Can I take my child with me into a lounge?
Silver and Gold members may take one guest into the lounge. This applies to children over the age of two.

45. Is it worth joining The British Airways Club?
Call us biased, but we think so. It’s free to join and, even if you take only one flight as a member, that could result in enough Avios to buy yourself a coffee on the next one. It’s especially worth it if you fly often enough and spend above the necessary thresholds to unlock lounge access, priority boarding, extra baggage, free and early seat selection – and if you convert your everyday spending into travel perks via Avios.

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