Earning elite status with British Airways just got a bit more interesting - and for some fliers, more rewarding - as the carrier has introduced a new incentive that's geared toward boosting loyalty from its most frequent customers. If you fly with BA even a few times a year, these changes may shift your Tier Point strategy.

Effective 25 November 2025, every member of The British Airways Club-its revamped loyalty programme-will earn bonus Tier Points across every eligible flight. It's a move clearly designed to soften the impact of the major programme overhaul earlier this year when BA shifted away from distance-based earning and towards a more spend-focused model.

This post breaks down how the new Tier Point bonuses work, what you can actually earn, and whether the change will make elite status easier or still frustratingly out of reach.

A New Way to Earn Tier Points on Every BA Flight

The newest development at British Airways allows the carrier's members to collect extra Tier Points-in addition to what they earn from their fare already. These are automatically added for every segment flown on British Airways-the amount depending only on your cabin choice.

Here's a quick look at the new bonus structure.

• Euro Traveller (Economy, Europe & domestic) - 75 Tier Points each way
• Club Europe (Business within Europe) - 175 Tier Points each way
• World Traveller (Long-haul economy) - 150 Tier Points each way
• World Traveller Plus (Premium economy) - 275 Tier Points each way
• Club World (Long-haul business class) - 400 Tier Points each way
• First Class - 550 Tier Points each way

This means that even the cheapest, long-haul economy seats now include a meaningful boost, while the premium cabins earn significantly higher bonuses.

Why the Change Matters Now

When British Airways changed its loyalty scheme in early 2025, frequent fliers did not hesitate to voice their opinions. Changing over to a spend-based model after a long, long period of distance earned elite status a whole lot more out of reach-especially for the traveler reliant on long-haul flying in economy or on competitive deals.

That makes flight planning much easier and, for many travelers, much more straightforward.

How Much Faster Can You Earn Elite Status?

The honest answer is: it depends on how and where you fly. British Airways has advertised the possibility of earning "up to 1,100 Tier Points per flight", which refers to a round-trip First Class ticket. While that figure is technically correct, only a tiny percentage of BA customers ever travel in First.

The example most similar to reality for most people would be long-haul economy, the cabin where the greatest number of BA passengers sit.

Example: New York to London Round Trip in Economy

Take a typical return flight between New York and London: the average low fare stands at about $517.

A breakdown of that fare shows that Tier Points are only awarded on the actual fare portion and the airline-imposed charges. In this example those components total roughly £197 when converted from USD. This would earn 197 Tier Points under the spend-based rules.

With the new bonus system, members add:

150 Tier Points each way = 300 total bonus Tier Points

So, whereas you earned 197 before, that same return trip now gets you close to 500 Tier Points. That's roughly a 150% increase, meaning the long-haul economy suddenly becomes far more valuable from a status-earning point of view.

What it means for climbing the status ladder:

Even with these generous new bonuses, the overall structure of the programme remains challenging. BA's revised elite thresholds require:

• 7,500 Tier Points for Silver
• 20,000 Tier Points for Gold

This means that, while bonuses accelerate matters, status isn't necessarily easy to attain, especially if you fly only on British Airways.

Continuing with the example above, with New York-London economy round trips costing £197, it would take a traveler about fifteen of those to attain Silver status. That's a whole lot of travel - or spending - even with the 300-point round-trip bonus..

Will these bonuses benefit most travelers?

This new bonus structure is certainly positive and of immediate value: Frequent flyers budgeting for Economy or Premium Economy tickets will earn more Tier Points without having to spend one penny more. It's predictable, easy to understand, and automatic.

But the bonus doesn't address the bigger problem, which is that BA Club's Tier Point thresholds are just too high. Even with a 150% bonus on long-haul economy, it takes considerable travel commitment to earn meaningful status, or else book flights with partners that haven't moved to spend-based earning.

To BA loyalists-for whom the preference is to stay with the carrier-the change is welcome; it makes each flight count that little bit more than previously and instills a sense of progress that the spend-based model lacked.

When These Bonuses Really Shine

This new earning model provides most value for:

1.   Those flying long-haul economy or premium economy

These cabins see some of the highest percentage gains. For travellers taking one or two long-haul trips a year, these bonuses add up fast.

2.   Members who frequently fly European business class

Club Europe fares now earn 175 Tier Points each way, making short haul business significantly more lucrative than it used to be.

3.   Flyers working towards annual Tier Point targets

The bonus system adds a layer of flexibility if you're planning to travel around requalification. You might only need one or two more flights to close the gap.

4.   Those who prefer to make their reservation with BA directly

Unlike partner airlines, where earning methods are diverse, these are general bonuses applied across British Airways flights, making them simple.

The Bigger Picture for BA Club Members

The loyalty program at British Airways has seen a number of significant changes in just the last twelve months, and the satisfaction of its members has been mixed. Clearly, fixed tier point bonuses are a response to member concerns, offering a more structured and rewarding approach.

However, high status thresholds can be an obstacle to many travelers. Unless BA revisits the requirements or improves spend-based earning, elite status may continue to feel unreachable for many flyers.

Still, the new bonus system does precisely what it's intended to: soften the impact of the overhaul, add more value to every cabin and bring more predictability to the Tier Point game.

Final Thoughts

British Airways' decision to add automatic Tier Point bonuses is a welcomed improvement, most notably after the move to spend-based earning that happened earlier this year. This will benefit above all economy and premium economy travellers while business class flyers also come out ahead, albeit in a more predictable way.

But though the bonus system increases earning potential, the sheer number of Tier Points required for Silver and Gold status means that achieving elite status still demands frequent flying - or strategic use of partner airlines that continue to reward distance.

This change is a meaningful step forward for loyal BA customers. It does not revolutionize status earning, but it does make the journey a bit more rewarding along the way.