Using airline loyalty status to unlock luxury travel perks

If you belong to an airline loyalty programme, or you’re a frequent flyer with a particular airline, you can unlock some seriously good travel treats by using your status whenever you travel. And, as you move up the tiers of your scheme, the perks get better and better. Free lounge access – sure, priority boarding – no problem. Here’s how to work the British Airways Club, tiers and status, to your advantage. 

For those of you that are a member of the British Airways Club, or are planning to become one, understanding tier points and status is essential. Unlike Avios, which are used to redeem flights and upgrades, tier points help you climb the BA Club status ladder—unlocking exclusive bonuses like lounge access, fast-track security, extra baggage, and priority treatment.

Lets break down what tier points are, how to earn them, and the benefits you get at each British Airways Club Tier.

What are tier points?

Tier points are part of the British Airways Club, the airline’s loyalty programme. While Avios are earned and spent like currency for flights, tier points measure your travel activity and determine your elite status. You can’t spend tier points—but you definitely want them.

How to earn tier points

You earn tier points when you fly on British Airways, Iberia and other Oneworld alliance partners (American Airlines, Qatar Airways etc). The number of tier points you earn depends on the airline and route you fly on, the fare class you book (Economy, Premium Economy, Business, First), and the type of ticket (flexible vs. basic economy). To give you an example, if you fly between London and Amsterdam in flexible Economy seats you’ll only earn 20 tier points, but if you fly between London and Dubai in First Class you’ll earn ten times as much – 210 tier points. 

As a member of the BA Club, from 1 April 2025 you can also earn tier points when you book your holiday through BA Holidays, and when you spend on your BA American Express credit card. 

British Airways Club tiers/status

There are four BA Club Tiers, each offering progressively better benefits as you achieve higher status. Here’s how they work:

Blue Tier (Entry level)

Blue Tier members get access to Avios redemptions, Household BA accounts to pool Avios points for family travel, “Avios + cash” options for flight bookings, and they can manage bookings via their Club account

Everyone starts here when they join the BA Club. No Tier Points are needed in your account to utilise your benefits, but I’m sure you’ll agree, they’re very basic. Think of Blue as your starting line. From here, every tier point helps you climb.

Bronze tier – 300 tier points 

Bronze Club members benefit from priority check-in (even if you fly Economy), free seat selection 7 days before departure, 25% bonus Avios earnings on flights and priority boarding. They also qualify for Oneworld Ruby status, which opens up a whole host of other benefits (more details on this to come).

This is a good status to achieve if you’re an occasional traveller who wants some premium treatment. 

Silver tier – 600 tier points 

Silver status is much beloved by British Airways Club members. If you reach this tier you can unlock some great extras and really start to spoil yourself whenever you fly. 

You’ll get lounge access across BA and Oneworld business lounges worldwide (14 other airlines’ lounges including those of Qantas, American, Qatar, Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines). You’ll get priority security lanes (at select airports), free seat selection at booking for all flights, extra baggage allowance, a 50% bonus Avios earning rate and Oneworld Sapphire status.

Silver is the sweet spot for most travellers— that lounge access and other perks can make a big difference to your travel experience, particularly when you have an Economy booking. 

Gold tier – 1,500 tier points

The rockstar of British Airways status, Gold gets you access to BA First Class lounges, First Class check-in desks, priority boarding (Group 1), free seat selection for you and travel companions, additional baggage allowances, 100% bonus Avios earnings on flights, and Oneworld Emerald status.  Some Gold members even get Guest List & Concorde Room invitations – but those are only open to very high spenders.

Gold really does unlock the full luxury travel experience ever time you fly, no matter what cabin class you book. 

Tier point collection year and retention

Your Tier point collection year runs for 12 months, and at the end of each collection year, your Tier points reset to zero. If you don’t re-qualify for the same status after that year – i.e you haven’t earned the required number of tier points – you drop one level, so once you get the status you want, you should ideally formulate your travel plans and earning strategy around keeping it that way. 

Tier point runs

Some BA Club members do “Tier point runs” by booking specific flights designed to maximise their tier points earnings at the lowest possible cost, especially when their renewal date is approaching. Others specifically watch out for promotional offers from British Airways, whereby they offer travellers double tier points for certain routes. If you’re a status chaser, these travel hacks can really help you retain your BA status. 

Lifetime tier points

Confusing, I know, but while you earn annual tier points to achieve annual status, which reset, you also earn Lifetime Tier Points that accumulate indefinitely, as long as you’re a part of the British Airways Club. Once you hit 35,000 Lifetime Tier Points you’ll get Gold status for life. If you can miraculously manage 100,000 Lifetime Tier Points, you’ll get Gold Guest List for Life. You have to be a seriously big spender though to achieve these – so I’d suggest you focus on your annual status. 

How to track your tier points

So, how do you track all these points?! Well, you can easily track your tier points in your BA Club account online or via the British Airways app. Your account will show you how many tier points you’ve earned in your current year, the flights eligible toward your tier, and how many points you need to reach or retain a tier. I make it a habit to keep a frequent check on this because it helps me plan what I’m likely to earn as I move through the year, and what I need to do to stay on my current level, or move up if I’m close to the next. 

Final thoughts

Tier points don’t get as much attention as Avios, but I find them to be just as valuable. They’re the key to unlocking elite travel benefits. My status is indispensable if I want to breeze through the airport and skip long lines, when I want to take time to relax in the lounge before I fly, or make sure I can book seats all together in advance. In my opinion, climbing the Club ladder is well worth it.

Do you have any questions about tier points or have any tier run tips? Share them in the comments below!