It’s been a little over a month since British Airways updated its tier points earning model with a spend-to-earn system. Almost overnight, mileage runs became a thing of the past, replaced by a model where tier points are tied to qualifying spend on fares, seat selection, baggage, or upgrades. But you’re not alone if you find yourself scratching your head after reading about these changes; Once you start digging into the details, translating the new rules into actual tier point gains can be confusing.
In this article, we’ll go over how the new system works and how to earn tier points to move up the BA tiers under the new rules.
A Quick Recap of the New Model
From 1 April 2025, British Airways introduced a new spend-based tier points earning system to replace the old distance-based one. From here on, every eligible pound you pay for a BA-ticketed flight, a seat choice, an extra bag, or a cash upgrade earns one tier point. Taxes and government fees don’t count, but the fare and the airline’s surcharges do.
So, how does that affect travellers? Well, because tier points now mirror spending, the targets are larger and harder to meet:
- Bronze: Requires 3,500 tier points, which means spending £3,500 in a membership year
- Silver: Requires 7,500 tier points, or £7,500 of qualifying spend in a membership year
- Gold: Requires 20,000 tier points, earned by spending £20,000 within the same membership year
However, British Airways has added new ways to add to your balance in addition to booking flights. If you buy Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) credits, each pound buys one tier point and ten British Airways Avios, up to 1,000 points a year. The whole price of a British Airways Holidays package now counts as well, not just the flight portion. So, even one family trip can push you a long way up the BA tiers. Later this year, spending on the British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card will also start earning tier points. While details are still to come, BA says you could collect up to 2,500 points a year just by using the card.
Finally, the airline has introduced milestone bonuses. When your running total hits 5,500, 11,000, and 16,000 tier points, BA automatically drops extra Avios into your account. You can turn those bonuses straight into savings on future tickets or put them toward booking Avios reward flights.
Here’s Why the Perks Still Matter
We’re probably preaching to the choir here, and as frequent fliers, you already know that climbing the BA tiers is well worth the effort if you know how to play it right. However, it bears mentioning that there’s a way to do it so that every pound you spend works harder for you. Here’s why:
Blue
At the entry‐level Blue tier, you can pool British Airways Avios with family members through a Household Account, snap up member-only promotions, and use free in-flight messaging where it’s available. Those features may sound small, yet they create a foundation: you and your family build one shared Avios pot and save money on everyday tickets.
Bronze
Move up to Bronze, and the day-of-travel experience will begin to improve. You can pick your seats a week before departure without paying a fee, meaning no more last-minute scrambles for a window or an aisle. At the airport, you step into the Business Class check-in queue and board earlier than most of the cabin. Even if you’re flying Economy, you reach your seat with less waiting and more overhead-bin space.
Silver
Silver status is where the programme starts to feel premium. The moment you buy a ticket, you can lock in any standard seat for free, and you’re invited to BA and oneworld lounges around the world. Fast-track security lanes shorten the shuffle to departures, and an extra checked bag removes the stress of packing. For many travellers, this tier is the sweet spot: lounge coffee, a quieter gate area, and a spare suitcase allowance turn a routine flight into something closer to Business Class.
Gold
At the top sits Gold. You check in where First Class passengers do, breeze through security, and relax in BA’s First lounges. If you fly through Heathrow or JFK, Concorde Room access means à-la-carte dining and quiet workspaces that feel more like a hotel than an airport. Reward travel becomes easier, too. BA releases extra Economy seats for Gold members and offers Gold Priority Rewards, which can force-open space on otherwise full flights. Rack up enough tier points in a year and you earn upgrade vouchers that upgrade two people to the next cabin, which for many, is the cheapest route to a lie-flat bed on a long-haul flight.
Layer these benefits onto a smart points strategy, and your journey feels upgraded even when the boarding pass still says Economy. Early seat choice, shorter queues, lounge meals, extra bags, and the occasional cabin upgrade take much of the hassle, and some of the cost, out of flying, which means that perks remain the real payoff for tracking tier points under the new spend-based scheme.
How to Use the New System to Your Advantage
First things first: start your booking by checking a BA tier point calculator. Type in the fare you’re considering, and the tool tells you exactly how many tier points you’ll pocket for that trip. Because one pound of qualifying spend now equals one tier point, a slightly pricier ticket can push you past a milestone far sooner than a bargain fare. Seeing the numbers in black and white lets you decide whether the extra cost is worth the early lounge access or priority boarding that comes with the next tier.
Earn Tier Points with British Airways Holidays
A clever way to accelerate progress is to funnel leisure travel through British Airways Holidays. Under the new rules, the full price of a “flight + hotel” or “flight + car” package counts toward your total. Imagine a long-weekend city break to Rome that costs £2,000 for two people; that single purchase credits 1,000 points to each traveller. Add the Avios you’ll still earn on the flight itself, and you are already more than halfway to Bronze after one holiday.
Earn Tier Points with Extras
Don’t overlook the value hidden in upgrades, paid seats, and extra luggage. Every pound you spend on these extras earns another tier point. A day-of-departure upgrade from World Traveller Plus to Club World might cost £200, but it also delivers 200 points in one hit, often a cheaper route to status than buying another return flight. Even smaller add-ons help: pay £30 for an extra suitcase on a ski trip, and 30 points land in your account once you fly.
Buy Tier Points with SAF Credits
The airline now rewards environmental contributions too. You can buy Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) credits in single-pound increments; each pound buys one tier point and ten Avios, up to 1,000 points per year. If you’re edging toward a target and prefer to keep cash in your pocket, you may pay with Avios instead at a rate of 200 Avios for one point.
Keep an Eye Out for the BA Amex Tier points Update
From late 2025, everyday spending on the British Airways Premium Plus American Express card will also count. According to a BA announcement, the scheme will offer up to 2,500 tier points a year simply for putting your normal purchases on the right plastic. Those transactions will still earn 1.5 Avios per pound, so you’re building your balance for booking Avios reward flights at the same time as you climb the BA tiers.
Earn Tier Points with Partner Airlines
Partner airlines remain a useful part of the puzzle. Most oneworld carriers still award tier points based on distance and cabin, which means short, well-priced Business Class hops on Iberia or Finnair can return a surprisingly high points haul. Before you book, compare the return on a BA-ticketed flight with the partner option to see which is more rewarding.
Don’t Miss Out on Milestone Bonuses
Finally, remember that milestone bonuses now add extra Avios to your account. If you’re wondering ‘how many Avios will I earn,’ you’ll receive 2,500, 4,000, or 5,000 bonus Avios once you cross the 5,500, 11,000, or 16,000 tier point lines, respectively. Redeem those miles on off-peak dates and stretch your travel budget further while continuing your march toward the next tier.
Want to see how many Tier Points you’ll earn on your next trip? Use our British Airways Tier Points Calculator below to quickly check your route and start planning your next status upgrade.
Bringing the Strategy Together
Plenty of travellers were disappointed by BA’s shift to a spend-based model, and understandably so. Mileage runs and carefully planned routing used to give more control. However, there’s still value to be had if you approach the new system with strategy.
Think of the new spend-based programme as a points engine that responds to every pound you push through it. One well-timed Club Europe weekend, priced at roughly £1,500 during the bonus tier point window, can place 1,500 tier points on your ledger in a single swoop. Pair that with a £2,500 British Airways Holidays package and you’ll move past the 3,500-point Bronze line and land within touching distance of Silver. If you still need a nudge, a modest Sustainable Aviation Fuel purchase fills the gap while adding a small stack of British Airways Avios to your balance.
The same transactions that advance status also grow your pot of Avios, which you can later deploy when booking Avios reward flights. By unlocking lounge access and priority boarding, you will often have enough miles banked for an off-peak return to Europe, or the long-haul upgrade that turns a holiday into a memory.
The takeaway is straightforward: there’s still value there. Funnel flight-and-hotel spend through British Airways, leverage upgrades and ancillaries as tier point accelerators, use SAF credits as a precision top-up, and (once it launches) channel day-to-day expenses through the right credit card. Track everything, adjust as you go, and the climb from Blue to Gold becomes a matter of disciplined planning rather than endless flying. Gold status really can be closer than you think.
