Updated: Oct 25
British Airways Tier Points Explained: 2026 Rules & April 2027 Changes
Plane Points & Miles | Mr Plane Guy
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British Airways is moving the status goalposts again.
From 1 April 2027, Silver and Gold will require more tier points. Meanwhile, some long-haul fares will earn fewer extra tier points, making the journey towards status less rewarding from both directions.
Automatic flight bonuses remain, but “permanent” clearly doesn’t mean the amounts stay the same.
This guide explains what applies now, what changes in April 2027 and why your booking date matters.
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What Are BA Tier Points?
Tier points earn status. Avios pay for rewards. They’re different balances.
Tier points help you progress through British Airways Club membership levels, unlocking benefits such as priority services and lounge access.
Your tier-point collection year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Your annual balance then resets, although the points contribute towards your lifetime total.
Status follows a different timetable: once earned, it normally lasts for the remainder of your membership year, which ends on 30 April, plus the following membership year.
Plane translation: the points can reset before your status expires.
Tier requirements:
Tier | Current threshold | From 1 April 2027 |
Bronze | 3,500 | 3,500 |
Silver | 7,500 | 8,000 |
Gold | 20,000 | 21,000 |
You can also qualify for Bronze through 25 BA-coded flights or Silver through 50, within the collection year.
There is no equivalent fixed number of Club World trips that automatically earns Gold. The points awarded depend on the bookings.
BA Bonus Tier Points: What Changes?
Extra tier points depend on cabin and fare type.
For the lowest listed long-haul fare categories:
Fare category | Existing extra points per flight | New extra points |
World Traveller Plus: Premium Economy | 275 | 175 |
Club World: Business | 500 | 200 |
First: First | 650 | 300 |
Flexible fares have different awards. Check your exact fare rather than assuming a cabin name tells the whole story.
Which Bookings Keep the Existing Rates?
Both dates matter:
Flights departing before April 2027 retain the existing schedule.
Bookings made by 24 November 2026 retain existing bonuses for later travel.
New rates apply to flights from 1 April 2027, booked on or after 25 November 2026.
Keeping an old earning rate does not protect you from the new status thresholds.
How Do Flight Spending and Extras Earn Points?
Eligible BA flight spending earns one tier point per £1, excluding non-airline taxes and fees. Eligible bags and seating earn two per £1.
Bonuses apply per flight. Two eligible Premium Economy sectors earn 550 extra points under the existing basic-fare rate, versus 350 under the new rate.
Earning Tier Points With BA Holidays
Eligible Flight + Hotel and Flight + Car packages earn one tier point per £1 of eligible package spending, divided equally between travellers excluding infants under two.
There is no minimum stay. However, separately priced flights and accommodation added to a basket do not automatically qualify as a BA Holidays package.
For example, £5,448 of eligible package spending for two travellers produces 2,724 tier points each, before applicable flight bonuses.
BA Holidays Bonuses From April 2027
Cabin | Extra tier points per flight |
Euro Traveller | 75 |
Club Europe | 175 |
World Traveller | 150 |
World Traveller Plus | 175 |
Club World | 200 |
First | 300 |
The new schedule applies to flights from 1 April 2027 booked on or after 25 November 2026. Earlier eligible bookings retain the previous rates.
Compare the holiday’s full price and inclusions. A package can help with status, but paying more than necessary simply to collect points rather defeats the luxury-for-less mission.
Can You Earn Tier Points With the BA Amex Premium Plus Card?
Yes, but distinguish the current enrolment offer from the system starting in April 2027.
Current Offer
Eligible British Airways American Express Premium Plus Cardmembers can enrol to earn:
Eligible spending after enrolment | Additional tier points | Total |
£15,000 | 750 | 750 |
£20,000 | 750 | 1,500 |
£25,000 | 1,000 | 2,500 |
BA’s terms specify enrolment by 25 January 2027, with qualifying spending billed by 1 February 2027. Spending before enrolment does not count towards these thresholds.
From 1 April 2027
BA says eligible Cardmembers will earn one tier point per £10 of eligible spending, capped at 3,000 per collection year, without enrolment.
That requires £30,000 of eligible spending to reach the cap.
Plane Honest take: Consider points on spending you already planned. Interest, card fees and unnecessary purchases can outweigh the benefits.
Is BA Silver Still Worth Chasing?
For me, the useful question is whether the benefits improve journeys you already intend to take.
Someone flying regularly in Economy might place considerable value on lounge access and priority services. Someone already booking Business Class may receive several of those benefits through their ticket anyway.
Work out what you would actually use, then compare that value with any extra spending required.
My rule? A comfortable flight you wanted is a purchase. An unnecessary trip booked purely to rescue your status is an expensive relationship with a membership card.
Tier-Point Milestone Rewards From April 2027
BA is also increasing the thresholds for milestone Avios:
Tier points reached | Bonus Avios |
5,750 | 2,500 |
12,000 | 4,000 |
17,000 | 5,000 |
These are separate from achieving Bronze, Silver or Gold. Tier points measure your progress; the milestone reward adds Avios to spend.
Planning How to Spend Your Avios?
Collecting status and finding a reward flight are different jobs.
Once you have an Avios balance, Reward Flight Finder is a tool to consider when researching British Airways reward-seat availability.
Check its current airline coverage, alert features, prices and trial conditions before choosing a plan.
Finding a reward seat does not itself earn tier points. Keep your redemption plans separate from your status calculations.
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Final Boarding Call: Is BA Status Worth the Effort?
Automatic bonus tier points remain useful, but smaller awards on some long-haul fares and higher status thresholds make planning more important.
Before paying extra, check your booking date, travel date, fare type and the earning estimate shown by BA. Then ask whether the benefits justify the cost for your actual travel plans.
I like a lounge and a priority boarding lane as much as anyone. But the aim is to fly better, not spend thousands convincing an airline to appreciate you.
The Plane guide to BA reward Flights
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Hello, I’m Paul a professional jet-setter and all-around plane travel pro. After 15 years working in and around planes, I became a flight delay expert at a London Airport and mastered plane travel hacks, a PLANE flight expert with BIG travel plans but small carry-on.
Now, I share PLANE travel news, tips, reviews, and deals with honesty, humour, and zero baggage! Thanks for reading British Airways Tier Points: Bonus System Explained.
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