Avios and Tier Points should never be far from the mind of any intrepid traveller who finds joy at 35,000 feet. But what’s the difference, what are the various tier levels and how much better can rising up through the ranks make your travels? Avios aficionado Freddie Reidy explains all

The Basics
Executive Club Members collect Avios by flying with us or our oneworld^® partners, or by shopping through British Airways, with hundreds of different brands to choose from. Hotels and car hire can also be bountiful sources of Avios, as is linking your account to your BPme Rewards, American Express^® Card, Nectar or Uber accounts, among many other ways. Your Avios balance can be used to pay for or reduce the price of flights or be used towards cabin upgrades, seat selection, extra baggage, car hire or even hotel stays.

Tier Points, on the other hand, are collected each membership year and are your ticket to unlocking a raft of benefits as you move through the levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold – of the Executive Club. These points are a rarer breed and can only be collected when flying, although there are a few limited-time exceptions, not to mention opportunities to earn double Tier Points.

As a Member you are also able to buy additional Avios or, if you’re feeling generous, you can gift them to friends or family or even to charity. Tier Points are yours alone, though, and cannot be transferred. 

On joining the Executive Club, you automatically start your journey with Blue membership. Every time you fly with us, you collect Avios and Tier Points. Your growing Avios balance will help you to pay for future travel, while a burgeoning Tier Point balance will help to propel you to the next level.

Moving on up
When it comes to Tier Points, your balance resets each membership year and, by meeting certain thresholds for every tier, you can unlock the benefits of each one. Points are awarded based on how far you fly, but also which cabin you choose to fly in. By collecting 300 Tier Points in a membership year, you can achieve Bronze membership for a minimum of 12 months. Silver can be achieved with 600 points and Gold with 1,500. These thresholds will need to be maintained to retain membership from year to year.

Bronze
The perks just get better and better. Here you can collect 25 per cent more Avios every time you fly with British Airways, Iberia, American Airlines or Japan Airlines. Your passage through the airport will be greatly eased, too, bypassing the queues and accessing dedicated business class (Club Europe and Club World) check-in desks (where available). You’ll also be able to snag your favourite seat on board with free seat selection seven days before check-in.

Silver
Glasses at the ready, hands steady. Silver membership can be achieved with 600 Tier Points, equivalent to two return flights to New York in Club World and a Club Europe flight to Madrid. Silver secures access to business lounges all over the globe, from London to Cape Town, LA and Singapore, offering a tranquil redoubt from the airport bustle. Here a smorgasbord of food and drink including Champagne will help you settle into your travels in style. Still on the clock and flying from the UK? Our Club lounges also serve as a great place to get some work done, plus our friends at Union Coffee have just the brew to keep the grey cells active. Other benefits include free seat selection at the time of booking and additional baggage allowances.

Gold
We can’t promise to get you to your destination any faster, but we can certainly promise to pull out all the stops to make it as luxurious an experience as possible. Your hard work in collecting 1,500 Tier Points will see the doors to our First lounges swing open in your honour, where cocktail bars, showers and complimentary à la carte dining abounds, whichever cabin you fly in. You’ll also will be able access the exclusive First Wing at our home at Heathrow Terminal 5 with priority boarding, security screening and a dedicated customer support team. If you’re returning to Terminal 5 on long haul, you will also be able to use the Arrivals lounge to set you up for your day ahead. 

At this point, it’s clear that you’re serious about travel, so we’ll also bring that next flight closer with 100 per cent bonus Avios for every journey you make with us, American Airlines, Iberia or Japan Airlines.

Keep your eye on the prize
As a steadfast Member of the Executive Club, we won’t judge you if you keep an eye on your Tier Points balance with the same diligence as you keep track of time. Here’s an ingenious Avios and Tier Point calculator to help plot your ascent through the ranks. With the rate at which you collect Avios increasing from tier to tier, before you know it, you’ll also be able to book Reward Flights and upgrades using Avios. We have a slightly less rigid check-out policy than ‘Hotel California’, but why would you ever leave?

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This article has been tagged BA, Travel Tips