It was announced yesterday that only British Airways Premium Plus American Express cardholders — not those using the free British Airways American Express card — can now earn up to 2,500 tier points per year when using their card for everyday spending
A major update on British Airways’ tier points scheme has been announced.
Following the airline’s recent overhaul of its loyalty scheme, British Airways and American Express customers have been eager to find out how many tier points they can now earn with the British Airways Premium Plus Amex card.
It was announced yesterday that only British Airways Premium Plus American Express cardholders — not those using the free British Airways American Express card — can now earn up to 2,500 tier points per year when using their card for everyday spending.
The number of tier points you earn annually determines your membership level: blue, bronze, silver, or gold. Everyone starts at bronze, and can progress through the tiers based on how much they spend.
Higher-tier statuses unlock perks such as complimentary seat selection, priority check-in, additional baggage allowance, and access to British Airways’ airport lounges.
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Here’s how many Tier Points are required for each level:
- Bronze – 3,500 Tier Points
- Silver – 7,500 Tier Points
- Gold – 20,000 Tier Points
To reach silver, you could spend £5,000 on British Airways flights and holiday packages — each pound spent earns one tier point. The rest of the required points could be earned through spending on the British Airways Premium Plus Amex card, if you have one.
Here’s how the new tier point earning system works for cardholders:
- 750 tier P=points are awarded when you spend £15,000 after enrolling in the offer.
- An additional 750 tier points are awarded after spending a further £5,000 (total: £20,000).
- A final 1,000 tier points are awarded after spending another £5,000 (total: £25,000).
This brings the maximum total to 2,500 tier points earned via everyday spending. If this sounds confusing, there’s more: the tier points system is separate from Avios points.
Tier points determine your membership level and associated airport perks. Avios points, on the other hand, are used to claim rewards such as free flights.
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Travellers flying with British Airways or its Oneworld partners earn Avios to use toward future flights. Amex cardholders have long earned Avios on their spending. However, prior to the changes in April, cardholders could not earn tier points through everyday spending.
Here’s how Avios earning works:
- The free British Airways American Express card earns 1 Avios per £1 spent.
- The Premium Plus card earns 1.5 Avios per £1 spent, but has a £300 annual fee.
It’s important to note that the 2,500 tier point offer is not available to holders of the fee-free British Airways Amex Card.
If you do have the British Airways Premium Plus American Express card, make sure to enroll in the Tier Point scheme through the American Express app or website to begin collecting points.