As the new year rapidly approaches and Brits look to booking their 2025 getaways, there are some airline changes to be aware of to avoid being caught out.
There is nothing worse than getting to the airport and having an unexpected fee handed to you for not knowing the new luggage rule of your chosen airline. Or, perhaps missing out on some valuable flight points because you chose to fly with a specific airline.
Whilst airlines do try and communicate the best they can of changes they are making to their booking, boarding, seating, luggage and other processes, sometimes it can be hard to keep up. So here are the changes to airlines holidaymakers need to be aware of in 2025:
British Airways
In 2025, your British Airways Tier status will reset at the same time as everyone else’s, meaning travellers have the same Tier Point Collection Year as friends and family, who are also members of the Executive Club. In future, the Tier Point collection period will start on 1 April and end on 31 March every year. The change will be in place for all British Airways Executive Club Members, starting from 1 April 2025.
Wizz Air
Wizz Air and Airbus are set to launch a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) trial ahead of EU mandates, in 2025. The airline, which was awarded as a global environmentally sustainable airline group of the year by the CAPA Centre for Aviation, will trial SAF in collaboration with Airbus. The trial will take place before the EU’s RefuelEU aviation regulations are set to take effect in 2025.
As part of the EU’s Fit for 55 package, the RefuelEU aviation regulation requires aviation fuel suppliers to ensure that all fuel made available at select EU airports contain a minimum share of SAF with increasing blends over time. It will also require airlines operating within the EU to refuel with 90 per cent of fuel needs from those airports.
The trial will involve flights across two major routes — Barcelona to Budapest and Brussels Charleoi to Budapest.
Commenting on the initiative, Yvonne Moynihan, Wizz Air’s corporate and ESG officer, said: “This cross-industry collaboration with Airbus is a demonstration of the commitment of the aviation community to reduce emissions intensity. It’s crucial for all actors in the aviation ecosystem to play their part and join forces to reach the industry goal of net zero by 2050. SAF is a key enabler and that is why Wizz Air supports this pioneering EU policy and has made significant strategic investments into SAF as a result.”
“[W]e are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and leading the industry by example with our goal of having 10 per cent of our flights powered by SAF by 2030.”
Ryanair
Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair, recently revealed plans to eliminate printed boarding passes by May 2025 — a change that would make Ryanair the first airline in the world to go entirely paperless. Speaking at a press conference, Michael O’Leary said: “We are working towards May 1 that everything will be done on the app, nothing will be done on paper anymore.”
Around 60 per cent of Ryanair passengers use the app. Mr O’Leary anticipates this will rise to 80 per cent before the end of the year, before hitting 100 per cent next spring.
As well as eliminating printed boarding passes, physical check-in desks may also be removed. “I’m one of the last remaining people still showing up with my piece of paper,” he said. “But it works so well. [The app] tells you your gate and if there is a delay.”
At present, passengers are charged £55 if they forget to check in online before getting to the airport. Mr O’Leary claims that by scrapping check-in desks and physical boarding passes, passengers will never have to pay for their ticket to be printed at the airport again.
“The airport check-in fee will be gone. So I think it will be a smoother, easier journey for everybody,” he said.
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic has introduced a carbon surcharge on all flights from the UK from 1 January 2025. Holidaymakers booking tickets from the UK will pay £8 in economy, £12 in Premium and £24 in Upper, equivalent to less than one per cent of the average fare. The new surcharge reflects increasing regulatory and compliance costs.
Virgin Atlantic has also recently announced its new Clubhouse at LAX Airport in Los Angeles, America, which is due to open in early 2025. The lounge will feature a bar, personal table service, local flavours, cocktails, spaces for relaxation and The Royal Box — an exclusive area for VIPs (Virgin Important people) — and The Wiggle Room — a private space for a pre-flight workout or guided meditation.
Delta Air
In 2025, Delta Air Lines will implement new Sky Club access restrictions on February 1, which cap the amount of annual visits for many cardholders. Delta Sky Club is a membership that allows travellers to have a place to relax before their flight with complimentary cocktails, fresh and healthy food options, free high speed Wi-Fi and more, across 50 locations.
The change will impact Reserve Card Members, who will only be able to have 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club. To earn an unlimited number of visits each year starting on February 1, the total eligible purchases on the the cardholders account must equal $75,000 (£59,540.63) or more between January 1 and December 31, 2024, and each calendar year thereafter.
Once all 15 visits have been used, Eligible Card Members will be able to purchase additional Delta Sky Club Visits (including Grab and Go) at a per-visit rate of $50 (£39.69) per person using their card.
In addition, a new modern design will be coming to the widebody Airbus A350 early in the new year. The design will feature new seating materials, enhanced lighting, a different colour palette and new decorative motifs and signature branding, according to Delta.
American Airlines
Due to frustration expressed by American Airlines passengers over being unable to use their miles for upgrades, the airline will treat miles like cash in 2025, allowing customers to purchase upgrades with miles as they would money. The airline intends to introduce the new system in early 2025.
Jet Blue
JetBlue has a big year ahead, as it will open its first-ever airport lounges in 2025, located at its main hubs in New York and Boston, USA. The first ‘exclusive’ lounge will be at JFK International Airport in New York, in late 2025, and will be 8,000-square-feet. A second 11,000-square-foot lounge, at Boston Logan International Airport, will follow.
The lounges will be open to JetBlue credit card holders, Mint class customers on transatlantic flights as well as some other top-class, frequent fliers. Eligible customers will be able to purchase day passes, depending on space availability. All customers, will also have the opportunity to buy an annual pass — however, pricing for this is not yet clear.
The lounges will have cocktail and espresso bars, complimentary food and beverages, spaces to work with charging stations, and highest-tiered loyalty customers will be able to bring one free guest into the lounge.
