If you accepted a voucher because your British Airways flight was disrupted, then you need to use this before the end of September 2025 – here is what you need to know
Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert.com has issued a warning to any British Airways customer who was given a travel voucher during the coronavirus pandemic.
If you accepted a voucher because your British Airways flight was disrupted, then you need to use this before the end of September 2025. This means the return date of your trip must be completed before 11.59pm on September 30. The original deadline was April 2022 but BA has extended this four times before to give customers more time to use their vouchers.
If you book a flight that is more expensive than the value of your voucher, you’ll need to pay any difference if the new fare is more expensive. The vouchers also don’t include add-ons, such as paid-for baggage or seat reservations, so you’ll need to pay extra for these.
MSE explained that the vouchers were sent by email. The team said: “If you can’t find anything, try entering your email address on BA website. If you’ve got any vouchers, you should get an email with the subject ‘Your eVouchers with British Airways’ within a couple of hours. This will include your voucher number(s) and how much you’ve got to spend. As a last resort, you can contact BA via its online form or by calling 0344 493 0787 (lines open 6am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday).”
BA parent company IAG was sitting on at least €139million in unredeemed vouchers as of the end of 2023. It comes after BA unveiled a revamp of its loyalty programme – and some loyal flyers were not happy with the changes. To achieve gold status – offering perks such as access to First lounges and enhanced baggage allowance – customers will now have to earn 20,000 points in a year, a significant jump from the current 1,500 points.
An insider at British Airways told PA that the new programme cannot be compared with the old one due to changes in how points are earned. This includes awarding points based on the amount spent, rather than distance flown. Colm Lacy, the carrier’s chief commercial officer, said: “The changes we have announced today underline our continued investment in our loyalty programme and in our customers.
“Based on our members’ feedback, we’ve built on the changes we’ve already made – including how customers collect Avios and their membership year – in a way that we believe better rewards their loyalty and reflects their changing travel needs.”
However, Rob Burgess, editor of frequent flyer website headforpoints.com, said: “With a gold card now available for just over one-and-a-half £12,000 fully flexible Club World return flights to New York, it is clear who the target market now is. Realistically, it will now be impossible to earn gold for small business travellers, economy travellers or self-funded leisure travellers.”
