Why some travelers prefer British Airways Executive Club over other Avios programs

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Why some travelers prefer British Airways Executive Club over other Avios programs

Research

Tarah Chieffi Senior writer | The Points Guy

By Sky Industry News

Dec 12, 2024

Avios has become a widely adopted loyalty currency, with five airline programs now utilizing it. British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus have been long-time users, while Qatar Airways and Finnair recently joined the list. One key feature of these programs is the ability to transfer Avios between them at a 1:1 rate without additional cost, offering travelers flexibility in choosing the most suitable program.

The author, based in the UK, initially favored British Airways Executive Club due to its numerous earning and redemption opportunities. However, with new additions to the Avios family in 2024, they reassessed each program's benefits but decided to continue focusing on British Airways Executive Club for 2025.

"Easily achievable elite status," according to Zach Griff from The Points Guy, is one reason for this choice. Earning elite status depends on travel habits; however, mid-tier Silver or top-tier Gold status with British Airways provides valuable perks like priority check-in and lounge access. Griff notes that "BA Silver status comes with all sorts of perks...which I've found very valuable when flying in economy."

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Ben Smithson from The Points Guy points out that while Aer Lingus is not part of a major alliance and Qatar Airways Privilege Club offers credit card-based elite status options, British Airways remains competitive due to its reasonable thresholds for achieving Oneworld Sapphire status compared to other programs.

British Airways also offers attractive European redemptions starting at just 4,750 Avios for flights up to 600 miles on off-peak dates. This includes fees and taxes through their Reward Flight Saver option. Roevin/Getty Images highlights this as a great deal for short-haul flights within Europe.

For partner redemptions, Eric Rosen from The Points Guy explains that although British Airways uses award charts for partner airlines' flights, it often adopts lower rates from other Avios programs' sweet spots.

British Airways Executive Club's platform stability is another advantage noted by Sean Cudahy from The Points Guy. While not perfect, it's deemed more reliable than those of other Avios programs like Qatar Airways or Aer Lingus.

In terms of cobranded credit cards offered by Chase—Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card, British Airways Visa Signature Card, and Iberia Visa Signature Card—Smithson rates the British Airways card highest due to unique annual benefits such as discounts on BA-operated flights and Travel Together Ticket offers.

Zach Griff emphasizes that earning Avios is straightforward due to partnerships with various financial institutions like Capital One and American Express Membership Rewards. Transfer bonuses further enhance earning potential.

Despite some drawbacks like carrier-imposed surcharges mentioned in the bottom line analysis section above—British Airways Executive Club remains an appealing choice among available options within the expanding world of Avios airline loyalty programs today.