British Airways has reduced the amount of award space available to most partner airlines.
British Airways confirmed to TPG that the first 12 award seats released on each short-haul flight and 14 seats on each long-haul flight — the minimum guaranteed number of seats released — can now only be booked by members of the following programs:
- British Airways Executive Club
- Iberia Plus
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club
These are the four programs that already use Avios as their loyalty currency, with Finnair Plus joining this group in late January 2024. So, what does this mean for travelers?
Related: British Airways’ Club Suites don’t disappoint: On board a retrofitted 777 from London to New York
British Airways excludes award space from non-Avios partners
Previously, most award space flying British Airways, regardless of class or route, would be made available to partner programs such as American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.
Some additional award seats, such as those made available to British Airways Executive Club Gold members and those redeeming Companion Vouchers from cobranded credit cards, were excluded from partners. When BA released seats further in advance than some partner programs would allow members to search, Executive Club members got a brief head start on these seats.
Still, award availability flying British Airways, especially transatlantic, was generally good through partner redemptions.
Related: 4 versions of Avios: When to use Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, Iberia and British Airways
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While this award space change is great for Executive Club members, it’s not all bad news for members of non-Avios partner programs. British Airways regularly makes more than the guaranteed minimum number of seats available to book with points and miles, and these additional seats will be offered to all partner programs just as they have in the past.
A quick check of award seats between New York and London on May 1 next year shows that while there are fewer seats on BA now available with AAdvantage miles, there is still good availability because BA is offering more than the guaranteed minimum on multiple flights.
Also, first-class award seats are not limited to members of Avios programs as they are not part of the minimum award seat guarantee.
It is also worth noting that while BA award space through partner airlines has historically been generous, BA imposes huge fuel surcharges that partner airlines pass on to members booking award seats. For round-trip transatlantic redemptions in business class, members of partner programs are charged at least $1,000 in surcharges.
Restricting some award space to members of a loyalty program is hardly something new in the loyalty industry, with the likes of Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa having followed this practice for many years. Indeed, some may wonder why it took British Airways so long to offer its members more seats than those of partner airlines as it looks to keep Executive Club members loyal.
Bottom line
British Airways is now restricting the minimum number of guaranteed award seats to members of programs that use Avios as their loyalty currency.
However, BA regularly offers more than the minimum number of seats on many routes, especially transatlantic, and these additional seats remain available to all partners just as before. First-class seats are not subject to the minimum guarantee, so there is no change to this availability through partners.
Remember that Avios are one of the easiest points and miles currencies to earn and redeem, so if you are looking for a British Airways flight, you may consider using Avios rather than partner miles anyway.
