Among many market strategies used by companies for increased revenue, Loyalty programs are the long-term reward scheme to increase revenue by retaining their existing customers. By making an account with the company its customers can utilize the program through which they would be rewarded with certain benefits after each purchase of products or services.
British Airways, a UK-based flag carrier airline, the Executive Club is their loyalty program. Anyone signed up for this program can collect Avios, similar to points, by taking a flight, booking a hotel, or renting a car. These points can be used later for claiming certain rewards. Rewards vary according to the amount of Avios one owns.
The Executive Club
A loyalty program considered a “Holiday fund”, by the company itself, with 13 million members all over the world is a classic scheme in which users earn points each time they use the services and later redeem certain benefits and rewards with these points.
Earn Points
In the executive club, you can earn Avios. Avios are the reward currency, similar to points, which can be brought, gifted, and used for claiming rewards such as free flight, cabin up-gradation, discounts, etc.
Flight Trips:
An accustomed way of earning Avios is flight trips. Any executive club member traveling with British Airways or its ‘Oneworld’ partner Airways can earn Avios. But the number of Avios earned from each journey varies according to the trip route, distance traveled, chosen airline, the cabin you are traveling in, your ticket type, your Executive Club tier, etc. This amount can be calculated by using the ‘Flight Calculator’ on the British Airways website.
Hotels and Accommodation:
While booking any of the British Airways Holiday’s 12000 selected hotels members can earn 1 Avio each for every $1 spent. These hotel partners include Airbnb, Hyatt hotels and resorts, Marriott international, Accor, etc. Points earned from certain selected hotels’ loyalty programs also can be converted to Avios.
Car Rental:
While renting a car from Avis Car Rental, the executive club members will get 5 Avios per pound spent and 1 Avio for every dollar spent while renting a car from Budget Car Rental. If a car for rent is booked along with a flight ticket, an extra Avio would be allotted for every dollar spent along with the individually allotted Avios.
Buy Avios:
Other than earning Avios, another option available for the executive club members is to buy Avios from Ba.com using the Buy Avios App. One member can purchase a maximum of 200000 Avios a year and a minimum of 1000 Avios per purchase. Minimum 1 Avio is required in the club account for purchasing more.
Rewards
Avios earned can be used for claiming certain rewards, from free flights to baggage payment. Avios should be used within 3 years and an account inactive for 36 months or 3 years will lose all Avios earned. Avios can be used for rewards on any British Airways flight or ‘Oneworld’ partner Airways.
Reward Flights:
Flight tickets booked using Avios are known as Reward Flights, which can be booked with British Airways and ‘Oneworld’ partners. The amount of Avios needs to book a journey depends on the date of travel, travel destination, traveling class, etc. But it starts with 8000 Avios. Other than Avios, the currency is only needed for Tax and carrier charges. Along with Reward Flights, British Airways offers an Avios Part Payment scheme through which you can pay 1000 Avios and the rest amount in cash.
Cabin Upgrade:
Flight tickets booked using cash can be upgraded using Avios while booking or later. The cabin can be upgraded from economy to business, from economy to premium economy, and so on. Such up-gradation is not possible at airports or onboard. This facility is offered by British Airways, Iberia, and American airlines. The amount of Avios required for graduation varies by travel date, distance, Reward Flight charge, availability, and so on. But it starts with 3750 Avios.
Executive Club Tiers
Along with Avios, there are tier points users can earn and use to get certain benefits. Tier points can be earned only when you fly and their amount varies by ticket fare, distance, class, etc. These tier points are used to get membership in each tier and each tier membership comes with a bunch of benefits.
Blue:
It’s a basic tier and every Executive Club registered user would be a Blue tier member. The benefits a blue tier member enjoys:
Can collect AviosCan collect tier pointsMember-only offers.
Bronze:
After 300 tier points and 2 eligible flights with British Airways in a year will give you a bronze tier membership. Its benefits, along with Blue tier benefits, include:
Priority check-in and boardingFree seat selection – 7 days before departure25% bonus AviosPriority at baggage arrival service desk
Silver:
600 tier points and a minimum of 4 eligible flights in a year will upgrade you to silver tier membership. Along with Bronze benefits, this tier offers:
50% bonus AviosAccess to the business lounge at airportsExtra Weight allowance in baggage
Gold:
To get upgraded to gold membership 1500 tier points and a minimum of 4 eligible flights in a year are required. Its benefits other than silver tier benefits include:
Access to first-class lounge at airports100% bonus AviosAdditional Reward Flight availabilityFirst-class check-in desk
As an airways company, British Airways carries out the Executive Club as a loyalty program. Through flight trips, hotel booking, car rental, vacation packages, etc. users can earn Avios, reward currency, and tier points. Tier points help you get membership in different tiers which came with certain. Avios can be even used to get a free flight- Reward Flight.
Q: how to apply for this reward program?
A: Anyone over 18 years old can join this scheme through the British Airways loyalty program website. You can create an account with an email ID and a password and thus you become a member of the club.
