British Airways elite status benefits

If you enjoy extra perks like priority boarding, free checked bags and reservation assistance, you can unlock these benefits and more by earning elite status within British Airways Executive Club. Advancing through the different levels of elite status is simple, and you’ll unlock bigger and better rewards with every tier.

When you take a flight with British Airways or any oneworld alliance airline partner, you’ll earn Avios on your trip that can be redeemed for reward flights, hotel stays and much more. In addition, you’ll earn tier points, which can be used to advance through Executive Club elite status tiers. Similar to Avios earning, tier points are rewarded based on fare class and flight duration. You can use British Airways flight calculator to see exactly how many you’ll earn on your trip.

Once you’ve racked up enough tier points, your Executive Club membership is boosted to Bronze, Silver or Gold status. Here’s a quick look at the perks that come with each level of membership.

British Airways Visa Signature Credit Card

Why should you get this card? For frequent flyers of British Airways, the British Airways Visa Signature offers generous rewards, including the opportunity to earn up to 100,000 Avios after spending $20,000 on purchases in the first year and the Travel Together Ticket each year you spend $30,000. Read full review

Other things to know: Earn 3 Avios per dollar on British Airways purchases and 1 Avios per dollar on general purchases 50,000 bonus Avios if you spend $3,000 in the first three months and additional 50,000 Avios if you spend $20,000 in first year Earn the Travel Together Ticket every year you spend $30,000. This allows you to bring a companion on a reward flight for just the taxes and fees. No foreign transaction fee

British Airways elite status tiers

In addition, you can earn Lifetime Gold status by racking up 35,000 lifetime tier points – awarding you Gold benefits for the entirety of your Executive Club membership.

Is British Airways elite status worth it?

The first tier of British Airways elite status doesn’t boast the best perks you can find among airline frequent flyer programs. However, Executive Club perks truly shine when you reach Silver or Gold status. Here’s a breakdown of some of the more valuable perks:

• Early seat selection – All elite status members (Bronze or higher) are awarded early seat selection as part of their membership. If you are a Bronze member, you can make a choice up to one week before your flight. Silver and Gold members get access even sooner, with the ability to choose their seat at the time of booking.
• Priority boarding – A tried-and-true airline elite status perk, all British Airways elite status members receive some form of priority boarding. However, Bronze members can only take advantage of the benefit on business class flights.
• Free checked bags – Executive Club members with Silver status and higher receive two complimentary checked bags on British Airways flights. If you are a Gold member, you get a higher weight limit on those bags as well (71 lbs).
• Hotel benefits – In addition to elite perks with British Airways, Silver and Gold Executive Club members receive elite status benefits with several hotel brands, including Mandarin Oriental hotel group and Langham hotels. For example, 1865 benefits with Langham hotels include perks like complimentary Wi-Fi and express check-in.
• Lounge access – The most luxurious perk of Executive Club elite status is lounge access to more than 30 British Airways lounges and more than 100 partner airline lounges. Both Silver and Gold members are allowed access when taking any British Airways or oneworld alliance flight. Silver members are allowed access to arrivals lounges, business lounges and plush First lounges (when they fly first class). Gold members can access all lounges, no matter what fare class they are flying.
• Spa treatments – Gold members also enjoy a particularly plush perk – free spa treatments including massages or facials at Elemis spas in JFK and LHR airports.

For the most part, British Airways elite status members enjoy fairly standard perks. However, Silver and Gold members can enjoy a more relaxed trip with above-and-beyond benefits such as premium lounge access and complimentary spa treatments.

Final thoughts

If traveling in comfort is a top priority, British Airways Executive Club has a lot to offer – especially for its higher-tier elite status members. For frequent travelers picking a rewards program to focus on, be sure not to overlook these plush offerings.

See related: What are British Airways Avios worth?, Best ways to earn British Airways Avios, Best ways to redeem British Airways Avios, Booking a flight with British Airways Avios, British Airways shopping portal guide