New BAEC benefits: free seating on Hand Baggage tickets, status extension for new parents
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There you go, you see. You bang on about something for long enough and people eventually listen.
For a couple of years, Head for Points has been banging the drum for British Airways Executive Club to introduce a ‘status extension’ for new parents. See here, here, here etc.
This was driven by my own experience of watching my wife lose her British Airways status, twice, after we had our children and then having to restart as a Blue member after her maternity leave.
At last, it has happened.
See this page of ba.com for details of the BAEC changes.
Status extensions introduced for new parents
You will be eligible to have your Bronze, Silver or Gold status extended following the birth or adoption of a baby. This offer is valid for both parents. Relevant documentation is required.
You can request an extension twice in any five year period.
The rather vague terms imply that that the extension will be granted purely for the period of any parental leave taken.
Internal BA communications state clearly, however, that it will be a full year extension. Whether they really intend to give this to a father who takes limited paternity leave remains to be seen.
You will also receive 1,000 bonus Avios if you add your baby to a Household Account within 6 months of requesting the extension.
Free seat selection on Hand Baggage Only tickets
To give British Airways credit, they are not claiming that this is a great new benefit. They admit that this was something that they took away from you and are now bringing back.
From 14th June, Executive Club Bronze, Silver and Gold members will be able to select a seat for free – in the standard time frame for their tier – on a Hand Baggage Only ticket.
BA’s problem here is that they failed (or refused) to understand how the world actually works. Most corporate travel policies insist on buying the cheapest possible fare. HBO was not ‘optional’ for most business travellers – which made elite members angry at the inability to select a seat.
(It also wasn’t smart to take away free food and drink from these people because – in the real world – most business travellers cannot get alcohol expenses reimbursed. Replacing the ‘lost’ free Friday night G&T now means a direct hit to the pocket of the traveller and to their goodwill towards BA.)
If you have booked a Hand Baggage Only ticket for travel after 14th June and have already paid for seat selection, this will be refunded automatically.
Avios redemptions become slightly less attractive
If you have British Airways status, Avios redemptions on short haul are now marginally less attractive.
At present, Avios redemptions allow free seat selection. Hand Baggage Only cash tickets do not, which gives added value to the Avios ticket. That difference is now disappearing and, assuming that you were not checking in baggage and are not bothered about ticket flexibility, you can now directly compare a HBO cash ticket with the Avios cost and see which is preferable.
That makes two good news stories from British Airways in the same week ….
Full details of both of these changes, including the all-important small print, can be found here on ba.com.
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How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (February 2025)
As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards. Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!
In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.
You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard
Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard
Get 5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review
There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways American Express Premium Plus
30,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

British Airways American Express
5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 Read our full review
You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold
Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express
50,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review
Run your own business?
We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, and the standard card is FREE. Capital on Tap cards also have no FX fees.

Capital on Tap Visa
NO annual fee, NO FX fees and points worth 1 Avios per £1 Read our full review

Capital on Tap Pro Visa
10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits Read our full review
There is also a British Airways American Express card for small businesses:

British Airways American Express Accelerating Business
30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review
There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

American Express Business Platinum
50,000 points when you sign-up and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold
20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review
Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.
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