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Iberia changes announced – earning status could be almost as easy as it is now under BA!

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Iberia has announced changes to Iberia Plus this afternoon.

As expected, it will be easier to earn status by crediting British Airways flights to Club Iberia Plus than British Airways Club.

You will also earn elite points when you spend with non-flying partners, up to 30% of your status requirement.

Importantly, you will get bonus elite points on British Airways flights credited to Club Iberia Plus.

My maths shows that, for business class flyers, you could earn status as easily in Club Iberia Plus as you can currently earn it in British Airways Executive Club.

IMPORTANT: We have written this article based on information supplied by Iberia but, with so much to digest and some in Spanish, errors could have occurred.

How will Club Iberia Plus work?

In theory it is a similar system to the new BA one.

However, it is NOT linked directly to spend.

€1 of net spend =1 elite point BUT there will be bonuses on top based on your travel class.

This applies to spend on Iberia, British Airways and American Airlines. Other oneworld partner airlines are treated differently as I explain below.

What are the new Club Iberia Plus tiers?

This is what will happen:

  • Plata – equivalent to British Airways Bronze – 3,500 elite points or 20 segments
  • Oro – equivalent to British Airways Silver – 7,500 elite points or 40 segments
  • Platino – equivalent to British Airways Gold – 20,000 elite points or 90 segments
  • Platino Prime – also equivalent to BA Gold – 30,000 elite points

The Infinita and Infinita Prime levels remain but I am ignoring those given the spend requirement.

Note that Platino is actually only 19,000 elite points because, when you hit 18,000 points, you receive 1,000 bonus elite points. For simplicity I have used 20,000 elite points throughout this article.

Platino and Platino Prime will come with upgrade vouchers as an extra benefit.

IMPORTANT: Qualification by segments is ONLY available on Iberia and Iberia Express-coded flights. It does NOT include British Airways or even Vueling flights.

‘Travel class’ bonuses look decent

Whilst British Airways Club is offering short term tier bonuses, these will be a permanent part of the new Iberia scheme.

You get, when flying Iberia:

  • 75 to 150 bonus elite points per segment based on short haul economy ticket type
  • 175 to 275 bonus elite points per segment based on short haul business ticket type
  • 150 to 250 bonus elite points per segment based on long haul economy ticket type
  • 275 to 325 bonus elite points per segment based on long haul premium economy ticket type
  • 350 to 600 bonus elite points per segment based on long haul business ticket type and route
Iberia Plus changes

Iberia gave an example of someone flying 10 return trips to Bilbao from Madrid in flexible business at €270 return (€243 base fare).

In theory this earns you 2,430 elite points towards status.

However, the ‘class of travel’ bonus is substantial. You’d get an extra 550 elite points per return trip, giving you a total of 7,930 elite points for the 10 trips.

This means that you can earn British Airways Silver equivalent for €2,720 of spend – in this example – vs around £10,000 of spending if you were a BA flyer.

Don’t fly in flexible business class? It’s still not a bad deal.

Iberia gave an example of someone taking four ‘Optima’ economy flights to Paris Orly at €300 return.

€1,200 of gross spend means €1,080 of net spend. This would earn 1,080 elite points BUT you also get a bonus of 600, for a total of 1,680.

Important: British Airways flights earn bonuses

You will earn the following bonus elite points when crediting a British Airways flight to Club Iberia Plus:

  • Short-haul – 75 elite points in economy, 175 elite points in business
  • Long-haul (3,000+ miles) – 150 elite points in economy, 275 elite points in premium economy, 350 elite points in business, 450 elite points in first class

Important: oneworld flights will earn at an attractive flat rate

Unlike British Airways Club, which is giving you elite points on oneworld partners at a % of miles flown, Club Iberia Plus will earn at a flat rate.

Take a look at this:

If you fly business class to Bangkok from London on Qatar Airways, you would earn 5,000 elite points.

This is just about enough for BA Silver equivalent (Iberia Oro) status if you earn the maximum 30% of elite points that can come from partners. Oro is 7,500 tier points but reduces to 5,250 if you earn 22,500 Avios from partners.

You can earn status points via partner earnings

When you earn Avios with Iberia non-airline partners, you will ALSO earn elite points.

The rate will be 10:1.

Note that these do NOT replace the Avios you earned. You will receive Avios AND elite points on partner transactions.

You CANNOT convert American Express Membership Rewards points into status points. However, points earned from the Iberia shopping portal DO count.

You can earn 30% of the points needed for status via this method.

Iberia Plus changes

The following are EXCLUDED as ways of earning status points from partners:

  • Avios transfers and gifts
  • Transfers of currencies from other loyalty programmes to Iberia Plus Avios (this includes American Express Membership Rewards, looking at the small print)
  • Avios transferred or merged from accounts in British Airways, Vueling, Aer Lingus, Finnair or Qatar Airways programmes
  • Welcome bonus rewards (e.g. when signing up for a new credit card)
  • Promotional Avios collected with Iberia Plus bonus rewards
  • Avios collected as prizes in competitions and draws, whether for winning or participating
  • Complimentary Avios and compensation for incidents
  • Avios collected on flights

Conclusion

These spend thresholds, given the reduced purchasing power of the Spanish market, are at the very top end of expectations. I understand they were only set at this level under pressure from British Airways.

What Iberia has done in response is effectively reduce the thresholds by 30% by allowing you to earn elite points from partners.

The threshold has been reduced even further by offering permanent bonus points on all flights on BA, American Airlines and Iberia and generous earning rates on other oneworld partners.

It’s a shame that Membership Rewards transfers do not count as this would be an easy win for UK members. However, earning 22,500 Avios per year from the Iberia estore (to earn you the maxmium 2,250 elite points towards Oro / BA Silver equivalent) should be possible.

Here’s an example.

You pay £350 return for a BA Club Europe flight of which £275 is base fare.

  • In British Airways Club, you earn 275 base elite points towards the 7,500 required for Silver – you need 37 (!) trips to earn a Silver card
  • In Club Iberia Plus, you earn 330 base elite points (£275 = €330) plus 350 bonus elite points for a total of 680 points towards the 7,500 required for Silver (or 5,250 if you earn the maximum 2,250 elite points allowed from partners) – you need as few as 8 trips to earn the equivalent of a Silver card

In fact, the maths would actually be the same as it is now in many cases if you are flying business class:

Here’s a short haul comparison:

  • A Club Europe return flight to Frankfurt currently earns 80 tier points in Executive Club, so BA Silver requires eight returns
  • Under the new Iberia system, you also need eight return Club Europe flights to Frankfurt, assuming each is £350 return (£275 / €330 net) and you earn the maximum allowed number of elite points from non-flying partners

Here’s a long haul comparison:

  • A return Qatar Airways business class flight to Bangkok currently earns 560 tier points in Executive Club, out of the 600 you need for Silver
  • Under the new Iberia system, a return Qatar Airways business class flight to Bangkok earns 5,000 tier points in Club Iberia Plus, out of the 5,250 you need for Oro (Silver) status, assuming you earn the maximum number of elite points from non-flying partners

Perhaps Club Iberia Plus will be a happy home for many HfP readers?

More to follow as we get the full details.

You can find out more on the Iberia website here.

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Category

Iberia and Club Iberia Plus

Comments (443)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Nick C says:
    13 Feb13 February 18:38

    Re the question about existing BA flights counting if transferred to IB Plus – how do you actually do this? I can’t see anywhere in the manage my booking options to change by BA exec club number to my Iberia Plus number

  • lcsneil says:
    13 Feb13 February 18:46

    So you used to be able to use RJ & Finnair to change your FFP number on a BA booking. Cant seem to find that option on either site any more. Is it still feasible and if so which OW partner??

    • Larry says:
      13 Feb13 February 20:58

      you can try royal air maroc, otherwise just go on BA live chat and they’ll do it for you

    • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:
      13 Feb13 February 21:16

      Finnair closed that option down PDQ once the RJ buying status offer started and masses of people started using it.

      • Lcsneil says:
        13 Feb13 February 23:28

        Has anyone had any success on BA Live chat to get them to allocate the FQTV and FQTS fields? I.e. book to day IB but get current status as per BA.

  • phantomchickenz says:
    13 Feb13 February 19:39

    Any benefit in delaying signing up to the Iberia programme until April? Do they do any referral bonuses or the like?

    • lady london says:
      14 Feb14 February 08:56

      Sign up asap if you have no IB acct and think you might switch to crediting there as a 90day minimum age of account has been required to participate in more than one tasty opprtunity there plus I think needed for t/fers too.

  • Belfast Boy says:
    13 Feb13 February 20:37

    I think peak gamer came last year when that individual boasted to the DT that he had got BA gold for around £3000. The tide has turned thankfully

    • RC says:
      13 Feb13 February 21:07

      Gamers, demanding BA bans Iberia Silver from lounges….
      So let’s set it straight:
      Achieving anything within a business’ rules isn’t gaming. That’s business. Deal with it.
      One world rules do not permit bans on the basis of airline, nationality or anything else – fare type, sure, but even then QR has to offer an alternative.
      Maybe troll elsewhere or get your facts right.
      BTW – I’ll bet you’ll be the first to whine when BA drops super low yield BhD to free up slots for some extra Heathrow/US flights.

      • Points Hound says:
        13 Feb13 February 21:51

        You offer no substance to back up any of the fledgling comments you’ve made in the last 24hrs, hence the trolling tag some are giving you.

        @BA Flyer is correct. Your lack of ability to understand the basic rules of the system are almost comical as the issue is not gaming / abusing / chancing, its the system itself. All these tier points you seem incapable of articulating about properly are legitimately earned.

        The current system is incapable of giving BA their desired outcome, hence why they have changed their system. Such as simple fact you can’t grasp.

        • RC says:
          14 Feb14 February 18:14

          That’s factually incorrect.
          It’s complying with the system.
          Merely repeating false narratives doesn’t make them correct.

          Now, as a spouse of GGL who will retain under the new system too, I can say you can debate whether the new BA system or the new Iberia one is best for you, but demanding a xenophobic banning of certain people from lounges, or somehow claiming rule abiding people are cheats serves to reflect very poorly on those that suggest that.

          Very interesting will be how BA and Iberia inflation adjust thresholds in future – because therein sits the quite within the rules arbitrage to BA’s overreach.

      • qc says:
        13 Feb13 February 23:54

        Obvious as no one lives in George Best Airport!

      • daveinitalia says:
        14 Feb14 February 10:16

        Iberia silver (plata) does not get lounge access, it’s oneworld ruby like BA bronze

    • Cicero says:
      14 Feb14 February 20:02

      Gamer = BA customer. BA will be delighted to have them.

  • Belfast Boy says:
    13 Feb13 February 20:40

    The big loser will be the Bulgarian economy😢

    • lady london says:
      13 Feb13 February 23:20

      Old news. People here that know their stuff are long gone to something different.

      Seriously, if you fancy a bit of trolling HfP is a bad site to pick. Too many genuinely knowledgeable people here.

      • RC says:
        14 Feb14 February 17:57

        Attempting to claim further down that anyone who disagrees with the use of false narratives is insulting the other argument because they disagree with you rather undermines your own claims.

        ‘Knowledgeable’ means having access to facts rather than incorrect suppositions.

        For example, anyone following the set T&C a business has set out is simply doing business. They are not a ‘gamer’. They have followed the rules. Now, some may not like that because it undermines their sense of entitlement or superiority, but the fact remains they are not a gamer.

        Indeed, the real psychology game is being played on those who feel having status with BA somehow confers something superior on them. Now, we can all figure out who that applies to here.

  • Gary says:
    13 Feb13 February 22:55

    Apologies if this has come up elsewhere. Thinking about next year, I’ll still be BA Gold. If I start crediting all my new flights to Iberia (or otherwise), is it correct this will have no impact on me accessing Gold Benefits? IE does it need to be my BA number on the actual ticket for lounges, extra luggage, priority check in, etc?

    • Rob says:
      14 Feb14 February 07:21

      It’s going to be a pain but, no, it will work out ok.

    • andy says:
      14 Feb14 February 19:07

      i am interested in the same – how does it work? i book my ticket with my BA exec number to get the gold benefits (say extra bagss etc and lounge), if i credit the flight to RJ, i won’t be able to benefit from my BA gold statsu for this flight, right? or if otherwise, someone please explain?

      • phantomchickenz says:
        14 Feb14 February 19:38

        You can change the FF number in your booking up until the gate – so can be BA gold to get all the benefits you want, then change it to the programme of choice when ready.

  • Wanderlost says:
    14 Feb14 February 08:03

    As one inclined to the path of less faff and admin, I’ll be annoyed if moving to IB is the right thing to do in my case. Also, I was about 2 years from lifetime Gold, now more likely 3 to 4. So my preference is to stick with BAC and use AY to head east. Some of their non-flex biz tickets aren’t as over-priced as QR non-flex and can notch up some sizeable nTP contributions, if I’m reading the rules correctly. LHR-HEL-DXB rtn looks around 4k.

  • patrick says:
    14 Feb14 February 08:44

    What is a troll exactly? Someone who does not agree with the majority and is, therefore, vilified for their perspective because that is how social media functions? Rather like “woke,” it is such a ridiculous expression.

    • lcsneil says:
      14 Feb14 February 09:17

      That is one definition although the Oxford English Dictionary defines it slightly differently:-

      To post a deliberately erroneous or antagonistic message on a newsgroup or similar forum with the intention of eliciting a hostile or corrective response

      In the old days it was called a soap box at Hyde Park Corner on a Sunday

      Sorry getting well off topic here!

      🙂

    • RC says:
      14 Feb14 February 09:44

      Typically those who post deliberately incorrect assertions despite substantiated facts, and persist in doing so. A bit like GBNews ‘reporting’ that has too many Ofcom call ins to list here.

      Ironically, and back on topic, it’ll be the GBN/DM types who are most worked up about their status being lost. (The same demographic who didn’t let facts get in the way of their opinions on other matters.)

      Iberia clearly have an opportunity here to benefit from BA’s mis-steps.

    • BlairWaldorfSalad says:
      14 Feb14 February 10:12

      You have described a dissenting view, not a troll. HfP has many regular commenters with minority views who express themselves clearly and provide helpful alternative logic. The site does at times attract trolls who merely bleat contrarian views mixed with insults so as to generate a reaction. Truly odd since this site does not monetise engagement.

      • Richie says:
        14 Feb14 February 11:50

        Who does ‘monetise engagement’?

      • RC says:
        14 Feb14 February 12:51

        A dissenting view isn’t a view when the facts mean it’s unsubstantiated rubbish instead.
        So let’s debate the unclear areas, but dissenting from proven facts is not acceptable. Even liars (Borris, anyone? Or, ‘due to customer feedback’ from BA), get found out eventually.

      • JDB says:
        14 Feb14 February 13:48

        @BWS – it’s a bit unfortunate that this particular topic has heralded the arrival of two or three newbie posters with some sort of agenda and the ill informed and vituperative nature of their posts and responses to dissenters is completely outside the normally fairly measured debate on HfP. It doesn’t really get anyone anywhere and hopefully they will soon move on.

        • RC says:
          14 Feb14 February 14:28

          A little strange from @JDB who posted a lot of factually incorrect claims in another BAC topic. Dissenting from established facts – like claiming BA was most profitable (it’s not, that’s Iberia in IAG) is poor form.
          It’s topic relevant because it’s the same bad form that means BA thinks it can gas light with ‘customer feedback’ nonsense – like brunch,, reward scheme changes, or whatever its latest cost cutting/quality drip idea is.
          Unfortunately, those who peddle a false narrative, and those who then defend it play right into BA’s own false narrative on those issues.

          • Belfast Boy says:
            14 Feb14 February 16:57

            Clearly you have an issue accepting different views without insulting people. The current frequent flyer schemes and hotel schemes are broken. They need to go back to fundamentals that is rewarding those who spend money to use the service.

          • Duncan says:
            15 Feb15 February 18:28

            @Belfast Boy.
            You might be correct with the last statement, but your first post was calling people chancers, so perhaps read you own post, and take heed?

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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