NEW: Get BA Silver-equivalent status from Malaysia Airlines in one trip

Malaysia Airlines is the latest carrier to make a play for dissaffected British Airways Club members.

The difference here, of course, is that Malaysia Airlines is a sister airline of BA in the oneworld airline alliance.

The status you will get from Malaysia Airlines will get you benefits on your future British Airways flights.

What is the deal?

Take a look at this page of the Malaysia Airlines website.

You will receive Gold status in the Malaysia Airlines Enrich programme if you book:

• a ‘full fare’ (not defined) business class or Business Suite cash ticket on Malaysia Airlines

• for travel from London Heathrow

• for travel to anywhere in Asia (Malaysia excluded), Australia or New Zealand

If you are flying to Kuala Lumpur or elsewhere in Malaysia:

• you will get a bonus of 20% additional Enrich Points – but you won’t get status

What are the dates?

You must book AND travel by 30th June 2025.

Existing bookings must have been made from 7th April 2025.

What is Enrich Gold status worth?

Gold status with Malaysia Airlines is NOT equivalent to British Airways Gold status.

Enrich Gold is the mid-tier status level, so you get the same benefits as a British Airways Club Silver card.

Your Malaysia Airlines Enrich Gold card would get you these benefits when flying BA:

• lounge access
• free seat selection at the time of booking
• fast track security
• priority boarding

What happens if you already have Malaysia Airlines status?

Existing elite members are not forgotten about.

A Gold member who flies in business class or Business Suite from London Heathrow to a non-Malaysian destination will automtaically get their membership renewed for another year.

A Platinum member who flies in business class or Business Suite from London Heathrow to a non-Malaysian destination will be able to gift Silver status to a friend.

What is Malaysia Airlines like?

We like it.

Here is our 2022 review of Malaysia Airlines business class on the Airbus A350-900, between Heathrow and Kuala Lumpur. A seat photo from that review is above.

The official web page outlining the business class and Business Suite (the old, renamed, First Class) products is here.

Find out more

Remember that you will need to open a Malaysia Airlines Enrich account if you don’t already have one and ensure that this number is in your qualifying Malaysia Airlines flight booking.

Remember that the miles from your qualifying flight will go into your Enrich account so you will not receive any Avios, although your Enrich miles can be used for British Airways flight redemptions.

You can find out more about this offer on the Malaysia Airlines website here.

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How to maximise your miles when paying for flights (April 2025)

Some UK credit cards offer special bonuses when used for buying flights. If you spend a lot on airline tickets, using one of these cards could sharply increase the credit card points you earn.

Booking flights on any airline?

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold earns double points (2 Membership Rewards points per £1) when used to buy flights directly from an airline website.

The card comes with a sign-up bonus of 20,000 Membership Rewards points. These would convert to 20,000 Avios or various other airline or hotel programmes. The standard earning rate is 1 point per £1.

You can apply here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

Buying flights on British Airways?

The British Airways Premium Plus American Express card earns double Avios (3 Avios per £1) when used at ba.com.

The card comes with a sign-up bonus of 30,000 Avios. The standard earning rate is 1.5 Avios per £1.

You do not earn bonus Avios if you pay for BA flights on the free British Airways American Express card or either of the Barclaycard Avios Mastercards.

You can apply here.

Buying flights on Virgin Atlantic?

Both the free Virgin Atlantic Reward Mastercard and the annual fee Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard earn double Virgin Points when used at fly.virgin.com.

This means 1.5 Virgin Points per £1 on the free card and 3 Virgin Points per £1 on the paid card.

There is a sign-up bonus of 3,000 Virgin Points on the free card and 18,000 Virgin Points on the paid card.

You can apply for either of the cards here.