Changing loyalty scheme / BA Gold Avios fee benefits

[PB2]

Two questions please,

1. Currently BA silver, should be gold by end of the year. Personal circumstances possibly mean long term, Iberia Platinum (equivalent of BA gold, OWE) could make more sense. Let’s say next year I decided to go for OWE with Iberia+, I assume of course that all OW flying would have to be credited to IB+ with that number on the booking/boarding pass, to accrue their “elite points”. So during the year of trying to hit OWE IB+, would I be able to take advantage of the BA gold status? I think not, as if I linked it to a flight that would then be credited to BA – think I read talk of some flashing BA gold card at lounge etc. but there is a risk staff overwrite IB+ number on reservation and replace with BA?

2. I have a couple of BAEC Avios reward flights booked for 2023. I’m considering making some changes to dates or even a refund for one. If I did this now I believe I’d be liable for a £35 per booking per person charge. If I wait until I’m gold I understand some Avios change fees are waived – is the change or refund fee of £35 waived for gold members – or is it another fee altogether that I’m confusing it with? I found the ba.com section on this a little unclear. Thanks

[Matt]

For question 2, the change/cancellation fees aren’t waived for Gold, so you don’t need to wait for that reason. You could wait and see if BA change the flights, which would allow you a free change or cancellation, but no guarantee obviously. For the ones your changing then I’d say change as soon as you see reward availability that you want.

I think Gold Guest List members get free changes to reward flights, and golds used to some time ago. Golds can cancel the Gold Priority Reward bookings for free, but they’re not much use any more now they’ve increased the number of avios massively.

[PB2]

Thanks Matt.

[AJA]

Why change to IB at all? You can credit all IB flights to BAEC and as you can maintain BAEC status by flying on marketed and operated by IB flights you’d still be OK.

What does IB+ offer that BAEC does not?

[PB2]

It’s a fair point and I think I’ll probably stick with BAEC. However we are considering a move to Madrid – and some of the benefits do look good/unique to Iberia. I was partly interested in the mechanics of how it would work if holding OW status with one airline, yet seeking to qualify with another in the group – and also the benefits of the Iberia scheme itself, compared to BAEC gold. Another thing to consider is of course how easy it is to attain that status – iberia has a fixed collection year for all members but I think status lasts 2 years, not 1, albeit with no soft landing after 2 years. There were also rumours of Iberia moving to a revenue based system like vueling which would be a major disadvantage.

https://www.iberia.com/es/iberiaplus/platinum/

Stand out benefits at a glance: upgrade vouchers, free VIP parking at Madrid T4, ability to gift OWS card, limo service on some fares (still suspended I believe)…

[PB2]

And it appears fees are waived for changing Avios bookings:

“ And you will not pay for processing costs or fines for the issue, changes and refunds in commercial tickets and tickets charged to Avios in your Service Centre.”

[John]

What benefits are you looking for, there won’t be any problems entering lounges as a status member of one programme and collecting points on a different one.

You wouldn’t get priority with rebookings etc in cases of disruption since they won’t know your status. There may occasionally be issues with additional checked bags and advance seat selection as sometimes the computer wants your higher status to be in the system.

There’s also BA lifetime status to consider, if that is likely to ever be within reach.

It is actually possible to have both FFP numbers on your bookings but that is difficult to achieve in practice – it mainly works when you book an award flight from the program with no status and want to add in your higher status.