British Airways has defended changes to its loyalty programme, insisting the move towards a spending-based system will create more fairness, not fewer rewards. The airline recently shifted its reward system from one based on distance flown to one based on the amount spent,

British Airways has defended changes to its loyalty programme, which has seen a major shift from one based on distance flown to amount spent.

British Airways recently came under fire for the planned overhaul of its loyalty programme, shifting from a distance-based reward system to one based on customer spending. The airline has since defended the move, insisting it will create a fairer system, but many frequent flyers are unhappy with the changes.

Following concerns from frequent flyers, British Airways changed its new loyalty scheme. The airline will now allow elite status retention depending on flight count and extend bonus tier point offerings through the end of 2025.

On Wednesday (February 5), British Airways announced that its bonus offer, which allows customers to earn up to 550 extra points per flight based on cabin class, will be extended through the rest of the year. The airline has also introduced a guarantee of bronze status for anyone taking at least 25 flights annually, such as regular commuters.

British Airways is making a change to its famous loyalty programme – starting now. BA loyalists have traditionally earned ‘tier points’ according to the number of miles flown each year. The more you collect,