British Airways has confirmed that reward flight pricing is going up on 15 December, and yes, it includes both the Avios you spend and the cash you add on top. It is not the kind of Christmas surprise anyone would choose, unless paying more for the same seat is your idea of seasonal sparkle.
Anyone with a growing Avios pot should pay attention to this. The bottom line is simple, everything is about to cost more, and this update is part of a wider pattern of changes BA has been making.
The biggest shake up happened earlier this year when BA switched to a revenue based system for earning status, and that was the real turning point. This latest update is not as dramatic, but it sits firmly within the wider pattern of changes BA has been rolling out. The airline is clearly shifting its loyalty programme toward people who spend more, and that direction is becoming harder to ignore.
Recently, we wrote about whether the new BA Club tier system is too clever for its own good. Taken together, the updates show a loyalty programme that is slowly being rebuilt around those who spend more, fly in premium cabins and book BA Holidays packages. The people who used to earn status through smart hacks and bargain fares will need a new playbook. Let’s face it, if you decide to stay, do you trust BA Club enough to gamble your loyalty budget on it?
Here is what the new British Airways reward flights pricing means in practice.
What is changing
From 15 December, the Avios and cash costs for British Airways reward flights are rising worldwide. That includes all cabins from economy to First and every route in the network. Short European hops, long haul routes like Singapore, partner airlines and upgrades are all included.
A few examples show the size of the step.
A London to Geneva one way in economy moves from 9,250 Avios plus about one pound in charges to 10,000 Avios plus more cash. A return off peak London to New York business class seat rises from roughly 50,000 Avios plus one hundred pounds to around 55,000 Avios plus higher charges. That is five thousand extra Avios for the exact same seat, plus more cash on top. Not catastrophic, but definitely a step in the wrong direction. Upgrades using Avios are rising too.
You now need more Avios to do the same things you could do last year, and you pay more cash on top for the privilege. BA says the change is driven by higher Air Passenger Duty, rising third party airport fees and general inflation. In other words, everything costs more, so Avios redemptions cost more too.
What this means for you?
The biggest impact is the value of Avios, which now stretches less far. You can still unlock strong value during peak travel periods or when cash fares are high, but the sweet spots that used to make Avios a guaranteed win are fewer.
Economy redemptions, which already offered mixed value once taxes were added, lose even more appeal. Premium cabins will still give a better return, but you will need more points and more cash to get there.
What makes this change even more interesting is the timing. Earlier this year, BA relaunched its status earning rules so that Tier Points now come from how much you pay, not how far you fly. This was already a big shift in favour of premium bookings. With British Airways reward flights now becoming pricier too, the direction of travel is unmistakable. Loyalty is no longer evenly balanced between the everyday flyer and the corporate traveller.
Are Avios losing value
Avios are not falling off a cliff, but they have been quietly trimmed. You can still potentially extract value from Avios if you use them for long haul business class seats, partner redemptions, last minute travel or off peak routes. But the old sense of effortless value is fading. It now takes more work and more planning to spot the best redemptions.
What to do now
A few things to stay ahead (for the moment)
Book before 15 December
If you know your 2026 travel plans, this is the best time to book. Even if you make changes later, you lock in the lower pre rise pricing now. It may be a good time to spend the Avios you’ve been hoarding now (if you can find a reward seat to where you want to go).
Check the value every time
Do not redeem Avios blindly. Compare the cash fare with the Avios fare before booking. Sometimes the British Airways reward flights pricing is still excellent, sometimes you are better keeping your points for another day.
Think about how you earn Avios
With status now earned by spend, not distance, and redemptions costing more, it is worth leaning into the tactics that still work. Some partner airlines offer better value redemptions. Credit card bonuses and companion vouchers remain useful tools, if you decide to stay with BA.
BG1 verdict
British Airways reward flights are not dead, they simply cost more. If you have Avios, spend them on the trips that give you genuine value and decide whether the squeeze is still worth your time and effort. With the Club shifting under our feet, planning ahead is getting trickier, which also echoes the point we made in our earlier piece about the tier point system being a little too clever for its own good.
There is also no doubt that the BA Club will feel less and less attractive unless you have the budget to play at the higher end. And if you have been hoarding Avios for a rainy day, maybe use them now.
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