Tier Points 2023 - What is New and What Is My Renewal Strategy?

[@Thetraveller411]

Thanks to you Matt I’ve reached B.A. gold 🥇☺️😌 🤝🙏

[@MattsPlanet]

Congratulations! Happy to have helped... Enjoy the champagne!

[@ployaerials1033]

Thanks for the video Matt. Always enjoy these to support my endeavours!

[@MattsPlanet]

I hope it helped!

[@jimmyjames6492]

Thanks for another great video detailing how to requalify status! Much appreciated and good luck!🍀🍀🍀

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Jimmy. Wasn't certain this video would work but its doing well!

[@A35X]

Great info. Just whizzed around the uk to knock up enough tier points to get back to silver again at the reduced rate. Don’t think I’ll bother with Gold as the lounges and booking seats early are good enough for me. All your videos are great, Matt’s Oceans is a favorite as well, I’m also a big cruiser. Thanks again

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Steve. Silver isn't bad!

[@Adamparson]

Matt, you're awesome! So informative, thank you very much! Looking forward to your 2023 suggestions!

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Adam... Some BA Sale fares have popped up which are quite interesting...

[@dospalmascb]

You’ve just solved a conundrum. Just traveled to Israel in pe and generated 180 TP, suddenly had 360 TP and bronze status. Now I understand why, holiday double tp, car hire. So will definitely make the 1500 points needed by our October expiry. Thanks Matt! Outstanding information as usual.

[@MattsPlanet]

Must have felt good to get TPs you weren't expecting!

[@dospalmascb]

@@MattsPlanet yes it was a great surprise. 4 trips in the pipeline before September, all with car hire lol.

[@itsjoel]

I used to just do Sofia & back for 160 tier points. Often only paid around £180 rtn.

[@MattsPlanet]

Would get a little tedious if you repeated that all the way through to GGL... Good value though!!

[@itsjoel]

@@MattsPlanet yes. It would tide me over when I was just a few hundred or so away from a status level. Truthfully, a CE SOF is more like £250 these days. Some WTP fares that give you 90 each way can be quite useful now!

[@jasontyack6583]

Great video Matt , love your passion for helping people out .😎

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Jason

[@peterrussell2887]

Hi Matt, As always a great video! I've just finished a run from Sofia to Hawaii, really enjoyed it and stayed at the TWA in JFK. It put me most of the way to getting gold and I just had a trip over to Luxembourg to finish it off last weekend. I will say that your videos over the last few years have helped me massively. long may they continue 🙂

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Peter. How was that last leg over to Hawaii? Grueling? I've usually had enough when I get to the West Coast so adding another 5 hours hasn't really appealed...

[@peterrussell2887]

@@MattsPlanet Oh you know your flying. So I tried sticking with UK time. Both my flights to and from Hawaii where in the middle of the night for me! But it was bright sunshine outside!!! Got sleep on both legs. But a really strange quirk of the ticketing, i got to go in the AA Flagship lounge for both my trips in LA, but my flights were domestic! wasn't going to argue and had a lovely shower! I'm planning a video on here to show the whole process

[@MattsPlanet]

@@peterrussell2887 Thanks. I'm sure I'll do a run all the way through to Hawaii one day... Certainly a marathon not a sprint!

[@normhanson981]

Thanks Matt , very useful.

[@MattsPlanet]

You're welcome Norm

[@RJW95]

Thanks for the upload, Matt! Always look forward to your videos.

[@MattsPlanet]

Very kind of you Rob. Hope this was useful.

[@stevecraven3502]

Matt. I love watching your videos multiple times as I always pick up more info and ideas. Thanks. In your MAN-LAS example for a TP run holiday, (09.10) you show 360TP EW double double to 1440TP. Wouldn't an LHR-HNL via JFK and LAX give you 420TP EW, double double to a 1680TP holiday. More than enough in one run for GOLD, or is LAX-HNL not a 140TP leg? Regards, Steve. C. YNWA.

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Steve. Indeed - LHR - JFK - LAX - HNL would be 140+140+140 double doubled, so 1,680. Kerching.... I did look at this when making the video and it was stupidly expensive (super-stupidly expensive!!!) so did not mention it. But it certainly would be a way to get gold in one hit... Certainly worth re-checking the prices... Thinking about it it may have been the hotels which sent it off the scale and a car may have been a little better....

[@stevecraven3502]

Matt. There was one thing in this video that I did notice and that was the Vegas trip pricing for a stay at the Luxor over the car hire. The car hire was more expensive but don't forget that on top of the price with the hotel booking you will have resort fees to pay, which for the Luxor I believe is around $35pn not including taxes. Steve. YNWA.

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Steve - I told you to keep thinking!!!! A very good point - although there are some lawsuits in progress which may make the resort fee optional but I don't know if they've reached a point of resolution yet...

[@stevecraven3502]

@@MattsPlanet yes. Grandpa Joe was talking about making them illegal but they’ll just find another tax to charge you with. Personally I’d much rather they just say your room rate is this much per night.

[@minjaszugik115]

Have been rewatching your videos over and over, they are so good. So to reconfirm, in order to earn the required status and enjoy it for just over 2 years, you must earn the needed number of tier points as early as possible at the start of the membership year, and no later than the end of the grace period?

[@MattsPlanet]

That's the sweetspot yes.... You reset to zero on the 9th of your renewal month. If you can get enough TPs for the status you want within 50-odd days (by the end of the following month) you'll have your status for 2 years - the rest of the current year, all of the next year and the grace period at the end of that year

[@minjaszugik115]

@@MattsPlanet thank you very much for the reply. I will become gold just 2 weeks or so before my reset date in May 2024 (Lost my sliver and am bronze now, but have a few flights+hotel combos, etc lined up). In theory I should be gold until end of June 2025. So a tier point run just after 9th May 2025 will make sense I think.

[@richardstreet7518]

Another great vlog Matt. ... I have family in Inverness so if I need tier points I do a CE single tkt booked way in advance then a BA Inverness-LHR -somewhere that is cheap in Europe and 80tps and return then a similar single back to LHR.. you benefit from the low taxes from Inverness. .. so 40+40+80+80+40+40 =320tps not a bargain but easy for me to keep silver.. plus as you say the package double tp is great...you can always use a few avios to reduce the cost..

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Richard. I scheduled out an AUH-CMB-CGK trip a couple of years back but the pandemic put paid to it... I position to AUH from INV as premium economy (from London at least) was very well priced from there - highlands and islands not having APD... Although I did notice that BA had ramped up their carrier fees to equalise the pricing out compared to other origin points, which is quite sneaky...

[@wingitoneworld]

Brill yet again Matt. I see the Christmas beard is getting close to Santa style 😂

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks. Took me hours to individually dye all those chin hairs to make myself look distinguished....

[@rcanter]

Very useful food for thought. I have historically earned my points through QR and I too have decided to not chase a renewal this year simply based on the astronomical costs to do so. I think I will try one of your suggested TP runs to gain a similar status with BA instead, which gives me more options. I visit South Africa regularly and QR are a very comfortable way to get there.

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks. Having a couple of trips already on the calendar which will bring in some points does make status easier... QR is not a bad option to fly - less good I believe to get and retain status through...

[@asadabedi3131]

truly informative! BA no longer offers a service from my local airport and i would need to use a oneworld partner airline to collect tier points, presumably same rules apply

[@MattsPlanet]

You need 4 flights with BA to get Gold status but other airlines in the alliance will give you tier points.

[@nigeldickman854]

Ever informative Matt! My year is the same 8th August/30th September and I have the same quandary. I’m looking at possibly either HNL or ANC via ex EU or via HEL for year.

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Nigel... I'm going to gamble on pricing falling next year... I think I'll be able to do better than the 6 month advance purchase fares... It helps being flexible on origin and destination...

[@tiffanymorris7399]

Great video! Thanks to your advice I took a trip to Sofia in September and achieved Gold status on 7th Oct just before my 8th Oct renewal. I guess I missed out on 364 days but at least I am gold for the first time. Fingers crossed they extend the double tier point holiday deal beyond Sept 2023 so I can use it after my renewal date next year :) Thanks so much.

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Tiffany! If you got towards the end of the year with 1200 TPs and scooped up enough to get to gold on the last day of the year that was a smart move! You'd have had to start from 0 otherwise....

[@nickgaul382]

Hi Matt. The double tier points on BA Holidays is now extended until December 2023. That's what I've seen on the BA holidays website today anyway.

[@MattsPlanet]

That's a great observation - I see the same online. Interesting that they obviously think the business its generating is worth the cost. Thanks for that - not something I'd seen elsewhere either!

[@nickgaul382]

@@MattsPlanet no problem. Rhys at Headforpoints is aware of it now too.

[@bowman7296]

That was well researched Matt, also well explained. you might have to watch it a few times if like me to take it all in🤔🤔🤔 I don't think I will ever get near Silver never mind Gold, but hopefully get our 2-4-1 vouchers each year to let us get away somewhere.

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Peter. Multiple views are ok but make sure you click the like button an odd number of times!!! That holiday offer is a great way of clinching silver if you'll thinking of going somewhere for 5 days or more....

[@stuartthompson7863]

Hi Matt, really enjoying your content, especially all things BAEC. Myself any my wife are starting to work our way through Hfps suggested card strategy to maximise points for a couple. Was just wondering if it’s possible to keep this running beyond the 3 cards, or do the big rewards soon dry up.

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Stuart. There's only a handful of cards that get avios collectors interested and once you've cycled through them the opportunities dry up. Sounds like there's at least 2 of you so you can double up versus us solo collectors! Amex with the membership rewards adds a few options with membership rewards (don't forget the business cards too if you can qualify) although I think they're effectively 1 avios per pound versus 1.5 for the avios cards so you're losing on the day to day if you pursue them... And the Barclaycard lets you cancel and reapply after 6 months I believe (Amex is 2 years?) so there is some opportunity to repeat the cycles although this might start to hurt your credit rating...

[@stuartthompson7863]

@@MattsPlanet it’s a fair point, very much a balancing game haha. Only seen that Amex are stopping their pro rata refunds as of 2nd oct, that may affect card choice also 😆

[@kevinhughes9801]

Great vid thanks

[@MattsPlanet]

Hope it helped

[@stevecraven3502]

Matt. I am a little confused. in the video at 9:10 you talk about the TP for Man-Lhr-Jfk-Lax-Las with a screen shot with a price of 2.5k for flight only. you then say that the cheapest holiday booking you could find UTILISING THOSE FLIGHTS was the Luxor for £2.883. However when you show the hire car option at 10:06 for £3073 the flights are different. Why. The flights on the car hire booking wouldn't get you the 1440 tp Steve

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi Steve. The routing which yields the most tier points isn't routinely offered through the BA holidays website - they assume no-one is daft enough to want to travel that way... So I couldn't show that exact routing with a car or holiday added. But as Matrix showed that indirect flight as being available on those dates, I assumed I'd be able to get them if I called to book even if I couldn't show that in a screen grab. Makes sense?

[@j2simpso]

Great video as always Matt. I'm in the exact opposite situation as you, plenty of travel coming up, some of which on my employer's dime, combine that with Qantas rolling over 40% of the tier points I earned this year, a double tier point promotion from Qantas that will net me 480 Qantas tier points on a $1,000 AUD business fare from Sydney to Auckland and I'm tempted to go for Qantas Platinum (equivalent to BA Gold). Also, unlike BA, it seems like lifetime status is somewhat attainable (7,000 QF tier points for lifetime Silver - OneWorld Ruby, 14,000 QF tier points for lifetime Gold - OneWorld Sapphire). I'll also be attempting to retain the Delta Gold Medallion status I status matched to earlier this year (potentially through a couple of flights from Australia to Europe and North America since mileage flown is all that matters there). Relatedly, Air France will provide you with lifetime Platinum (top tier) status after you have retained Platinum status for 10 years in a row, which might seem like a challenge at first, but if you can pull it off would mean certainty in ticking one airline alliance off your lifetime status challenge. In terms of finding goods deal on air fare, I agree that it can be kind of tricky. To be honest, most of my business class fares I'm booking are actually with airline miles I bought. For instance I spent $2,800 CAD to buy 160,000 Air Canada Aeroplan miles then transferred 60,000 AmEx points over to Air Canada to book a round the world itinerary that will take me from Sydney to Toronto with a 2 week stopover in Zurich, followed by LA to Sydney with a 3 day stopover in Seoul. Not bad if you ask me! Meanwhile Delta (and now United) awards airline status based on flights taken with award tickets which can potentially be a great deal, especially if you can buy those points on the cheap. Lastly, I will point out that there are still good deals in economy (and some even in premium cabins like Premium Economy) but you really need to look. It used to be that a few minutes or perhaps a couple of hours if you are trying to do a complex itinerary was all you needed to find the "best" fare. Now you need to spend more time playing around with dates, routings, stop-overs, etc. One final point on this topic, the next month or two for me will be crucial for flight booking now that the IATA slot conference concluded meaning most airlines have locked away their schedules for the coming months meaning deals ought to appear soon.

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks - buying points isn't a topic I've covered but I probably should...

[@GG-hi5if]

@@MattsPlanetbetween ourselves, given the economic downturn thats coming in 2023 - prices look set to stabilise and leisure/business travel will decline. Deals are coming for march-may 2023.

[@MattsPlanet]

@@GG-hi5if That would be nice and would make sense - don't see airlines mothballing planes again in the face of a short term slow down in leisure business....

[@GG-hi5if]

@@MattsPlanet I’m not saying they’ll be cheap fares or reductions in service like Covid. I’m saying their is a limit to this surge in prices.

[@AGThomas-sk9qd]

Hi Matt, great content. Could you please make a video on making a miles run from USA (star alliance or one world)? I am from San Diego, California.

[@MattsPlanet]

It's on the "to investigate" list but its not super easy to find good options... Easier to find options within the US where you can add multiple transfers to relatively cheap routes. Not the most fun flying to do multiple short, 40 TP hops in a day to get from A to B, but they all count and they're not that expensive....

[@bellavista3364]

Excellent video Matt in particular as my year end is the same as yours 8/8 . Having finally made gold this year thanks to the reduced threshold and several holidays including the car. My dilemma was whether to try and maximise tier points or use the 4 2-4-1 vouchers my wife and I have between us . Since we also have >500k Avios between us your video has convinced me to use points for flights this year especially as you rightly say Silver has similar useful benefits. Eg lounge access , free seat selection , club checkin , fast track? (Have to say I haven’t been very impressed by the first class lounge at T5). I will be eagerly watching what decision you arrive at😊

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks - sitting on piles of avios is never a great idea and BA has done some things which nibble at their value - devaluing avios transferred to nectar being an example... So I think its wise to spend some! The F lounge has been wildly overcrowded as so many people have had their status extended... As the thresholds go back up, the mass of gold card holders should start to thin out which will hopefully make the lounges better

[@lifelessordinaryxyz]

Another aspect that has changed slightly on the double TP offer is the hotel or car booking doesn’t have to be for the whole trip - just 5 days. When I booked mine back in 2021 the hotel/had to be for the whole duration which meant I limited my trip to just 10 days. Had this been the case when I booked I would probably have done a three/four week trip and just booked a nice hotel via BA for the last 5 days and stayed in much cheaper local accom for the rest.. and travelled around a lot more given the extra time and accom flexibility. That being said I managed to book MAN-LHR-DOH-HKT return taking in all three aircraft types in Qatar fleet, plus two of the 4 needed qualifying flights on BA yielding 1280 TPs for £2600ish and the LHR ground experience offer running for spending £2.5k +. Doubt prices are anywhere near that low now. Gold (nearly) in one trip.

[@lifelessordinaryxyz]

Also took a couple of months to get bonus TP to post as my flights were credited as QTR instead of codeshare BA numbers I booked under. Never really got an explanation as to why but it got fixed eventually. So something to consider if relying on status for future travel plans close to qualifying / re qualifying using the Double TP offer.

[@MattsPlanet]

The double tier point offer is good but it has been taking an eternity for those double points to show up... The 5 days out of however many you're away from is a good point to make.

[@lifelessordinaryxyz]

Yeah waited the two weeks they said it would take then called and was told it could take up to 28 days from call to fix - it was closer to 5 weeks when status finally changed - so 7-8 weeks from return flight would be a safe buffer for planning purposes I’d say.

[@emmaturner2558]

Thanks for your clear videos Matt. This is our first year trying to get to gold. Can I ask you about the Double Tier Point Holidays? The T&C's are vague. Do you need to stay in a hotel for the duration of the holiday or just the minimum of five nights. I am flying Jersey to Heathrow, Heathrow to Nashville, 5 nights in Nashville then separate flights to San Antonio staying with family for 10 days then back to UK via BA (route not decided). BA Hols said I need to stay for the duration in a hotel. But Flyers Talk states that is no longer the case. A dummy booking with BA (on the phone not holiday dept as couldn't get through) returned no Double Tier Points. But the T&C wording on BA changed from duration to Min 5 nights. So it's ambiguous. Any idea?

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi Emma - Nashville is great fun so enjoy! The rules now are that the hotel (or car) needs to be for a minimum of 5 days out of the trip but it is a recent change and (shock horror) the agent may not have been trained on it. And the double tier points don't show up anywhere when you book - I mention BA's atrocious IT in videos from time to time.... They will be added a few weeks after you return and the base TPs are processed. Not ideal as it would be good to see confirmation that the trip qualifies, but you'll be able to challenge with BA if you meet the criteria but don't get the TPs automagically.

[@emmaturner2558]

@@MattsPlanet Thanks Matt I appreciate the reply.

[@emmaturner2558]

@@MattsPlanet Thanks Matt - really tricky as the T&C's are so vague it could be taken either way.

[@peterhastings703]

Interesting video Matt! The topic is very much on my my mind at the moment. My collection year ends on 8th Dec, so my grace period is over the Xmas holiday period and I'll soft land into silver in the new year. To go out with a bang, I've got a reward trip to California in January which managed to use up an Amex two-fer and and a Baec GUF2 days before both expired. I've never travelled in long haul First before, so I'm hoping the CCR will be fully stocked with LPGS when we depart!! I think I'll be looking at the US west coast mainly to get status back (I'd really like to explore the National Parks around Utah and Arizona), but I miss the Sri Lankan fares from the Middle East to Jakarta (I did one trip from AUH in early 2019 which cost a little under £500!!). From FlyerTalk, there are also some LHR-SOF runs which can be good value (but only 160TP per return). I've got a voucher from Qatar who I hope will have some offers going when the World Cup is over and done with. I've got a good friend in New Zealand who I visited in 2016 and 2018, so that's another TP challenge to repeat on OneWorld in 2023! Oh, and #ynwa (obviously!)

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Peter. California should be fun, and not too inclement in January... I had drafted a sequence about nesting SOF holidays and flying straight back on a separate ticket but I thought 21 minutes was enough content! Perhaps there'll be an episode 2 of this topic as the video has done quite well! And #YNWA although I hope the matches at the world cup get more exciting than the first one was this afternoon!

[@stevenarmstrong4512]

Have you ever thought about looking into Air Canadas Aeroplan rewards scheme? Seems good on first look. It would be worth a video

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi Stephen. I know Will from Trek Trendy rates Aeroplan highly - mostly I think as the option to buy points is good with them... I've thought about making videos about specific programs but I'm concerned that I'd only be regurgitating stuff I found online if I did so - I feel I'd need to join and road test a scheme to really understand it and be able to talk authoritatively... And my priority at the moment is Aegean... But I will take a look as the purchase option is certainly an interesting one - thanks for the comment!

[@stevenarmstrong4512]

@@MattsPlanet happy new year! onwards and upwards with the channel. All the best

[@dsdsdsdsdsds3139]

excellent video matt - so really you should be looking to gain 1500 tps in the grace period if you are already a gold member looking to extend by maximum time period? this seems like a stretch for me as ive more comfortable to doing eu hops - sofia / catania / lux / dub - but im sure it can be done

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks... The first draft of the script would have been about 40 minutes long which I thought was pushing my luck... So I cut this paragraph but yes - if you want to get your status banked and have the opportunity to focus on it in a narrow window, then the grace period is certainly the way to go. If that's not feasible (which it won't be for most people) then filling in trips you'd already been taking to get to gold would be the way to go... As early in the membership year as possible would be the advice. But hopefully the bits about how to find and finesse a trip are still helpful!

[@larsmllerheickchristensen3398]

Great video Matt! Would you consider also making one for Star Alliance?

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Lars - I have made a video about how I got Star Alliance gold and I will make another about how I renewed it... Star (or at least Aegean) doesn't have the same tier point structure - you need to cover the miles and find an airline with a good earning multiplier into your home scheme. So its not really possible to make a directly comparable video although look out for my video about how I renewed Star Gold with Aegean

[@stevecraven3502]

Matt. I've just had a thought. (Dangerous I know) You say in this video that you can't gain the 1600 TP required to make Gold status in one day, but for your followers do you think you could do it in 5 nights using the double tier points holiday option from BA, using another video of yours, where you did Sophia to Las Vegas baby as your trip with the connections you used. I think it was about 800+ TP initially which would give you the 1600 Tp for Gold. Thanks. Steve. YNWA.

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Steve. For anyone watching (reading??) along - I think Steve realised the issue quite quickly in that a double TP holiday needs to start in the UK. Which chokes down quite significantly on the ability to get the 375 tps you'd need to get out of a routing to Vegas baby for it to "double double" to the 1,500 you'd need for Gold.

[@t288msd]

£1.5 per tier point is hard to find these days, I agree, but here's one worth 560 points AUH-CMB-CGK return. £810 between Jan and March 2023. Just need to get to AUH :)

[@MattsPlanet]

Cheers Matt. Still a little more than I'd look to pay... Unhelpful that BA doesn't fly to AUH these days (although its easy enough from Dubai). I did have a very solid itinerary priced up a few years ago which was PE to AUH - with a £600 r/t to CGK it averaged out at a good p/TP rate. Fingers crossed those days return soon!

[@GG-hi5if]

Thankfully, I had a work trip which posted twice, which got me 420 tier points and I easily requalified under the reduced thresholds. Bit too late to book a tp run for gold. As you advise, it takes about 6 months notice for a tier point run. I will need 910 for gold under the old thresholds from january. I think my best hope is to keep going for silver each year - I have a friend in a 160 tier point destination who said I can crash for a week as a holiday of I get there. Did someone say BA flight plus car hire?

[@MattsPlanet]

Its quite funny - BA's IT is terrible but it can be terrible in your favour... I've had one huge bonus when I got TPs I shouldn't have... But whilst you often hear about failings, its really rare to hear about errors that benefit people! And silver is by no means a bad status to work with....

[@GG-hi5if]

@@MattsPlanetxactly, Lounge access, seat selection, priority boarding, 50% bonus avios. All fine for me! I have no reason to push for gold. I’m not a frequent (i mean, monthly, daily or weekly) traveller - just a leisure traveller with some disposable income and occasional work trips. Silver suits me just fine. My work trip was operated by qatar but marketed by ba

[@AlguelMehmet]

Hi Matt , thanks for your video ! I leave in Asia and UK ,sadly BA does not fly direct from Kuala Lumpur anymore. I have used BA oneworld partner Malaysian Airlines many times & just realised that BA does not give tier points with MAS ! Do you know which BA oneworld partners you can collect BA tier points ?

[@MattsPlanet]

BA does give tier points on Malaysian as a OneWorld partner... There's occasionally a specific fare code that doesn't work (P on Cathay is a repeat offender) but I've not hear of problems on Malaysian. And I think BA is underservicing the Far East these days as they have a close relationship with Qatar. A close relationship that is getting ever closer too...

[@IndochineUK]

Instant favourite video! Thank you sincerely for doing all that research and legwork so that my lazy bones don’t have to. I hope Penguin is alright? They’re conspicuous in their absence in an office based clip… #JeSuisPenguin

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks! The penguin is fine - don't worry! He was hanging out in another room but I'll make sure he's featured in the next video! #Lepenguinestbien

[@matthewday7162]

Hi Matt. Love your channel. Sorry if I sound a bit stupid but I wanted to clarify my situation. I am B.A. Gold since October 2022 as I qualified with 1,125 tier points under the reduced offer. On my account it states however that my tier point end date is the 8 Feb 2023 and that I require still 230 tier points to retain Gold. As I am currently on 1,270 tier points. My question is this, my understanding is that I should be gold until at least February 2024 as it rolls for a year once my tier point end date is reached. If I get the extra 230 tier points before the 8th of Feb would this therefore extend my gold status even further? I just cannot get my head around it all. Thanks for all your great information on your channel Matt!

[@MattsPlanet]

No worries Matthew. BA's IT is terrible and they struggled to reflect renewal dates in peoples accounts while the threshhold was reduced. They have been working through accounts to show the extensions, so have you checked lately? Getting more TPs shouldn't make a difference if you got 1125 prior to 31 December... If it's still not showing, perhaps give them a quick call?

[@matthewday7162]

@@MattsPlanet Thanks so much Matt. I really appreciate your response. It still doesn’t show so I will call them this week. Many thanks again, looking forward to your next video!

[@tarquinmontague637]

Got my 2023 points run booked for May, BUD-ANC with numerous stops

[@MattsPlanet]

Fab! ANC is a great destination - I was there in Jan and made videos about the flights. Was going to make a video about ANC but the weather was miserable and all the sidewalks were sheet ice which wasn't fun for me at 6'4" with dodgy knees... Much better in May!

[@thomasblackmore5894]

Hi Matt, really good video and have been really enjoying watching your content! I do just have one question relating to membership re-renewal. My tier point collection year ended on the 8th April and my card (silver) expires at the end of May. Would I be correct in saying that if I can renew to Silver between now and the card expiry date (end of May) I will get the membership year of 2023-24 and 2024-25. I may of misinterpreted what your video was suggesting, so do please excuse a potentially silly question. Nevertheless really enjoy watching your videos, thanks, Tom.

[@MattsPlanet]

That's right Thomas. Between the 8th April and the 30th May you'll collect points into the new year whilst still having the carry over benefits. And status will last until 2025. Happy trails!

[@thomasblackmore5894]

@@MattsPlanet Thanks Matt. Well looks like I'll be off to Sofia soon then!

[@pantster9855]

The maths you’ve pointed out for the length of the time you have the status is valid but only on your first qualifying year or if you use numerous airlines. If you fly regularly every year consistently it makes no difference

[@MattsPlanet]

Indeed - if you travel enough to renew organically then you don't need to worry about expiry dates. But plenty don't!

[@nasserhaddad1292]

Hi Matt, I really appreciate all the valuable content that you have on your channel, it is very useful :) I am looking to utilise the double tier points offer with a flight+car booking. are you sure that I don't need to pick up the car? will that have some sort of financial penalty associated with it? will I still get the double tier points in that case ? the reason I ask is I have seen different feedback regarding this online. I would really appreciate your feedback on this topic :)

[@MattsPlanet]

I've seen plenty of reports of people not picking up the car... Not tested it personally, but I'd be confident to do so. Not sure what mechanism there would be to "fine" you for not picking it up as you've already paid for it... One would assume the car companies would like it as it means they're making money with no work required...

[@dkkatwa]

Looking at fares to Vegas in summer 2023, it seems like prices have doubled at least. A tier point easily costs £2.50+ nowdays. Does it make sense to do tier runs anymore, or better just to pay to use a lounge?

[@MattsPlanet]

A very good question - I'd struggle to justify a TP over £1.50 so at £2.50 I'd be a firm no... There's more to status than lounge access though, so the decision may vary for some but you'd have to lug a lot of extra luggage onto a lot of flights to get that value back!

[@madds6678]

Bugger wish I’d seen the double tier points offer 🙁 just spent £3700 flying the missus & myself to Phuket via Doha premium economy ( Lgw-Doha leg only Qatar don’t have premium) gathered 320 points. Currently on silver collection year ended 8/11 card exp 31/12/22 so I assume will drop to bronze 😫 then have another 280 to get by 8/23 to get back to silver. The points year & card expiry is very confusing but would love to get gold even just once 🙏. Thanks for your videos I’ll definitely have to watch out for promotions & try your hacks.

[@MattsPlanet]

You would have needed BA flight numbers for the double points too which doesn't always happen... The double point promo has just been extended to 31/12 so there's still plenty of time!

[@immiPlanet]

Hello Matt. I'm planning on doing nothing (TP Run wise) as my membership year is 8-July. So, I'm hoping for cheaper pricing next year. AUH-CMB-CGK sounds nice + could coincide with a LGW-KHI trip in November / December 2024 but that's long after July so not ideal. Frustrating that Qatar don't fly LGW-AUH so not sure how I'd manage that. In meantime, I can enjoy visiting countries in economy as cheaply as possible, as I've not travelled a whole lot! Considered J LHR-IST holiday for double double but that's c.£1,200 for two flights *not including car, when I live 5 mins from Gatwick + can get £500 for two flights. That £700 saving should buy many posh dinners in Istanbul, I suspect! PS - Your ITA Matrix video is a true public service. Will take me some time to get a grip of that! Well done on an amazing helpful resource for travellers! Must stop binge watching! :)

[@MattsPlanet]

Qatar goes LGW-DOH-AUH but I think they're going to charge a bit for the privilege... And you're wise not to chase tier points at any cost! £700 is a whole extra trip!

[@immiPlanet]

@@MattsPlanet Thanks! And, again fabulous videos. Best thing I’ve seen on internet for ages!

[@smeejones869]

Hi Matt, thank you very much for an incredible video! Love your channel! Do you know if you book a hotel or car hire through BA a month or so after you made the original flight booking, if you will still get doubly tier points. I booked the flight without knowing about the double tier points & wondered if I can still benefit. Thanks again for everything!

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi there. Not 100% sure but I think not... It needs to be "booked with BA Holidays" and what you have would have been booked with BA. Not 100% certain though and a quick (ha ha) call to them might yield a definitive answer.

[@smeejones869]

Thank you very much Matt! Enjoy your week.

[@gavintill1743]

I question I have is my holiday booking, flights are 8 days apart but 1 night in hotel, as I'm getting a cruise, will this generate the double tier points?, they extended the promo until Dec 2023. Also do the double points apply to ba flight numbers on partner airlines cause in seeing a connecting flight in interested in

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi Gavin. Has to be a hotel or car booking for at least 5 nights - doesn't have to be the full gap between flights but must be at least 5 nights. And it has to be flights on BA flight numbers even if the flight is operated by someone else.

[@gavintill1743]

@Matt's Planet so a flight that departs sat and returns week Sunday, with only the first Saturday in hotel will be OK

[@MattsPlanet]

@@gavintill1743 No - the hotel or car needs to be booked for 5 out of the 8 nights not just 1

[@minjaszugik115]

Does BA honour the adding of the double tier points after the return flight completion two weeks (14 calendar days)? I am banking on this in order to get gold before my tier points reset date. I land back to LHR from JFK on 15 April, and my tier point reset date is 8 May 2024. Then in 2024, I will do this strategy of tier points run, to re-earn the gold for two more years.

[@minjaszugik115]

In 2025 rather

[@MattsPlanet]

The double points should hit the period of travel, even if they only post after the period ends. They have got better at posting the bonus, less than14 days in a lot of cases... Have seen people call to secure status if the points don't post automagically

[@minjaszugik115]

@@MattsPlanet thank you very much for the prompt response. Very useful.

[@ryanwangf]

My year ends in 08.11 so I am collected 1125 tier points between 08.11 and 31.12. However, from the BA app, it shows that I need 1500 tier points to retain gold instead of 1125.

[@MattsPlanet]

As I mention in the video, BA IT doesn't keep up so it will show 1500. When you get the 1125 (before 31/12) the site should update your status with the new year.

[@stevecraven3502]

Matt, another good, interesting , informative video. I am in the same boat as you with my renewal date of August but will qualify for silver next week with a double tier point holiday to Bucharest. I have been looking at ways to use the BA double tier point holiday trip to maximise this but so far can't find too many cheap options. just one question. if you book a car for the 5 day holiday instead of a hotel, but don't pick the car up, surely you are wasting money as you have payed for a car for 5 days but don't use it!! OR am I missing something? Steve. YNWA

[@MattsPlanet]

Cheers Steve, It's obviously a bit daft to rent a car then not use it... But if the flights yield 160 tps for (say) £250, and a flight plus car doubles the TPs to 320 for (say) £350, you're getting 160 tps for £100, which is excellent. And that's why this makes sense... #YNWA

[@skymanste7630]

Great Vlog Matt. Very informative as always. I think I may have fallen for the 1125 tier point trap. But find it all a bit confusing. My TP collection started again on 09th Nov22. (Even though I have status until 08th Nov 23.). I will surpass the 1125 by mid Dec22 already. Any idea what actually happens after 31st Dec 22? What does my account change to? Or will I just enjoy Gold from now up until 08th Nov 24? Thx.

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi Steven. If you accumulate 1,125 prior to 31 Dec, your gold will be extended to 8 Nov 2024, plus the grace period so until 31 Dec 2024. You get all of the current year (until 8 Nov 23) plus the next (to 8 Nov 24) plus the grace period. Even if the flights don't post before the 31st Dec, they'll be backdated when they do post so the renewal should be extended once posted. Of course, BA's never done this before so their IT may explode, but that's how they've publicised it will work. Keep notes and give them a call if flights taken don't show up within perhaps 2 weeks of having taken them.

[@timpsadler]

So if tier status remains for another 2 months, if you get the tier points during that period, does the status roll forward? I thought the tier points were removed at the anniversary?

[@MattsPlanet]

Yes - the tier points reset on the anniversary but the status benefits prevail for 2 months.

[@joannsbuncelmans3328]

Hey! When is best to earn tier points? You did mention it in the video, but still didn’t get it! If my collection year ends on 8th of July and card expires on 31st Aug. When would be best time?

[@MattsPlanet]

If you can, earning tier points in your grace period (which for you is 9 July to 31 August) gives you status for the longest possible time - just about 2 years. And if you already have status, that will still be in place when you travel.

[@o.c.g.m9426]

I took 2 flights with BA one in 1st class, one in Business, and I've gathered 1140 tier points.

[@MattsPlanet]

That's an excellent haul! Congrats

[@redcomusic]

Hello Daddy Matt! I've found my golden goose program to reach (and maintain) oneworld Sapphire. Might make a video of that. There's also a golden goose program to reach/maintain SkyTeam Elite Plus level. - Red

[@MattsPlanet]

If you're on to something good, I'm sure a lot of people will appreciate you sharing it...

[@TarrelScot]

Very insightful as always. In my naivety, I joined BAEC a few years ago in February. Living in the far north of Scotlnd, we always try to go away somewhere warm and sunny in…January! I’d love to move my membership forward to January or even December to allow those January trips to earn for me. I wonder; could I terminate my membership and re-apply? If so, is there anywhere I could “park” my Avios before transferring them back to my new EC account? (I’m thinking, say, move them to a hotel programme and then move them back). I don’t have that many (around 40,000, plus a similar number in Amex reward points).

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi Mark. I think there may be a way... Not done it myself and I've not seen anyone else do it though... You'd lose lifetime tier points but assuming that's not a big deal... Open a Qatar avios account, link it to the old BA account, transfer your avios across and "hide" them over there. Open a new BA account - you may need to use a different middle name or have some other differentiator versus the old account if you use the same address. That should reset your year although I'd also take a flight when you start a new account as I'm not 100% sure if its the registration or the first flight which sets the renewal year... Then the bit I'm not sure would work... Relink the Qatar account to the new BA account and move the avios back. This may not work as there may be a 1:1 relationship required so you can't change the linked accounts... All in all, a bit of a faff... If you don't mind losing the lifetime tier points you can just start again... The avios in the old account won't go anywhere and you could "cash them out" through Sainsbury's...

[@TarrelScot]

@@MattsPlanet Hey Matt, thanks for a quick and very comprehensive reply. I hadn't thought about the Qatar possibility. Lifetime tier points are not an issue. I only have a handful (my journey to status is a sleeping giant waiting to be awoken!). We've already booked a trip this January, which involves flying with Tui, but not on one of their holidays (long story), so I might leave the renewal date-change for a while and shoot for silver around the middle of the year. I have in mind a trip to Tenerife in May which, if I convert to a holiday and fly from Inverness, should net me 480 points? A couple of returns to London in Business (which we do quite often) should tip me over the 600 and I'll have it for around 20 months. Regarding grace period, I guess a smart move for silver (maybe too big an ask for Gold?) would be to accumulate all the tier points you need for renewal in the grace period, thus obtaining a full two years' worth of renewed status, and still enjoying the status while you're earning those points?

[@patrickm9038]

Matt I have a question (not a comment). I’m running 40 tier points short of BA Silver status. I live close to EWR airport in NJ. Any advice on what the most practical way to achieve this is?!

[@MattsPlanet]

That's an annoying amount! Most cheapo economy trips are 5 or perhaps 10 TP each way so its a few economy flights.... The shortest business leg yields 40 TP so you'd only need one of them. A quick round trip somewhere business/first one way and economy back is probably 45 TPs. Take a look and see what comes up in the next few weeks?

[@patrickm9038]

@@MattsPlanet Thx! I’m stuck trying to get Avios and Tier Points credited from a few Qatar Airways flights I took. So I’ll wait for a few more weeks before flying but not planning.

[@ddslayer6]

Just reached enough flights to secure silver status before the 31st discount cut-off, had many issues with my QR and BA flights not adding TP to my account so hopefully they will be added in time,

[@MattsPlanet]

Well done! BA's IT really isn't the best... They will be backdated to the date flown even if they're not there by the 31st... May take a few days for the system to catch up but it should work...

[@mbarnbrook]

Another excellent video Matt. A question for you please: I want to renew my Silver status. My TP collection year end is 8/06/23 and card expiry therefore 31/07/23. I currently have 320 TPs. In the video you say that it’s possible to get, in my case, 2 years of Silver, but would I have to earn 600 TPs in the window between 9/06 and 31/07, as my understanding is that the 320 TPs I already would be wiped by BA on 8/06. Or could I ask BA to carry them over to that grace period window when I could get the additional 280 TPs, giving me Silver to 2025? Thanks

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Martin. Your choice is to get 280 TPs prior to 8 June and you'll renew until June 2024 (plus the 2 month grace period). If you don't, on the 9th June you'll see the awful 0 as your TP balance so would have to get 600 tps, ideally before 30 July (as you'll still have your silver benefits including lounge access when you travel). Doing so will get status until June 2025 (plus the grace period again). You can carry a few points back - if you're at 590 by 8th June and only get the last 10 points 7-10 days after the reset, they'll generally let you carry them back to achieve/retain the status. But they won't let you carry any forward - its a hard reset on the night of the 8th. Hope that helps!

[@mbarnbrook]

@@MattsPlanet Thanks for that very speedy and helpful response Matt. Looks like I need to get the 280 before 8 June sorted out pronto - I'll probably look at doing 2 LHR - SOF trips.

[@speedbird006]

Not easy to renew BA status without flying to USA. As I am not jabbed. I can't travel there currently. Even if the Covid restriction is lifted after Feb, it's still complicated as I have been to Iran, which means no ESTA. I am thinking of going back to QR, but QR prices to Asia is crazy expensive lately.

[@MattsPlanet]

Ha ha - it's very easy to renew without going to the US, but your arms need to be long and your pockets short! And full!!!!! I did see some people who repeated that AUH-CGK routing over and over, all the way to GGL but whilst its that price I'm not that attracted.... And the whole US non-Esta list is a right pain.... I went to Syria before the cut-off date so am OK there but I'd love to go to Iran / Iraq / Afghanistan but don't want to lock off the US option. Even with a second passport its risky... And one of the last things Trump did was add Cuba to the list which is just vindictive...

[@VicTheflyingDentist]

Hi Matt. If my status is Silver on 8th July, do I have to earn full 1500 points till 8th July 2024 or the remaining points from my silver status (around 900 TP needed)?

[@MattsPlanet]

Everyone resets to zero at the end of their year. So you need the full 1,500 to get to gold in any membership year.

[@rtb5365]

I'm in a similar boat. Moving from AA to BA, the sweet spot (for me, anyway) seems to be BA silver. While I'd really like to qualify for Gold, the issue is trying to figure out how much value I''d really get out of it. Is it worth the hassle and expense for the amount I'd use it. If I watch the fare sales, I can get Silver in one trip either to the US or Singapore via Oslo and Doha.

[@MattsPlanet]

Silver really isn't a bad level to linger in! You do get used to the First Wing at Heathrow though...

[@simonh5015]

Just flown 1st class from SYD to LHR with JAL for Xmas and at best only getting enough to get silver.... Am I doing something wrong ??

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi Simon. That would only have delivered 4 x 210 so 840 points - 1500 for Gold. Not doing anything wrong, its just hard on routings like that to cram in enough legs to trigger higher levels of tier points. American Airlines allows you to add domestic legs of a decent length which can be lucrative - JAL can't offer a similar option. How was the flight in 1st? Reported to be quite good?

[@simonh5015]

@@MattsPlanet Thanks for the info, going to need to do a lot more research and some of your tricks to maximize the trip home to the UK. JAL first was amazing, huge seats and more than enough space to move about, the staff on board where second to none, the only thing that let it down slightly was the first lounge being still half closed, the food options limited & it closing at 1:30am and being kicked out into the terminal on a long layover

[@jamespaul9929]

Hi Matt just made silver with gold planned for December-however I was perplexed that when I took my mum with me on my most recent trip they would not allow me to add her as a guest at the BA Lounge Heathrow T3 & T5-I was travelling in club and she was booked on a separate booking reference in economy-we booked it later-They scanned my boarding card on my phone with silver membership and their system said it wouldn’t allow a guest-it happened twice and they let her in each time not understanding why-any ideas? Should I have just let them scan my membership bar code rather than the club Europe boarding pass? I contacted BA executive and they said I couldn’t bring in a guest if they were on a separate booking reference though both on the same BA flight-is this BS? By the way I did let her fly in business by swapping seats-worth the brownie points!

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi James. BA IT strikes again... You are entitled to bring a guest - they need to be flying on OneWorld but it doesn't matter what class or flight they're on... Strange things happen overseas but it shouldn't be an issue in London...

[@jamespaul9929]

@@MattsPlanet thanks Matt-not the first time I’ve had issues with BA IT? Like it accepting a BA Amex on one booking but not another-bizarre! Luckily the kind young man at Heathrow T5 north lounge saw sense! Thanks again

[@adamingleton8529]

Shame Manchester do not operate many BA flights

[@MattsPlanet]

You're well served if you want to go to London!

[@dsdsdsdsdsds3139]

hey matt -.another great vid ! heres one for you. im booked on ba ce to sofia as part of a gold run - currently bronze - didnt select a seat at time of booking. now ive checked seats today and all but one seat in ce are gone. what does this mean exactly ? am i at risk of being downgraded to wt if i dont pay for this last seat? or do BA 'allocate' you a seat anyway at time of booking ?

[@MattsPlanet]

You should be OK - the seat plan is not accurate - as long as a seat is showing on the seat plan, they block seats next to Gold card holders. SO there's likely to be more free seats available when you check in. Overbooking is possible, but I wouldn't worry too much.

[@dsdsdsdsdsds3139]

​@@MattsPlanet thanks matt - i did a dummy booking for 9 adults in CE and the booking was accepted so im guessing theres.still plenty of availability

[@qase1985]

Hiya Matt just wanted to ask you how can I add more tire point on my Aegean membership

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi there. Aegean is based on miles flown so you need to get out there and cover some miles to get or renew status. I have a trip next week on Aegean which was designed to crank out some miles and I'll make a video about what I needed and how I got it. Just need to find airlines with good multiples on miles flown

[@qase1985]

@@MattsPlanet how many more points do I need to get to silver and how many for gold

[@MattsPlanet]

@@qase1985 That depends on how many you have and what status you already have...

[@qase1985]

@@MattsPlanet I've 7000 miles and on blue

[@MattsPlanet]

@@qase1985 Get to 12,000 with 2 Aegean or Olympic flights and that'll be silver - 24,000 without the Aegean flights. Then gold is another 24,000 miles with 4 more Aegean flights or 48k without. Those numbers with Aegean flights are reduced by 25% right now as a result of the pandemic.

[@sternreport]

About the topic ob BA status... I actually planned a flight for the 29th of december with Qatar Airways QSuite, trying to get my BA Silver Status for the lowered threshold of 450 Tier Points. From what I read Qatar always needs some time to credit these points to BA, what do you think will happen if the Tier Points get credited in 2023 will I still get my Silver or will I have to earn towards the 600.

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks Julian. I believe the points earned are dated into the period they were earned in so they should qualify for gold even if they take a little while to show up. If you need to travel before they have registered give BA a call...

[@sternreport]

@@MattsPlanet I will certainly keep the phone call in mind as I booked an eco flight to jfk in mid january. Thanks for your response!

[@GG-hi5if]

@@sternreportregardless of the above, you usually have 7 weeks grace period following missing the threshold to use your status. (My tp year ends in july, my card expires on 31 august).

[@dsdsdsdsdsds3139]

hey matt - following on from my previous post ref tp run to get gold - ive read that you could do a B2B to SOF - but when i booked i had to stay overnight. am i missing something ? i would prefer to fly back same day but cant see how you can do this? thanks

[@MattsPlanet]

People book back to backs by starting an itinerary in say Sofia and booking a separate ticket to get them to that city on the flight that will turn into the flight back when it returns. If the first flight of the TP run is the first flight out of a city on that day (so the aircraft was in a city overnight) then you'll have to stay the night.

[@jackprentice1996]

Great video Matt, many thanks. Two questions please, if I'm booking a tier point run with my partner and we both enter our BA Exec Club numbers, do we both get tier points for the trip? Secondly, if I depart from MAN for example, stay 5 days in my destination but return to LHR will this still count as a holiday and therefore I receive the double tier points? |Thank you very much.

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi Jack. Every traveller earns tier points when they fly, provided they have a BA Exec account and lodge the number on the booking. So yes to Q1, and yes also to Q2 - a holiday has to start in the UK so that itinerary should qualify, provided there's a car or a hotel booked at the turnaround point. Cheers

[@jackprentice1996]

@@MattsPlanet Many thanks!

[@sarahsmith6681]

I’m starting to travel alone to get my tier points up this year but after purchasing my 1st ticket business transatlantic two days ago I’ve had nothing but issues with BA ‘call centers’ you must’ve had issues with BA at some point?! Can you do a segment on how to effectively contact BA? I paid $3k with BA 2 days ago & called to ask if I could change my LHR to PHL leg from the 1215 to the 1340 flight (checked prices were the same) and the rep quoted me a $9k diff…I am disgusted at the nerve and lack of common sense they have. I wish I never bought this ticket now and wish I had started earning with star alliance!!! Such a downer. Can have do a segment on shady BA practices? Or how one world partners such as AA & BA have so many “exceptions” I can list several if you msg me. Thanks

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi Sarah. Congrats on choosing to travel alone! I can understand why BA is saying that to you, unfortunately... There's currently a sale on and sale tickets have restricted rights... By calling to change a booking, you're effectively trying to turn a discounted business ticket into a fully flexible one... If BA allowed that, they'd never sell a full fare flexible ticket again... It's unfortunate for you in this situation as you're trying to make a change in good faith, but plenty of people would take advantage of any flexibility BA shows. BA allows you to cancel within 24 hours of purchase for any reason which offers flexibility if you do spot an error. Every airline is going to be the same to protect the revenues they get from selling flexible tickets - some may offer some discretion to status holders, but BA steadfastly doesn't...

[@sarahsmith6681]

Thanks for the response! I was willing to pay an admin fee? The prices were exactly the same. From your experience, which airline provides the best customer service? I’m just restarting my travel this year; got gold with AA via promo and these ba tickets (boo) but I’m willing to change to star alliance? I want to travel to as many destinations as possible! Just not waste money or time with wrong airlines….THANK YOU AGAIN! Your awesome! Anytime you need a cameraman I’d tag along!

[@Andrewtulett-fp4lq]

Good video but I miss the old intro where you seemed to get grumpier in your passport photos as you got older! 😀😌🤨🙁☹

[@MattsPlanet]

That's funny! I got a whole 2 seconds out of the intro by dropping the old photos... I blame the UK government for not letting you smile in passport photos these days!

[@josephsweeney4531]

Hello Matt I'm new to your channel, excellent work I've just subscribed. Do you have a similar methodology for Virgin Atlantic? I'm Gold currently and have booked a trip to Australia, using flying club miles to BOM, (100 TP) then revenue tickets to SYD via SIN in business as I'll earn 125TP for each leg. So that return trip earns me 700TP and if I add that to the 175TP I have, that's 875 so gold again. BUT, I've just learned the gold qualifying total is going back up to 1000 on 1st April & my return flights aren't until 22nd April. So I need 125 more points by 30th June. Between my wife and I, we have 55,000 points & 3 upgrade vouchers. I also have 78000 Avios. I'm visiting a friend in Nice next week so was wondering if I fly Air France economy there & business class back to get 50TP & then do Avios to TLV & fly back Virgin upper to get 100TP would that be the best way??? Your guidance would be greatly valued, sir 🙂

[@MattsPlanet]

Hi Joseph. Not such an expert on Virgin but your ideas sound good - the big randomiser is that on March 2 Virgin joins SkyTeam... That means you should be able to earn virgin tier points on all skyteam members but they've not announced what that looks like yet... The other thing to bear in mind is that Virgin is unusual for giving TPs on redemption flights... So you'd have the option of using some points to secure that renewal... Virgin points aren't that expensive to buy right now either, and they've just announced a 30% off promotion on redemptions on a number of their routes... Quite a lot of options I'm afraid, but that's probably better than having few options!

[@dospalmascb]

4 flights for me to get silver, but probably done by holiday trips in pe or business. Would love to reach gold by 8th October 23. Maybe…

[@MattsPlanet]

That's a good point I didn't make in the video - you'd need the 4 BA flights to get silver... Thanks for that!

[@dospalmascb]

@@MattsPlanet daft question, but would adding ncl Lhr ncl count as a qualifying flight if it’s on BA, was somewhat confused as to what exactly a qualifying flight is, also would it mean taking 4 flights to get silver and another 4 to get gold or just 4 flights? But that’s pretty moot for me as I won’t be flying further than 3x to Tlv and back, so that should generate enough TP especially with car hire, which is actually way cheaper than buying it separately I might add, so will have 6 flights plus a return to Bulgaria somewhere in the middle. I’d like to say that BA were fantastic on our last trip, the ground staff at T5 and again in Ben Gurion were incredible and couldn’t have done more to help us. Maybe I’m easily pleased and it has been 2 decades since I’ve flown anything other than Ryanair or Flybe lol.

[@MattsPlanet]

@@dospalmascb LHR - NCL does count as an eligible flight. And its 4 for silver and 4 in total for gold - not 8 in total for gold. That might sound odd as I'm not sure how you'd get to gold without having had to get silver first but anyhoo...

[@nuckymcnuck]

Winter beard!!!

[@MattsPlanet]

Indeed! Have a trip somewhere warm in early January so it may not be around for long this year... Each year its a little more grey....

[@nuckymcnuck]

@@MattsPlanet Each grey whisker makes you more distinguished

[@stevecraven3502]

Matt ignore this last comment. I have realised my mistake. Like I said dangerous for me to think. 🥴🥴🤬 Steve. YNWA.

[@MattsPlanet]

Don't stop thinking brother!!! YNWA!