British Airways Increases Reward Flight Costs: Another Hit to Avios Collectors

From 15 December 2025, British Airways will increase the cost of all Reward Flights.

What Are Reward Flights?

Reward Flights are seats you can book using Avios, the loyalty currency of the British Airways Executive Club. Avios cover the base fare, while you still pay taxes, fees, and carrier charges in cash. For many travellers, this has long been an attractive way to reduce the cost of flying, especially on long-haul routes.

You can redeem Avios in any cabin, economy, premium economy, business, or first, and on British Airways, BA subsidiaries, oneworld airlines, and additional partner carriers.

Booking is simple: log into your Executive Club account, search for your dates using the Reward Flight Finder, and you’ll see available seats along with the required Avios and cash amounts.

What’s Changing on 15 December 2025?

British Airways will increase the cost of Reward Flights. This includes increases to both the required Avios and the cash co-payment. The changes apply across most routes and all cabins.

Examples of New Off-Peak Pricing (as published by British Airways)

The following example prices were provided directly by British Airways on their website. You can view their full Reward Flight pricing update here: British Airways Reward Flight Pricing.

Across the board, Reward Flights are becoming more expensive.

Why This Matters

Reward Flights have traditionally offered strong value, particularly for premium long-haul cabins. However, with higher Avios costs and increased cash surcharges, that value is eroding. Travelers now face:

• Higher Avios requirements for the same routes
• Higher cash co-payments
• Reduced overall savings on award travel

Combined with limited reward availability on popular routes, the practical usefulness of Avios continues to decline.

The Bigger Picture: Avios Earning Was Also Reduced in 2023

This reward-cost increase follows a major earning-side devaluation in 2023. On 18 October 2023, British Airways shifted from a distance-based earning system to a revenue-based model. Under the old system, flights such as London → New York in business class commonly earned 10,000–15,000 Avios one-way, regardless of fare.

Under the new revenue model, Avios earnings depend on the amount paid (base fare plus carrier charges). As a result, discounted fares , even in premium cabins, earn far fewer Avios. Many travelers now earn significantly fewer points than before for identical flight distances.

In practice, this means:

• Lower Avios earnings on many long-haul fares
• Higher thresholds for meaningful Tier Point progress
• And now, higher redemption costs on top

The combination of reduced earning and increased spending requirements represents a substantial devaluation of the Executive Club program.

Conclusion, Another Step Down

The 15 December 2025 changes to Reward-Flight pricing mark yet another downgrade for BA loyalists. It follows the major 2023 overhaul in which British Airways moved from a distance-based earning model to a revenue-based system, meaning many travelers, especially those booking discounted long-haul tickets, now earn fewer Avios than before. Combined with the revised Tier Point rules, earning status and collecting Avios has already become noticeably harder.

With the latest increase in the cost of redeeming Avios, BA further erodes one of the program’s core benefits: getting more value for your loyalty. Between earning fewer Avios on many fares and now needing more Avios (and cash) to redeem them, the overall value proposition of the British Airways program continues to shrink, particularly for budget-conscious or infrequent travelers who once relied on Avios to make premium travel more attainable.

Note: All deals are personally verified and bookable directly with airlines or reputable travel partners. Prices and availability can change quickly, we never sell flights ourselves.