My best free upgrade on BA was from Singapore to Sydney on the overnight flight. We had been in premium economy but were upgraded to the new club suites the day before travel. We only had Bronze status.
Personally, I would upgrade for £95 only if I needed the additional 35 tier points. But like you, I’m gold also so lounge access, gold seat blocking, more chance of an upgrade are good enough for me. I went for a 1300+ tier point run at the beginning of my new year and got gold which lasts the remainder of the year plus all of the next. Managed to get JER-SFO/LAX with BA holidays and double TPs for just a shade over £2k
I lost my Silver status in March this year, i had it since Jan 2022, when BA were offering great prices from Heathrow.. so i flew 14 times to Tenerife and used the lounges at both ends. In October I'm flying to Tenerife again with BA , but this time I've purchased AA One World Emerald Status for 4 Months, so that gives me First class lounge access plus all the other perks.. maybe a nice upgrade ..👍
@@charlesontravels14 times from sept 2021 until jan 2024.. I can't fly so much now due to work being back to normal, so i paid for AA Emerald Status, which is the same as BA Gold Status, it is worth it to me.
Do have any videos about all the BA perks? I'll be silver status by the end of the year but I dont know what im entitled to or where to access these services. This video showed a separate entrance for fast track security which I had no idea existed! Any tips would be great!
Great video Charles. I did a tier point run yesterday, EDI > LCY and back. Alas it wasn't for Gold just Bronze. I think you are spot on. I have zero benefits being blue and paying for a CE ticket meant I had lounge access in EDI and got fed on the flight. I really enjoyed it. Aiming for silver one day.
Hi There, a great Video and thanks for sharing your thoughts, it's greatly appreciated, what a nice surprise to have the free business class upgrade. Cheers Peter 🙂
Great balanced review of BA Club Europe. BA theoretical seating is another unpublished benefit of status even if you don't receive a upgrade. With status the BA seating algorithm blocks the seat next to you before general checkin opens and only releases it to most passenger for allocation once all other free seats are allocated. Doesn't always work but with status you have a significantly increased chance of having a free seat next to you in economy or the entire row to your self on the business cabin. I probably benefit from the theoretical seating algorithm on circa 50% of my shorthaul BA flights. Can't be sure but your free business class row may well have been due to theoretical seating at work in the background. As blocked seats are released inversely to status our chances of a free adjoining seat as Gold will be higher than as Silver.
Slightly new to all this so would appreciate all your insights on this: Tier Points - if I'm not mistaken my Tier Points will reset annually. So let's say I do manage to make it to Bronze or Silver, I'll get knocked back down to Blue after 12 months - is my understanding correct? Lifetime Tier Points - this is just a total of Tier Points I've collected when travelling with BA and partners and has no value besides, if I reach 35,000 lifetime points, I'll be upgraded to Gold for life? Is my understanding on the above correct? Thanks!
You are mostly spot on with your understanding. The only thing to correct is that BA offer a “soft landing” with status so if you fail to requalify you’ll only drop down one status level. For example, if you get silver one year, but don’t earn enough points to retain that status you would just drop down to bronze for the next year rather than blue. Also, when you earn status you keep the status up to the end of the current collection year plus one more year. For example, going forward all tier point collection years will end in April. So if you earn silver status in March you would have this for 13 months. If you earn it in May you will have this for 23 months.
Depends on how much I need the tier points ... as to whether I would upgrade or not... my recent T5 domestic was rammed with 12 rows of CE.. lounges packed and queuing to get in.. fast track very slow... must be the holidays!!
12 rows of CE on a domestic route is a mess. We had that a couple of months ago and the cabin crew were losing their minds rushing around to try and get the afternoon teas out in time. No way of getting decent service when it’s that rushed. Thankfully never had the experience of queuing to get in to the BA lounges, but maybe I’ve just been lucky with travel times.
Its arguable if the upgrade was actually an upgrade. You got less legroom by being moved away from the exit row and also in an exit row you dont have someone reclining back in your face. All that traded for a free drink and meal you probably wouldnt have ordered / eaten anyway? (plus, TBF lounge access if you have time, maybe the best benefit) I wonder, if you don't want to be upgraded, if theres a way of stopping that? I'm guessing not because normally upgrades are regarded as a positive thing. What if, say you were travelling with a companion and got split up?
I think on a longer flight, I would have really missed the legroom, but for the short duration of the flight from Newcastle to Heathrow I was happy to have the seat next to me blocked out and I did enjoy the meal and drink. No idea how it would have gone if I hadn’t wanted the upgrade.
Unfortunately if the flight is over booked in club Europe sometimes the middle seat is used and it’s pretty rough if that happens ,great free upgrade and lovely video thank you .
I’ve heard of them doing that if there’s been massive cancellations like with ATC issues and people stranded, but didn’t think they would do it for standard over booking as well! Thanks!
I read they will only use the middle seat, if severe cancellations from a storm etc, to catch up or something like an air control issue, with Nats, but this is rare and only have to use the middle seats average once a year. Have you any thoughts on this Charles, surely the customer in business class has paid for the comfort, space and privacy which suppose to be guaranteed, if they fill the middle seat, client will not be happy and does not happen very often.
As I fly from Heathrow quite a lot on long haul I always go to the B Gates but with short haul flights are you allowed to still go to the B Gates lounge so I can know for next time?
Yes, you can still go to the B gates lounge if travelling short haul even if you know you’re leaving from A gates. I’ve noticed they do seem to be slightly starting to discourage this, but they won’t stop you.
can't believe they've updated it and kept the middle seat. massive wasted opportunity to really improve the offering and all the PR that would have come from it.
I know, I just don’t see them changing that until there’s a strong financial incentive to do so. Their main competition on European routes are the low cost carriers and all the other legacy carriers offer something similar to this in short haul. Club Europe is often fully booked in its current form and they have the ability to increase the business cabin by moving the divider back which they wouldn’t be able to do if they got rid of the middle seat.
Worst with SAS - sas plus is rubbish, middle seat not blocked and ger what you re given, when get status other than being close to the door no other benefits
Really useful - Thanks. I’ll need 70TP for my status and bagged a cheap return to NCL, so the tips re lounges are appreciated.
My best free upgrade on BA was from Singapore to Sydney on the overnight flight. We had been in premium economy but were upgraded to the new club suites the day before travel. We only had Bronze status.
Nice! That’s a brilliant upgrade! Definitely beats my flight down to London!
Personally, I would upgrade for £95 only if I needed the additional 35 tier points. But like you, I’m gold also so lounge access, gold seat blocking, more chance of an upgrade are good enough for me. I went for a 1300+ tier point run at the beginning of my new year and got gold which lasts the remainder of the year plus all of the next. Managed to get JER-SFO/LAX with BA holidays and double TPs for just a shade over £2k
That’s a brilliant tier point run! And sounds like you timed it perfectly to make the most out of it too!
Your presentation is highly interesting to watch. Thank you very much and take care 😊
Thanks very much Tony!
I lost my Silver status in March this year, i had it since Jan 2022, when BA were offering great prices from Heathrow.. so i flew 14 times to Tenerife and used the lounges at both ends. In October I'm flying to Tenerife again with BA , but this time I've purchased AA One World Emerald Status for 4 Months, so that gives me First class lounge access plus all the other perks.. maybe a nice upgrade ..👍
Oh wow, was that 14 times back to back over to Tenerife or spread out over a few months? Enjoy the lounge and fingers crossed for an upgrade for you!
@@charlesontravels14 times from sept 2021 until jan 2024.. I can't fly so much now due to work being back to normal, so i paid for AA Emerald Status, which is the same as BA Gold Status, it is worth it to me.
Do have any videos about all the BA perks? I'll be silver status by the end of the year but I dont know what im entitled to or where to access these services. This video showed a separate entrance for fast track security which I had no idea existed! Any tips would be great!
Great video Charles. I did a tier point run yesterday, EDI > LCY and back. Alas it wasn't for Gold just Bronze. I think you are spot on. I have zero benefits being blue and paying for a CE ticket meant I had lounge access in EDI and got fed on the flight. I really enjoyed it. Aiming for silver one day.
Thanks Stuart!
Hi There, a great Video and thanks for sharing your thoughts, it's greatly appreciated, what a nice surprise to have the free business class upgrade. Cheers Peter 🙂
Thanks very much Peter!
No worries @@charlesontravels
Great balanced review of BA Club Europe.
BA theoretical seating is another unpublished benefit of status even if you don't receive a upgrade. With status the BA seating algorithm blocks the seat next to you before general checkin opens and only releases it to most passenger for allocation once all other free seats are allocated. Doesn't always work but with status you have a significantly increased chance of having a free seat next to you in economy or the entire row to your self on the business cabin. I probably benefit from the theoretical seating algorithm on circa 50% of my shorthaul BA flights. Can't be sure but your free business class row may well have been due to theoretical seating at work in the background. As blocked seats are released inversely to status our chances of a free adjoining seat as Gold will be higher than as Silver.
Hopefully I’ll be able to take advantage of that on the multiple BA economy flights I have booked over the next year!
Slightly new to all this so would appreciate all your insights on this:
Tier Points - if I'm not mistaken my Tier Points will reset annually. So let's say I do manage to make it to Bronze or Silver, I'll get knocked back down to Blue after 12 months - is my understanding correct?
Lifetime Tier Points - this is just a total of Tier Points I've collected when travelling with BA and partners and has no value besides, if I reach 35,000 lifetime points, I'll be upgraded to Gold for life?
Is my understanding on the above correct?
Thanks!
You are mostly spot on with your understanding. The only thing to correct is that BA offer a “soft landing” with status so if you fail to requalify you’ll only drop down one status level. For example, if you get silver one year, but don’t earn enough points to retain that status you would just drop down to bronze for the next year rather than blue.
Also, when you earn status you keep the status up to the end of the current collection year plus one more year. For example, going forward all tier point collection years will end in April. So if you earn silver status in March you would have this for 13 months. If you earn it in May you will have this for 23 months.
@@charlesontravels Thank you so much!
Please do a vlog on all the flights and tier points you earned in the past year to get to gold status.
I actually recorded a video about that yesterday. Should be out in the next couple of weeks once it’s edited.
Depends on how much I need the tier points ... as to whether I would upgrade or not... my recent T5 domestic was rammed with 12 rows of CE.. lounges packed and queuing to get in.. fast track very slow... must be the holidays!!
12 rows of CE on a domestic route is a mess. We had that a couple of months ago and the cabin crew were losing their minds rushing around to try and get the afternoon teas out in time. No way of getting decent service when it’s that rushed. Thankfully never had the experience of queuing to get in to the BA lounges, but maybe I’ve just been lucky with travel times.
Nice, ty !.
How tall are you? I'm 6'2" (188 cm) and love to know how much legroom I'm getting on my next flight with BA.
I’m 6 foot.
Its arguable if the upgrade was actually an upgrade. You got less legroom by being moved away from the exit row and also in an exit row you dont have someone reclining back in your face.
All that traded for a free drink and meal you probably wouldnt have ordered / eaten anyway? (plus, TBF lounge access if you have time, maybe the best benefit)
I wonder, if you don't want to be upgraded, if theres a way of stopping that? I'm guessing not because normally upgrades are regarded as a positive thing. What if, say you were travelling with a companion and got split up?
I think on a longer flight, I would have really missed the legroom, but for the short duration of the flight from Newcastle to Heathrow I was happy to have the seat next to me blocked out and I did enjoy the meal and drink. No idea how it would have gone if I hadn’t wanted the upgrade.
Unfortunately if the flight is over booked in club Europe sometimes the middle seat is used and it’s pretty rough if that happens ,great free upgrade and lovely video thank you .
I’ve heard of them doing that if there’s been massive cancellations like with ATC issues and people stranded, but didn’t think they would do it for standard over booking as well! Thanks!
I've been on "full" flights from lhr to man several times, and the middle seats have never been used.
@@rogerwild1966 over booked not just a full flight “ usually down to knock on affects , and flight cancellations .
@@rogerwild1966 over booked flights not full flights , through disruption
I read they will only use the middle seat, if severe cancellations from a storm etc, to catch up or something like an air control issue, with Nats, but this is rare and only have to use the middle seats average once a year.
Have you any thoughts on this Charles, surely the customer in business class has paid for the comfort, space and privacy which suppose to be guaranteed, if they fill the middle seat, client will not be happy and does not happen very often.
As I fly from Heathrow quite a lot on long haul I always go to the B Gates but with short haul flights are you allowed to still go to the B Gates lounge so I can know for next time?
Yes, you can still go to the B gates lounge if travelling short haul even if you know you’re leaving from A gates. I’ve noticed they do seem to be slightly starting to discourage this, but they won’t stop you.
@@charlesontravels Oh okay, thanks for your help!
can't believe they've updated it and kept the middle seat. massive wasted opportunity to really improve the offering and all the PR that would have come from it.
I know, I just don’t see them changing that until there’s a strong financial incentive to do so. Their main competition on European routes are the low cost carriers and all the other legacy carriers offer something similar to this in short haul. Club Europe is often fully booked in its current form and they have the ability to increase the business cabin by moving the divider back which they wouldn’t be able to do if they got rid of the middle seat.
Which Heathrow lounge is the one with the horse and lighting art installation??
There’s a horse outside of the south business class lounge and I believe the one with the light is inside the first class lounge near the entrance
I’ve had silver since 2018 and never had an upgrade
Fingers crossed for your next flight! 🤞🏻
Worst with SAS - sas plus is rubbish, middle seat not blocked and ger what you re given, when get status other than being close to the door no other benefits
Yeah I’ve not tried SAS before but that definitely does not sound worth it!
WOW, A SEAT? ON A PLANE? What kind of witchcraft is this?