For years, British Airways Executive Club was one of the easiest paths to earning Oneworld elite status. Frequent flyers could quickly ascend to Silver (Oneworld Sapphire) or Gold (Oneworld Emerald) through a relatively simple combination of tier points and flights. It made British Airways a top choice for loyal travelers looking for lounge access, priority boarding and other elite perks.
But times have changed.
The New Requirements for British Airways Club
British Airways has dramatically increased the spending threshold for earning elite status:
- Silver status now requires a jaw-dropping £7,500 in spend, plus taxes.
- Gold status? Prepare to spend an eye-watering £20,000, not including taxes.
These changes have made achieving British Airways status prohibitively expensive for most travelers, leaving frequent flyers frustrated and searching for alternatives.
Enter Finnair Plus: A Smarter Way to Earn Oneworld Status
If you’re feeling priced out by British Airways, Finnair Plus offers an incredible alternative for earning Oneworld elite status—and it won’t drain your wallet.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Gold Status (Oneworld Sapphire): Earned with just 45,000 points.
- Platinum Status (Oneworld Emerald): Requires 80,000 points.
What does that mean in real spending terms? Depending on your Finnair level:
- Gold status can be achieved with £5,600 to £6,200 in spending on Finnair flights.
- Platinum status can be unlocked with £7,300 to £11,000 in spending on Finnair flights.
- Both statuses can also be obtained without flying Finnair and with a distance and fare class based earning!
That’s far less than the new British Airways thresholds.
How Finnair Plus Maximizes Your Points
Finnair Plus gets even better when you factor in its points-earning structure. While Finnair flights earn points based on the ticket price, flights on other Oneworld airlines—like British Airways or American Airlines—earn tier points based on fare class and distance flown.
Here’s how that works:
- BA and AA Business Class Flights: Earn 150–250% of miles flown.
- BA and AA First Class Flights: Earn 250–300% of miles flown.
If you regularly fly long-haul or premium cabins, your status will accumulate much faster with Finnair Plus. This gets even better, as Finnair Plus Gold members get an additional +15% points and Platinum members +25% points on British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia flights.
Why Switch to Finnair Plus?
The changes to British Airways Executive Club have transformed what was once a relatively easy program into one that’s out of reach for many travelers. Finnair Plus offers:
- Lower spending thresholds for Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald.
- A lucrative earning structure for premium cabin flights on other Oneworld airlines.
- Access to the same Oneworld benefits, including lounge access, priority check-in and more.
- You will earn Avios and you can freely transfer them between British Airways Club and Finnair Plus.
- You can use Avios to buy up to half of the points needed to retain your current tier.
Final Thoughts
British Airways Club has gone from one of the easiest paths to Oneworld elite status to one of the hardest. But you don’t have to give up your travel perks. Finnair Plus provides a cost-effective and rewarding alternative that’s perfect for frequent flyers looking to maximize their travel experience without breaking the bank.
Why spend more for less? Make the switch to Finnair Plus and unlock elite perks faster.
