BA sent thousands of members a renewal email last week - and then silently reversed every single one of those renewals overnight, with no follow-up communication whatsoever.

How many members does British Airways The Club currently have (approximately)?

The answer is waiting near the bottom... keep scrolling 👇

Here's the short version: BA's loyalty system apparently ran an incorrect file last week that extended status for members who hadn't re-qualified under The Club's new revenue-based rules. Members received confirmation emails and saw the renewals reflected in their online accounts. Celebrations followed. Then BA took its loyalty system down overnight and reversed every those renewals.

According to statements BA and IAG Loyalty made to the Financial Times, they initially claimed to be unaware of any issue and believed the extensions were legitimate. It was only after what they described as "forensic" analysis that they concluded fewer than 1% of The Club's 13 million members - had been incorrectly extended.

The problem isn't just the original error - software bugs happen. The problem is the communication. Or rather, the complete lack of it. Members who received written confirmation of their renewal woke up to find themselves downgraded with only an email explaining the downgrade from BA.

And this is happening against a backdrop of the most chaotic loyalty programme relaunch in recent UK aviation history. The Club launched on April 1st 2025 (yes, genuinely), moved to a revenue-based tier points system, introduced new tier point bonuses after initially promising a purely revenue model, and has had persistent website and app issues throughout. If you want to track the damage, our BA Tier Point Calculator can at least help you understand where you actually stand right now.

Bottom line: if you received a renewal email last week and have now been downgraded, check your account. If your status has changed, contact BA's customer service directly and reference the original renewal email as evidence. You have a paper trail - use it. And honestly? The fact that BA can't execute a clean loyalty system without this level of chaos should give every serious points collector pause before building their entire strategy around Avios alone.

For all our ongoing British Airways coverage as this story develops, we're tracking it closely.

Buried beneath the Extension-Gate chaos is actually a genuinely interesting structural change to The Club for 2026/27: it is now possible to earn Bronze status purely through Amex spend and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) contributions, without setting foot on a single flight.

The two key 2026/27 changes work together. First, Amex spend on eligible American Express UK cards now earns tier points. Second, SAF contributions also generate tier points. Taken together, for what could be argued is a reasonable cost, Bronze is theoretically achievable without any flying activity at all.

Is it worth it? That depends heavily on what Bronze actually gets you and whether you'd be spending on an Amex anyway. Bronze gives you priority check-in and a small Avios earning boost, but it's a long way from the lounge access and upgrade currency of Gold. If you're a frequent Amex spender who wants a taste of BA status without committing to a full travel schedule, it's worth exploring. If you want to check whether you're eligible for an Amex welcome bonus first, our Amex Welcome Bonus Eligibility Tool will give you a quick answer.

Heads up: this route requires careful planning and the maths only works if you're hitting meaningful Amex spend thresholds. It won't suit casual spenders. But as a concept - earning airline status without flying - it's a notable shift in how The Club is positioning itself.

Bilt Rewards is running its May Rent Day promotion on Thursday 1st May only, and the headline offer is a significant transfer bonus to three Avios programmes: British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus. The bonus tier depends on your Bilt status level: Blue members get 40%, Silver gets 50%, Gold gets 60%, Platinum gets 75%, and Platinum members who also spend £150 in Bilt Cash unlock a full 100% bonus.

This is a US-based programme, so it's primarily relevant if you hold Bilt points already. But if you do, a 40%-100% bonus to Avios points is genuinely strong - Avios at even 40% bonus means every 1,000 Bilt points becomes 1,400 Avios. Use our Avios Value Calculator to work out whether the transfer makes sense for your specific redemption target. The offer is live from midnight ET on 1st May through to 23:59 ET - one day only, no exceptions. Don't sleep on it.

The British Airways Holidays Spring Sale is running until 23:59 this Wednesday 30th April, with discounts tiered by booking value: £50 off a minimum £1,250 spend, £100 off £2,500, £200 off £5,000, and £300 off bookings of £10,000 or more. Travel must be between 1st May 2026 and 26th March 2027.

The maths on the top tier: £300 off a £10,000 booking is a 3% saving in cash terms. Not spectacular, but BA Holidays packages also earn Avios on the full booking value, which adds meaningful points on top of the discount. At 1p per Avios, even a modest Avios earn on a £5,000 package starts to make the numbers more interesting. Worth a look if you're planning a package holiday later this year or early next.

The answer is 🟣 13 million. British Airways The Club has approximately 13 million members.

Has the Extension-Gate chaos changed how much you trust BA's loyalty programme? Are you doubling down on Avios, diversifying into Virgin or hotel points, or something else entirely? Hit reply - genuinely curious what our readers are thinking right now.

Until Friday - but don't forget the BA Holidays Spring Sale closes at 23:59 this Wednesday and the Bilt Avios transfer bonus (up to 100%) is live for one day only on Thursday 1st May. If you're sitting on Bilt points and want to top up your Avios balance before a summer redemption, tomorrow is the day to move.

These are the top credit card welcome bonuses we're tracking. Offers change frequently - see all cards.

1. Platinum Card: 75,000 points after spending £10,000 in 6 months (£450/yr)

2. Business Platinum Card: 50,000 points after spending £6,000 in 3 months (£650/yr)

3. Gold Card: 20,000 points after spending £2,000 in 3 months (£195/yr (waived first year))

4. Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card: 20,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you sign up and spend £3,000 within the first... (£95/yr)

Looking to redeem your points? Here's what's available right now (via Award Travel Finder):

Hotels:

Status Matches:

• Flying Blue Status Match - Air France / KLM (SkyTeam)

• Flying Blue UK (BA Status Holders) - Air France / KLM (SkyTeam)

• Flying Blue (Iberia) - Air France / KLM (SkyTeam)

See all award deals at AwardTravelFinder.com →

Before we wrap up, I wanted to share some timely opportunities I've been tracking (courtesy of our friends at AwardTravelFinder). These deals won't last long, so let's dive in.

Hotel programs:

Award Travel Finder hunts down the best redemptions so you don't have to.

See all deals at AwardTravelFinder.com →