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Club Iberia Plus: A Savvy Alternative to British Airways Club?
Why Iberia's new program might be worth a closer look for oneworld frequent flyers
Despite British Airways' recent loyalty program changes causing concern among frequent flyers, there might be a silver lining coming from their sister airline. Iberia has announced their own program overhaul, and surprisingly, it could offer UK travelers an easier path to oneworld status.
Program Structure and Elite Tiers
Like BA, Iberia is moving to a revenue-based system where you earn 1 Elite Point per euro spent (excluding taxes and fees). However, there's a crucial difference - Iberia is adding substantial cabin bonuses that significantly reduce the actual spending required.
Status Requirements
Plata (oneworld Ruby): 3,500 Elite Points or 20 segments
Oro (oneworld Sapphire): 7,500 Elite Points or 40 segments
Platino (oneworld Emerald): 20,000 Elite Points or 90 segments
Platino Prime (oneworld Emerald): 30,000 Elite Points
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Key Advantages Over BA Club
1. Generous Cabin Bonuses
When flying short-haul:
Economy: 75-150 bonus points per segment
Business: 175-275 bonus points per segment
Long-haul flights earn even more:
Economy: 150-250 bonus points
Premium Economy: 275-325 bonus points
Business: 350-600 bonus points
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2. Partner Activity Benefits
Unlike BA's new program, you can earn up to 30% of your status requirement through partner activities. Every 10 Avios earned from partners converts to 1 Elite Point. This means shopping portal earnings and other partner activities could significantly reduce your flying requirements.
Oneworld Partner Opportunities
Iberia is taking a different approach to partner flights, offering flat-rate earning instead of BA's distance-based system. For example, a London-Singapore return in Qatar Airways Qsuite business class would earn 5,000 Elite Points - almost enough for Oro status if you also maximize partner earnings.
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Important Considerations
Segment qualification only works on Iberia and Iberia Express flights
American Express Membership Rewards transfers don't count toward status
Shopping portal earnings do count (unlike BA's program)
These changes take effect April 1st, 2025
Conclusion
Having recently completed my own journey to BA Gold, I can appreciate how significant these differences are. For UK-based travelers, especially those who:
Regularly fly business class
Can earn partner Avios through shopping and other activities
Don't mind crediting BA flights to Iberia
Club Iberia Plus could offer a substantially easier path to oneworld status. The combination of generous cabin bonuses and partner earning makes it particularly attractive for premium cabin travelers who can also maximize partner activities.
The key will be balancing the easier status earning against Iberia's customer service reputation and the slight extra complexity of managing bookings through a different airline's program. However, for many, the significant reduction in required flights could make it worth the trade-off.
We'll continue monitoring both programs as they evolve. Remember to use our BA Avios Calculator to compare current earnings and help inform your strategy going forward.
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