Smart With Points Podcast - Boost Your Miles & Points

Welcome to Smart With Points, the podcast where we dive into the world of traveling with miles and points. I'm your host, Jack, and today we're going to talk about a savvy alternative to British Airways Club - Club Iberia Plus. If you're a frequent flyer, especially within the oneworld alliance, you might want to pay close attention to Iberia's new program overhaul. Despite British Airways' recent loyalty program changes causing concern among frequent flyers, Iberia's new program could offer UK travelers an easier path to oneworld status. 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. Let's break down the status requirements: Plata, which is equivalent to oneworld Ruby, requires 3,500 Elite Points or 20 segments. Oro, which is equivalent to oneworld Sapphire, requires 7,500 Elite Points or 40 segments. Platino, which is equivalent to oneworld Emerald, requires 20,000 Elite Points or 90 segments. And finally, Platino Prime, also equivalent to oneworld Emerald, requires 30,000 Elite Points. Now, let's talk about the key advantages of Club Iberia Plus over British Airways Club. Firstly, Iberia offers generous cabin bonuses. When flying short-haul, you can earn between 75 and 150 bonus points per segment in economy, and between 175 and 275 bonus points per segment in business. Long-haul flights earn even more, with economy earning between 150 and 250 bonus points, premium economy earning between 275 and 325 bonus points, and business earning between 350 and 600 bonus points. Another advantage is that 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. Iberia is also taking a different approach to partner flights, offering flat-rate earning instead of British Airways' 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. It's worth noting that segment qualification only works on Iberia and Iberia Express flights, American Express Membership Rewards transfers don't count toward status, and shopping portal earnings do count, unlike British Airways' program. These changes take effect on the 1st of April, 2025. In conclusion, having recently completed my own journey to British Airways 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, and don't mind crediting British Airways 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. Thanks for listening to this episode of Smart With Points. If you want to stay up-to-date with the latest news and tips on traveling with miles and points, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on all major platforms or visit our website at smartwithpoints.co.uk.