British Airways runs four or five named sales per year. The January sale is the biggest, typically launching in the first week of the new year with discounts across long-haul and short-haul routes. A spring sale follows in February or March. A summer sale runs around August or September. Black Friday brings a further event in late November. Savings typically reach 20 to 30 per cent on economy fares, and BA Holidays packages are included in most sales.
Unlike budget airlines, BA also discounts Business class and First in some sales, though by smaller percentages. The sale page at ba.com/sale is the official source, and Executive Club members sometimes receive advance notice by email before sales are publicly announced.
We also cover when Ryanair has sales and when Jet2 has sales if you fly with those airlines. For BA-specific rules on what you can bring on board, see our guide to British Airways hand luggage allowances.
British Airways sale schedule: the typical pattern
BA does not publish a forward-looking sale calendar. The schedule below is based on sales run between 2023 and 2026, verified from BA’s own media announcements. Exact dates vary each year, and sales are not always guaranteed to repeat in the same months.
British Airways runs four or five named sales per year, with the January sale typically the largest
| Sale name | Period | Saving | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|
| January Sale | Early to mid-January | Up to 30% | Flights + BA Holidays Biggest sale |
| Spring Sale | Feb to March | Up to 20% | Flights + BA Holidays Included |
| Summer Sale | August to Sept | Up to 20% | Flights + BA Holidays Selected |
| Black Friday | Late November | Up to 25% | Flights + BA Holidays Included |
| Flash sales | Year-round | 10–20% | Usually flights only Varies |
Selected routes only
The British Airways January sale
The January sale is consistently the largest BA event of the year. The 2026 edition launched on 6 January and ran for around three weeks, featuring discounts on bucket-list long-haul destinations as well as European routes. It followed a similar format to recent years: flights and BA Holidays packages both discounted, with a mix of economy and premium cabin fares included.
The January sale is the best time to book if you are planning a long-haul trip for the year ahead. BA’s reach into routes like New York, Barbados, South Africa and Southeast Asia means this sale often surfaces deals that are hard to find at other times. Short-haul economy fares also feature, but the strongest value tends to be on long-haul routes where BA competes directly with carriers that offer lower base prices.
Booking window: the January sale typically runs for two to three weeks. There is no need to rush to book on the first day in the way you might with an easyJet Big Orange Sale, as BA’s inventory is larger and the sales tend to last longer. That said, popular routes to Caribbean and US destinations do sell at the discounted rate early in the sale period.
Spring, summer and other sales
A spring sale, typically between February and mid-March, is a regular fixture on BA’s calendar. The 2026 spring sale ran from 26 February to 17 March, covering flights and holiday packages with discounts on selected routes. The focus in the spring sale is often long-haul summer travel, as BA looks to fill seats on routes to the US, Caribbean and Indian Ocean for the peak summer season.
The end of summer sale, usually in August or September, targets autumn and winter travel. Routes to the US, Middle East and Africa tend to feature. This is useful if your plans are flexible and you are looking to book a break in October or November when prices can be significantly lower than peak summer.
BA also runs occasional sales in May, branded under different names each year. The 2025 event was called “The Original Sale,” covering flights and holidays with travel through 2026. A Travel Tuesday promotion ran in late November 2025, offering short-notice discounts on European and transatlantic routes for travel from December onwards. Neither event has a fixed annual slot, but both have appeared multiple years running. The ba.com/sale page is the only reliable way to know when the next one launches.
Executive Club members often receive advance sale notice by email before fares are publicly announced
How to track British Airways sales
BA’s Executive Club email list is the most reliable advance notification method. Members of the club, which is free to join, receive sale announcements by email before they appear publicly. Signing up costs nothing and means you are always first to know.
| Method | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Exec Club | Sale email before public | Advance notice Recommended |
| ba.com/sale | Current sale page | Full overview Best source |
| BA app | Push notifications | Fast alert Quick |
| Price alerts | Google Flights alert | Specific routes Route-specific |
| Flight Tribe | Hand-picked BA sale fares | Filtered deals Recommended |
Does BA discount Business class in sales?
Yes, but by less than economy. Business class (Club World and Club Europe) fares do appear in BA sales, particularly the January sale and Black Friday. Discounts tend to be in the 10 to 20 per cent range rather than the 25 to 30 per cent sometimes available on economy. On high-demand routes like London to New York or London to the Caribbean, discounted Business class fares still sell out quickly.
First class fares occasionally appear in sales, but this is rarer. If your priority is Club World at a reduced price, the January sale is the best time to look. Setting a Google Flights price alert on your specific route will tell you when the price drops, without requiring you to check the BA website daily.
Avios redemptions operate separately from BA’s cash sales. Avios seat availability and pricing can improve around the time of a sale, but this is not guaranteed and should be checked independently on the BA website.
Tips for booking a British Airways sale fare
- Join the Executive Club before January, it is free and gets you advance notice of sales
- ba.com/sale is the definitive source, check it directly rather than relying on third-party aggregators
- Long-haul routes offer the strongest savings in most BA sales, this is where the airline competes hardest on price
- Sale fares often have fixed travel windows, check dates carefully before booking as changes can be expensive
- BA Holidays sales sometimes run with slightly different terms to flight-only, check both pages
- Black Friday is worth noting for Business class if long-haul premium travel is on your list
- Compare with our guide to getting cheap flights to check whether a BA sale fare is genuinely competitive on your route
Frequently asked questions
When does British Airways have its next sale?
BA does not publish a sale calendar in advance. Based on recent years, sales run in January, February or March, August or September, and late November for Black Friday. The ba.com/sale page and the Executive Club email list are the two most reliable ways to find out when the next sale launches. The Executive Club is free to join.
How much discount do you get in a British Airways sale?
Economy fare discounts typically reach up to 20 to 30 per cent off, depending on the route. Business class discounts tend to be smaller, in the 10 to 20 per cent range. Long-haul routes to the US, Caribbean, and Indian Ocean generally feature the strongest savings. Short-haul European routes are also included but the absolute price difference is smaller because base fares are lower.
Do I need to be an Executive Club member to get BA sale fares?
No. BA sale fares are available to anyone booking via ba.com or the BA app. Executive Club membership is free and gives you advance email notice of sales, which can be helpful if you want to book before inventory sells out. Membership also earns Avios on every booking, which can be used toward future flights.
Are BA Holidays included in the sale?
Yes. BA Holidays, which package flights with accommodation, are included in most British Airways sales. The holiday packages are sometimes discounted by different amounts to the flight-only fares, and the booking terms may differ. Check the BA Holidays section of the website separately to compare what is on offer alongside the flights-only sale.
Does British Airways have a Black Friday sale?
Yes. British Airways typically runs a Black Friday sale in late November. Discounts cover flights and BA Holidays packages, with savings of up to 25 per cent on selected routes. Business class fares are sometimes included. The Black Friday sale window is usually 48 to 72 hours, so it is worth having notifications set up before the event starts.
Can I use Avios in a British Airways sale?
Yes, but the two systems run separately. Cash sale fares and Avios redemption seats are different inventory pools on BA. Avios availability can improve at quieter times of year, but it does not always coincide with a cash sale. BA also runs periodic Avios purchase promotions, typically offering a 30 to 40 per cent bonus on bought or gifted Avios, three or four times a year. These are listed at ba.com/sale and promoted to Executive Club members by email. Using Avios as part payment alongside cash is available year-round on many fares at ba.com.
When is the cheapest time to book British Airways flights?
For long-haul travel, January is consistently the best time to book. BA’s January sale covers routes to New York, Barbados, South Africa and Southeast Asia at 25 to 30 per cent below standard fares. For European routes, the spring sale in February or March is worth watching. Outside of sales, booking six to eight weeks in advance tends to give lower prices on routes where demand is not yet full. Midweek departures (Tuesday to Thursday) are generally cheaper than weekend flights on most BA routes.
Kate Acaster is Chief Editor at Flight Tribe. She writes about practical travel planning, budget airlines, baggage rules, city breaks, beach holidays and good hotels that do not cost daft money.
Kate has travelled through Europe, South America and beyond, usually with a notebook, a half-formed plan and a strong opinion on airport snacks. At Flight Tribe, her work focuses on helping UK travellers understand what is included, what costs extra, and whether a trip is worth booking at the price shown.
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