The Beginner's Guide to Avios Points: Unlocking the World of Travel Rewards

Welcome to the world of Avios points, a gateway to making your travel dreams more affordable and enjoyable. If you're new to the concept of travel rewards, this guide is tailor-made for you.

What are Avios points?

Avios points are a type of reward currency primarily used by British Airways, but also by other airlines within the Oneworld alliance notable names include Qatar Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Cathay Pacific and many more. As part of a frequent flyer program, you accumulate these points through various activities, ranging from flying to everyday spending.

How do you earn Avios points?

Through flights

The most straightforward way to earn Avios is by flying with British Airways or its partners. The number of points you earn depends on the cost of your flight, the fare class, and your frequent flyer status.

For example, looking at British Airways specifically the new Avios earning criteria (which took effect on 18 October 2023) is:

• The cost of your fare

• Carrier charges the airline may add

• Cabin upgrades

• Seats that you pre-book and pay for

• Additional baggage

Now the amount of Avios you earn depends on your BA Executive Club tier (frequent flyer status) with the airline:

• Blue members collect 6x Avios per £ spent

• Bronze members collect 7x Avios per £ spent

• Silver members collect 8x Avios per £ spent

• Gold members collect 9x Avios per £ spent

It’s worth noting that non-airline taxes and fees, such as airport charges and government taxes are not part of the eligible Avios you can collect.

Credit card rewards

Several credit cards partner with Avios, offering the ability to earn points on everyday purchases. Look for cards that offer Avios points as a reward, especially those with generous welcome bonuses.

American Express (Amex) Avios cards

Amex offer 2 main credit cards to earn Avios which we’ll examine now with a high-level breakdown (which is accurate as at the time of writing):

*In order to qualify for the Amex welcome bonuses you must ensure you have not held either BA Amex card for the last 24 months.

**Companion vouchers let you either take a companion with you in the same flight and cabin or, if travelling solo, a 50% discount on the Avios price you pay for your flight. These are based on Avios reward flights.

Barclaycard Avios cards

Barclaycard have launched their own partnership with Avios partnering with Mastercard in recent years allowing you to capitalise on Avios. Here’s a similar high-level breakdown (which is accurate as at the time of writing):

*In order to qualify for the Barclaycard welcome bonuses you must ensure you have not held either Barclaycard Avios card for the last 24 months.

**Upgrade vouchers let you spend the Avios in one cabin, which allow you to fly in the next cabin. For example, you could spend the Avios amount required for an economy cabin to fly premium economy or premium economy to business. They do not work for first class flights. Upgrade vouchers can be used for 1 person to fly in the higher cabin for a return flight or for 2 people to fly in the higher cabin on the outbound journey i.e. premium economy (from the UK) and then in the lower cabin i.e. economy for the return journey. These are based on Avios reward flights.

Which is the right card for you?

In future editions, we’ll be exploring which card is exactly right for your use case by directly comparing and contrasting these cards with each other. We’ll also be sharing strategies for using them together to help you understand how you can implement this for your own personal spending.

You should check the eligibility criteria on both Amex or Barclaycard websites to ensure you meet age, income and other relevant criteria for your personal situation.

Shopping and other activities

In the coming weeks, we’ll be exploring how you can maximise the Avios you earn through your everyday spending without booking a flight or having an Avios earning credit card 😉

Spending your Avios points

Flights and upgrades

The most common way to spend your Avios points is on flights. You can use points to book entire trips or upgrade your seat class. Remember, long-haul flights and upgrades often offer the best value for your points. You can also subsidise the cost of flights by part paying with Avios.

Here’s some examples of how much Avios you need to fly with BA (subject to change):

• 8,500 Avios + £1 for an off peak, economy return flight for one passenger from London to Milan

• 23,500 Avios + £1 for an off peak, economy return flight for one passenger from London to Barcelona

Other redemption options

You can also use Avios points for hotel stays, car rentals, and experiences. While these may offer less value per point, they're a great way to reduce travel costs. The best way to use your Avios is on the relevant airline’s website which allows you to book flights, packages or specific services like car rentals.

Maximising your Avios points

Plan and book in advance

Planning your trips and booking flights in advance can help you get the most out of your Avios points. Avios reward seats are limited, so early booking is key especially to make use of any vouchers you’ve earned from your respective credit card(s). This is especially true if you want to fly in higher cabins like premium economy or business.

Keep an eye on promotions

Avios often runs promotions that can help you earn extra points or spend fewer points on bookings. Staying updated with these offers can significantly boost your points' value.

Next week, we’ll be sharing some credit card promotions to help you choose and make the most of welcome bonuses which you may be eligible for.

Conclusion

Starting your journey with Avios points opens up a world of possibilities. From flights to upgrades, the points you earn can transform the way you travel. Begin with a strategy to earn points through your everyday activities and watch your travel opportunities expand.

See you next week 👋