Are you dreaming of flying for (almost) free? Upgrading your Economy seats to Business Class, or treating yourself to a luxurious getaway without breaking the bank? Learning how to collect Avios points is your ticket there - literally. Avios is the rewards currency of the British Airways Club, and with the right strategy, you can use the points you collect to book flights, upgrades, and more.
Avios are the loyalty currency used by several airlines, including British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Qatar Airways. If you’re a member of the British Airways Club, you’ll earn and spend Avios through their system. You can use your Avios points pot to book flights on British Airways and partner airlines, upgrade your cabin to enjoy a more exclusive travel experience, and pay for hotels, car hire, and other travel extras. In fact, I find the beauty of Avios to be in their flexibility and reach - especially when you understand how to collect and redeem them smartly.
To start earning Avios points, fly with British Airways and Oneworld partners. Whenever you fly with these airlines, you will earn Avios, which will be deposited in your BA Club account. The number of points you earn depends on your fare class, what you pay for your flight, and BA Club tier status. However, unfortunately, you don’t earn Avios on any reward seat flight you book.
A fast way to rack up Avios is by using a co-branded credit card. In the UK, that’s typically the British Airways American Express or Avios Barclaycard credit cards. The British Airways American Express Credit card has no annual fee and offers a good Avios welcome bonus to new cardholders. You’ll collect 1 Avios per £1 spent, get extra Avios bonuses for card referrals and supplementary cardholders, and have the ability to earn a Companion Voucher (2 flights for the cost of 1 in Economy) if you spend £15,000 in a year on your card.
This is a solid card to start out with if you’re new to Avios collection. I began with this card and my welcome bonus covered half the Avios cost of my first reward seat booking! The British Airways American Express Premium Plus card is the next level up from the basic BA Amex card. It has a higher Avios earning rate of 1.5 Avios per £1 spent, and an exclusive earn-rate of 3 Avios for every £1 spent with British Airways and BA Holidays.
The welcome bonuses are much bigger on this card, plus you can earn a Companion Voucher when you spend £15,000 on the card in one year. The difference between this Companion Voucher and the basic BA Amex Companion Voucher is that you can use it in any cabin class - including Business or First, whereas with the basic BA Amex Companion Voucher, you can only use it in Economy.
Use your card for everyday spending—groceries, bills, travel—and watch the Avios add up. I make all my usual purchases each month using my card to earn as many points as I can. As far as I’m concerned, this is money I’d be spending anyway - so why not get rewarded for it?! Just remember to pay your bill in full every month, as the Avios earning value isn’t any good when you factor in interest.
The British Airways eStore is a goldmine for Avios collectors. You’ll find over 2000 retailers that reward you with Avios for every pound spent. These include Apple (5 Avios per £), John Lewis (1), Samsung (5), Reiss (12), B&Q (4) and Dyson (8). Simply click through the BA eStore before making your purchase, and get these points on top of the points you earn on the BA Amex card - a double dip!
Bonus tip: I like to stack this with cashback sites for even more value. Hotel and travel partners are another way to earn Avios points. You can earn Avios when booking BA Holidays or the BA Avios store, as well as through Booking.com, Hotels.com, Accor, IHG, Marriott, and more.
If you already collect hotel loyalty points, including Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors, you’ll be happy to know that you can convert them into Avios. If you need to hire a car during your trip, car rental companies like Avis and Budget also let you earn Avios on your bookings.
Dining, wine clubs, and lifestyle offers are another way to earn Avios points. British Airways partners with lots of restaurants and lifestyle brands, including The Wine Flyer and subscription platforms like The Spectator or The Economist. If you’re already spending with these, it’s definitely worth it to check if you can earn Avios too.
If you shop at Sainsburys, or have a Nectar card, you can earn Nectar points and transfer them to Avios at a 400:250 rate. This is great for topping up your pot - I changed my supermarket to Sainsburys when I started collecting Avios because we spend at least £150 a week on the family food shop - that’s an extra £600 of Nectar points (375 Avios) every month!
If you’re short on points for a dream trip, but you don’t want to wait around to book it, you can buy Avios directly through the British Airways site. While this usually isn’t the best value, sales offering 30-50% bonus Avios can make it worthwhile. Just keep an eye out.
Booking reward seats on British Airways is a great way to save cash on flights. You can use points to pay for your flight instead of paying with cash, and some travellers have reported significant cash savings when booking a trip in Business Class - around £7000 for a Japan trip, using their American Express Companion Voucher!
However, there are a few golden rules to always remember when collecting Avios. NEVER let your Avios expire: They’re valid for 36 months, but any earning or spending resets the clock. Always compare the cash price vs. the value of your points - I use the 1p per 1 Avios rule so I can see how much money I’m saving compared to booking with cash.
Finally, don’t forget you’ll need to pay cash taxes and fees when booking a reward flight. This isn’t even worth thinking about when you’re booking a short haul flight in Europe that usually has a £1 fee, but some redemptions, especially long-haul in premium cabins, come with cash costs of up to around £600 for First Class.
Collecting Avios isn’t just for frequent flyers or travel hackers - it’s for anyone who wants to make their money go further when traveling. I like it because I’m able to travel more with my family by having a certain credit card, doing the weekly shop or paying a household bill, and even earning points while I’m on my holiday to use on the next one.
With a bit of planning and a few everyday habits, you can be well on your way to a reward seat on a British Airways flight. If you spot me on the plane, be sure to say hello! Have questions or your own Avios tips? Drop them in the comments!
