This post talks about Avios basics, using them smartly, and what airlines are good at. We’ll talk about how to use them, what to watch out for, and which flights are best in the next part.
Why Avios?
Unlocking the magic of Avios points is like discovering a treasure trove of travel possibilities.
- With just 6,000 Avios points, you could find yourself whisked away from the glamour of Los Angeles to the excitement of Las Vegas.
- Dreaming of a touch of luxury? For 16,500 Avios points, you could elevate your journey to Premium Economy on a flight bound for Bogota, Colombia.
- And if you’re ready to truly indulge, why not splurge 26,000 Avios points for a Business class ticket to the enchanting Caribbean?
- Or, if you’re craving a domestic escape fit for royalty, a domestic First class trip to Hawaii awaits you for just 39,000 points.
But why should you choose Avios for your journey? We believe Avios is intended for both beginners and award travel aficionado:
- Earning points is a breeze: In the States, Avios points rain down generously from numerous credit cards and shopping platforms. Plus, the simplicity of exchanging them at a 1:1 ratio with Qatar Avios, Iberia Avios, and more makes it a no-brainer.
- Entry is simple: With as few as 6,000 Avios, you can embark on a flight adventure around Southeast Asia, opening doors to unforgettable experiences.
- No head-scratching over complexities: Redeeming your points is a straightforward affair with clear-cut rules. There’s no need to decipher complex jargon.
What is Avios?
Avios is the global loyalty currency owned by Avios Group (AGL) and used by the following airlines:
- British Airways (British Airways Executive Club)
- Iberia (Iberia Plus)
- Aer Lingus (Aer Lingus AerClub)
- Vueling Airlines (Vueling Club)
- Qatar Airways (Qatar Airways Privilege Club)
- Finnar (Finnair Plus)
Avios are transferrable between any of these programs at a ratio of 1:1, so each Avios is theoretically worth the same in each program. If you collect points with one of these airlines, you can use them with any of the others. For example, you earn points with Aer Lingus, you can move them to your British Airways or Iberia accounts. It gives you lots of choices.
Remarks: In March 2024, Finnair also started using Avios for rewards. But for now, you can’t move points between Finnair and the other four airlines. They will announce more details in May/ June 2024.
The fact is not all Avios are the same. Their value varies depending on the redemption.
Each airline’s Avios program has its own rules and prices for booking flights. Sometimes British Airways is the best choice, other times it might be Iberia or Qatar.
As mentioned, British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways, Aer Lingus, Finnair all use Avios. They have their own secret recipe for turning them into reward flights! Each airline’s Avios can get you different deals.
Picture this: you’re eyeing a flight from Seattle to Vancouver.
- With British Airways Avios, it cost you 8,250 points for an economy seat.
- With Qatar’s Avios? Just 6,000 points! That’s the Avios game for you!
So, here’s the golden rule: even though all these airlines use Avios currency, when it comes to selling you the same flight (let’s say that Seattle-Vancouver route), they’ve each got their own playbook. Some might charge a bit more, others might cut you a sweet deal. It’s like a big Avios bazaar out there, and we need to shop around and compare to snag the best deals (and avoid hefty fuel surcharges!)
Which airlines for Avios redemptions?
Avios are not limited to exchanging for British Airways flights and the ailines using Avios currency, but can also be for reward flights with its partner airlines within OneWorld Alliance, as well as the airlines with strategic agreement, for example Qatar with JetBlue.
The members of the Oneworld Alliance include (grouped by region):
Americas: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines
Europe: British Airways, Iberia Airlines, Finnair
Asia: Cathay Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, SriLankan Airlines
Middle East: Royal Jordanian Airlines, Qatar Airways, Oman Air
Oceania: Qantas Airways
Africa: Royal Air Maroc:
How different is each Avios program?
Here are some more exciting examples to show you their own playbook:
Example 1: Short-haul flights on American Airlines or Alaska within North America
What to use: Avios from Qatar Airways Privilege Club to book flights that are less than 650 miles.
- A one-way ticket from Seattle to Vancouver with Alaska Airlines or from Los Angeles to Las Vegas with American Airlines costs only 6,000 Avios in economy class. (Think of it as Alaska Mileage and Virgin Points‘s competition for short-haul flights.)
- It’s just 12,500 Avios for a one-way trip for business class.
Example 2: Flights from the US to Madrid, Spain on Iberia.
What to use: Avios from either Iberia Plus or British Airways Executive Club to book flights for distances between 3,000 to 4,000 miles.
- A one-way economy ticket from Chicago to Madrid (during off-peak seasons) costs 17,000 Avios.
- Premium economy: it’s 25,500 Avios.
- For business class, it’s only 34,000 Avios.
- Pro-tips: Taxes is much lower when booking through Iberia.
Example 3: Flight to the Caribbean from Boston on JetBlue Mint.
What to use: Avios from Qatar Airways Privilege Club to book flights covering distances between 1,000 to 2,000 miles, like from the US East Coast to Caribbean islands such as Boston to Aruba (BOS-AUA).
- Qatar has its own redemption chart for these flights. It costs 13,000 Avios for a one-way economy ticket and only 26,000 Avios for Mint (business class).
- You can only redeem through Qatar Airways – thanks to the special partnership with JetBlue. You can’t use Avios from British Airways or Iberia for JetBlue flights.
Now compared to JetBlue’s own TrueBlue mileage program, where economy class requires 30,800 points and Mint requires 76,000 points, this redemption with Qatar Avios offers much better value.
Pro-tips: You need to have miles in your Qatar account to search for JetBlue flights.
Example 4: First Class Flight to Hawaii from the West Coast on American Airlines.
What to use: Avios from Qatar Airways Privilege Club to book flights from the West Coast of the US to Hawaii.
- For domestic flights, it costs only 38,750 Avios for first class
- 13,000 Avios for economy class.
Example 5: Flight to South America from Florida on American Airlines & LATAM.
What to use: Avios from British Airways to book flights from Florida to South America, like Miami to Bogota (MIA-BOG).
- Economy class tickets start at just 11,000 Avios
- Premium economy is 16,500 Avios.
Alternatively, you can use Avios from Qatar Airways Privilege Club for this route, with economy class also costing 11,000 Avios and business class 22,000 Avios.
Pro-tips: Using BA Avios provides more options for redemption (such as Premium Economy on Latam.)
How Easy to Earn Avios?
Credit cards are a great way to earn Avios. Currently, major US banks offer two types of Avios-earning credit cards:
Co-branded cards: This includes Chase’s British Airways card and IB card, both with a $95 annual fee and a welcome offer of 85,000 Avios (after spending $5,000 within three months).
Flexible points cards: Almost any US credit card with flexible points can be transferred to Avios. This opens up many avenues to earn Avios! Nearly any points-earning credit card can accumulate Avios.Here are some great sign-up bonuses you can take advantage of:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, but with a $50 annual credit, it effectively costs $45 to earn 75,000 UR points, which equals 75,000 Avios..
- Amex Gold Card: Amex Gold offers a welcome offer of 60k MR points, which equals 60k Avios. Despite the $250 annual fee, it includes a $240 annual credit, making the actual cost just $10.
- Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee, but with a $300 annual credit and a 10,000 points retention credit, it essentially has no holding costs and earns 75,000 C1 points, equivalent to 75,000 Avios.
Final Thoughts
Avios are very easy to earn in the States, straightforward without very complicated rules with relatively low entry point for award flight redemption. Avios ecosystem is getting more versatile as a type of points you earn when you fly with certain airlines. For every Avios you have, you can swap it 1:1 with Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, or Qatar Airways. Next week, we look into the best ways to redeem Avios, the ability to move Avios between airline accounts and the things you need to watch put for avios redemptions.
