British Airways adds Avios-Only flights to Reykjavík and Tenerife, from £5 plus Avios

British Airways has announced its latest round of Avios-Only flights, this time pitting autumn sun against the Northern Lights. You can fly Heathrow to Tenerife, or Heathrow to Reykjavík, over October half-term.

If you haven't come across these before, Avios-Only flights are dedicated BA services where every seat, in every cabin, is bookable only as a Reward Seat using Avios.

Seats go on sale later today, 3 June, with Euro Traveller (economy) starting at £5 plus 33,500 Avios return, and Club Europe (business) at £40 plus 60,000 Avios return.

Those are the Reward Flight Saver prices, but you are able to substitute more cash in for fewer Avios if you so wish.

BA's press release says that the Reykjavík fare gets you to one of the most expensive countries in Europe "for around the price of a pint." Going by prices of a pint round by us, that might be underselling it.

British Airways' new Avios-Only routes

Tenerife

Reliable sun while the UK turns cold, and the easy half-term pick if you're chasing warmth.

Outbound: Saturday 24 October, BA410 departing 7:20am, arriving 11:45am

Return: Saturday 31 October, BA415 departing 3:25pm, arriving 7:45pm

Euro Traveller: from £5 + 33,500 Avios return

Club Europe: from £40 + 60,000 Avios return

Reykjavík

The other end of the thermometer. October is one of the better months for the Northern Lights, and it's one of the priciest places you can visit.

Outbound: Sunday 25 October, BA800 departing 7:20am, arriving 10:40am

Return: Sunday 1 November, BA801 departing 11:50am, arriving 3:00pm

Euro Traveller: from £5 + 33,500 Avios return

Club Europe: from £40 + 60,000 Avios return

Can I use my Companion Voucher on these flights?

If you hold a British Airways American Express, your Companion Voucher works on these flights, allowing you to add a second seat for just the taxes and charges, no extra Avios. Or, if you're travelling solo, then you get 50% off the Avios fare instead.

And if you've got a Barclaycard Avios Mastercard or Barclays Premier Banking, the Cabin Upgrade Voucher lets you book Euro Traveller but fly Club Europe, paying the Avios needed for Euro Traveller but the taxes and fees for Club Europe (all £40 of them). One quirk of the Cabin Upgrade Voucher is that for short haul flights, you can only pay the Reward Flight Saver price, meaning you cannot substitute in fewer Avios and more cash.

Euro Traveller or Club Europe?

Last time Avios-Only flights came up it was from London City, and I told you to stick with Euro Traveller. No lounge at City, no blocked middle seat on the Embraers, and everyone in economy is served a full bar service out of City, so Club Europe isn't enough of a meaningful difference to justify the extra.

But as these flights go from Heathrow you get a lounge before you fly, the seat next to you blocked, a meal onboard rather than the buy-on-board trolley, and a flight-long drinks service. On a four-and-a-half-hour daytime run to Tenerife, that's a much better deal than flying Club Europe out of City.

Verdict

I think these are quite smart picks from BA this time around. Iceland just before it gets too bitterly cold to visit, plus it's one of the best times to see the Northern Lights. Or some pre-winter sun in Tenerife.

If these dates don't suit you, both routes run year-round regardless. Our Avios Calculator will tell you how many Avios you'll need, whether you're flying BA or one of the other Avios airlines.

Seats go on sale later today over on ba.com.

Sam

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