What Exactly are Avios?

Sometimes, going back to basics is really needed. We throw around terms like “Avios” or “Airmiles” and honestly, we don’t take enough time to actually explain what they mean. 

I won’t lie, I hadn’t heard of Avios until I met Sam. I had no idea about the points game, or that by doing something as mundane as shopping through the BA shopping portal was a way to even earn Avios. Boy do I love this now I know about it!! 

So, let’s roll it back to basics and discuss the beautiful Avios point.

Avios points are a travel reward currency used by several airlines, including British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, Aer Lingus AerClub, and Qatar Airways Privilege Club. They can be earned in a multitude of ways, including, but not limited to: flights, shopping, credit card spending and bonuses. They can then be redeemed for flights, upgrades, hotel stays, and other travel-related perks. 

The humble Avios was born on November 16th 2011 from the merger of Air Miles, BA Miles, and Iberia Plus Points; it has grown into a powerhouse for frequent flyers.

Today, Avios is the go-to currency for jet-setters flying with Aer Lingus, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, LEVEL, Qatar Airways, Vueling and Loganair. Did you also know that you can also use Avios across the Oneworld alliance, unlocking rewards with airlines like American Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Qantas, as well as Garuda Indonesia now through Qatar. 

You can even convert American Express Reward Points into Avios, which is super handy when you bear in mind the different sign up bonuses that get offered throughout the year with American Express. These can be converted at a rate of 1 to 1.  More about American Express Reward Points in future posts.

Before we go back to the Avios conversation, it’s important to remember with American Express rewards cards, you will not get the points or rewards if you do not pay off the card in full each month. If this isn’t possible, these may not be the right credit cards for you as they will slap on an interest rate for any monies not paid off. As always, make good financial decisions that work best for you and your money, and no one knows about that better than you! We are here to tell you about cool ways to earn points so you can travel for less … but it isn’t worth getting in debt for this. But we have plenty of strategies to earn Avios without credit cards, stay tuned!

Heard of Nectar Points? They too can be converted to Avios at a rate of 400 Nectar points to 250 Avios. Read more about that here.

Back to our regularly scheduled conversation around Avios. We will, in a future post, take you through, step-by-step on how to redeem Avios with the likes of BA, and how it works. 

Avios can be shared by setting up a household account, or transferred to friends and family, meaning you can treat those you love with the gift of flying. Sam regularly does this to take his Dad to watch the Tour de France.

Lastly, these little beauties don’t expire as long as you spend/buy/collect/share at least one solitary Avios every 36 months. If you don’t collect or use these Avios within those 36 months, your Avios will expire and be removed. 

But don’t worry, here at Points Well Made we have plenty of tips and tricks up our sleeves to ensure you keep earning those Avios, and spending in the best way for you! 

For more information on Avios, head on over to the Avios Website or the British Airways Executive Club Website.

Helena