British Airways is the largest full-service airline in the United Kingdom and flies to more destinations in the U.S. than any other European carrier.
The airline’s loyalty program is called British Airways Club, and its currency is Avios. With a substantial global route network and an easy to earn and redeem rewards currency, it is a program that should be on your radar, even if you aren’t traveling to the U.K.
Here’s what you need to know about earning and redeeming British Airways Avios for rewards and how to earn elite status in British Airways Club.
Related: : Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Other ways to earn Avios include (but are not limited to): British Airways is a founding member of Oneworld, a global alliance of more than a dozen airlines. Assuming there’s award availability, you can use your Avios from your British Airways accounts for flights on any Oneworld airlines: Related: Your AAdvantage miles, Atmos Rewards points will soon be good on Philippine Airlines In addition to the Oneworld partners listed above, you can also use Avios from British Airways Club to redeem for flights on: Though British Airways Club does not publish an official redemption chart, British Airways-operated Reward Flights generally follow the pricing below. For economy, premium economy and business class, the table shows the maximum Avios and the minimum cash Reward Flight Saver option for a one-way flight. British Airways also offers options to use fewer Avios and pay more cash. First-class awards are priced differently and are not eligible for Reward Flight Savers, so taxes, fees and carrier charges vary, but expect to pay at least $1,000 each way, per person on transatlantic routes. Some routes may also price differently from the traditional distance bands shown below. For many single-partner awards, British Airways generally follows the distance-based pricing below. However, different redemption rates apply to certain airlines and routes, so check your specific itinerary before transferring Avios. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines Zone 1-4 awards use the separate pricing shown below. For domestic flights operated by American Airlines or Alaska Airlines, the following prices apply: British Airways Club generally prices partner award flights by individual flight segment, so a connecting itinerary can require substantially more Avios than a nonstop flight. For example, an American Airlines economy flight from JFK to Miami International Airport (MIA) falls into Zone 2 and costs 18,000 Avios one-way. If you connect through Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), the JFK-CLT segment costs 13,500 Avios, while CLT-MIA costs another 18,000 Avios, bringing the connecting itinerary to 31,500 Avios. In this example, taking the connection costs 13,500 more Avios than flying nonstop. Related: Best ways to redeem British Airways Avios: From flights to Hawaii to island hopping in the Caribbean First, you will need a British Airways Club account to transfer points or search award availability. You can sign up on the British Airways website if you don’t already have an account. British Airways’ website is one of the best options for searching Oneworld award availability. Most redemptions can be booked online through the British Airways Club website. Immediately after logging in to British Airways’ website, hover over the “Book” tab in the upper left corner and click “Book a flight with Avios.” British Airways lets you easily search within three days of your search date at the top of the results page. When you select your preferred flight, you will then see the price in Avios along with fees and taxes. British Airways has a huge route network, especially in North America and across Europe, making it a great option for those flying from the U.S. to Europe. Plus, British Airways remains committed to maintaining international first class, and while none of its products are world-leading, they are fairly consistent. Avios is one of the easiest loyalty program currencies to earn and redeem and can offer excellent value, particularly for certain short-haul and nonstop partner awards, but there are some drawbacks. British Airways does not publish comprehensive award charts; many partner awards are priced by individual flight segment, and taxes, fees and carrier charges can add a substantial cash cost to some redemptions. Partner award pricing also varies by airline, making it important to compare your options before transferring points or miles to Avios.
Which airlines can I book with Avios?
How many Avios will I need?
Zone (distance in miles)
Economy, off-peak
Economy, peak
Premium economy, off-peak
Premium economy, peak
Business class, off-peak
Business class, peak
First class, off-peak*
First class, peak*
Zone 1 (1 to 650)
10,000
10,750
N/A
N/A
16,500
18,000
N/A
N/A
Zone 2 (651 to 1,151)
13,000
14,000
N/A
N/A
22,000
24,500
N/A
N/A
Zone 3 (1,152 to 2,000)
15,000
16,750
N/A
N/A
26,750
30,000
N/A
N/A
Zone 4 (2,001 to 3,000)
24,750
30,250
41,250
52,250
77,000
88,000
47,000
60,500
Zone 5 (3,001 to 4,000)
27,500
33,000
46,750
66,000
88,000
99,000
75,000
88,000
Zone 6 (4,001 to 5,500)
33,000
38,500
52,250
74,250
99,000
110,000
93,500
110,000
Zone 7 (5,501 to 6,500)
38,500
44,000
55,000
85,250
110,000
121,000
112,000
132,000
Zone 8 (6,501 to 7,000)
44,000
49,500
60,500
88,000
121,000
132,000
131,000
162,000
Zone 9 (7,001-plus)
55,000
60,500
88,000
126,500
159,500
187,000
187,000
220,000
Zone (distance in miles)
Economy
Premium economy
Business class
First class
Zone 1 (1 to 650)
6,500
9,000
14,000
24,000
Zone 2 (651 to 1,151)
9,000
12,500
16,500
33,000
Zone 3 (1,152 to 2,000)
12,500
26,000
36,000
51,500
Zone 4 (2,001 to 3,000)
17,500
34,000
51,500
65,000
Zone 5 (3,001 to 4,000)
25,000
41,250
62,000
75,000
Zone 6 (4,001 to 5,500)
28,500
57,000
77,250
103,000
Zone 7 (5,501 to 6,500)
34,000
68,500
92,750
123,750
Zone 8 (6,501 to 7,000)
36,250
72,250
108,250
144,250
Zone 9 (7,001-plus)
51,500
100,000
154,500
206,000
Zone (distance in miles)
Economy
Domestic first class
Zone 1 (up to 650)
13,500
26,500
Zone 2 (651 to 1,151)
18,000
35,500
Zone 3 (1,152 to 2,000)
20,000
44,000
Zone 4 (2,001 to 3,000)
22,000
55,000
How do I book flights with British Airways Avios?
Bottom line
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.