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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: Great award availability but beware the taxes: British Airways business class review
What are Avios?
Avios is the rewards currency used by the following loyalty programs:
Avios can be transferred between these programs at a 1:1 ratio, so each Avios is theoretically worth the same in each program. However, there are different ways to redeem Avios across programs. This means savvy travelers can achieve different values depending on which program the Avios are used in … and how.
British Airways Club is free to join. Once you’ve created an account and logged in, you can see your current Avios and tier point balances and track your progress toward the next status tier. New members can also claim Avios and tier points from eligible British Airways flights taken in the three months before joining.
Your Avios will expire if your account has no activity for 36 months. To keep your balance active, you need to collect, spend, buy or share at least 1 Avios every 36 months.
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This guide focuses on Avios earned and redeemed in the British Airways Club program.
Related: With multiple airline loyalty programs using Avios, here’s why I focus on British Airways Club
How to earn elite status in the British Airways Club program
Tier points count toward status in British Airways Club. On British Airways flights, members earn 1 tier point per British pound (roughly $1.35) of eligible fare and carrier-imposed charges, excluding nonairline taxes and fees. Members also earn 2 tier points per British pound spent on eligible add-ons, including additional baggage, paid seat selection and sustainable aviation fuel contributions.
American Airlines and Iberia flights can also earn tier points based on eligible spending, while many other partner flights earn tier points based on the cabin, the booking class and the distance flown.
However, if the fare is unavailable or undisclosed (as often happens with vacation packages), you’ll earn tier points based on a percentage of the miles flown, your cabin class and your booking class. Likewise, you’ll earn tier points based on a percentage of the miles flown, your cabin class and your booking class on flights marketed by partners other than American Airlines and Iberia. You can check the percentages you’ll earn for each airline partner on British Airways’ website.
British Airways Club has four published membership tiers: Blue, Bronze, Silver and Gold. High-spending Gold members can also qualify for Gold Guest List benefits. Tier point collection years run from April 1 through March 31.
The following tier points will be needed to earn elite status for the remainder of the current tier point collection year and the entirety of the following tier point collection year:
- Bronze: 3,500 tier points or taking 25 eligible British Airways-coded flights
- Silver: 7,500 tier points or taking 50 eligible British Airways-coded flights
- Gold: 20,000 tier points
- Gold Guest List: 65,000 tier points (with at least 52,000 earned through British Airways-marketed flights and British Airways Holidays) to earn and 40,000 tier points (with at least 32,000 earned through British Airways-marketed flights, qualifying add-ons and British Airways Holidays package) to renew
Members can also earn bonus Avios at several tier point milestones: 2,500 Avios after earning 5,500 tier points, 4,000 Avios at 11,000 tier points and 5,000 Avios at 16,000 tier points.
Additionally, members earn extra tier points on eligible British Airways-marketed flights. For travel from April 1, 2026, the amount depends on both the cabin and the fare type. Basic economy fares do not qualify.
- Euro Traveller (short-haul economy): 75 to 275 bonus tier points
- Club Europe (short-haul business): 175 to 375 bonus tier points
- World Traveller (long-haul economy): 150 to 450 bonus tier points
- World Traveller Plus (long-haul premium economy): 275 to 575 bonus tier points
- Club World (long-haul business): 500 to 1,100 bonus tier points
- First (long-haul first): 650 to 1,250 bonus tier points
Blue benefits
- Collect Avios on revenue flights with British Airways or its partners
- Share Avios in a household account (up to seven members)
- Select seats for free 24 hours before departure (excluding exit-row seats and not including travel on basic fares)
- Save preferences, such as special meals and seating
- Access Reward Flight Savers
Bronze benefits (Oneworld Ruby)
- All the Blue benefits
- Priority check-in and boarding
- Free seat selection seven days before departure
- Bonus Avios when flying British Airways or select partner airlines
- Status freeze for maternity/paternity/adoption
Silver benefits (Oneworld Sapphire)
Silver is the equivalent of Gold on many other airlines and is where the benefits really kick in.
- All the Bronze benefits
- Free seat selection at the time of booking
- Additional Avios when flying British Airways or select partner airlines
- Two 71-pound checked bags in economy (excluding basic economy), applicable to everyone on your booking
- Business-class lounge access (with one guest) when flying British Airways and partner airlines
- Priority baggage delivery
- Priority phone support
Gold benefits (Oneworld Emerald)
- All the Silver benefits
- Free seat selection at the time of booking, including exit-row seats and exclusive access to 1A and 1K in first class
- Additional Avios when flying British Airways or select partner airlines
- Additional free checked bag in any class and a weight allowance of 71 pounds per bag, applicable to everyone on your booking
- First-class check-in desk and lounge access when flying British Airways and Oneworld airlines (lounge access includes one guest)
- Use of the British Airways arrivals lounge at London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) Terminal 5 after a long-haul flight (no guests)
- Access to Gold Priority Rewards, which allow Gold members to book an available nonreward seat on eligible British Airways-marketed and -operated flights for double the standard Avios price; reservations must be made by phone at least 30 days before departure (BA CityFlyer, BA EuroFlyer, franchise and codeshare flights are excluded)
- Additional reward availability in economy
Lifetime Gold is earned after collecting 550,000 lifetime tier points; there’s no limit on the time you can take to collect liftetime tier points.
Gold Guest List benefits (Oneworld Emerald)
- All the Gold benefits
- First-class lounge access when flying British Airways and Oneworld airlines (with up to five guests for British Airways-operated lounges)
- Access to Gold Guest List redemptions, also known as “jokers,” which allow members to get British Airways to open up Avios redemption seats (for up to five passengers), provided certain booking classes are still up for sale
- Priority assistance helpline
- Concorde Room card for access to the Concorde Room at LHR and the Chelsea Lounge at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) (with one guest)
- British Airways arrivals lounge access after a long-haul flight (no guests)
- Hilton Honors Diamond status
- Upgrade to Business First on the Heathrow Express
- Gift one Gold and two Silver member cards each membership year
Requalifying for status with British Airways requires the same number of tier points, except for Gold Guest List. However, British Airways has historically offered an unpublished “soft landing” for members who don’t retain the same status level in the following membership year. If members fail to maintain their status, they’ll slip to the level directly below, rather than having to start again.
How to earn Avios
Credit cards
The easiest way to earn a meaningful number of Avios on everyday spending is by applying for the British Airways Visa Signature® Card (see rates and fees).
This card — issued by Chase and, therefore, subject to the 5/24 rule — offers new applicants the opportunity to earn 75,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. In our August 2026 valuations, TPG valued Avios at 1.4 cents each, making the full bonus worth $1,050.
The British Airways Visa Signature Card has a $95 annual fee and earns 3 Avios per dollar spent on British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Level purchases. Plus, you can earn 2 Avios per dollar spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel. All other purchases earn 1 Avios per dollar spent.
Cards with transferable rewards
Savvy TPG readers know we usually recommend sticking with cards that earn transferable points and miles because of their added flexibility. This strategy still applies if you’re trying to accrue Avios. British Airways is a transfer partner of Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt, Wells Fargo Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy, making Avios one of the easiest currencies to earn.
Points or miles transfer from Capital One, Chase, Bilt, Wells Fargo and Amex at a 1:1 ratio (in addition to occasional transfer bonuses), while Marriott points transfer at a 3:1 ratio. Plus, you’ll get a 5,000 Avios bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred.
The following cards all currently offer substantial welcome bonuses that you can easily convert to Avios:
- American Express® Gold Card: Find out your offer and see if you are eligible to earn as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- American Express Platinum Card®: Find out your offer and see if you are eligible to earn as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $12,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees): Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees): Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (see rates and fees): Earn 200,000 bonus points after spending $30,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
Other ways to earn Avios include (but are not limited to):
- Purchasing Avios: They are often on sale.
- Online shopping portals: Earn bonus Avios from many online merchants, with some stores offering 10 or more Avios per dollar spent.
- Vacation packages: Book through the British Airways Vacations website to earn an extra Avios per dollar spent. British Airways also partners with major hotel brands like IHG and Accor and cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, so you can earn additional Avios on nonair travel.
- Airbnb: Earn 2 Avios per dollar spent on vacation rentals.
- Car rentals: Earn 5 Avios per dollar spent with Avis and 2 Avios per dollar spent with Budget.
- Uber: Link your British Airways Club and Uber accounts to earn 2 Avios per British pound or euro spent on eligible Uber rides in the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland, 3 Avios per British pound or euro spent on Uber Reserve rides and 2 Avios per British pound or euro spent on eligible train journeys booked through Uber.
- Lounge Pass: Buy access to a club lounge and earn 5 Avios per dollar spent.
- Airport parking: Earn 5 Avios per British pound with participating airport parking partners.
- Heathrow Express: Earn 5 Avios per British pound when you book an eligible ticket in advance through the dedicated British Airways Club link.
- Heathrow valet parking: Earn Avios on eligible valet parking at participating LHR airport terminals.
- Heathrow Rewards: Earn 1 point per pound spent when you shop, dine or park at LHR, British Airways’ primary hub. You can then convert these Heathrow Rewards points to Avios at a 1:1 ratio.
- Surveys: Members can use e-Rewards and Avios for Thoughts to earn Avios for completing surveys.
Which airlines can I book with Avios?
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:
- Alaska Airlines (including Hawaiian Airlines-branded flights)
- American Airlines
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Finnair
- Fiji Airways
- Iberia, including Iberia Express and Air Nostrum
- Japan Airlines
- Malaysia Airlines
- Oman Air
- Qantas, including QantasLink and Jetconnect
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Jordanian
- Royal Air Maroc
- SriLankan 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:
- Aer Lingus (also an earning partner)
- LATAM
- Vueling
How many Avios will I need?
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.
| 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* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10,000 | 10,750 | N/A | N/A | 16,500 | 18,000 | N/A | N/A | |
13,000 | 14,000 | N/A | N/A | 22,000 | 24,500 | N/A | N/A | |
15,000 | 16,750 | N/A | N/A | 26,750 | 30,000 | N/A | N/A | |
24,750 | 30,250 | 41,250 | 52,250 | 77,000 | 88,000 | 47,000 | 60,500 | |
27,500 | 33,000 | 46,750 | 66,000 | 88,000 | 99,000 | 75,000 | 88,000 | |
33,000 | 38,500 | 52,250 | 74,250 | 99,000 | 110,000 | 93,500 | 110,000 | |
38,500 | 44,000 | 55,000 | 85,250 | 110,000 | 121,000 | 112,000 | 132,000 | |
44,000 | 49,500 | 60,500 | 88,000 | 121,000 | 132,000 | 131,000 | 162,000 | |
55,000 | 60,500 | 88,000 | 126,500 | 159,500 | 187,000 | 187,000 | 220,000 |
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.
| Zone (distance in miles) | Economy | Premium economy | Business class | First class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
6,500 | 9,000 | 14,000 | 24,000 | |
9,000 | 12,500 | 16,500 | 33,000 | |
12,500 | 26,000 | 36,000 | 51,500 | |
17,500 | 34,000 | 51,500 | 65,000 | |
25,000 | 41,250 | 62,000 | 75,000 | |
28,500 | 57,000 | 77,250 | 103,000 | |
34,000 | 68,500 | 92,750 | 123,750 | |
36,250 | 72,250 | 108,250 | 144,250 | |
51,500 | 100,000 | 154,500 | 206,000 |
For domestic flights operated by American Airlines or Alaska Airlines, the following prices apply:
| Zone (distance in miles) | Economy | Domestic first class |
|---|---|---|
13,500 | 26,500 | |
18,000 | 35,500 | |
20,000 | 44,000 | |
22,000 | 55,000 |
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
How do I book flights with British Airways Avios?
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.
Bottom line
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.
