One of the best Avios candy spots

Avios has turn into an more and more well-liked loyalty foreign money.

When you might historically consider Avios as the kind of rewards utilized by British Airways, it’s the official factors foreign money utilized by the next packages:

Avios could be transferred between any of those packages at a ratio of 1:1, so every Avios is theoretically price the identical in every program; nonetheless, there are candy spots in every program to concentrate on.

Finnair Plus may even undertake Avios as its factors foreign money in late January 2024.

Listed here are the most effective Avios candy spots and which program(s) to e-book them by means of.

Quick-haul European flights on British Airways

British Airways Government Membership fees simply 4,750 Avios every means for off-peak flights it operates from London to locations as much as 650 miles away (peak-date flights are solely 5,250).

This consists of locations in Eire, Scotland, Denmark, France, Germany, Austria and Italy.

Charges, taxes and surcharges will set you again $31 every means (this could range relying on present change charges), although you even have the choice to cut back this to only $1 by redeeming 9,250 Avios, which is about as near “free” flights as you’re prone to discover.

For flights of 651-1,151 Avios, the off-peak value is 7,250 every means on off-peak dates (or 8,250 on peak dates). This consists of European locations additional afield in Europe, together with in Portugal and Northern and Jap Europe.

Award flights sometimes embody full-size cabin baggage and a checked bag, so they could be a nice strategy to get round fundamental fares that embody none of these things.

Guide by means of: British Airways Government Membership

Associated: A wonderful use of Avios: British Airways’ Reward Flight Saver redemptions

Quick-haul home flights on American or Alaska

British Airways costs flights in North America barely otherwise than in the remainder of the world. Zone 1 flights — people who cowl 650 miles or much less — sometimes require 4,750 to five,250 Avios for economic system on British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus, or 6,000 Avios on most different companions.

Nevertheless, British Airways costs nonstop economic system Zone 1 flights inside North America on all dates at 7,500 Avios. Then, Zone 2 flights and better use the identical pricing as different accomplice airways. Regardless of this restriction, you possibly can nonetheless get stable worth when you discover saver-level award house with American Airways or Alaska Airways.

With Zone 1 economic system flights within the U.S. pricing at 7,500 Avios and Zone 2 flights pricing at 9,000 Avios, you must be capable to fly out of just about any American Airways hub to dozens of locations.

This opens up helpful choices, together with from any New York airport to Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA) or from Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) to Dallas Fort Value Worldwide Airport (DFW) for less than 9,000 Avios in economic system class.

Guide by means of: British Airways Government Membership

Associated: A assessment of American Airways economic system on the Boeing 777-300ER from Los Angeles to London

Island-hop by means of the Caribbean

British Airways operates a number of fifth-freedom flights between Caribbean islands utilizing wide-body plane earlier than or after these planes return to London. You may e-book simply the island-hop flights in economic system, premium economic system or enterprise class — and better of all, as British Airways operates them, you’ll solely pay the Zone 1 pricing ranging from simply 4,750 Avios.

As these flights are normally not full, award availability is great.

BA’s fifth-freedom community does change from season to season, however you possibly can at the moment e-book the next:

• Nassau’s Lynden Pindling Worldwide Airport (NAS) to Grand Cayman’s Owen Roberts Worldwide Airport (GCM)
• Antigua’s VC Hen Worldwide Airport (ANU) to Tobago’s A.N.R. Robinson Worldwide Airport (TAB), Providenciales Worldwide Airport (PLS) and St. Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw Worldwide Airport (SKB)
• St. Lucia’s Hewanorra Worldwide Airport (UVF) to Grenada’s Maurice Bishop Worldwide Airport (GND) and Trinidad’s Piarco Worldwide Airport (POS)

Guide by means of: British Airways Government Membership

Associated: What it is like flying British Airways for a 20-minute flight between Caribbean islands

Fly American or Alaska from the West Coast to Hawaii

British Airways Government Membership provides the power to fly from main West Coast cities in america to the Hawaiian Islands for simply 13,000 Avios every means, because of the Avios distance-based chart. That beats the award fee for all of the U.S. airways, and there is no close-in reserving price both.

However on this case, it isn’t nearly American’s route community. Alaska Airways can be a British Airways accomplice, which implies you’ve entry to Alaska’s flights to Hawaii, although you may have to name to e-book Alaska flights with Avios since they don’t seem to be searchable on ba.com. That opens up routes that AA does not serve however Alaska does, equivalent to from Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Worldwide Airport (SJC) to Honolulu’s Daniel Okay. Inouye Worldwide Airport (HNL) and from Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) to Maui’s Kahului Airport (OGG).

So, when you dwell nearly anyplace on the West Coast — or can simply place there — Avios could be your pal to Hawaii.

Guide by means of: British Airways Government Membership (you could have to name)

Associated: One of the best methods to get to Hawaii utilizing factors and miles

Fly JetBlue Mint to the Caribbean

Now you can redeem Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Avios for JetBlue-operated flights.

Whereas the charges for transcontinental and transatlantic flights are steep, there are some good offers on flights underneath 2,000 miles in size, which value 26,000 Avios every means in Mint enterprise class (or 13,000 Avios in economic system).

This consists of the next Caribbean routes from the Northeast that characteristic the Mint cabins and repair:

• Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS) to Aruba’s Queen Beatrix Worldwide Airport (AUA), St. Maarten’s Princess Juliana Worldwide Airport (SXM) and St. Thomas’s Cyril E. King Airport (STT)
• New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) to Aruba and St. Maarten
• Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) to Aruba

Guide by means of: Qatar Airways Privilege Membership. Whereas on-line redemptions have typically been obtainable, you could have to name Qatar Airways when you obtain an error message when looking out on-line.

Associated: The transcon champ: Reviewing JetBlue’s new Mint Studio biz

Iberia business-class flights to Spain

The important thing to this wonderful candy spot is to fly a nonstop, Iberia-operated flight of three,001 to 4,000 miles on off-peak dates (test Iberia’s peak and off-peak calendar).

It’s because Iberia makes use of a distance-based award chart for its flights.

IBERIA.COM

Iberia operates a number of transatlantic flights that fall into the three,001-4,000-mile distance band. As such, you possibly can e-book Iberia flights between the next metropolis pairs for simply 34,000 Avios every means in enterprise class, plus modest taxes and costs:

• Boston or New York to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
• Boston or New York to Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN)
• Washington’s Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD) to Madrid

Whereas flights from Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) to MAD are barely exterior this vary, in addition they value at 34,000 Avios one-way in enterprise class, which is a superb deal.

Guide by means of: British Airways Government Membership or Iberia Plus

Associated: A assessment of Iberia’s new business-class suite on the A350-900 from Madrid to Mexico Metropolis

Off-peak Aer Lingus flights to Eire

When you can journey throughout off-peak dates — which cowl roughly eight months of the yr — you possibly can fly to Dublin from a handful of U.S. cities, together with as far west as Chicago. This award will set you again simply 26,000 Avios round-trip in economic system or as little as 50,000 one-way in enterprise class.

And suppose you reside within the South in a metropolis like Orlando or Miami, or the West in Los Angeles or San Francisco. In that case, the value solely will increase to 32,500 Avios round-trip in economic system and 62,500 one-way in enterprise, which remains to be a fantastic deal contemplating how lengthy these flights are.

Associated: Flight assessment: Aer Lingus enterprise class on the A321neo, Dublin to Philadelphia

Guide by means of: British Airways Government Membership or avios.com

Fly Qatar Airways Qsuite enterprise class to Doha and past

Qatar Airways has what’s extensively thought-about one of many world’s finest business-class merchandise with its award-winning Qsuite product. Even the provider’s economic system product is a stable choice.

Listed here are the costs for well-liked one-way itineraries per individual on any date in enterprise class (there isn’t any peak or off-peak pricing):

• New York to Doha’s Hamad Worldwide Airport (DOH): 70,000 Avios plus $73.35
• Boston to Delhi Indira Gandhi Worldwide Airport (DEL): 80,000 plus $201.50
• Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Doha: 43,000 plus $198
• Miami to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK): 95,000 plus $202.90
• Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Tokyo’s Narita Worldwide Airport (NRT): $440.442

Whereas availability on flights from North America is at the moment scarce, even for Privilege Membership members, seats are launched final minute, and availability on shorter routes, equivalent to these between Europe and Doha, is available with Avios prematurely.

Guide by means of: British Airways Government Membership or Qatar Airways Privilege Membership

Learn how to earn Avios

The simplest strategy to earn a significant variety of Avios for on a regular basis spending is by making use of for an Avios-branded bank card, together with:

Every card provides new candidates Earn 85,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening. TPG values Avios at 1.4 cents every, making the complete bonus price $1,190. Every card has a $95 annual price and earns 3 Avios per greenback spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Degree. Plus, you possibly can earn 2 Avios per greenback on resort lodging booked immediately with the resort. All different purchases earn 1 Avios per greenback spent.

As well as, no less than one Avios program companions with all main transferable currencies (keep in mind, you possibly can switch Avios between any Avios packages at a 1:1 fee).

The next playing cards all at the moment supply robust welcome bonuses that you possibly can simply convert to Avios at a 1:1 fee:

• The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after you spend $20,000 on purchases on the cardboard within the first three months of card membership. Phrases apply.
• The Platinum Card® from American Categorical: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Verify to see when you’re focused for a 150,000-point welcome supply by means of CardMatch (supply topic to vary at any time). Phrases apply.
• American Categorical® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of account opening. Plus, obtain 20% again in assertion credit on eligible restaurant purchases (as much as $100) inside the first six months of card membership. Phrases apply.
• Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.
• Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.
• Ink Enterprise Most popular Credit score Card: Earn 90,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
• Chase Sapphire Most popular Card: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

Backside line

Avios are shortly turning into some of the well-liked and helpful currencies.

They’re straightforward to earn and redeem, and keep in mind, you possibly can switch them from any Avios program to a different at any time at a 1:1 fee.

Whereas most of the finest candy spots could be booked by means of the British Airways Government Membership web site (so it is a good place to start out), and that arguably has the most effective consumer expertise for reserving and managing redemptions, Iberia Plus and Qatar’s Privilege Membership even have their quirks and advantages.