The perfect Avios-earning bank cards: Which is the one for you?

Avios are rapidly turning into some of the common loyalty currencies in Europe — and worldwide.

Whereas British Airways Government Membership, Iberia Plus and Aer Lingus AerClub have lengthy used Avios as their loyalty forex, Qatar Airways Privilege Membership and Finnair Plus have now adopted swimsuit.

What is exclusive and invaluable about Avios is that you may switch your Avios between these packages in any path at a 1:1 price as usually as you need. Whereas transfers from bank card packages to airline companions should not reversible, you may transfer Avios freely from one program to a different.

The packages that use Avios as their forex have standardized some pricing to stop members from shifting all their Avios to this system with the most effective charges, however there are nonetheless candy spots in every program to find out about.

A number of cobranded bank cards can be found from airways that use Avios, and each main bank card program has a minimum of one Avios program as a switch accomplice at a 1:1 ratio.

So, with Avios really easy to earn, transfer round and redeem, what are the most effective Avios bank cards? Must you select a cobranded bank card or one which earns a transferable forex?

Whereas there is not a single greatest card that wins in each class, relying in your priorities, listed below are the most effective choices.

You wish to earn a big welcome bonus

There are many nice welcome bonuses accessible proper now on lots of our favourite playing cards; this consists of the three Chase-issued Avios playing cards:

The data for the Aero Lingus Visa Signature and Iberia Visa Signature playing cards has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

With TPG’s April 2025 valuation of Avios at 1.4 cents every, these welcome bonuses are price $1,190 every, sufficient for a first-class flight to London (plus charges, taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges).

The usual supply for these playing cards is 75,000 Avios, so we suggest making use of when the bonus exceeds that.

You spend so much on flights

If you happen to earn and redeem Avios, you are prone to make some purchases instantly with airways, whether or not it is paying for the charges, taxes and surcharges related together with your redemption or boosting your Avios stability with money fares.

If you happen to primarily fly on Aer Lingus, British Airways or Iberia, including one these cobranded airline playing cards to your pockets is smart. If you happen to’re not loyal to 1 airline, although, think about the next choices in your airline spending:

• The Platinum Card® from American Categorical: Earn 5 factors per greenback spent on flights bought instantly from the airline or by way of Amex Journey (on as much as $500,000 per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback). Phrases apply. The Amex Plat has an annual charge of $695 (see charges and charges) however should you maximize its credit and perks, you may offset most or all of this value.
• The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical: Earn 5 factors per greenback spent on flights — and pay as you go motels — bought by way of Amex Journey. Phrases apply. Like its client counterpart, the Amex Platinum options an annual charge of $695 (see charges and charges), which can be offset by maximizing credit and different perks that include it.
• Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 5 miles per greenback spent on flights booked by way of Capital One Journey and a couple of miles per greenback spent on all different purchases (together with flights booked instantly with an airline/outdoors of Capital One Journey). The Enterprise X options an annual charge of $395.

Associated: British Airways Visa Signature bank card assessment: Fight excessive gas surcharges and earn versatile Avios

You wish to maximize switch bonuses

Often, bank card issuers supply switch bonuses for choose airline and resort accomplice packages. There is no such thing as a certainty as to when these bonuses will happen, and the variety of factors and miles you may obtain from the bonus can range from as little as 10% to over 40%.

Trying on the switch bonuses to Avios packages from main issuers over the past 12 months, American Categorical has provided probably the most bonuses. With that in thoughts, these are the most effective Amex card presents at the moment accessible:

• The Platinum Card from American Categorical: Earn 80,000 factors after spending $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.
• American Categorical® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. The annual charge on the Amex Gold is $325 (see charges and charges), however should you make the most of the month-to-month assertion credit and perks related to this product, you may principally zero out this value.
• The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical: Earn 150,000 factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases throughout the first three months of card membership.
• American Categorical® Enterprise Gold Card: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. The Amex Enterprise Gold card’s annual charge is $375 (see charges and charges).

You wish to take pleasure in elite status-like perks

Incomes elite standing in an airline loyalty program normally requires important spending instantly with the airline and/or on a cobranded bank card. Thankfully, should you want to benefit from the perks of elite standing, you are able to do so with the appropriate Avios bank card.

The brand new Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Visa Infinite Credit score Card, which comes with a $499 annual charge, has a welcome supply of as much as 50,000 Avios — 25,000 Avios after the primary transaction and a further 25,000 Avios and 150 Qpoints after spending $5,000 within the first 90 days. Whereas this welcome bonus is decrease than these of the Chase Avios-earning playing cards, it additionally presents one 12 months of complimentary Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Gold standing (equal to Oneworld Sapphire), which incorporates advantages like precedence boarding, most well-liked seating, lounge entry and a 75% bonus on incomes Avios with eligible flights.

The data for the Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Visa Infinite Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

It’s also possible to obtain worldwide lounge entry by way of the appropriate bank card.

The Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card presents limitless complimentary entry for you and two friends to 1,300-plus lounges, together with Capital One Lounges and lounges within the Accomplice Lounge Community, together with Precedence Cross areas.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) cardholders get entry to Chase Sapphire Lounges in addition to entry to Precedence Cross lounges, whereas Amex Platinum cardmembers can entry the American Categorical International Lounge Assortment, together with Centurion, Precedence Cross, Escape and Plaza Premium lounges, choose Lufthansa lounges and Delta Sky Golf equipment.*

*Enrollment is required for choose advantages; When touring on same-day Delta flights, eligible Platinum Card members will obtain 10 visits per eligible Platinum Card per 12 months to the Delta Sky Membership or to Seize and Go when touring on a same-day Delta-operated flight.

Associated: This is what it is like flying American Airways in financial system class with British Airways standing

You wish to lower your expenses on airfares and redemptions

Whereas every of the three Chase Avios-earning playing cards presents a companion voucher or low cost for spending $30,000 yearly on the cardboard, the British Airways Visa Signature Card presents further advantages when reserving money and Avios redemptions.

Every year, you may:

• Get 10% off British Airways-operated income flights departing the U.S. to London and past, together with charges, taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges (excluding extra baggage or seat choice charges) once you ebook by way of the web site supplied in your welcome supplies.
• Get a $100 assertion credit score ($200 for business- and first-class seats) as much as thrice a 12 months once you ebook a reward flight to London on British Airways and pay your taxes and charges together with your card (as much as $600 yearly).
• Earn a Journey Collectively Ticket legitimate for round-trip journey on British Airways, Aer Lingus or Iberia originating wherever these airways fly once you spend $30,000 on the cardboard in a calendar 12 months — which can be redeemed for a 50% low cost as a single passenger.
• Whenever you redeem a British Airways reward ticket, you should utilize Avios to pay for taxes, charges and service expenses, although that is not normally an excellent deal.

You spend in non-travel classes

Whereas Avios fanatics could also be directing loads of bank card spending to airfares, should you spend cash on different classes like eating, groceries and different journey, you may earn a lot of rewards with elevated incomes charges in these classes with the next playing cards:

• The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 10 factors per greenback spent on eating if pay as you go by way of Chase Eating bought by way of final rewards (in any other case, earn 3 factors per greenback spent).
• The American Categorical Gold Card earns 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback) and 4 factors per greenback spent on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback).
• The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see charges and charges) earns 3 factors per greenback spent at eating places, supermarkets and gasoline and electrical automobile charging stations, and 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases.

You wish to redeem Avios for the occasional home flight

All the Chase Avios-earning bank cards (the Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card, British Airways Visa Signature Card and Iberia Visa Signature Card) supply a beneficiant welcome bonus and a low annual charge.

Home flights on American Airways and Alaska Airways begin at simply 12,000 Avios when redeemed by way of British Airways Government Membership. With a single welcome bonus, you may ebook a number of home flights.

Associated: 4 instances it is higher to ebook American Airways award flights with British Airways Avios

You fly to Europe commonly

The British Airways Visa Signature Card has quite a few reductions and assertion credit when flying with British Airways for each money fares and Avios redemptions, with a low annual charge. With BA’s infamous carrier-imposed surcharges, you may save loads of cash on money fares and Avios redemptions the place you ebook a number of seats or flights annually.

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You wish to journey in premium cabins with your loved ones

You would possibly wish to earn a lot of Avios rapidly to redeem for luxurious merchandise like British Airways’ firstclass or Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite enterprise class. In that case, you may desire a card with a excessive welcome bonus and beneficiant class bonuses.

The Citi Strata Premier Card presents 60,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening.

It additionally earns 10 factors per greenback spent on motels, automotive leases and points of interest booked by way of the Citi Journey portal and the beforehand talked about 3 factors per greenback at gasoline and EV charging stations, eating places, supermarkets and on airfare and different resort purchases.

You possibly can increase your stability rapidly should you spend closely in these classes.

Backside line

Even should you do not fly to Europe, the Avios forex is price your consideration. Avios are simple to earn from many alternative bank cards and simple to redeem by way of the 5 completely different packages that use the forex. You even have the distinctive flexibility of transferring Avios between every program for free of charge at a 1:1 price in any path.

Whereas there is no such thing as a slam-dunk Avios or transferable points-earning bank card for each traveler, there are wonderful choices whether or not you might be on the lookout for a beneficiant welcome bonus, the power to earn Avios with out getting onto a aircraft, or the power to save lots of money or Avios once you do.

Associated: Is British Airways premium financial system price it on the Boeing 777-300ER?

For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Gold Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Enterprise Gold, click on right here.