I am all the time searching for the very best methods to redeem my hard-earned factors and miles, and with so many program modifications and devaluations, it may be fairly time-consuming.
However Finnair Plus, Finnair’s loyalty program, just lately caught my consideration. In Could 2024, this system adopted Avios, the identical forex utilized by Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Qatar Airways.
Greater than 90% of my redemptions are for premium cabin tickets, so discovering candy spots or packages with optimum charges is the easiest way to maximise my rewards.
Listed below are some the explanation why I am contemplating Finnair Plus for future premium cabin redemptions.
Means to e-book airfare sooner than most Oneworld packages
One of the best ways to e-book award seats, particularly for premium cabins, is to e-book as far prematurely as potential.
This interprets into realizing when airways open up award seats as a result of even a number of days could make the distinction between snagging a premium seat in first or enterprise class or lacking out solely. I often journey with my household, so discovering three tickets on the identical flight is kind of the problem.
Here is a take a look at some Oneworld airline frequent flyer packages and roughly after they open their schedule for award tickets.
Finnair Plus opens up award seats 361 days prematurely, beating generally used packages corresponding to British Airways Membership, American Airways AAdvantage and Alaska Mileage Plan.
It is vital to notice that for accomplice awards, it’s important to account for each the calendars of the airline you are flying with and the airline program you are reserving with.
Every day Publication
Reward your inbox with the TPG Every day publication
Be part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
For instance, when looking out by way of Finnair Plus, you’ll be able to see award seats 361 days out, however in case you’re trying to buy an American Airways flight, the AAdvantage program solely lets you e-book 331 days prematurely. So, on this case, you may want to attend till you are 331 days out to e-book an American Airways award ticket with Finnair Plus.
I am an enormous fan of the AAdvantage program, and one in every of my favourite redemptions is to e-book enterprise class from the U.S. West Coast to Tokyo on JAL for 60,000 miles or firstclass for 80,000 miles.
When trying to find business-class award availability for JAL by way of AAdvantage, the calendar stops in June; nonetheless, when looking out by way of Finnair Plus, I can e-book award seats into July 2026.
The Finnair award value is greater: 94,000 Avios versus 60,000 AAdvantage miles. Nonetheless, since three tickets are generally laborious to return by, it is definitely worth the added value for me. Utilizing Finnair, I might spend 282,000 Avios for my household, which might in any other case value round $8,400, giving me a worth of two.9 cents per Avios. In line with TPG’s July 2025 valuations, Avios are price 1.4 cents every, that means this redemption would give me over two occasions the worth.
Extra premium seat award availability (particularly for Finnair flights)
Having earlier entry to premium cabin award tickets is a good perk, but it surely’s much more helpful whenever you issue within the variety of seats obtainable for redemption.
Should you’re new to factors and miles, an vital facet to recollect is that an airline will all the time launch extra award seats to its personal program than to different accomplice airways.
For instance, in case you’re trying to e-book a business-class award ticket on an American Airways flight, the AAdvantage program will present you extra availability than reserving an American Airways award by way of British Airways Membership. Equally, Finnair Plus provides extra business-class award tickets for reserving flights on Finnair.
One-way Finnair flights from the U.S. to Helsinki Airport (HEL) value 62,500 Avios in enterprise class, with a lot decrease surcharges than people who British Airways fees.
One of many largest constraints with award bookings is the supply of restricted seats per aircraft. Since attending to Europe is the costly half, I discover it fairly simple for my household to fly direct from the U.S. to Helsinki in Finnair enterprise class after which buy an inexpensive money ticket to our subsequent vacation spot in Europe.
Finnair Plus is an efficient program to make use of in case you’re trying to journey to Europe with minimal taxes and costs for premium cabin award tickets.
Primarily based on a number of searches, accomplice airways additionally appear to launch extra seats to Finnair Plus than they do to different Oneworld packages. Cathay Pacific is infamous for being tight with opening premium cabin award house to companions, however Finnair appears to be the exception.
The January 2026 Cathay Pacific business-class flight listed above from Hong Kong to London confirmed up throughout my search outcomes. Nonetheless, availability for a similar flight failed to seem when looking out on AAdvantage and Alaska Mileage Plan.
I’ve but to fly Cathay Pacific business-class on a long-haul flight as a result of there may be such sparse availability by way of AAdvantage, however with Finnair Plus, I will have the ability to test off that bucket listing merchandise.
Associated: Transfer over, British Airways — Finnair Plus now has some wonderful Avios candy spots
There isn’t any scarcity of incomes Avios because of transferable rewards
Now that we all know you’ll be able to e-book award flights by way of Finnair Plus earlier than different packages and have entry to extra premium cabin seats, this is the right way to begin profiting from it.
I have a tendency to make use of my AAdvantage miles for bookings. Nonetheless, since AAdvantage doesn’t accomplice with any transferable rewards bank cards, I’m frugal with my redemptions as they’re laborious to earn.
Since Finnair adopted Avios as its forex, this system has develop into simply accessible for U.S.-based prospects. For instance, you’ll be able to switch Avios to Finnair Plus out of your British Airways Membership account.
Fortunately, British Airways Membership companions with American Categorical Membership Rewards, Chase Final Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One miles and Wells Fargo Rewards. It’s also possible to switch Avios from Iberia and Qatar Airways to Finnair by way of British Airways.
Moreover, you’ll be able to switch factors from American Categorical playing cards to Qatar Airways Privilege Membership and hyperlink the account with a British Airways Membership account. From there, you may see your Qatar Avios steadiness and may switch Avios to Finnair Plus when logging in by way of British Airways.
An effective way to earn transferable factors is to use for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs), which has a profitable welcome provide. New cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus factors plus a $500 Chase Journey℠ promo credit score* after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening.
*The promotional credit score is legitimate for a one-time use solely, in case you apply the promotional credit score to a transaction lower than $500, you’ll forfeit the remaining steadiness.
How I am incomes Avios to make it work
I am at present incomes Avios by way of three bank cards in my pockets: The Platinum Card® from American Categorical, Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see charges and costs).
My spouse additionally holds a number of bank cards that may switch to Finnair Plus (by way of British Airways Membership), so it makes for a fair higher probability of getting premium cabin tickets.
Since I’ve ample alternatives to earn Avios with every of those playing cards, I haven’t got to really feel so pressed about my AAdvantage account dwindling, as that was once my major approach of creating premium cabin redemptions for Oneworld airways.
Certain, some awards value extra by way of Finnair Plus, however I might moderately safe premium cabin tickets for my household to have a extra comfy journey expertise than miss out solely.
Associated: The bank cards that assist gasoline my luxurious journey
Backside line
The Finnair Plus program wasn’t even on my radar, however because of this system utilizing Avios, it has develop into extra accessible. The power to switch a number of totally different transferable rewards to Finnair by way of British Airways or different Avios-earning airways now provides me extra methods to redeem factors for premium cabin tickets.
This system’s largest perk is the power to seek for award tickets additional out than different Oneworld frequent flyer packages, which is helpful for these reserving flights effectively prematurely. General, I stay up for profiting from reserving hard-to-find awards, corresponding to with Cathay Pacific and JAL.
Associated: Greatest frequent flyer packages for US vacationers
