Avios is shortly changing into some of the broadly used loyalty currencies. Lengthy utilized by British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways and Finnair have just lately joined the occasion and adopted Avios.
A neat characteristic of the 5 airline applications is the power to switch Avios between them in any course at a 1:1 fee at no further value. This implies a stability in Iberia Plus can simply turn into a stability in Qatar Airways Privilege Membership and vice versa. This presents vacationers monumental flexibility to decide on the Avios program that’s greatest for them, and transfer their Avios stability into their program of alternative.
I am based mostly in the UK, so it’s possible you’ll assume I’d default to the biggest and hottest Avios program, British Airways Govt Membership. Whereas it was initially my go-to loyalty program, with so some ways to earn and redeem Avios, with two new applications becoming a member of the Avios household in 2024, I’ve stored a eager eye on the advantages of every program to resolve if I ought to bounce ship.
Whereas all 5 applications have distinctive and rewarding advantages, as somebody who analyzes loyalty applications for a residing, right here is why I am persevering with to concentrate on British Airways Govt Membership as the general greatest Avios loyalty program for 2025.
Associated: 5 variations of Avios: When to make use of Aer Lingus, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Qatar Airways
Simply achievable elite standing
The way you earn elite standing in any Avios program relies upon tremendously in your private journey and spending habits. If you happen to’re constantly flying long-haul, business- and first-class merchandise on paid tickets, you will probably shortly climb the elite standing tiers in any of the 5 applications.
I’ve held both mid-tier Silver or top-tier Gold standing with British Airways for the previous six years. Oneworld Emerald standing certain is good, with first-class lounge entry even when flying financial system and extra redemption seats made out there for Gold members, however I have never discovered the advantages important sufficient to succeed in for Gold yearly.
General, I am completely satisfied to succeed in Silver standing (Oneworld Sapphire) for the foreseeable future. BA Silver standing comes with all kinds of perks like precedence check-in, safety and boarding; further checked baggage; free seat choice; and worldwide lounge entry when flying Oneworld airways, which I’ve discovered very useful when flying in financial system.
Associated: A evaluate of British Airways World Traveller financial system on the Airbus A380 from London to Miami
Day by day E-newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Day by day publication
Be part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists
Plus, I’ve discovered this elite standing has benefited me on Oneworld companions, particularly when flying on American Airways, which generously provides Sapphire standing members Flagship Lounge entry and permits them to pick out Foremost Cabin Additional seats.
As a result of Aer Lingus just isn’t a member of a significant alliance, I don’t worth incomes elite standing within the AerClub loyalty program. Whereas the Qatar Airways Privilege Membership program means that you can earn elite standing by bank card spending, reaching Gold standing (Oneworld Sapphire) by bank card spending would require a big amount of cash. Whereas the Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Visa Infinite Credit score Card does supply Gold standing, it is solely complimentary for the primary 12 months.
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.
Due to this fact, to earn the equal of Oneworld Sapphire standing, I would have to hit the next thresholds inside every Avios loyalty program:
- British Airways Govt Membership requires incomes 600 Tier Factors (and taking 4 qualifying flights)
- Qatar Airways Privilege Membership requires incomes 300 Qpoints
- Finnair Plus requires incomes 45,000 Tier Factors
- Iberia Plus Gold requires incomes 2,250 Elite Factors or taking 50 flights
Whereas Qatar’s 300 Qpoints appear the best to earn, crediting the identical flight inside every program doesn’t earn the identical variety of standing factors.
For instance, a flight on American Airways home firstclass from Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS) to Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport (DCA) would earn:
- 40 British Airways Tier Factors (6.7% of the whole required)
- 16 Qatar Airways Qpoints (5.3% of the whole required)
- 598 Finnair Plus Tier Factors (1.3% of the whole required)
- 75 Iberia Plus Elite Factors (3.3% of the whole required)
So, in the event you’re flying American Airways in home firstclass, which might usually be an reasonably priced strategy to earn elite standing, it is faster to earn Oneworld Sapphire standing with British Airways Govt Membership than with different Avios loyalty applications.
An alternative choice can be to fly common financial system V class from John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) on British Airways. This is able to earn:
- 35 British Airways Tier Factors (5.8% of the whole required)
- 16 Qatar Airways Qpoints (5.3% of the whole required)
- 1,725 Finnair Plus Tier Factors (3.8% of the whole required)
- 350 Iberia Plus Elite Factors (15.5% of the whole required)
Whereas Iberia Plus wins on this instance, BA remains to be a stable possibility for incomes standing in financial system class.
British Airways has additionally provided a beneficiant double Tier Factors promotion the place eligible British Airways Holidays of at the least 5 nights will earn double Tier Factors for journey till June 30, 2025 (although this supply has been prolonged quite a few instances). I’ve taken benefit of this beneficiant supply to earn Silver standing with only one journey to Membership Europe and can be wanting to take action once more when my present Silver standing expires subsequent 12 months.
European redemptions from simply 4,750 Avios
For flights of as much as 600 miles in size, British Airways Govt Membership fees simply 4,750 Avios on off-peak dates plus a set fee of 17.50 British kilos (about $22) in charges, taxes and surcharges because of Govt Membership’s terrific Reward Flight Saver possibility. You too can scale back the $22 charges, taxes and surcharges to lower than $1 by paying extra Avios (9,250 within the case of a Zone 1 off-peak flight).
With a checked bag included and standing advantages honored, this can be a nice deal to go to lovely locations like Amsterdam, Bilbao, Geneva and Milan; it has helped me ebook a number of cheap weekends for myself and my family members.
Associated: British Airways reveals revamped short-haul seats and new transatlantic first-class timeline
Aer Lingus AerClub, in the meantime, fees simply 4,000 Avios for Zone 1 redemptions off-peak. Nonetheless, this solely covers flights between Eire, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France, whereas BA’s 4,750 Avios charges cowl many extra locations with its in depth route community.
It is value noting Iberia Plus presents a restricted variety of short-haul seats (together with these operated by British Airways) at barely decrease charges than Govt Membership. Nonetheless, their web site and name middle are harder to navigate versus the benefit of reserving on ba.com.
The identical short-haul redemptions flying on BA however booked by Qatar Airways Privilege Membership begin from 9,250 Avios plus $50.50.
Smart pricing for companion redemptions
Whereas British Airways makes use of award charts for flights operated by companion airways, it has chosen to undertake a few of the greatest candy spots of different Avios applications, even when this implies providing decrease charges than the award charts show.
For instance, Govt Membership’s award chart for British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus flights present off-peak business-class charges for flights of three,001 to 4,000 miles in size at 50,000 Avios off-peak and 60,000 Avios on peak dates. Whereas that is affordable in contrast with what non-Avios applications cost for transatlantic flights, Iberia Plus has lengthy stored a candy spot for nonstop flights of this size that they function between the northeast United States and Spain.
Iberia Plus fees simply 34,000 Avios on off-peak dates for flights of this size, an astonishingly low worth. Whereas Govt Membership ought to cost the next 50,000 Avios for these flights per its award chart, it has adopted the decrease Iberia Plus fee.
This can be a terrific strategy to redeem factors and miles to Europe.
Associated: A evaluate of Iberia’s new business-class suite on the A350-900 from Madrid to Mexico Metropolis
Govt Membership has additionally proven the identical generosity towards Qatar Airways-operated flights.
The long-haul journey of 6,704 miles from JFK to Doha’s Hamad Worldwide Airport (DOH) in Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite business-class product ought to value a whopping 108,250 Avios every manner per particular person, in keeping with the BA Govt Membership companion award chart.
Nonetheless, as Qatar’s Privilege Membership program fees simply 70,000 Avios for a similar journey, BA has additionally adopted this pricing, a superb possibility for such a powerful product, and it saves you the necessity to switch Avios to Qatar’s Privilege Membership program.
A steady platform to redeem Avios
Every Avios program has vastly completely different platforms for incomes and redeeming Avios.
Though it is not excellent, I’ve discovered BA’s Govt Membership to be probably the most steady and present probably the most outcomes. It is also fast and straightforward to cancel and refund Avios redemptions on-line by Govt Membership.
The Qatar Airways web site just isn’t user-friendly and makes it tough to search out the correct web page to seek for reserving flights with Avios; the Aer Lingus web site has been so glitchy that I’ve not been capable of finding a long-haul premium cabin seat to ebook utilizing Avios.
I’ve additionally discovered BA’s name middle to be nice and useful for the restricted variety of capabilities that can’t be carried out on-line.
Whereas the BA app is irritating with its incapability to finish easy duties like displaying a boarding move after checking in on-line, BA just lately confirmed me a sneak preview of their new app, to be launched early in 2025, and the preliminary options point out a big enchancment.
Finest cobranded bank card advantages
Chase presents three cobranded Avios bank cards:
- Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card: Earn 75,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
- British Airways Visa Signature® Card: Earn 75,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
- Iberia Visa Signature® Card: Earn 75,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
The data for the Aer Lingus 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.
The welcome bonuses, annual charge and incomes charges on every card are equal. I’ve held all three of those playing cards at completely different instances, and I fee the British Airways Visa Signature Card the best for the next annual advantages, which the opposite playing cards do not supply:
- 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) if you ebook by 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 if 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 anyplace these airways fly if you spend $30,000 on the cardboard in a calendar 12 months — which may also be redeemed for a 50% low cost as a single passenger.
The Iberia Visa Signature Card presents a $1,000 Iberia flight low cost voucher, and the Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card presents an economy-only Aer Lingus companion ticket if you spend $30,000 on the cardboard in a calendar 12 months. Nonetheless, I do not fee these perks as extremely because the BA Journey Collectively Ticket as a result of I’d reasonably journey in a premium cabin than financial system. Additionally, BA has a a lot bigger route community than Aer Lingus or Iberia, giving extra choices to redeem the companion ticket.
The best way to earn British Airways Avios
Along with the cobranded British Airways Visa Signature Card, British Airways is a switch companion of Capital One, Chase Final Rewards, American Categorical Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Wells Fargo Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy, making Avios one of many best currencies to earn.
Factors switch from Chase, Capital One, Wells Fargo, Bilt and Amex at a 1:1 ratio (along with occasional switch bonuses of as much as 40%), whereas Marriott factors switch to Avios at a 3:1 ratio. You may additionally get a 5,000 Avios bonus for each 60,000 Marriott factors transferred.
The next playing cards all presently supply sturdy welcome bonuses that you could possibly simply switch to British Airways Govt Membership:
- American Categorical® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership.
- The Platinum Card® from American Categorical: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards factors after you spend $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Test to see in the event you’re focused for a larger welcome supply by CardMatch (supply topic to alter at any time).
- The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases on the cardboard within the first three months of card membership.
- Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases throughout 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 throughout the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card: Earn 60,000 Final Rewards factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Backside line
No program is ideal, and British Airways Govt Membership just isn’t with out its faults, like these irritating carrier-imposed surcharges. It has been thrilling to see different applications undertake Avios, a singular enterprise resolution within the loyalty trade, particularly for Finnair Plus, which doesn’t have an possession stake in different Avios program airways and vice versa.
Transferring Avios between the applications in any course is rewarding, so you aren’t locked into one program. Whereas I eagerly await extra innovation within the Avios applications and maybe even extra applications to undertake the already in style forex, British Airways Govt Membership will stay my Avios airline loyalty program of alternative.
