Fresh off launching its first flights that are only bookable with frequent-flyer points, British Airways has announced that customers can now use Avios points towards holiday bookings.
Frequent-flyer points have long been used as part payment for flights on airlines around the world, with passengers using all sorts of avenues to maximise the points return on their spending. Now, the UK’s flag carrier is also expanding the services they’re valid for.
Members of the Executive Club who book with the airline’s package holiday provider can now redeem their points on the cost of flight and hotel (and/or car) packages, saving them money on trips to destinations ranging from Orlando to Malaga.
Although the basic concept of airmiles – fly more, gain more – has remained the same since their introduction decades ago, some ways of earning, spending and using them have become increasingly complicated, so we’ve explained some of the most important points below.
What are Avios points?
Put simply, Avios is the ‘reward currency’ that you collect when you fly with British Airways and its associated partners (such as Iberia, Spain’s flag carrier). When you’ve collected enough, you can spend them on more flights, or other related elements such as cabin upgrades and in-flight food and drink. But this doesn’t cover everything you can spend them on (more on that below).
Read more on Europe travel:
- Best France holiday destinations and when to visit each one
- Spain travel guide: Everything you need to know before you go
- 10 best European city breaks – and where to stay this winter
How do Avios points work?
Firstly, you have to sign up to the British Airways Executive Club. Sign up is free, and you’ll collect a minimum of 125 points every time you fly with BA or one of their One Worldassociated partners, including Qantas, American Airlines and Qatar Airways to name but a few.
In addition to buying flights, they are earned in a variety of ways, including through transactions with a British Airways American Express card, travelling with Uber, converting Nectar points and making purchases at over 1,500 different nationwide retailers via the airline’s shopping portal.
How much are Avios points worth?
There is no definitive answer to this, as people will use them in a variety of ways and more or less efficiently. Online articles estimate the price of one Avios to be worth anywhere between 1p to 98p. Their ‘value’ changes depending on flights, routes, time booked and various other factors. As a general rule, one penny per point is a ballpark figure.
To give some idea of monetary worth, customers can buy or gift Avios, with 2,000 points costing £49. To buy 20,000 points will cost you £369.
How can you use Avios points to pay for holidays?
Members can book package holidays through the airline’s package provider, the aptly named British Airways Holidays. Offering deals on return flights and hotel stays, it has holidays to numerous destinations including New York, Barcelona and Dubai.
After selecting a package, customers will be able to choose from nine different Avios payment options, allowing them to choose how they want to split the cost between cash and points. The minimum cash amount starts from as little as £1.
Avios points can also be used as an alternative to a cash deposit in order to secure a holiday booking, with the remaining balance being paid off in as many instalments as you like (provided it is paid between four and seven weeks before the trip).
Example packages include return flights and seven nights’ accommodation in Tenerife for £1 plus 63,325 Avios or return flights and a three-night stay in New York for £1 plus 104,425 Avios.
Members travelling before 31 December can also currently earn double tier points on flight and hotel packages of five or more nights.
Elsewhere, the UK’s flag carrier has also rolled out its Reward Flight Saver programme. This allows customers to book seats at the cost of a low flat fee plus a fixed Avios amount. These ‘Reward Seats’ can cost as little as £1 plus 18,500 Avios for flights to Europe, or £100 plus 50,000 Avios for longer-haul flights to destinations such as New York.
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