2. Upgrades to a Higher Class
Another popular use of Avios is to upgrade an existing flight booking. Say you bought a Premium Economy ticket on British Airways – you can spend Avios to upgrade that ticket to Business Class (Club World) if upgrade space is available.
Upgrading with Avios costs fewer points than an outright reward ticket, and you still keep your original ticket’s benefits (like earning Avios on the paid portion). It’s a neat trick to get a more comfortable experience for fewer points. Not all tickets are upgradeable (very cheap economy fares might not be eligible), and you can generally only upgrade one class (Economy to Premium, Premium to Business, etc.).
But if you already have a flight booked, check if an Avios upgrade is possible – it could be a great deal.
3. Part Pay with Avios (Reduce Cash Fare)
If you don’t have enough Avios for a full reward flight, you can still put them to use by reducing the cost of a normal paid ticket. British Airways allows you to part pay with Avios when booking flights – meaning you can use some Avios to knock down the cash price.
For example, you might choose to use 5,000 Avios to get £30 off your ticket price. The more Avios you use, the bigger the discount (BA will show you several options at checkout). This isn’t always the highest-value way to spend Avios (the exchange rate in these deals is set by BA and can be modest), but it can be convenient if you have a small Avios balance or just need to trim a bit off a fare.
Plus, you still earn Avios on the flight when you part-pay with points.
4. Companion Voucher Tickets
If you have a Companion Voucher (earned from certain credit cards like the BA Amex Premium Plus), you can use it in conjunction with Avios to score two flights for the price of one.
How it works: You redeem the required Avios for one reward flight, and the Companion Voucher lets you take a second passenger on the same flight (in the same cabin) without spending any additional Avios (you just pay the taxes/fees for the second person).
This is one of the most powerful ways to use Avios for those who have earned a Companion Voucher, essentially doubling the value of your points on that booking. For example, you could use Avios for a Business Class reward ticket from London to New York and use the voucher to bring your partner along, spending zero Avios for the second ticket. For more details, read the BA Companion Voucher rules.
5. Booking Hotels or Car Rentals
Avios aren’t just for flying. You can also redeem Avios for hotel stays or car rentals via the British Airways Club portal. BA has a service called “Hotels for Avios” and “Cars for Avios” where you can spend your points on accommodations or car hire worldwide.
For example, you might redeem 30,000 Avios for a night in a hotel or for a week’s car rental, depending on the category and location. However, keep in mind that using Avios for hotels and cars often gives a lower value per point compared to flights.
It's a nice option if you have excess points or won't be using them for flights, but many people prefer to use Avios on flights and use cash for hotels (or use hotel loyalty points for hotels) for better value.
6. Shopping and Other Uses
While travel is the focus of Avios, you can also spend Avios on shopping and experiences. For example, through the Avios store or partners, you could redeem points for wine, experience days, or products. And as mentioned earlier, you can convert Avios to Nectar points and effectively spend them at places like Sainsbury’s or eBay (400 Avios = £2 worth of Nectar). This effectively turns your Avios into cash for shopping.
However, these options usually give you a lower value per Avios compared to using them for flights. We’re not saying spending Avios on shopping is a bad idea – if you truly have no travel plans, it’s better to get something with your points than let them expire. But if travel is on your radar, you’ll want to focus more on reward flights and upgrades, where Avios shine.
Best Ways to Spend Avios
Not all redemptions are created equal. Some uses of Avios will give you outstanding value, while others might feel a bit underwhelming. To make sure you don't waste your hard-earned points, let's highlight the best ways to spend Avios and get maximum value.
1 Off-Peak Reward Flights
BA has peak and off-peak pricing for Avios flights. If you can be flexible with your travel dates, try to book off-peak flights. Off-peak dates require fewer Avios for the same route compared to peak dates (like school holidays or Christmas).
For example, a flight to New York in off-peak might cost 50,000 Avios in Business Class instead of 60,000+ during peak. Travelling off-peak is one of the best ways to use Avios efficiently, as you'll save thousands of points. Plus, off-peak often coincides with less crowded flights and airports, which can make your trip more pleasant too!
2 Short-Haul Sweet Spots
Avios can be extremely valuable for short-haul flights, especially in Economy. On routes under 650 miles (like London to Amsterdam or Madrid to Barcelona), off-peak economy awards cost as little as 4,000 Avios one-way (plus minimal taxes). Even slightly longer European flights might be 6,500 or 7,500 Avios off-peak. These are often called sweet spots because cash tickets for last-minute short flights can be pricey, whereas the Avios price is fixed and often a bargain.
If you need a quick getaway, spending a small amount of Avios can save you a lot of money. Tip: This also works in other regions – for instance, using Avios for short domestic flights in the US or Australia on partner airlines can be a great deal.
3 Business and First Class Experiences
Avios are a fantastic way to enjoy premium cabins that you might not normally splurge on. Long-haul Business Class or First Class flights typically cost a lot of cash, but you can use Avios to book these luxury experiences for just the cost of taxes and fees. For example, a First Class flight that might be £5,000+ in cash could be booked for a fraction of that in Avios (say 85,000 Avios + taxes). We usually value Avios at about 1p per point, so this ticket would effectively be £850 + taxes.
If you've been diligently collecting and want to treat yourself, a lie-flat seat and champagne at 35,000 feet is a pretty memorable reward for your points. Using a Companion Voucher here doubles the luxury for the same Avios outlay – a truly outstanding value for a special trip.
4 Avios Upgrades as a Hack
We mentioned using Avios for upgrades, and it's worth repeating as a top strategy. One hack seasoned travellers use is booking a Premium Economy ticket during a sale and then upgrading to Business with Avios. Why is this smart? Because you not only spend fewer Avios than a straight Business Class award, but you also earn Avios and tier points on the paid Premium Economy fare. Curious about how British Airways Tier Points work? You can find a full breakdown on our dedicated page here.
In the end, you arrive in Business Class having spent fewer points and earned some back. Similarly, upgrading from Business to First Class with Avios can be a sweet deal if you find availability. The key is that upgrade awards often require significantly fewer Avios than booking the higher cabin outright.
5 Maximise Partner Value
Sometimes the best way to spend Avios is on partner airlines rather than British Airways itself. For example, booking American Airlines flights within the US or flights on Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, etc., using Avios can avoid the high carrier surcharges that BA adds to its own flights. This means you pay fewer cash fees alongside your Avios.
An example: redeeming Avios for an American Airlines domestic flight will usually only cost you the mandatory airport taxes (no fuel surcharges), so a 12,000 Avios ticket might only cost $5 in fees – a fantastic deal compared to using those Avios on a BA flight where you might pay £100+ in fees. So, look beyond just BA routes – your Avios can take you all over the world on different airlines, sometimes with better value.
6 Avoid Low-Value Redemptions
This is more of a “what not to do,” but it's important. Try to avoid using Avios for things that give you very little value per point. For instance, using a huge chunk of Avios for a low-cost short-haul flight during a sale, or redeeming Avios for trivial merchandise, might yield less than 0.5 pence per point in value.
Many collectors use some simple rules of thumb to judge value, but these are only illustrative rather than guaranteed. A common target is to aim for around 1 pence of value per Avios on flight redemptions, with the Nectar conversion offering a rough floor of about 0.8p per Avios. On some premium cabin redemptions, especially First Class, you may occasionally achieve effective values of 3–5p per Avios, depending on the cash price of the ticket at the time.
In summary, the best way to use Avios is on travel experiences that would otherwise cost a lot of money. Off-peak flights, strategic upgrades, and aspirational journeys in Business or First Class will usually give you the biggest bang for your Avios buck.
Planning ahead and being flexible will help you snag those high-value rewards. And remember, points are meant to be used – so don't hoard them forever. Use them for unforgettable trips when you find a great opportunity!
Tips for Getting More Avios
Everyone loves a few insider tips to supercharge their points earning. Now that you know the basics of collecting and spending Avios, here are some extra pointers to help you get even more Avios (and keep them safe):
1. Jump on Promotions and Bonuses
Keep an eye out for special promotions where you can earn bonus Avios. Airlines and partners often run limited-time offers – like double Avios on flights to a new destination, or extra Avios for using the shopping portal during a holiday sale. Credit card sign-up bonuses are a huge one-time boost, so take advantage of those if you can (just be mindful of the terms and make sure it fits your spending habits). Following British Airways and Avios newsletters can keep you informed about these deals so you never miss a chance to earn more.
2. Pool Avios with Family (Household Accounts)
British Airways allows you to create a Household Account for up to seven members living at the same address. This means your family's Avios get pooled together. If you and your partner or family members are all collecting Avios, combining them can help reach a big redemption faster.
No single person’s Avios get “stuck” in their account unused – you can draw from the shared pool when booking a reward. It's a great way to make small balances more useful, especially for families. Just remember that in a Household Account, you also share reward usage (each member uses from the pool proportionally), and you can’t individually gift Avios outside the household – but overall it’s a very handy tool.
3. Keep Your Avios from Expiring
Avios expire after 36 months of inactivity on your account, which means you need to earn, spend, buy or transfer at least some Avios within that period to keep your balance alive. Once Avios have expired they are usually gone for good, and reinstatements tend to be rare goodwill exceptions, so it’s important not to rely on getting them back. This can be as simple as earning a few Avios through the eStore, transferring 1,000 Nectar points to Avios, or booking a short flight. Even a small action resets the clock on all your points for another 36 months. Set a reminder if you need to. That way, you’ll never log in to find your hard-earned Avios gone. Don't waste them by letting them lapse!
4. Use Avios Wisely (Quality Over Quantity)
It’s not just about how many Avios you have, but how you use them. Two people could have 50,000 Avios each – one might get a £500 flight out of it, the other might get £300 worth of wine. To maximise your rewards, think about the value you’re getting. We covered the best ways to spend Avios above – use those principles as you plan your redemptions. Sometimes patience pays off; if you can’t find a good flight right now, it might be better to wait rather than spending Avios on something mediocre.
Using our Availability Calendar & Alert notification tools on Reward Flight Finder (RFF) can help you locate those high-value flight redemptions more easily, so your Avios go further.
Douglas
