Book American Airlines With Avios

How to use Avios for American Airlines Flights

To use Avios on American Airlines flights, you need to book them through an IAG airline’s website. The best options are British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus, since these airlines have generous loyalty programmes which allow you to earn and spend Avios directly. 

If you are thinking about becoming an Avios collector, we’d recommend you compare British Airways Club, Aer Lingus AerClub and Iberia Club to decide which is the best programme for you to manage your Avios within. This is likely to be the one operated by the airline you will fly the most with, so for those based in the UK, it will probably be British Airways (BA). 

All three programmes are free to join. If you already have a collection of Avios you will almost certainly be a member of at least one of these airline loyalty programmes. 

Whichever one of these programmes you're a member with, the good news is that you are not limited to earning or spending Avios with British Airways, Aer Lingus or Iberia.  

BA and Iberia are both a part of a global airline alliance called Oneworld. This partnership allows members of each airline’s loyalty scheme to earn and redeem Avios for flights with all of the Oneworld member airlines as well as their sister airlines within the IAG group. 

American Airlines is a member of Oneworld too, in fact, AA is the largest airline in the alliance and it also partners directly with Aer Lingus. It is these inter-airline agreements that provide a way to earn Avios on AA and to book American Airlines with Avios, even if you aren’t an AAdvantage member.

In fact, you can earn and spend Avios with any Oneworld airline, including: 

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Cathay Pacific
• Finnair
• Iberia
• Japan Airlines
• Malaysia Airlines
• Qantas
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Air Maroc
• Royal Jordanian Airlines
• SriLankan Airlines
• S7 Airlines

(List correct as of January 10 2022)

Let’s take booking an American Airlines reward flight on BA.com as an example.

The process is identical to booking a BA flight with points. Once you have used a reward flight tracker, such as RFF, to discover availability, go to ba.com, log in to the British Airways Club and then go to the booking with Avios page.

Find your flight and book it by redeeming your points.  Even though you are booking through British Airways, you don’t need to start your flight in the UK.  In fact, even if the UK is your starting point, you might find more seats by searching for a different departure city elsewhere in Europe and then buying a connecting flight.  You can save money doing this too.

Whilst you can book a reward flight ticket on American Airlines entirely with Avios, you will need to pay the taxes. UK air taxes are among the highest in Europe, so our tip would be to look for availability on AA flights that start in nearby European airports where lower air passenger duty applies such as Dublin, Shannon or Amsterdam Schiphol.

What are the cancellation rules for American Airlines flights booked with Avios?

Cancellation and change fees for American Airlines flights booked with Avios through BA are the same as if you had booked a British Airways operated flight. You can cancel your flight up to 24 hours before departure, either online or by calling British Airways customer services. (If possible we’d recommend doing it online as call waiting times can be significant).  

If you cancel all the Avios, taxes and any surcharges you paid for your flight will be refunded, minus a £35 cancellation fee per person.  The fee also applies to changes you make to your booking. If you change your flight from an off-peak date to a peak date you will have to pay extra Avios too. The good news is that if the taxes and charges you paid were less than £35 per traveller, you won't have to pay any extra fees. 

If British Airways or American Airlines cancels your flights, you will be able to change your itinerary or get a full refund without incurring any fees, under UK and EU rules.

How many Avios do I need to fly on American Airlines?

British Airways uses a distance-based tariff for reward flights. The number of Avios needed for flights on its partner airlines, such as American, varies according to the route and distance travelled, the cabin class booked and the date travelled.

BA raised its Avios prices on 15 December 2025, so figures in older guides now understate the cost. As a guide, British Airways' own London to New York flights cost from 27,500 Avios one way in economy and 88,000 in business class off-peak, plus taxes and charges (as of October 2026). American Airlines flights are priced on BA's partner rates, which depend on distance and date, so check the exact Avios on ba.com before you book, and use our Avios Calculator to compare with flying British Airways.

Short American Airlines flights within North America sit in BA's lowest distance band. A flight of under 650 miles, such as Cleveland to Charlotte, rose to 13,500 Avios one way when BA put its prices up in December 2025, according to AwardWallet. Longer flights within the US cost more, so check ba.com for your route.

If your reward flight itinerary includes BA plus two or more Oneworld partner airlines, there is a separate pricing chart on the BA website.

So, in summary, it is possible to earn Avios on American Airlines and to use your Avios to purchase reward flights on AA too, thanks to the Oneworld alliance. The process is fairly straightforward if you are a member of the BA Club, Iberia Club or Aer Lingus AerClub. The option to book American Airlines with Avios opens up a fantastic range of destinations for Avios collectors and great savings when they fly on points.