Finnair Plus and Radisson Rewards launch two-way Avios transfers

Points currencies are always more useful when you have somewhere else to send them. Finnair Plus and Radisson Rewards have just opened a two-way transfer route, letting members move Finnair Plus Avios into hotel points and Radisson Rewards points back into Avios.

There are catches, naturally. The exchange rates are different depending on which way you transfer, the status match only travels in one direction, and Radisson’s Americas programme sits this one out entirely. So, while this new Radisson Rewards Avios transfer partnership gives collectors another lever to pull, moving points simply because you can is unlikely to be the smartest move.

Here’s how the Radisson Rewards to Avios transfers work, when they could make sense, and which parts of the partnership you should care about.

How the Conversion Rates Work

The headline numbers need a little unpacking. 10 Radisson Rewards points convert into 1 Finnair Plus Avios, while 3 Avios get you 5 Radisson Rewards points in the opposite direction. Those rates are far from equal, so this is definitely not a points merry-go-round you’ll want to ride for fun.

Radisson Rewards points are often valued by loyalty watchers at around 0.2 US cents each. That makes the Radisson to Avios points transfer route the more interesting of the two, especially if you have Radisson points gathering dust and know how to squeeze good value from Avios. The reverse is much harder to love. That same valuation puts an Avios-to-Radisson transfer at approximately 0.33 US cents of Radisson value per Avios, which is a pretty miserable return for a currency with better possibilities.

The best scenario here is fairly simple: orphaned Radisson points. A forgotten Radisson balance can now become Avios instead of sitting around waiting for a hotel stay that may never happen. Those Avios can then potentially find a more useful home across the wider Avios ecosystem, including British Airways Club, Iberia Plus and Aer Lingus AerClub.

Status Matching: One Direction Only

Finnair Plus status can now get you Radisson perks too, although the match is more generous at the very top. Silver and Gold members can request Radisson Rewards Premium, while Platinum and Platinum Lumo members can request Radisson Rewards VIP. You’ll need to link your Finnair Plus and Radisson Rewards accounts before requesting the match.

VIP is clearly the prize here, but Premium isn’t empty status. Members can get perks including member-only rates, room upgrades when available and discounts on food and drink at participating hotels. Gold members may feel slightly short-changed, though. Their match stops at Premium, while Radisson has previously offered VIP through selected partnerships, including SAS EuroBonus and Club Avolta.

The arrangement doesn’t work neatly in reverse. Radisson Premium and VIP members can’t simply request Finnair Plus status. Finnair may invite selected members to join its programme, but there’s no button you can press to make that invitation appear.

What the Radisson Network Covers

Radisson Hotel Group has more than 1,600 properties across 100 countries, but there’s an important catch for anyone eyeing a US trip. Hotels in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean are part of the Choice Hotels programme structure, not the international Radisson Rewards programme. Points and status from the Finnair partnership therefore apply only to the international programme.

The Nordics and Baltics are a natural fit for this partnership. Finnair has a strong network across the region, while Radisson has plenty of hotels to put that new status to use. Platinum and Platinum Lumo members can also request Radisson VIP status simply by linking their accounts, with no mattress runs required.

How to Transfer Radisson Rewards Points to Avios

You can link your accounts through the Finnair Shop website. Both the Finnair Plus membership number and the 16-digit Radisson Rewards number are required. The name on the Radisson account must match the Finnair Plus profile exactly. Radisson requires a call to customer service if there’s a discrepancy, as names cannot be updated online.

Any status match should show up on your member dashboard once your accounts are linked.

If you’re wondering how to transfer Radisson Rewards points to Avios, the process starts on the Radisson Rewards website. Transfers in the other direction, from Avios to Radisson, go through Finnair Plus or the Finnair Shop.

The minimum transfer is 2,000 Radisson Rewards to Avios, or 1,000 Avios when converting to Radisson points. Radisson says transfers can take around four to six weeks to arrive, and there’s no way to undo them once they’re sent.

The Finnair Plus Avios Angle

Because Finnair Plus uses Avios, this Radisson partnership has a little more reach than it might at first appear. Members can link Finnair Plus to British Airways Club, Iberia Plus, AerClub, and Vueling Club, and then carry out an Avios points transfer between them. Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Loganair Loyalty can’t currently be linked directly to Finnair Plus.

That flexibility helps, but don’t get too excited about turning a forgotten Radisson balance into your next reward flight. The 10 Radisson Rewards points to 1 Avios rate means you’ll need a fairly chunky hotel balance before the transfer produces a useful number of Avios. Five figures of Radisson points may only make a modest contribution towards a short-haul redemption.

One rule matters here: find the reward seat before moving the points. The conversion rate may be fixed, but reward availability certainly isn’t.

What the Partnership Is And Is Not

Finnair and Radisson are pitching this as a way to make their loyalty programmes more useful across the wider journey. Gerben Sikkema, Vice President Loyalty at Finnair, pointed to giving members more value throughout their travels, while Radisson’s Elina Zois said stronger connections between travel partners are becoming increasingly important to Radisson Rewards.

Points collectors can afford to be a little less diplomatic. The status match is the star of this partnership. Finnair Platinum members getting Radisson VIP without spending a single night is an easy win, especially if Radisson already fits into your travel plans.

The points transfers require more caution. Turning unwanted Radisson Rewards points into Avios can make sense if you have a decent balance and a redemption in mind. Sending valuable Avios the other way is much harder to justify.

So, link the accounts, take the status if you qualify, and give stranded Radisson points an escape route when it makes sense. Your Avios, however, are probably better off staying exactly where they are.