Hidden Avios hack: Turning your rent into reward flights

For most Avios collectors, looking to book reward seats with British Airways and Iberia, the biggest frustration is simple: you can’t earn points on some of your biggest expenses.

Flights, groceries, subscriptions, fuel: all great for earning Avios. But the largest monthly outgoing for many people, rent, typically earns nothing.

Or at least, that used to be the case.

A growing category of fintech platforms such as Payr now allows renters to pay their landlord by bank transfer while funding the payment with a debit or credit card. In effect, the platform sits in the middle of the transaction, enabling card spending where landlords would normally only accept bank transfers.

For points collectors looking to book Avios reward flights, this creates a powerful opportunity: convert rent into reward points, and then into Avios.

Why Rent Normally Earns Zero Avios

Most landlords in the UK require rent to be paid via:

• Bank transfer
• Standing order
• Direct debit

Credit cards are almost never accepted.

As a result, renters miss out on earning Avios from what is often their single largest monthly expense.

The New Model: Paying Rent via a Payment Intermediary

Platforms like Payr solve this problem by acting as a financial intermediary.

The process works like this:

1. The renter enters their rent amount and landlord bank details.
2. The renter pays the platform using a debit or credit card.
3. The platform sends a standard bank transfer to the landlord.

From the landlord’s perspective, nothing changes. They simply receive a normal bank transfer.

From the renter’s perspective, however, they are not charged a cash advance fee, and the payment now counts as card spend, meaning reward points or cashback can be earned.

Converting Rent Into Avios

Once the rent payment is processed through a credit card, earning Avios begins.

Depending on the card used, the typical earning rates are:

• 1 Avios per £1 spent
• 1.5 Avios per £1 spent
• Sometimes higher with bonuses

For example:

If someone pays £1,500 per month in rent using a card earning 1.5 Avios per £1, they could earn:

• 2,250 Avios per month
• 27,000 Avios per year

That is enough for:

• A European return flight
• A substantial discount on long-haul flights
• A meaningful contribution towards a business class redemption

As one example calculation shows, £7,500 of rent spent over five months could generate roughly 11,250 Avios on a 1.5 Avios/£ earning card. Plenty to go towards your Avios reward flights. 

The Catch: Fees

This strategy isn’t free. Platforms such as Payr typically charge around 1.99% per transaction - we’d always advise you to run the maths before committing to any Avios collection strategy. 

Why Avios Collectors Do It

Despite the fees, this strategy is popular among points collectors for several reasons.

1. Unlocking Sign-Up Bonuses

Many reward cards offer large welcome bonuses, usually between 20,000 to 80,000 points.

These bonuses usually require £3,000–£10,000 of spending in a few months.

Rent can make hitting those targets far easier.

2. Reaching Spending Milestones

Some cards offer annual rewards once spending thresholds are hit.

Examples include:

• Companion Vouchers
• Upgrade vouchers
• Tier bonuses

Rent payments can accelerate progress toward these thresholds.

3. Turning a “Dead Expense” Into Points

Rent is unavoidable.

Even if the economics aren’t perfect, many collectors view this as a way to extract some value from an otherwise unrewarded expense.

Risks and Considerations

Before pursuing this strategy, renters should consider several factors.

Interest charges

Using a credit card only works if the balance is paid in full every month. Otherwise, interest will wipe out any reward value.

Fee economics

The value calculation depends heavily on:

• Your card earning rate
• How you redeem Avios
• The payment platform fee

Platform reliability

Because a third party is involved, renters should ensure:

• Payments arrive on time
• The service is reputable
• Customer support is available

that, a quick look at TrustPilot shows Payr has a rating of Excellent, but we always advise that readers do their research before opting for any new service. 

The Bigger Picture: Turning Everyday Spend Into Travel

For Avios collectors, the real appeal of services like Payr is philosophical as much as financial.

The most effective reward strategies for booking Avios reward flights focus on moving as much spending as possible onto points-earning cards. Rent has always been the missing piece. Now, with intermediary payment platforms, that gap is starting to close.

Conclusion

Paying rent with a credit card to earn Avios isn’t a simple “free points” hack.

It’s a trade-off.

You exchange a transaction fee for the ability to:

• Earn Avios on your largest monthly expense
• Accelerate reward card bonuses
• Turn everyday living costs into travel rewards

For casual users, the fees may outweigh the benefits. But for dedicated Avios collectors (especially those chasing bonuses or premium redemptions), turning rent into points can be a powerful addition to a broader points strategy.

Right now, if you sign up to Payr, you can enjoy 20% off your first rent payment, as part of our partnership with the platform. Head to Payr and use code RFF2026.

Affiliate & Financial Disclaimer

This is a financial promotion, Reward Flight Finder (RFF) is a credit broker and not a lender. This article contains affiliate links. If you apply for a product or service through one of these links, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. RFF is authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Nothing on this site should be considered a recommendation to apply for any financial product. You should always carry out your own research and consider seeking independent financial advice before applying for credit cards or other financial products. You may be eligible for one or more of these products. Clicking through does not guarantee credit, credit is provided subject to status. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.