How to Use, Earn and Spend Avios Points for (Almost) Free Flights

Want to fly to your dream destination from just £1? The magic of Avios, the reward currency of the British Airways Club and several other partner programmes, will make this dream become a reality. Whether you're new to Avios or looking to optimise your existing collection and spend strategy, this guide shows you how to collect Avios points quickly, redeem them smartly, and even track hard-to-find reward seats using powerful tools like Reward Flight Finder.

What exactly are Avios points?

Avios is the points currency used by airlines (mainly within the Oneworld alliance) such as:

• British Airways (BA Club)

• Iberia (Iberia Plus)

• Aer Lingus (AerClub)

• Qatar Airways (Privilege Club)

These points can be redeemed for:

• Reward seats on flights that only require you to pay the cash tax (starting from just £1)

• Cabin upgrades

• Hotel stays

• Car hire

• BA Holidays packages

Unlike cashback or general travel points, Avios are airline-specific, so they're most powerful when used strategically for flights, especially long-haul or business class redemptions, where you’ll get more pounds for your points spent. Our advice when valuing an Avios redemption is to aim for 1p per 1 Avios point; anything lower than that and it’s not the best deal.

A traveller with a suitcase overlooking a sea view - Photo credit: British Airways

How you can earn Avios points efficiently

• Sign up for the British Airways Club - Before you can collect or spend Avios, you need to join the British Airways Club. It’s free and takes just minutes. You can do it on their website, BA.com.

  
  

• Earn Avios by flying - Once registered, you’ll start accumulating points when flying with British Airways and Oneworld partners, such as Iberia, American Airlines, and Qatar Airways. You can also earn Avios points based on ticket cost, booking class, route length, and tier status in the Club (Blue, Bronze, Silver, Gold).

• Credit card sign-ups and everyday spending - Credit cards are one of the fastest ways to rack up Avios points. This includes the British Airways American Express Cards (UK).

  With the free version of this card, you’ll collect 1 Avios point per £1 spent, as well as a Companion Voucher that you can use in Economy when you spend £15,000/year - a travel perk that essentially gives you a 2-for-1 flight.

  
  

  There is also a Premium Plus card, which costs £300 per year. With this card, you can collect 1.5 Avios points per £1 spent, as well as 3 Avios per £1 on BA. You can also earn a Companion Voucher for any cabin class when you spend £15,000.

• Barclaycard Avios Cards - With this free card, you will earn 1 Avios point for every £1 spent. If you hit £20,000 spend in one year, you’ll get to choose between an Upgrade Voucher or 7,000 bonus Avios. The Avios Plus option comes with a £20 monthly fee, but you earn 1.5 Avios per £1, and get an Upgrade Voucher or 7,000 Avios bonus after spending £10,000 a year.

• Online shopping via the BA eStore - Use the British Airways eStore to shop at over 1,000 retailers, including Apple, ASOS, John Lewis, and Marks & Spencer. Earning rates will vary per retailer, but you can expect to earn between 1 and 15 Avios points per £1 spent on the portal. It’s certainly a helpful way to boost your Avios balance.

• Convert points from other programmes - Transferring points between loyalty programmes is often a collector's dream. In the last couple of years, it’s been made easier than ever before, as brands have realised the value of allowing their members to convert points between schemes. These include Nectar, American Express Membership Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

• Fuel and transport - Earn points at the petrol pump, or even when you catch an Uber to top up your Avios pot. This includes points from BPme Rewards, Uber, and Deliveroo.

A cabin crew member onboard a British Airways flight - Photo credit: British Airways

How to redeem Avios for flights

Redeeming Avios is straightforward, but maximising the value of your points takes a little planning. The different ways you can spend Avios points are as follows:

• Reward flights: Pay with Avios, plus cash taxes/charges

• Part-Pay with Avios: Use a mix of cash and Avios

• Upgrades: Upgrade from Economy to Business using Avios

• BA Holidays: Pay for hotels and car hire with points

British Airways guarantee that they will make 14 seats per flight available to book as reward seats with Avios points, however, considering that there are around 40 million Avios collectors worldwide, seats are in demand, especially in Business and First class - where you’ll typically only find up to 6 seats to book with points. To find them faster and more easily, you can sign up for Reward Flight Finder.

How Reward Flight Finder helps you find seats

Reward Flight Finder is an invaluable tool for anyone serious about using Avios to book their dream trip. It solves a key problem: finding available reward flights before other Avios collectors snap them up.

The Reward Flight Finder logo

Key Features

• Flight-by-Flight Search and Alerts - See seat availability for individual BA flights over a 355-day calendar. This superior feature isn’t available on any other independent reward seat platform. You can search by flight time, flight number, or even by particular airport, so you can find the exact reward seats you want.

• Unlimited Searches - Make as many searches as you want, across all cabins and dates, within 355 days.

• Instant Reward Seat Alerts - Get notified the moment a reward seat opens so you can book it before anyone else.

• Mobile App - Search on the go and track specific routes. Reward Flight Finder is the only independent reward seat tool to offer members an App for quick and easy searching.

• Multi-Cabin Tracking - Monitor Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and First all at once.

Whether you're flexible or hunting for specific travel dates, RFF helps you avoid constantly refreshing BA’s site and missing out on deals.

Tips to maximise your Avios redemption value

• Fly off-peak (mid-week, winter months) and you’ll pay fewer Avios points.

• Start looking 355 days in advance for the best chance of booking seats, particularly on popular routes such as Tokyo, the Maldives, and the US.

• Use Reward Flight Finder alerts to stay notified as soon as your ideal British Airways seat is released to book with points.

• Book long-haul business class for maximum value of your Avios compared to cash fares for the same booking

• Book companion flights using vouchers earned with Amex, and you’ll halve your Avios cost for that particular trip.

Final Thoughts

With a bit of planning, you can fly farther, higher, and in more comfort—without paying full price. The Avios system rewards loyalty, smart spending, and informed decision-making. Combine that with tools like Reward Flight Finder, and you’ll be equipped to travel better for less.