Avios is a loyalty foreign money created by the Worldwide Airways Group (IAG), which shaped after British Airways and Iberia Airways merged in 2011.
At present, seven airline loyalty packages use Avios as a factors foreign money: Aer Lingus AerClub, The British Airways Membership, Iberia Plus, Qatar Airways Privilege Membership, Vueling Membership, Loganair Loyalty, and Finnair Plus.
One of many distinctive traits of this partnership is that Avios could be transferred between taking part packages that use it as a factors foreign money, which may turn out to be useful if you should transfer factors round to make the most of a selected program’s candy spot.
On this information, we’ll discover the nuances of shifting Avios round from throughout the Avios ecosystem, in addition to some examples of why you would possibly want to take action.
What Are the Completely different “Flavours” of Avios?
The thought of getting seven totally different loyalty packages that use the identical Avios foreign money is usually a bit complicated at first.
To be clear, the seven airways that use Avios as a foreign money have seven separate loyalty packages: Aer Lingus AerClub, The British Airways Membership, Iberia Plus, Qatar Airways Privilege Membership, Vueling Membership, Loganair, and Finnair Plus.
Nevertheless, what’s distinctive is that the seven separate loyalty packages use the identical factors foreign money, Avios, for incomes and redeeming. On this sense, you’ll be able to consider every loyalty program as a distinct “flavour” of Avios.
Moreover, you’ll be able to freely switch between totally different flavours of Avios at a 1:1 ratio, which could be helpful for a number of causes.
For instance, in Canada it’s simple to earn British Airways Avios because it’s a switch companion with many transferable factors currencies and there’s a British Airways co-branded bank card. Different flavours of Avios are harder to entry, because the loyalty packages aren’t companions with transferable factors currencies, nor do they provide a co-branded bank card in Canada.
Nevertheless, since you’ll be able to switch Avios between packages, you’ll be able to primarily entry all seven loyalty packages that use Avios as a foreign money by means of The British Airways Membership.
In the same vein, every loyalty program that makes use of Avios has its personal candy spots. Fairly than reserving, say, Qatar Airways Qsuites utilizing the British Airways flavour of Avios, you’ll be able to stretch your factors farther by making a redemption with Qatar Airways Avios as a substitute.
Methods to Switch Avios Between Accounts
Earlier this yr, Avios launched a new switch instrument that makes it considerably simpler to maneuver factors between taking part loyalty packages.
Earlier than You Start
Earlier than initiating a switch, be sure that all of your Avios-linked accounts (e.g., British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways) have matching private data—particularly your full title and tackle. Any discrepancies can result in switch delays, and you could must name customer support to resolve the difficulty.
Step-by-Step: Utilizing the Avios Switch Instrument
- Go to the Avios web site and log in utilizing the credentials from any of the affiliated packages.
- From there, you’ll be able to entry the switch instrument and transfer Avios between:
- British Airways Govt Membership
- Iberia Plus
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- Vueling Membership
- Loganair Clan Account
Notice: Transfers to and from Qatar Airways Privilege Membership and Finnair Plus have to be performed by their respective pages. Extra on that under.
If you happen to haven’t linked your accounts but, you’ll be prompted to offer the related account numbers. Whereas it’s not necessary to hyperlink each single program, I like to recommend linking Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, and Finnair—you by no means know once they would possibly turn out to be useful.
Earlier than finishing a switch, you could be requested to allow two-factor authentication (2FA) in the event you haven’t already.
As soon as every part is ready up, you’ll be able to provoke the switch, and most transfers are accomplished immediately.
Notice that this characteristic is just for transferring Avios between your personal accounts. You possibly can’t ship Avios to another person’s account utilizing this technique.
Transferring Avios to/from Qatar Airways Privilege Membership
On the Avios switch web page, you’ll be able to switch Avios to and from Qatar Airways Privilege Membership.
After linking your British Airways Govt Membership account, you’ll see a “Switch Avios” button in your Privilege Membership dashboard. Merely enter the variety of Avios to switch, affirm, and the steadiness ought to replace instantly.
Transferring Avios to/from Finnair Plus
To maneuver Avios between Finnair Plus and British Airways Govt Membership, you’ll first must hyperlink your accounts—this requires multi-factor authentication (MFA) on each side.
You possibly can allow MFA by visiting the account settings for every program. Alternatively, head to your My Finnair Plus web page, the place you’ll discover a clear immediate to hyperlink your accounts. The immediate walks you thru the MFA setup and directs you to the mandatory British Airways settings as effectively.
As soon as MFA is enabled on each accounts, they might mechanically hyperlink. You’ll obtain a affirmation e mail as soon as the method is full. After that, you’ll be free to switch Avios between Finnair and British Airways.
When Ought to You Switch Avios Between Accounts?
The primary purpose for transferring Avios between accounts is to make the most of every program’s candy spots.
For instance, a flight between Montreal and Doha in Qatar Airways Qsuites has roughly the identical price utilizing British Airways Avios and Qatar Airways Avios at 70,000 Avios. On this case, there’s no tangible distinction in reserving with one program or the opposite.
Equally, by persevering with onward to Bangkok in Qsuites, the overall price would come to 95,000 Avios in both program.
Nevertheless, in the event you have been to improve and as a substitute add a further leg in Qatar Airways First Class from Doha to Bangkok, you’d most definitely wish to e-book utilizing Qatar Airways Avios for extra beneficial pricing. In truth, you’d pay the identical 95,000 Avios as you’ll have for 2 legs in enterprise class, which is a spectacular deal.
However, to e-book one leg in enterprise class and one leg in First Class utilizing British Airways Avios, you’d wind up with a cumulative sum of two separate flights, which might be considerably increased than reserving with Qatar Airways Avios.
Other than the Qatar Airways Qsuites candy spot, you possibly can take into account transferring Avios within the following circumstances:
- Switch Avios to British Airways Govt Membership to make the most of a Multi-Provider Award or short-haul flights in Europe, Asia, or Oceania
- Switch Avios to Iberia Plus to make the most of the North America–Madrid candy spot for 40,500 Avios in enterprise class
- Switch Avios to Aer Lingus AerClub to make the most of low-cost financial system flights between North America and Eire
- Switch Avios to Finnair Plus to make the most of Finnair awards with decrease taxes and costs than British Airways Govt Membership
- Switch Avios to Qatar Airways Privilege Membership to make the most of cheaper American Airways and Alaska Airways awards, whose prices have been lately elevated by British Airways Govt Membership
The newest addition to the Avios ecosystem is Finnair Plus, the eponymous program of Finland’s flag service. Finnair joined Avios as of March 2024, permitting flyers to earn Avios utilizing a revenue-based mannequin.
Finnair’s lone switch companion within the US is Capital One Miles, and it doesn’t have any switch companions in Canada. The airline has no co-branded card in North America, both.
Due to this fact, aside from incomes by reserving flights, one of the simplest ways so that you can earn Finnair Avios straight is by staying at partnered resorts, comparable to these belonging to the Accor Stay Limitless and IHG One Rewards packages.
Methods to Earn Completely different Sorts of Avios
In North America, and particularly in Canada, it’s simpler to come back by sure varieties of Avios than others.
British Airways Avios
Of the seven flavours of Avios, British Airways Avios is by far the best to earn.
In Canada, you’ll be able to entry British Airways Avios as a switch companion of American Categorical Membership Rewards and RBC Avion – each of which switch at a charge of 1:1.
You can too earn British Airways Avios straight with the RBC® British Airways Visa Infinite†.
Canadian Credit score Playing cards for Incomes British Airways Avios
| Credit score Card | Greatest Supply | Worth | |
|---|---|---|---|
130,000 MR factors $799 annual payment |
130,000 MR factors | $1,794 |
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70,000 MR factors $250 annual payment |
70,000 MR factors | $1,676 |
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110,000 MR factors $799 annual payment |
110,000 MR factors | $1,581 |
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60,000 Avios† $165 annual payment |
60,000 Avios† | $1,235 |
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55,000 Avion factors^ $120 annual payment |
55,000 Avion factors^ | $1,080 |
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55,000 RBC Avion factors^ $120 annual payment |
55,000 RBC Avion factors^ | $1,080 |
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40,000 MR factors $199 annual payment |
40,000 MR factors | $846 |
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As much as 70,000 RBC Avion factors† $399 annual payment |
As much as 70,000 RBC Avion factors† | $826 |
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35,000 RBC Avion factors $175 annual payment |
35,000 RBC Avion factors | $700 |
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35,000 RBC Avion factors $120 annual payment |
35,000 RBC Avion factors | $580 |
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15,000 MR factors $156 annual payment |
15,000 MR factors | $372 |
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$99 annual payment $99 annual payment |
$99 annual payment | $0 |
Apply Now |
Furthermore, there are occasional switch bonuses of as much as 30% from each packages. If you happen to handle to make the most of one among these promotions, your Avios steadiness will develop fairly rapidly.
If you happen to dabble in US bank cards, Amex US Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Chase Final Rewards additionally switch to British Airways at a charge of 1:1. As is the case in Canada, it’s not unusual to additionally see switch bonuses.
On each side of the border, Marriott Bonvoy factors will also be transferred to British Airways Avios at an optimum ratio of 60,000 factors = 25,000 Avios.
Aer Lingus Avios
The Irish flag service Aer Lingus additionally makes use of Avios as a factors foreign money.
Other than transferring Marriott Bonvoy factors on the optimum ratio of 60,000 factors = 25,000 Avios, you’ll must look to the US for different switch companions and for a co-branded card issued by Chase.
Amex US MR, Bilt Rewards, and Chase Final Rewards all switch to Aer Lingus Avios at a charge of 1:1.
It’s value noting that there are occasional switch bonuses to Aer Lingus Avios; nevertheless, the promotions have a tendency to come back round much less usually than the British Airways Avios ones, and once they do, they often have a decrease bonus provided.
Iberia Avios
Iberia Plus is a switch companion of Amex US MR, Bilt Rewards, and Chase Final Rewards at a charge of 1:1. Whereas there have been some situations of switch bonuses up to now, they are typically fairly rare and don’t go above 30%.
You can too switch Marriott Bonvoy factors to Iberia Avios on the optimum ratio of 60,000 factors = 25,000 Avios.
Qatar Airways Avios
Qatar Airways Privilege Membership adopted Avios as a foreign money in March 2022. This addition was an enormous boon for the Avios program because it gave strategy to a brand new candy spot for Qatar Airways Qsuites, which is extensively thought of to be the world’s finest enterprise class.
Whereas it might appear shocking that Qatar Airways determined to hitch forces with Avios, Qatar Airways is the only largest shareholder in Worldwide Airways Group, the dad or mum firm of Avios.
Within the US, Citi ThankYou factors switch to Qatar Airways Avios at a charge of 1:1.
Past this feature, you’ll must look to a much less beneficial switch charge from a resort loyalty program:
- 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors = 25,000 Qatar Airways Avios
- 10 Hilton Honors factors = 1 Qatar Airways Avios
- 5 World of Hyatt factors = 2 Qatar Airways Avios
As you’ll be able to see, the best strategy to earn any flavour of Avios is thru British Airways on each side of the border.
Whereas it’s technically doable to entry different airways’ Avios both by resort packages or different factors currencies, your finest guess is to enter the Avios ecosystem by means of British Airways, after which switch to different flavours from inside.
Vueling Membership
Vueling is a ultra-low-cost service primarily based in Spain. Whereas Iberia and Iberia Categorical name Madrid residence, Vueling’s foremost turf is in Barcelona (BCN), the place it operates flights to Spain, Europe, Northern Africa, and the Center East.
For these residing outdoors Europe, incomes Vueling Avios principally happens by flights. You’ll get Avios primarily based on the fare you paid, in addition to the fare bundle you chose, as follows:
- Fly: 2 Avios/Euro
- Fly and Fly Grande: 4 Avios/Euro
Since Vueling Avios aren’t transferrable to different packages in the meanwhile, it’d be higher to credit score your Vueling flights to Iberia Plus, the one different program accepted on flights bought and operated by Vueling. Then, you’ll be able to both preserve or switch your Iberia Avios to different packages, as we’ll focus on under.
Finnair Membership
The newest addition to the Avios ecosystem is Finnair Plus, the eponymous program of Finland’s flag service. Finnair joined Avios as of March 2024, permitting flyers to earn Avios utilizing a revenue-based mannequin.
Finnair’s lone switch companion within the US is Capital One Miles, and it doesn’t have any switch companions in Canada. The airline has no co-branded card in North America, both.
Due to this fact, aside from incomes by reserving flights, one of the simplest ways so that you can earn Finnair Avios straight is by staying at partnered resorts, comparable to these belonging to the Accor Stay Limitless and IHG One Rewards packages.
Conclusion
Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia Airways, Vueling, Qatar Airways, Loganair Loyalty, and Finnair all use Avios as a factors foreign money regardless of having totally different loyalty packages.
One distinctive characteristic of Avios is that you would be able to freely switch factors between the entire above loyalty packages.
So long as you’ve arrange your accounts constantly and adopted the entire guidelines, it’s principally simple to finish the switch. Transferring Avios round between flavours could be helpful in the event you’d wish to leverage a selected program’s candy spot and must high up your account.
