Avios

Avios is not a program you join on its own. It is the points currency behind seven airline loyalty programs: British Airways Club, Iberia, Aer Lingus AerClub, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Finnair Plus, Vueling Club, and Loganair Loyalty. You earn Avios in one of them and can move the balance to another at 1:1, free of charge.

That shared currency is why Avios matter to U.S. travelers. Six bank programs and Marriott Bonvoy transfer points into at least one Avios airline. This guide covers which cards reach which program, how to move Avios between accounts, what the balance buys, and the expiration rules that change from one program to the next. For the cards that feed it, see our roundup of the best credit cards.

Avios overview

Each Avios airline runs its own program, with its own elite tiers and its own award pricing. The currency is the common layer: Avios keep a 1:1 value when they move from an Iberia account to a British Airways or Qatar Airways account.

How to earn Avios

Transfer credit card points

Every major U.S. transferable currency reaches the Avios family, but each one partners with a different set of airlines. Check the table before you pick a card, because the program you can reach decides your first step.

Marriott’s ratio looks weak next to the banks, but it comes with a bonus. Transfer 60,000 Bonvoy points in one transaction and you receive 5,000 extra Avios, for 25,000 Avios instead of 20,000.

Earn with a co-branded card

Chase issues three Avios cards in the United States: the British Airways Visa Signature Card, the Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card, and the Iberia Visa Signature Card. Each one earns Avios directly in its airline’s program, which then join the rest of the Avios family.

How to move Avios between programs

Moving Avios costs nothing and always happens at 1:1. You link two accounts held in your own name, choose the amount, and the Avios usually appear almost instantly.

How to use Avios

British Airways prices reward flights on a distance-based chart, with off-peak and peak prices on its own flights and on Iberia and Aer Lingus. The other Avios airlines set their own pricing, so the same seat can cost a different number of Avios depending on the program you book through.

What to watch out for

The currency is shared, but the rules around it are not. These differences are the ones that cost members the most.

Is Avios worth collecting?

For most U.S. points collectors, yes. Amex, Chase, Capital One, Bilt, Citi, and Wells Fargo all reach at least one Avios airline, which makes Avios one of the easiest airline currencies to build without flying.

The trade-off is complexity. Not every bank reaches every airline, Qatar Airways and Finnair need extra steps, and each program keeps its own expiration clock.

Bottom line

Think of Avios as one balance with seven doors. Transfer in through whichever program your card reaches, then move the Avios to the airline that prices your trip best.

Search award space and check the fees before any bank transfer, and keep an eye on the expiration rule of the program holding your balance. For more on building a points balance, read our guide to earning transferable points, compare the best travel credit cards, and subscribe to our newsletter.

Frequently Asked Questions about Avios