Top ways to use British Airways Avios: From trips to Hawaii to Caribbean island hopping.

British Airways is the largest full-service airline in the UK, offering more routes to the United States than any other European airline.

The airline's loyalty program, British Airways Executive Club, operates using Avios as its reward currency.

With a robust U.S. route network, strong airline partners, and a loyalty currency that's simple to earn and redeem, the British Airways Executive Club is worth considering, even if the U.K. isn't your destination. Unlike many major U.S. loyalty programs, Executive Club does not employ dynamic pricing, although there are savings for off-peak travel. If seats are available, you'll always know the cost without any surprises or exorbitant 300,000-point redemptions.

Discover the best ways to utilize your British Airways Avios.

Use Avios to book short-haul flights in Europe.

Short-haul tickets on British Airways, Iberia, or Aer Lingus are among the best uses of British Airways Avios. Prices start at just 4,750 Avios plus £17.50 (approximately $23) for an off-peak award flight of 650 miles or less. For instance, a flight from London Heathrow (LHR) to Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) can often exceed $100 if bought with cash.

Partner awards, including those with Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and Japan Airlines, begin at 6,000 Avios but do not cover flights within North America.

Sadly, using Avios to book short-haul flights with American Airlines and Alaska Airlines was once a fantastic redemption option, but recent devaluations now set prices starting at 12,000 Avios for the shortest domestic routes. While not exorbitant, this cost is higher than what other programs typically charge for such short flights.

Thanks to British Airways' Reward Flight Saver offer, Executive Club members can choose to spend more Avios to lower the (already low) taxes and fees.

Redeem Avios to hop between Caribbean islands.

Here's a clever tip for exploring more of the Caribbean once you're there.

Although inter-island flights in this region can be pricey, British Airways offers several fifth-freedom routes where, for instance, a flight originating in London can connect from Antigua's V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU) to St. Kitts' Robert L. Bradshaw Airport (SKB) multiple times a week.

You can book just the short hop between islands, and British Airways prices these flights similarly to its European short-haul options. With the Reward Flight Saver offer, redemptions start at just 4,750 Avios each way plus £17.50 (around $23) on off-peak dates. Award availability is typically excellent across all classes on these fifth-freedom flights, as many passengers disembark at the first stop, leaving numerous empty seats for the subsequent short leg.

If you're torn between two islands in this stunning region, consider using Avios for an affordable hop between them.

Use Avios to book domestic business class on American Airlines.

While American Airlines refers to its domestic premium cabin as "first class," you can redeem Avios for this service at business-class rates.

The exciting part is that American Airlines often uses internationally configured wide-body jets, like the Boeing 777s and 787s, on domestic routes. For instance, some flights between Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Miami International Airport (MIA) are operated by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, covering a distance of 1,013 miles.

You could secure a business-class award on this flight for just 32,000 Avios—a great deal for a genuine lie-flat bed.

Use Avios to pay for West Coast flights to Hawaii.

Staying on the topic of American Airlines, another great use of Avios is flying from major West Coast cities to Hawaii for only 20,000 Avios each way, thanks to the distance-based Avios chart. This rate surpasses the award costs of many U.S. airline programs.

However, it's not solely about American's routes. Alaska Airlines is also a partner with British Airways, giving you access to Alaska's flights to Hawaii. You'll need to call to book Alaska flights with Avios, as they aren’t searchable on the British Airways website. This opens up additional routes that American doesn’t serve, like San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) to Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Maui's Kahului Airport (OGG).

So, if you reside on the West Coast—or can easily get there—Avios can be your go-to for traveling to Hawaii.

Book Aer Lingus flights with Avios at off-peak rates.

If you can travel during off-peak times—approximately eight months of the year—you can fly to Dublin from several U.S. cities, including as far west as Chicago. This round-trip award costs just 26,000 Avios in economy or as little as 50,000 Avios one-way in business class.

If you’re in the South, in cities like Orlando or Miami, or on the West Coast in Los Angeles or San Francisco, the round-trip price increases to 32,500 Avios in economy and 62,500 Avios one-way in business class. These are still excellent deals considering the length of the flights.

Best of all, you won’t incur fuel surcharges when redeeming British Airways Avios for Aer Lingus flights.

Use Avios to book Iberia business-class seats to Spain.

You can book Iberia flights between the following city pairs for only 34,000 Avios each way in business class, along with some minor taxes and fees:

• Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), or Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C. to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
• BOS or JFK to Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN)

This remains one of the greatest sweet spots in any loyalty program and offers an exceptional value for flights to Europe.

Although flights from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to MAD fall just outside this distance range, they are still priced at 34,000 Avios one-way in business class, making it a fantastic deal.

How to earn Avios

One of the easiest ways to accumulate a significant number of Avios from everyday spending is by applying for the British Airways Visa Signature® Card.

This card offers new users the opportunity to earn 85,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. According to TPG's September 2024 valuations, Avios are valued at 1.4 cents each, making the entire bonus worth about $1,190.

The British Airways Visa Signature card has a $95 annual fee and allows you to earn 3 Avios for every dollar spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and Level. Additionally, you can earn 2 Avios per dollar spent on direct hotel bookings, while all other purchases yield 1 Avios per dollar.

Keep in mind that Avios can be transferred at a 1:1 ratio among different programs that use this currency. You might also want to consider the Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card or the Iberia Visa Signature® Card, which both offer 85,000 Avios after spending $5,000 within the first three months, along with attractive earning rates and a low annual fee.

Since Avios collaborates with numerous transferable credit card currencies, the following cards currently offer appealing welcome bonuses that can be converted to Avios:

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $20,000 in the first three months.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 within the first six months.
• American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 in the first six months, plus receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases (up to $100) during the first six months. Terms apply.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 in the first three months.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 in the first three months, plus a $300 statement credit on Chase Travel℠ purchases within the first year.

Bottom line

You might be curious why we haven't mentioned using Avios for transatlantic flights on British Airways or for non-flight redemptions like hotels and car rentals. Given that British Airways adds hefty surcharges to its award tickets, redeeming Avios for transatlantic flights with the airline typically isn’t the best option. Additionally, the value derived from using Avios for hotel stays and car rentals often doesn’t justify the cash savings.

Now that you're aware of the best uses, you can maximize the value of your Avios, whether you prefer flying economy or premium class, and regardless of whether your travels are primarily international or domestic.