Ways to prevent your Avios from expiring with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Qatar Airways, and Finnair

Avios serve as the rewards currency for British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Aer Lingus AerClub, and now Finnair Plus.

Avios are simple to accumulate, and with numerous options for using them, they are certainly a currency worth knowing about.

Travelers can accumulate Avios through the right credit card, by flying with any Oneworld alliance member, and with various non-airline partners. This also applies broadly to redemptions: Passengers can use Avios for flights on all the mentioned airlines and many more.

Holding significant amounts of Avios comes with its own set of risks. The primary concern is devaluation, an unfortunate aspect of the points and miles industry. Generally, devaluation results in either reduced earning rates or increased spending rates.

While certain points and miles, such as Delta Air Lines SkyMiles, don’t expire, Avios do. It’s crucial to be aware of their expiration dates to prevent losing your hard-earned balance unexpectedly.

The positive aspect is that Avios programs offer more lenient expiration policies compared to others. Let’s explore the rules for each program and provide tips for keeping your Avios active.

Expiration policy for Avios across British Airways Executive Club, Aer Lingus AerClub, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, and Iberia Plus

Your Avios will remain valid in your British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways, or Aer Lingus accounts as long as there is some earning or spending activity every 36 months.

Activities that earn Avios include:

• Crediting flights taken with British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways, Aer Lingus, or any partner airline
• Shopping online through the Avios e-store
• Crediting hotel stays or package holiday purchases
• Crediting car rentals from partner programs
• Using a credit card that earns Avios directly, provided the Avios are credited to your airline loyalty account at the end of the billing cycle
• Transferring credit card rewards like American Express Membership Rewards points, Bilt Rewards Points, and Capital One miles (Note that Aer Lingus and Iberia do not partner with Capital One, while Qatar Airways collaborates only with American Express Membership Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards)
• Transferring Avios from another program's Avios account to your Iberia Plus, Aer Lingus AerClub, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, or British Airways Executive Club accounts
• Buying or sharing Avios

You can also stop your Avios from expiring by utilizing them. Options include:

• Booking a reward flight with Avios — either fully with Avios or a mix of Avios and cash
• Upgrading a flight using Avios
• Using Avios to reduce costs on cash flights
• Booking hotels or car rentals with Avios
• Transferring Avios from your British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, Aer Lingus AerClub, or Qatar Airways Privilege Club accounts to another program's Avios account

Understanding the Avios expiration rules for Finnair Plus

Finnair Plus imposes a more stringent expiration rule on Avios compared to other programs. Avios in your Finnair Plus account will expire in just 18 months if no Avios have been earned or redeemed. This is significantly shorter than the expiration period for other Avios accounts. Keep in mind that Finnair Plus only collaborates with one credit card currency: Capital One miles.

Additionally, transferring Avios from another program (like British Airways Executive Club) does not extend the expiration date for your Finnair Plus account.

To maintain your Avios balance in Finnair Plus, you'll need to be more vigilant about the strict expiration policies compared to other Avios programs.

Ways to accumulate Avios through credit cards

In the U.S., there are five credit cards that earn Avios, with three offered by Chase, all featuring attractive welcome bonuses:

• Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card: Earn 85,000 Avios after making $5,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
• British Airways Visa Signature® Card: Earn 85,000 Avios after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account activation.
• Iberia Visa Signature® Card: Earn 85,000 Avios after a $5,000 purchase within the first three months from account opening.

Cardless now provides two credit cards branded with Qatar Airways, including the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card, which has a $99 annual fee and offers up to 40,000 Avios—20,000 Avios after your first transaction and an additional 20,000 Avios after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days.

The Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card has an annual fee of $499 and offers a welcome bonus of up to 50,000 Avios—25,000 Avios after your first purchase and an additional 25,000 Avios along with 150 Qpoints after spending $5,000 within the first 90 days. This card also grants Privilege Club Gold status.

The details for the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite and Signature cards have been independently compiled by Dinogo and have not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

Here’s a selection of top cards that earn points or miles convertible to Avios:

• American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership, plus 20% back on worldwide restaurant expenses (up to $100) in the first six months.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 in your first six months with the card.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening, along with a $300 statement credit on Chase Travel℠ purchases within the first year.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.

In conclusion

You've put in the effort to accumulate your Avios, so it's important to take steps to protect your rewards from accidental loss. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to earn and use Avios, especially since many programs now offer Avios as their currency for rewards.