Avios Points
The UK's most popular travel currency. Easier to collect than Amex MR, and extremely powerful when used on the right flights — especially with a 2-4-1 companion voucher.
Typical flight value
1p–2p+
per Avios on flights
Poor redemption value
~0.5p
on hotels or retail
IAG airlines
4
BA, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling
The basics
What are Avios?
Avios is the loyalty currency of International Airlines Group (IAG) — the parent company of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Vueling. You collect them through the Avios app (formerly the BA Executive Club), through credit card spending, and through shopping, dining, and hotel partners.
Unlike Amex Membership Rewards, Avios are a dedicated travel currency. They're designed primarily for flights on BA and IAG partner airlines, though they can also be used for hotels, car hire, and upgrades — where the value is usually poor.
Avios are also the end currency for Amex MR transfers (1:1) and Nectar point transfers (1:1). Both directions are one-way — Avios cannot be converted back.
Where you can earn Avios without a card
- →Flying on BA, Iberia, Aer Lingus, or Vueling
- →Shopping via the Avios app partner network
- →Dining at restaurants in the Avios Dining scheme
- →Staying at hotels in the Avios app hotel partners
- →Transferring Nectar points (1:1 ratio)
- →Transferring Amex MR points (1:1 ratio)
Avios vs Amex MR — which should you collect?
Amex Membership Rewards are more flexible. MR can be converted into Avios, and also into Virgin Flying Club, Emirates Skywards, Singapore KrisFlyer, Hilton Honors, and 10+ more partners. Avios can only be Avios.
If you have Amex MR, do not convert to Avios until you have a specific redemption in mind. MR is more valuable as a flexible currency. Once transferred to Avios, the door closes — you cannot transfer back.
Avios collected directly via a BA Amex or Barclays Avios card are always Avios — less flexible, but still excellent for BA flight redemptions and the 2-4-1 companion voucher.
Amex MR → Avios
1:1
One-way only
Nectar → Avios
1:1
One-way only
Iberia Avios
Same pool
Via Avios app
Aer Lingus AerClub
Same pool
Via Avios app
Cards
Cards that earn Avios directly
Four main cards earn Avios directly — two on Amex, two on Visa/Mastercard. All feed into the same Avios pool.
British Airways American Express
Best free cardAmexWelcome bonus
5,000 Avios
after £1,000 in 3 months
- ✓No annual fee ever
- ✓2-4-1 companion voucher after £12,000 annual spend
- ✓Points never expire while card is active
- ✓Good entry card before upgrading to Premium Plus
Verdict
The entry-level Avios card. 1 Avios per £1 on all spending, no annual fee, and the 2-4-1 companion voucher triggered at £12,000 of annual spend. The welcome bonus (5,000 Avios) is modest but ongoing earning is solid for a no-cost card. If you can hit the £12k threshold — roughly £1,000/month — the companion voucher alone can be worth hundreds of pounds on the right flight.
2-4-1 companion voucher
£12,000 spend in a year
Best for
Anyone who wants to earn Avios passively with no annual fee, especially those who can hit £12,000/year spend for the 2-4-1 voucher.
British Airways American Express Premium Plus
Best for BA flyersAmexWelcome bonus
25,000 Avios
after £3,000 in 3 months
- ✓25,000 Avios welcome bonus (worth ~£250–£375+ on flights)
- ✓1.5 Avios per £1 everywhere, 3 Avios per £1 on BA
- ✓2-4-1 companion voucher at £10,000 (lower threshold)
- ✓Companion voucher valid for 2 years from issue
Verdict
The premium Avios card. A 1.5x earn rate on everything, 3x on BA purchases, 25,000 Avios welcome bonus, and the 2-4-1 companion voucher triggered at £10,000 spend rather than £12,000. The £295/year fee is significant — but if you use the companion voucher on a Club Europe or Club World booking, it can easily be worth £300–£500 or more in a single redemption. Best for regular BA travellers who can reliably trigger the voucher.
2-4-1 companion voucher
£10,000 spend in a year (£2,000 lower threshold than free card)
Best for
Regular BA travellers who will use the 2-4-1 voucher on Business Class flights each year — the voucher should cover the annual fee many times over.
Barclays Avios
Visa backup cardVisaWelcome bonus
5,000 Avios
after £1,000 in 3 months
- ✓Visa — accepted where Amex isn't
- ✓No annual fee
- ✓Earns Avios in the same pool as BA cards
- ✓Ideal backup card alongside a BA Amex
Verdict
The Barclays Avios card earns at the same rate as the free BA Amex (1 Avios per £1) but on Visa, which means it is accepted far more widely — supermarkets that don't take Amex, HMRC tax payments, smaller retailers, and anywhere Visa has broader coverage. No annual fee. No companion voucher on the standard card. Best used as a backup card alongside a BA Amex, or as a standalone Avios earner for those who prefer Visa.
2-4-1 companion voucher
Not available on this card
Best for
People who want to earn Avios on spending that Amex doesn't cover, or who prefer Visa and want a no-fee Avios card.
Barclays Avios Plus
Premium Visa optionVisaWelcome bonus
25,000 Avios
after £3,000 in 3 months
- ✓1.5 Avios per £1 on all spending
- ✓2-4-1 companion voucher at £10,000 spend
- ✓25,000 Avios welcome bonus
- ✓£240/year — slightly cheaper than BA Premium Plus
Verdict
Matches the BA Premium Plus on earn rate (1.5 Avios per £1), welcome bonus (25,000 Avios), and companion voucher threshold (£10,000) — but on Visa and at a slightly lower fee (£240/year vs £295/year). If you want premium Avios earning rates and a companion voucher but prefer Mastercard/Visa over Amex, this is the card. Useful if your primary spending is somewhere Amex is less accepted.
2-4-1 companion voucher
£10,000 spend in a year
Best for
Those who want 1.5x earn rates and the companion voucher but prefer the wider Visa acceptance network.
The key perk
The 2-4-1 companion voucher
Potentially the most valuable perk attached to any UK credit card. The companion voucher lets you book two seats on a BA Avios redemption for the Avios cost of one — you pay full Avios for both passengers, but only once. The second seat is effectively free in Avios terms (both pay taxes and charges).
How the voucher works
- 1
Spend the required threshold on your BA Amex or Barclays Avios Plus card in a membership year (£12,000 on the free BA Amex; £10,000 on BA Premium Plus or Barclays Plus).
- 2
Amex or Barclays issues you a 2-4-1 companion voucher, valid for 2 years from the date of issue.
- 3
When booking a BA flight using Avios, apply the voucher at checkout. You pay the Avios for one person — the second seat costs zero Avios (both still pay airport taxes and charges).
- 4
The voucher works in any cabin: Economy, Premium Economy, Business (Club), or First. The value increases dramatically in premium cabins.
Example: Club Europe return to Paris
Figures are illustrative. Actual Avios cost depends on route, date, and availability.
Critical: the voucher applies to Avios bookings only
The 2-4-1 companion voucher only works on BA flights booked with Avios — not on cash bookings. And you need a travel companion to use it. It is most valuable on long-haul premium cabin redemptions where the cash price differential is largest. On short-haul Economy, it is still useful but the absolute saving is smaller.
What the companion voucher could be worth
Club Europe (European Business)
£200–£500+
Paris, Amsterdam, Rome — Business class short-haul
Club World (Long-haul Business)
£1,000–£3,000+
New York, Dubai, Singapore — Business class long-haul
Economy (European)
£50–£150
Modest but real — still half the Avios cost
Sweet spots
Best Avios redemptions
The value of Avios varies enormously by how you use them. Off-peak flights are consistently the best option.
London to Edinburgh / Glasgow (domestic)
Often 1.5p–2.5p+ per Avios
4,500–9,000 Avios one way (off-peak)
Domestic UK routes are frequently the best-value Avios redemptions. An off-peak return to Scotland can cost under 10,000 Avios. When the cash fare is £100–£150, you are extracting excellent value. Check both off-peak and peak pricing — the difference is significant.
European city breaks (off-peak, short-haul)
~1.5p–2p per Avios
6,500–13,000 Avios return (off-peak)
Short-haul European Economy redemptions are a classic Avios sweet spot. Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Rome, Lisbon — an off-peak return for under 13,000 Avios is solid value when cash fares are £150–£250+. The key is booking off-peak dates (typically Tuesday/Wednesday flights, shoulder seasons).
Long-haul Business Class (Club World)
2p–3p+ per Avios when done right
50,000–120,000+ Avios return
Long-haul Business Class redemptions can be outstanding — but require a substantial Avios balance and booking well in advance for award availability. A Club World return to New York at ~120,000 Avios vs a cash price of £3,000+ works out to 2.5p+ per Avios. Best combined with a 2-4-1 companion voucher, which effectively halves the cost.
London to Dublin / Belfast
~1.5p–2p per Avios
5,000–8,000 Avios return (off-peak)
Short hops to Ireland are often available at very low Avios prices on BA and Aer Lingus. Good for spontaneous weekend trips if you have a small Avios balance and don't want to wait for a larger accumulation.
Avoid these Avios redemptions
Hotels via Avios
Typically 0.3p–0.5p per Avios — half to a third of the flight redemption value. Use hotel points (Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy) or cash for hotels instead.
Car hire
Very poor value per Avios. Compare cash prices and book directly with car hire companies — almost always better value.
Retail gift cards or purchases
Avios used for high street gift cards or merchandise return a tiny fraction of their flight redemption value. Never use Avios this way.
Upgrade bids on already-purchased tickets
Occasionally worthwhile but always check the cash upgrade price first. Avios upgrades are often poor value unless availability is constrained.
Strategy
Should you collect Amex MR or Avios directly?
This is one of the most common questions in UK points collecting. The answer depends on your situation.
Collect Amex MR if...
- →You don't yet know where you want to fly or when
- →You want to keep your options open across 14+ partners
- →You might want to transfer to Virgin, Emirates, or Singapore Airlines instead of BA
- →You want to accumulate before deciding — MR keeps perfectly until you need them
Collect Avios directly if...
- →You fly BA regularly and know you'll use Avios on BA routes
- →You want a Visa card alongside your Amex (Barclays Avios)
- →You are targeting the 2-4-1 companion voucher on a specific card
- →You want to earn from non-card activity (BA flights, Avios app shopping, dining)
The most common mistake
Converting Amex MR points to Avios immediately, before knowing what you want to book. Avios is just one of 14+ things you can do with MR. Keep MR points as MR until you have a specific redemption in mind — then convert. Once transferred to Avios, you cannot go back.
True as of April 2026 — subject to change. Avios redemption rates, card earn rates, companion voucher terms, spend thresholds, and IAG partner availability change regularly. Always verify current terms at ba.com, avios.com, and the relevant card provider before applying or booking. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Some links may be affiliate links. See our affiliate disclosure.
Compare all points schemes
Avios are powerful — but Amex MR gives you Avios and 13+ other transfer partners. See how every UK scheme compares.