For UK travellers looking to make the most of their Avios, knowing which airlines you can redeem them with—and how to get the best value—is key.
While British Airways is the most obvious choice for many in the UK, a little known fact is that Avios can also be used on many other airlines, many of which also operate from UK airports. Plus, there are ways to reduce the taxes and fees associated with Avios redemptions, particularly by booking flights starting from Europe rather than the UK.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- Which airlines accept Avios (including those flying from UK airports outside of London)
- How to reduce taxes and fees on Avios redemptions
Whether you’re new to Avios or looking for advanced strategies, this article will help you get better value for your Avios balance.
What Airlines Use Avios?
Avios can be used on a variety of airlines, but for most travellers in the UK this will be flying with British Airways. However many still don’t realise that you can also redeem your Avios with other airlines, that are part of the Oneworld alliance, which I will explain below in more detail:
British Airways
- This is the most popular airline for Avios redemptions through the BA Executive Club, flying from London Heathrow, Gatwick, and regional UK airports such as Edinburgh and Glasgow.
- They have a huge network of flights available across Europe with some excellent value redemptions especially if you choose an off-peak reward saver flight, with flights costing £1 plus Avios.
- For UK travellers flying from London, the long haul route network that BA offers is extensive and typically redemption flights come with lower taxes and surcharges compared to redemptions with Virgin Atlantic.
Oneworld Airlines That Accept Avios
Since British Airways is a Oneworld member, you can use Avios on a huge range of airlines, which also fly out of UK airports.
I have listed airlines below which accept Avios redemptions, all of which can be booked on the ba.com website, which means it’s the same process as if you are booking your British Airways Avios redemptions.
Airlines with direct flights from the UK
- American Airlines – Direct flights from Edinburgh and London to cities in the USA.
- Qatar Airways – Excellent for luxury Avios redemptions, with connections to the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
- Finnair – London to Helsinki, plus onward flights to Asia.
- Qantas – London to Australia
- Cathay Pacific – London to Hong Kong.
- Japan Airlines – Direct flights from London to Tokyo.
- Malaysia Airlines – Flights from London to Kuala Lumpur.
- Iberia – Flights to Spain, Latin America, and the US.
- Vueling – Budget airline with redemptions from many UK airports including smaller regional airports like Cardiff and Bristol to destinations in Spain.
- Loganair – A new addition to Avios, with redemptions from across airports in the UK
- Aer Lingus – BA also has a partnership with Aer Lingus who are a good choice for flights between the UK and Ireland and the USA. Redemptions can be booked via the British Airways Executive Club on ba.com or Aer Lingus AerClub on the Aer Lingus website, where taxes can often be lower.
Airlines Flying from Europe
- Air Nostrum / Iberia Regional – available to book via British Airways Executive Club and through Iberia Plus.
- SUN-AIR of Scandinavia – available to book via British Airways Executive Club
- LEVEL – available to book through Iberia Plus.
- Braathens – available to book via Finnair Plus.
- Binter Canarias – available to book through Iberia Plus.
Other airlines that you can use Avios for flights
These flights are available to book via British Airways Executive Club
- Fiji Airways
- Sri Lankan Airlines
- Royal Jordanian
- Royal Air Maroc
These airlines accept Avios, but you have to book it from their respective websites and you will need to link these to your BA Executive Club accounts.
These flights are available to book via Qatar Airways Privilege Club
These flights are available to book via Iberia Plus. Details of Iberia Plus partners can be found on qatarairways.com here.
- Airlink
- Bangkok Airways
- JetBlue
- Garuda Indonesia
- Middle East Airlines
- Oman Air
- RwandAir
- Virgin Australia
These flights are available to book via Iberia Plus
These flights are available to book via Iberia Plus. Details of Iberia Plus partners can be found on iberia.com here.
- Avianca
- LATAM
These flights are available to book via Finnair Plus
These flights are available to book via Finnair Plus. Details of Finnair Plus partners can be found on finnair.com here.
- Juneyao Air
How to Use Avios Efficiently and Reduce Fees
We have been using Avios for years and used well they can save hundreds or thousands of pounds on the cost of your next plane ticket. Here’s how to get the best value from your redemptions:
Look at starting your long haul flight from Europe instead of the UK
- Taxes and fees are often lower when booking Avios redemptions from a European airport instead of London.
- Iberia redemptions from Madrid typically cost fewer Avios and lower fees than booking the same route with BA.
- Example: A business class flight from Madrid to New York on Iberia can cost significantly less in taxes than the same flight from London.
Use Reward Flight Saver (RFS) for Short-Haul Flights
- Available on BA and Iberia short-haul flights.
- Offers a fixed Avios + cash option to reduce taxes.
- Example: A return flight from London to Madrid can cost as little as 18,500 Avios + £1 in taxes.
Fly Off-Peak to Save Avios
- BA flights have peak and off-peak pricing, so flying at quieter times means fewer Avios required. We have recently done this on a flight to the USA, saving well over 100,000 avios.
- Example: A one-way off-peak economy flight from London to New York costs 13,000 Avios, compared to 20,000 Avios at peak times.
Upgrade a Paid Flight with Avios
- Instead of redeeming Avios for full flights, you can use them to upgrade from economy to business class on BA, Iberia, and American Airlines.
Consider Part-Pay with Avios on BA
- If you don’t have enough Avios for a full redemption, you can use also Avios to reduce the cost of a paid ticket.
- Available on BA and airlines including Vueling, offering a flexible way to use smaller amounts of Avios.
Use Companion and Upgrade Vouchers
- The BA Amex Premium Plus Card offers a 2-for-1 companion voucher, allowing two people to fly for the Avios of one, saving 50% of the Avios points needed.
- Barclaycard Avios Plus offers a BA upgrade voucher when meeting the annual £10,000 spend threshold. With this you can upgrade a return BA flight for one person or two one-way flights for a couple
Avios offer great value when used wisely, particularly on BA, Iberia, and other Oneworld partners.
By taking advantage of off-peak pricing, and using Reward Flight Saver fares, you can significantly cut down on taxes and maximise the value of your Avios. Whether you’re looking for a short-haul European trip or a luxury long-haul redemption, understanding Avios will help you travel especially in premium airline cabins for less.