Premium flying · Points
Avios, spent at the front of the plane
How to collect Avios fast from everyday spending, and how to turn them into a Club Suite seat to Dubai, New York, Cape Town or the Maldives, with what each one really costs in Avios and cash.
Photo: British Airways
The short answer
How to collect Avios fast, and spend them well
Collect
- A card that earns AviosBA's Amex cards earn 1 or 1.25 Avios per £1 and Barclaycard's Avios Plus earns 1.5, with sign-up bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios.
- Amex Membership RewardsPoints from cards such as Platinum and Gold move to Avios one for one.
- Nectar and Avios Shopping400 Nectar points become 250 Avios, and shopping through Avios's own portal earns on top of what you'd buy anyway.
Spend
Club Suite one way to New York, off-peak:
+ £249.50
Book Club, not First: First needs fewer Avios but far more cash, about £752.54 one way to New York.
We describe and compare; we're not financial advisers, and nothing here is a recommendation to take out a card.
The Club Suite calculator
What a seat costs, and how long to collect it
Pick a destination and a season to see the one-way Avios and cash from London, then set your monthly card spend to see how long it takes at each earn rate.
- Club Suite, one way
- 88,000 Avios
- Plus cash
- £249.50
Months to collect from card spend alone, before any sign-up bonus. Avios prices: Award Travel Finder: British Airways reward prices (route prices from Head for Points, 1 August 2026); cash after BA's 27 May 2026 increase. BA prices each route separately and can change them.
Collect
Every main way to collect Avios in the UK
Earn rates and fees from each provider's own page where it shows them; anything we could only confirm from a secondary source is marked.
| Route | Earn | Fee | The bonus or voucher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA Amex (free) | 1 Avios per £1 | £0 | 5,000 Avios after £2,000 in 3 months. Companion voucher after £15,000 in a card year. Source |
| BA Premium Plus Amex | 1.25 per £1 | £300 a year | 30,000 Avios after £6,000 in 3 months. Companion voucher in any cabin after £15,000 a year. The earn rate was cut from 1.5 on 7 October 2026. Source |
| Barclaycard Avios Plus | 1.5 per £1 | £20 a month | 25,000 Avios after £3,000 in 3 months. After £10,000 in a year: an upgrade voucher or 7,000 Avios. Source |
| Amex Membership Rewards | 1 point = 1 Avios | The card's own fee | Transfers to BA, Qatar or Iberia, one for one. Source |
| Nectar | 400 Nectar = 250 Avios | None | Converts both ways: 400 Avios become 400 Nectar points. Source |
| Avios Shopping | about 2 to 9 per £1 | None | Click through from avios.com before you buy; Avios usually track within 35 days.secondary Source |
| Flying BA | 6 to 9 per £1 | None | Earned on the fare you pay, by status: Blue 6, Bronze 7, Silver 8, Gold 9.secondary Source |
Spend
How to spend Avios well
Reward Flight Saver
Pay more Avios and a small fixed amount of cash, instead of the full taxes and charges. It covers Economy, Premium Economy and Club on BA's own flights, short and long haul, if you've collected at least one Avios in the past 12 months. In Europe, that's £2.50 each way in Euro Traveller and £20 in Club Europe.
Prince of Travelsecondary · BA reward flights
Why First needs fewer Avios
It looks like a mistake, but it isn't. Reward Flight Saver doesn't cover First, so BA charges fewer Avios and much more cash: New York in First is 75,000 Avios off-peak, but about £752.54 one way, against 88,000 Avios and £249.50 in Club.
Award Travel Finder (First cash from Turning Left for Less, 23 August 2026)
Qatar's Qsuite, with the same Avios
Link your BA and Qatar Privilege Club accounts and Avios move between them one for one, instantly. London to Doha in Qsuite starts from 42,500 Avios one way, off-peak.
BA: combine your Avios · AwardFaressecondary
Keep them alive
Avios expire after 36 months with no activity. Earning, spending or moving any Avios resets the clock, so one small shop a year keeps a balance safe.
InsideFlyersecondary
What's changed
Avios in 2025 and 2026
- The Executive Club became The British Airways Club, with status earned mainly by spend. Source
- Avios prices went up without notice: a New York return in Club, off-peak, rose from 160,000 to 176,000. Source
- Higher cash charges on reward flights. Source
- Barclaycard changed its Avios card rules; balance and money transfers now earn Avios. Source
- The Premium Plus Amex earn rate was cut to 1.25 Avios per £1. Source
Avios: questions people ask
How many Avios do you need for business class?
From London one way in Club, off-peak: 88,000 Avios plus £249.50 to Dubai or New York, and 99,000 Avios plus £299.50 to Cape Town or the Maldives. Peak dates cost 11,000 Avios more.
What's the fastest way to collect Avios?
Card spending, for most people: BA's Amex cards earn 1 or 1.25 Avios per £1 and Barclaycard's Avios Plus earns 1.5, each with a sign-up bonus. Amex Membership Rewards points also move to Avios one for one. Which card suits you depends on your spending, and we don't recommend one.
Why does First need fewer Avios than Club?
Because BA charges much more cash on First rewards. New York in First is 75,000 Avios off-peak, but about £752.54 one way, against 88,000 Avios and £249.50 in Club.
Do Avios expire?
After 36 months without any activity. Any earning, spending or transfer resets the clock.
Can I turn Nectar points into Avios?
Yes: 400 Nectar points become 250 Avios, and 400 Avios become 400 Nectar points.
Can I use Avios on Qatar Airways?
Yes. Link your BA and Qatar Privilege Club accounts and Avios move between them one for one, instantly, so you can book Qatar's Qsuite with the same balance.