Overview
Collect Avios Miles
Open an Account
Opening a British Airways Club account couldn’t be simpler: go to the British Airways website and follow the instructions.
Membership of the British Airways Club earns you Avios miles.
Travels with Oneworld
The British Airways Club is the British Airways loyalty program.
You can earn Avios miles when you travel on board:
- British Airways
- Any of the 13 member airlines of the Oneworld alliance
With British Airways
Since October 18, 2023, Avios miles are earned based on the amount of money spent on the ticket as well as extras. Eligible spending includes:
- Ticket price
- Fees added by the company
- Cabin upgrades
- Pre-booked and paid seats
- Additional baggage allowance.
For tickets purchased before October 19, 2023, the accumulation of Avios miles follows the old method and depends on:
- The booking class of your ticket
- Flight distance covered
- Your British Airways Club status
You’ll earn between 25% and 300% of the distance traveled in Avios miles, with a minimum number of miles for each fare category.
In addition, members with British Airways Club status receive a bonus based on distance travelled:
- Blue: 25%
- Silver: 50% discount
- Gold : 100%
To find out how many Avios miles you will earn with your flight, go to this page provided by British Airways Club.
With Partner Companies
Avios miles can also be earned for flights on any of the 13 Oneworld airlines.
Mileage calculation varies with partner airlines, either according to flight distance or the total amount spent. Details can be found on this page. Here is an example of the accumulation on Qatar Airways:
With Car Rentals
British Airways Club partners with car rental agencies including:
- Review (5 Avios per £1 spent)
- Budget (2 Avios per £1 spent)
This makes it easy to earn Avios miles on every rental .
With Hotel Stays
British Airways Club partners with a number of hotel groups and online booking sites, including:
This makes it easy to earn Avios miles on every hotel stay .
With Airbnb
British Airways Club is partnered with Airbnb, earning Avios miles on every rental:
- 3 Avios miles per US dollar for stays
- 3 Avios miles per US dollar for Airbnb Experiences
With Credit Card Welcome Bonuses
British Airways Club is partnered with two institutions in Canada that offer credit cards enabling Avios miles to be earned directly or indirectly :
Each of these cards will:
- offer a welcome bonus
- offer Avios miles for every purchase
It’s a great way to earn lots of Avios miles fast!
American Express
American Express offers seven Membership Rewards cards that can be transferred 1:1 to the British Airways Club program.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $191.88 | |||
| $250 | |||
| $199 | |||
| $799 | |||
| $799 | |||
| $0 |
RBC
RBC offers a credit card directly affiliated with the program: the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite card.
- Annual fee
- $165
- Our valuation
- $850Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$850Total$850Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- Welcome offer
- 50,000 Avios
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$850Total$850Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
on RBC's website
In its RBC Avion Rewardsprogram, RBC Bank offers several credit cards that offer travel points transferable into Avios miles at a rate of 1:1 :
The RBC Avion Visa Infinite Card regularly offers promotions to earn between 35,000 and 55,000 RBC Avion points.
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuation
- $1,050Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$1,050Total$1,050Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- Welcome offer
- Up to 70,000 points
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,050Total$1,050Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Ends Nov 25, 2026
on RBC's website
With Purchases Made on Credit Cards
To collect Avios miles more quickly, it’s best to use one of the credit cards (see choices above) as often as possible!
The rate of mileage accumulation will often depend on the issuer and type of card:
- 1 Avios mile per dollar for most cards, such as the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card or the American Express® Gold Rewards Card
- 2 Avios miles per dollar with the American Express® Gold Rewards Card for purchases at grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies or travel agencies
- 2 Avios miles per dollar for British Airways ticket purchases with the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card
- 5 Avios miles per dollar for purchases in grocery stores, restaurants, bars, convenience stores or home food delivery with the American Express Cobalt® Card
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $165 | |||
| $250 | |||
| $191.88 |
With Hotel Points Conversion
Most hotel loyalty programs allow you to convert your points into Avios miles.
It’s a sneaky way to earn Avios miles! Especially since conversion bonuses are offered at certain times of the year.
For example, you can convert Marriott Bonvoy points into Avios miles.
By maximizing both programs, and converting during a promotional period (such as the one offering 30% extra miles), it is possible to do the following, for example:
If you have the:
But if you’d like to earn Avios miles instead of using your points for free nights, this is the solution for you!
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120 | |||
| $150 |
Use Avios Miles
Let’s discover all the ways in which miles can be used to:
- Airline Tickets
- Car rentals
- Hotel nights
Plane Tickets
The best use of Avios miles will be to book airline tickets. These are called award flights. But you still need to know the tips and tricks for using Avios miles correctly.
The Fare Structure for Flights on British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling
British Airways Club has a fare structure based on:
- Distance to cover (divided into 9 zones)
- Season (high/low season)
Here is the price list for flights on:
- British Airways
- Aer Lingus
- Iberia
- Vueling
Economy Class
| Zone | Distance in miles | Off peak | Peak season |
| 1 | 1-650 | 4 750 | 5 250 |
| 2 | 651-1 151 | 7 250 | 8 250 |
| 3 | 1 152-2 000 | 10 000 | 12 500 |
| 4 | 2 001-3 000 | 10 000 | 12 500 |
| 5 | 3 001-4 000 | 13 000 | 20 000 |
| 6 | 4 001-5 500 | 16 250 | 25 000 |
| 7 | 5 501-6 500 | 19 500 | 30 000 |
| 8 | 6 501-7 000 | 22 750 | 35 000 |
| 9 | 7 001+ | 32 500 | 50 000 |
Premium Economy Class
| Zone | Distance in miles | Off peak | Peak season |
| 1 | 1-650 | – | – |
| 2 | 651-1 151 | – | – |
| 3 | 1 152-2 000 | – | – |
| 4 | 2 001-3 000 | 20 000 | 25 000 |
| 5 | 3 001-4 000 | 26 000 | 40 000 |
| 6 | 4 001-5 500 | 32 500 | 50 000 |
| 7 | 5 501-6 500 | 39 000 | 60 000 |
| 8 | 6 501-7 000 | 45 500 | 70 000 |
| 9 | 7 001+ | 65 000 | 100 000 |
Business Class
| Zone | Distance in miles | Off peak | Peak season |
| 1 | 1-650 | 8 500 | 9 750 |
| 2 | 651-1 151 | 13 000 | 15 750 |
| 3 | 1 152-2 000 | 17 750 | 20 750 |
| 4 | 2 001-3 000 | 31 250 | 37 500 |
| 5 | 3 001-4 000 | 50 000 | 60 000 |
| 6 | 4 001-5 500 | 62 500 | 75 000 |
| 7 | 5 501-6 500 | 75 000 | 90 000 |
| 8 | 6 501-7 000 | 87 500 | 105 000 |
| 9 | 7 001+ | 125 000 | 150 000 |
First Class
| Zone | Distance in miles | Off peak | Peak season |
| 1 | 1-650 | – | – |
| 2 | 651-1 151 | – | – |
| 3 | 1 152-2 000 | – | – |
| 4 | 2 001-3 000 | 42 500 | 50 000 |
| 5 | 3 001-4 000 | 68 000 | 80 000 |
| 6 | 4 001-5 500 | 85 000 | 100 000 |
| 7 | 5 501-6 500 | 102 000 | 120 000 |
| 8 | 6 501-7 000 | 119 000 | 140 000 |
| 9 | 7 001+ | 170 000 | 200 000 |
Fares for Flights with Oneworld Partners
British Airways Club has another award chart based solely on the distance to be flown (split into 9 zones).
This award chart only applies to trips flown with other Oneworld members.
| Zone | Distance in miles | Economy | Pr. Eco | Business | First |
| 1* | 1-650 | 6 000 | 9 000 | 12 500 | 24 000 |
| 2 | 651-1 151 | 9 000 | 12 500 | 16 500 | 33 000 |
| 3 | 1 152-2 000 | 11 000 | 16 500 | 22 000 | 44 000 |
| 4 | 2 001-3 000 | 13 000 | 25 750 | 38 750 | 51 500 |
| 5 | 3 001-4 000 | 20 750 | 41 250 | 62 000 | 82 500 |
| 6 | 4 001-5 500 | 25 750 | 51 500 | 77 250 | 103 000 |
| 7 | 5 501-6 500 | 31 000 | 62 000 | 92 750 | 123 750 |
| 8 | 6 501-7 000 | 36 250 | 72 250 | 108 250 | 144 250 |
| 9 | 7 001+ | 51 500 | 103 000 | 154 500 | 206 000 |
One Rate Per Segment
British Airways Club allows you to book one-way tickets. However, if your itinerary includes several segments, it will cost you more in Avios miles.
It is therefore more interesting to find a direct flight (such as Montreal – Miami) than a connecting flight (such as Montreal – Philadelphia – Miami).
Travelling with Children
The British Airways Club program is particularly interesting for families.
There are airfares for babies (children under 2 AND travelling on an adult’s lap).
The required fee will be 10% of the cost in miles of the adult rate (+ taxes). So if a one-way ticket costs 7,500 Avios miles for an adult, it will cost 750 miles for a child under the age of 2!
Modifying and Canceling a Reward Flight
The British Airways Club allows you to change or cancel an air award up to 24 hours before flight departure.
The fee will be CA$58 (no fee if you are a Gold member). Your miles and taxes will be fully refunded.
The Reward Flights Availability
Award flights will appear in British Airways Club starting 355 days before departure.
However, for some airlines, tickets will only appear 300 days before departure.
Carrier Surcharges
On the British Airways Club, when you book an airline award, a fee is added to the amount in miles.
This fee includes:
- airport taxes
- a possible « surcharge » from the carrier
The carrier surcharge was introduced by some airlines such as British Airways or Qatar Airways when the price of oil reached record highs.
Since then, this surcharge has not been removed, and is a way for airlines to make money.
Also, there is an unavoidable departure tax in the UK, so we’ll be looking to avoid leaving the UK.
However, by searching for award flights strategically, it’s possible to avoid the carrier surcharge: some airlines don’t charge any surcharge at all!
Airlines Without Surcharge
To avoid carrier surcharges, you need to know which airlines do not charge them on award tickets.
The following airlines DO NOT charge surcharges:
- Aer Lingus
- American Airlines (except transcontinental flights)
- Alaska Airlines
- Cathay Pacific
- Iberia (to Spain only)
- Qantas (excluding transcontinental flights)
- Japan Airlines (excluding transcontinental flights)
Short-Haul Flights: The Best Bargain
An excellent use of Avios miles: to book short-haul reward flights. These are « local » destinations.
In North America, certain flights operated by American Airlines will cost 7,500 miles one way, or 15,000 miles round trip. Like Montreal – New York, for example.
However, this is particularly useful in countries such as Japan. Here is an example of an award ticket between Tokyo and Osaka:
Award Ticket Search Tools
There are several free and paid tools available for finding award tickets for the British Airways Club.
While Expertflyer is aimed at advanced users, Seats.aero is easier to access and offers a free version.
For Car Rentals
Avios miles can be used to rent a car.
Here’s an example of a one-week car rental in Miami.
For Hotels
Avios miles can also be used to book hotel nights. However, point valuation is far from optimal.
Manage Your Avios Miles
The Value of Miles
The value of a thousand Avios will depend on how you use them. However, it is generally agreed that 1 Avios mile = 1.7 ¢.
You could get much more value from short-haul airfares in Asia or flights in premium cabins (business/first class).
Miles Expiration
Avios miles do not have an expiration date based on the date they were earned.
So, all your Avios miles will remain in your account as long as you generate activity every 36 months.
Claiming Missing Miles
Have you travelled on British Airways or a Oneworld airline without giving your membership number?
Or have you forgotten to use your British Airways Club membership number with a partner?
It is possible to make a claim for missing miles up to 6 months after the transaction. To do this, you will need to complete the claim form available on the mileage credit request page.
The Family and Friends Account
This is a major benefit of the British Airways Club program.
There are three components to your British Airways Club account:
- My family account (7 people)
- My family and friends (5 people)
- My travel companions
Family accounts can be opened for :
- with an individual British Airways Club account
- residing at the same address
And it’s a way for children under 18 to earn Avios miles on their travels!
Once the accounts are linked, you can earn and use Avios miles together!
Transfer Avios Miles
It is possible – but very expensive – to transfer miles from one British Airways Club member to another. We do not recommend this option (prefer the Family and Friends account option). A maximum of 27,000 Avios miles can be transferred per year.
Status
British Airways Club has four levels of status:
- Blue
- Bronze
- Silver
- Gold
Status Points
To obtain one of these statuses, it is necessary to accumulate status points (which are different from Avios miles).
The only way to earn status points is by travelling with British Airways or its Oneworld Alliance partners.
The amount of status points earned will depend on the type and fare class of the ticket.
Here’s an example of a one-way ticket between Montreal and London, as a Blue member.
On the lowest economy fare (Q, O, G), you’ll earn 813 Avios miles and 20 Status points.
Status Qualification Year
Unlike other loyalty programs that are based on the calendar year, British Airways Club uses your program join date. The number of status points earned in the 12 months from that date determines your status for the remaining period and the following year.
Status Advantages with British Airways
Blue
At this level, there are no special benefits other than being able to earn and use Avios miles as well as Status points.
Bronze
- 25% bonus Avios miles on British Airways, Iberia and American Airlines flights
- Free choice of seat 7 days before departure
- Priority check-in and boarding
Silver
- 50% bonus Avios miles on British Airways, Iberia and American Airlines flights
- Free choice of seat upon booking
- Access to Business Class lounges
- Additional baggage allowance
Gold
- 100% bonus Avios miles on British Airways, Iberia and American Airlines flights
- Access to First Class check-in desks
- Access to First Class lounges
- Free choice of seat, including emergency exit seats
- More choice for reward tickets
Status Advantages with Oneworld
Earning British Airways Club status gives you an equivalent on the Oneworld side.
Bronze = Oneworld Ruby
- Access to Business Class check-in desks
- Access to more comfortable seats (depending on the airline)
- Priority in waiting lists
Silver = Oneworld Sapphire
- Access to Business Class lounges
- Priority boarding
- Priority luggage delivery
- Additional baggage allowance
Gold = Oneworld Emerald
- Access to First Class lounges
- Access to First Class check-in desks
- Access to priority safety lines
- More seating options (including emergency exits)
Avios Credit Cards
Many credit cards in Canada allow you to earn Avios miles directly or indirectly. See our best cards on this page.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $250 | |||
| $120 | |||
| $191.88 | |||
| $165 |
Conclusion
The British Airways Club is one of the world’s leading frequent flyer programs. In Canada, as you saw above, it’s very easy to collect Avios miles thanks to credit card partners such as American Express, HSBC and RBC.
This program will appeal to:
- those who want to travel to North America with American Airlines
- those who want to travel to Asia (with Cathay Pacific or Japan Airlines) and within Australia (with Qantas)
- those wishing to travel within Europe (with British Airways or Iberia)
However, don’t count on crossing oceans: surcharges will often be too high, or flights without surcharges very rare (like Aer Lingus). Or the distance will mean that the number of Avios miles required will be inordinate!
There are many great uses (sweetspots) in this program. To further your knowledge of the program, here are several articles we recommend:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are Avios miles worth?
The value of Avios miles is subjective and varies according to several factors. In 2023, Milesopedia estimates an average of 1 Avios mile = 1.7¢. So 50,000 Avios miles are worth around $850.
Do Avios miles expire?
Avios miles expire when there is no activity in the account for 36 consecutive months.
How much does membership of the British Airways Club cost?
Membership of the the British Airways Club loyalty program is free.
How do you transfer points to British Airways Club from Canada?
British Airways Club (formerly Executive Club) earns Avios, the common currency of the IAG group (British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling, Finnair). In Canada, the transfer options are among the most generous on the market:
- American Express Points-Privilèges à un ratio 1:1, via la Carte CobaltMD American ExpressMD, la Carte Or American ExpressMD ou la Carte PlatineMD American ExpressMD
- RBC Récompenses (Avion) à un ratio 1:1, via la Carte Avion Visa InfiniteMD RBC ou la Carte Avion Visa Infinite PrivilegeMD RBC
- Marriott Bonvoy à un ratio 3:1, avec un bonus de 5 000 Avios à chaque tranche de 60 000 points transférés
Avios are automatically pooled with those from Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Finnair via the Combine my Avios feature, making it possible to earn in one place and book in any of the programs.
What are the best uses of Avios for Canadians?
Avios are especially valuable on short-haul flights and routes with low surcharges. The best uses in Canada include:
- Vols court-courriers en Amérique du Nord sur American Airlines: à partir de 7 500 Avios aller simple (Toronto-New York, Montréal-Boston)
- Aer Lingus YYZ-DUB en classe affaires: 50 000 Avios aller simple, avec très peu de surtaxes (300-400 $ vs 800-1 200 $ via British Airways)
- Vols sur Qatar Airways en Qsuites de Montréal vers Doha: 70 000 Avios aller simple en classe affaires, avec accès au Al Mourjan Lounge
- Vols domestiques au Royaume-Uni et en Espagne via Iberia: à partir de 4 000 Avios aller simple
Milesopedia values Avios at 1.7¢ CA, but that value can easily exceed 3 to 5¢ on Qatar Qsuites and Aer Lingus business.
Articles
Point values
| Redemption type | ¢ / point | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| otherdefault | 1.70 | medium |
Cards that earn in this program
1 cards found
- Annual fee
- $165
- Our valuation
- $850Milesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$850Total$850Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- Welcome offer
- 50,000 Avios
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$850Total$850Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
on RBC's website
- Features
- Issuer
- RBC
- Network
- Program
- British Airways Club
- Fees and terms
- Annual Fee
- $165/yr
- Min. annual income
- $60,000+
- Rewards
- Rate
- Groceries
- 2x
- Restaurants
- 2x
