With Avios, award redemption opportunities extend far beyond British Airways flights to the entire Oneworld alliance network. With 11 member airlines, Avios can be used to travel anywhere in the world.
Discover the best Avios redemptions available around the world, how to quickly earn Avios, and set your strategy for your next trip.
While it is possible to earn Avios by converting points, the most direct and efficient way to earn Avios is to subscribe to the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite card and meet the conditions for the welcome offer. What’s more, this card gives you access to a host of other benefits:
With this exceptional welcome offer for the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card, you can earn up to 60,000 Avios!
With this card, you get a Companion Award eVoucher (when you spend $30,000 or more in any calendar year). You can also take advantage of a 10% discount on British Airways flights when you book with your RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card.
With the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card, you get:
What’s more, you benefit from a wide range of insurance coverages:
Here are the steps you need to take to get the bonus:
Since award pricing is based on the distance in miles flown, and varies from airline to airline, we’ve tracked down some of the best sweetspot deals for you. All the examples presented in this article are one-way economy class tickets.
Avios are often best used on short-haul flights of 650 miles or less. For a trip where you need to maximize your time, this is a great way to see several cities in a short time. Many itineraries are available for less than 10,000 Avios.
For example, go from Amsterdam to London on your next European trip for 9250 Avios, rather than paying $294 :
Continue your journey by exploring Scandinavian countries like Finland for just 9,000 Avios and $81.70 in fees and taxes with this award flight from London to Helsinki :
On a trip to the other side of the world, every second counts. Maximize your time in Australia with this flight from Melbourne to Brisbane for 9,000 Avios and $40.80 :
When visiting Japan, save on transportation from Tokyo to Osaka for 10,500 Avios and no fees or taxes:
Thanks to American Airlines, a member of Oneworld, you can end the winter in the warmth of the Caribbean for a few Avios.
For example, go from Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico for only 9,000 Avios and $7.70 in fees and taxes:
What’s more, it’s easy to get from one island to another thanks to British Airways’ fifth freedom flights. Go island hopping from Antigua to Saint Kitts and Nevis for 9250 Avios and $1 in fees and taxes:
Continuing with American Airlines, good deals are available for domestic flights in the USA, for very little fees and taxes.
Take this example of a flight from New York to Miami, available for 16,500 Avios and $7.70 in fees and taxes:
Alaska Airlines, also a member of Oneworld, makes it easy for us to fly from the West American coast to Hawaii for just a few Avios.
For example, to get from San Francisco to Honolulu, you’ll need just 13,000 Avios and $7.70 :
Of course, Europe is accessible with Avios, but prices can vary greatly depending on your destination. A good tip for maximizing Avios redemption for award flights is to find the cheapest routes to the old continent.
Travelling to Ireland from Toronto becomes very accessible when it’s off-peak dates (i.e. almost eight months a year). As shown here, you can fly from Toronto to Dublin for as little as 13,000 Avios (or 26,000 for a round trip).
With flight prices to Europe getting more and more expensive, it’s easy to save by paying just $100 and 25,000 Avios to fly to London from Montreal:
If your next destination isn’t one of these suggested flights, you can still take advantage of other benefits offered by the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite card that will help you maximize your Avios earning and redemption strategies:
The companion voucher offered after $30,000 in card spending will allow you to enjoy either of these options:
In other words, a more expensive flight in Avios will become much more affordable with the companion voucher. This is particularly interesting for long-haul flights, where you can make huge savings in Avios.
The RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card allows you to save 10% on your flights with British Airways when you book with the card on ba.com/RBC10 and enter the promotion code CARDOFFERC. In addition to this discount, paying for your British Airways flights with this card can help you :
If your travel plans are more ambitious in terms of the number of Avios required (we’re thinking of Qatar Airways’ Qsuite, for example), it’s possible to take advantage of special offers at key times to fill up your Avios bank and book those coveted award tickets:
These special offers are often of limited duration, so make the most of them when they are available.
With these tips, you can now maximize the use of your Avios, whether with the best “sweetspots” or to collect the Avios you need for your dream destination with the help of the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card.
For trips and experiences that require more Avios, a strategy combining the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card bonus with other special purchase or points conversion offers will help you reach your goals. From long-haul flights to the Qatar Airways Qsuite, the possibilities are endless with Avios; not to mention that you can now combine them, between the British Airways Executive Club and the Qatar Airways Privilege Club.
Savings are here:
