“Avios” is the name of the points currency shared by several airline frequent flyer programs: British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Qatar Airways. Points earned through one of those programs can be moved around to any of the others. That provides quite a bit of flexibility, but also creates some complexity as well.
Each of these Avios programs have slightly different rules and pricing for booking awards. In some cases British Airways (BA) is the best choice. Other times, it might be Iberia or Qatar. This post explains the best uses of Avios across all programs.
In March 2024, Finnair also adopted Avios as its award currency. However, it’s not yet possible to transfer between the other four Avios programs and Finnair. Because of this, it isn’t included in this guide. We’ll update accordingly once that changes.
Iberia business class can be a fantastic use of Avios and a decent way to get between the US and Europe.
Avios Redemption Tips
Avios can provide great value with short flights
One key sweet spot for Avios is short flights on oneworld airlines. Since the various Avios programs use distance-based award charts, you’ll pay fewer points for shorter flights. You may only need a small number of Avios to fly to a nearby city or country and that can be very useful when moving between nearby countries on the borders of different award pricing “zones.”
Many of the best uses highlighted below focus on the best values to/from North America in economy class and business class, but keep in mind that Avios can come in handy when you’re looking to take a short hop on Japan Airlines from Tokyo to Seoul or to fly between Melbourne and Sydney on Qantas or between the Maldives and Sri Lanka on Sri Lankan. In some cases, flights like those can be quite expensive when paying with cash, making them excellent value when using Avios instead.
Lap infant awards are a sweet spot with British Airways
Nick taking advantage of BA’s lap infant policy.
For those traveling with a lap infant, British Airways is one of the few programs to charge a percentage of the award cost rather than a percentage of the cash cost. Lap infant award tickets booked via British Airways Executive Club cost 10% of the Avios for an adult ticket. In other words, if an adult ticket costs 60,000 Avios, the lap infant ticket costs 6,000 Avios.
Unfortunately, Iberia follows the more common pricing model of 10% of the cash fare and Qatar Privilege Club charges 15% of the cost of a revenue fare (and the process sounds difficult). If you’re traveling with a lap infant, you probably want to book via British Airways in most cases.
Taxes and fees can vary dramatically between programs
British Airways is well known for having very high carrier-imposed surcharges on its own flights; if you must fly British Airways you could easily be on the hook for over a thousand dollars round trip in premium cabins.
That said, British Airways has now made it easier to pay more Avios to reduce those surcharges. For instance, an off-peak Business Class award from New York to London was long advertised as costing 50,000 Avios one-way — and $950. These days, while you can still pay that amount, the default option when I search on an off-peak date is 80,000 Avios and $350. One still has the option to pay 50K + $950, but the alternative of paying an additional 30K Avios to avoid $600 in fees yields a reasonable value of $0.02 per Avios for the extra points:
By contrast, using Iberia Avios to fly on British Airways is not as good a deal as booking with British Airways Avios. The same British Airways business class flight from New York to London shown above via British Airways Avios would cost 80,000 Avios and $981 via Iberia Plus Avios:
The same New York – London business class flight on Iberia costs an additional $600+ in fees.
Iberia charges much more reasonable fuel surcharges on its own flights when they are booked via Iberia Plus Avios. For instance, on the same off-peak date used above for the British Airways flight from New York to London, one could instead fly from New York to Madrid on Iberia in business class for 34,000 Avios and $117.10:
In that particular instance, British Airways charges the same 34,000 Avios and $117.10 one-way on Iberia. If you’re a parent traveling with a lap infant, you’d be better off booking via BA since they will charge 10% of the adult price for a lap infant ticket.
Remember that you can move Avios between the various programs. Therefore, if you have Iberia Plus Avios, you can move those Avios to British Airways Executive Club or Qatar Privilege Club to book via those programs (or vice versa). See more in this post: How to transfer Avios between Aer Lingus, BA, and Iberia
Avios award cancellation policies vary between programs
There are significant differences in the award cancellation policies of the various Avios programs:
Aer Lingus AerClub
Changes or cancellations on an award are allowed up to 24 hours before departure for a €42.50 fee by contacting Aer Lingus.
For accounts that are registered in the US, there is a fee to change or cancel an award ticket that is equal to the total taxes and fees or $55, whichever is less. That fee goes up by $25 if it’s done via a call center.
Iberia Plus
For travel on Iberia, you can change or cancel an award up to 24 hours before departure for a €25 fee. Within 24 hours, awards can’t be changed or cancelled for a refund. Partner awards are non-refundable.
You can change or cancel an award up to 24 hours before departure by paying a $25 fee. Between 3 and 24 hours of departure, that fee goes up to $100. Within 3 hours of departure, there is no refund for changes or cancellations.
How to Earn Avios
Credit Cards
One of the easiest and quickest way to earn Avios is through credit card welcome offers. Below are the current cards that earn Avios directly:
Transfer from Partners
The following transfer currencies can be converted to Avios:
In some cases, a transferable currency might only directly transfer to one Avios program. For instance, Citi ThankYou Rewards can only be transferred to Qatar Airways, but once you’ve done that, you can then move the Avios to your British Airways, Iberia, or Aer Lingus account.
Marriott Bonvoy transfers to to Avios at a rate of 60,000 Marriott points to 25,000 Avios and is the only hotel points currency whose transfer ratio makes it worth considering. See here for more details.
How to combine Avios across programs
Avios can be freely moved across BA, Iberia, Qatar and Aer Lingus. To do so, you must have an account with each program.
It’s very important to ensure that all of your personal information (name, email, birth date, address, phone number) is exactly the same with each program.
If you want to move points to/from Iberia, note these additional requirements:
You cannot move points to/from Iberia within 90 days of joining the Iberia Plus program. So, this is a good reason to enroll in Iberia Plus now, even if you don’t have any immediate need for it.
Your Iberia account must have had some activity within the past 36 months (points earned or redeemed). An easy option is to transfer 1,000 points from Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards.
If moving points from Iberia to British Airways, your British Airways account cannot be a household account (but you may be able to get around this by transferring points first to Aer Lingus and then to British Airways).
The best way to share Avios with others is via a Household Account, which allows to pool together Avios that were previously held previously in separate accounts. Full details about Household Accounts can be found on BA’s website here.
Avios Award Charts
When booking an award on British Airways or Iberia-operated flights, the number of Avios required depends on which airline you want to fly. Whether you book the award from your BA account or your Iberia account, the number of required Avios will be the same. Strangely, the taxes and fees often vary between the two, so it makes sense to look up award prices on both websites in order to find the cheapest option.
British Airways is notorious for the high surcharges that it imposes on its award flights. In addition to the charts listed below, it has now implemented an additional redemption option called “Reward Flight Saver.” This effectively allows you to pay additional Avios in exchange for lower fees. It can sometimes be a much better deal than paying those fees directly in cash.
Award chart for travel on British Airways, Iberia or Qatar
The British Airways (BA) and Iberia (IB) award charts for travel on their own metal are similar but not identical. Both offer peak and off-peak pricing based on the date flown.
Here is Iberia’s award chart (which also applies to Vueling flights):
As you can see above, during off-peak dates, it is almost always a bit cheaper to fly BA economy vs. Iberia economy. However, to fly business class, BA is only cheaper for short flights whereas Iberia is much cheaper for long flights. Peak dates follow a similar pattern, but the award price differences are more modest.
Qatar Airways doesn’t publish a chart for its own flights, instead offering an online calculator tool, which allows you to search the amount of Avios that are required for various redemptions. Even though there’s no published chart, Qatar still prices its awards by geographic zone and utilizes peak and off-peak pricing. All cities in the US and Canada belong to the same zone. In general, a saver flight between Doha and North America cost 35,000-47,500 in economy, 70,000-94,500K in business and 105,000-142,000 in First Class (depending on whether the pricing is peak or off-peak).
Award chart for travel on a single Avios partner
If you intend to fly another airlines using British Airways, Iberia or Qatar Avios, then the following chart is in effect for most partners:
Not all partner airlines follow this chart completely and there are numerous exceptions, as outlined below.
Starting in 2021, British Airways began introducing slightly different pricing for flights in certain zones on specific partner airlines. The following partners are affected in the listed zones:
American Airlines and Alaska Airlines (inter-North America flights only)
Zone 1 (0-650 miles): 8,250 economy / 16,500 business
Zone 2 (651-1151 miles flown): 11,000 economy / 20,500 business
Zone 3 (1151-2000 miles flown): 14,500 economy / 29,000 business
Zone 4 (2001-3000 miles flown): 16,000 economy / 42,000 business
Cathay Pacific
Zone 1 (0-650 miles): 7,500 economy / 16,000 business
Zone 2 (651-1151 miles flown): 10,000 economy / 25,000 business
Zone 3 (1152-2000 miles flown): 11,000 economy / 25,000 business
Japan Airlines
Zone 1 (0-650 miles): 7,500 economy / 12,500 business
Zone 2 (651-1151 miles flown): 10,000 economy / 24,000 business
Zone 3 (1152-2000 miles flown): 11,000 economy / 24,000 business
Zone 1 (0-650 miles): 7,000 economy / 16,000 business / 21,000 first
Zone 2 (651-1151 miles flown): 10,000 economy / 24,000 business / 39,000 first
Iberia
For years, Iberia had a different award chart for each partner that they had (and still posts a separate chart for each one). That said, most are identical now, and follow the same pricing as BA for single partners.
The only redemption partner that still has a different award chart is LEVEL, Iberia’s low-cost carrier. Those awards are priced based on the following tiers:
Off-Peak LEVEL awards
Zone 6 (4001-5500 miles): 21,250 economy / 31,750 premium economy
Zone 7 (5501-6500 miles flown): 25,500 economy / 38,250 premium economy
Zone 8 (6501-7000 miles flown): 29,750 economy / 44,250 premium economy
Peak LEVEL awards
Zone 6 (4001-5500 miles): 25,000 economy / 43,750 premium economy
Zone 7 (5501-6500 miles flown): 30,000 economy / 52,500 premium economy
Zone 8 (6501-7000 miles flown): 35,000 economy / 61,250 premium economy
Qatar uses the same partner award chart as BA. Unlike BA, it still uses Zone 1 pricing for AA and Alaska inter-North American awards. Qatar only allows partner awards with a single partner airline, doesn’t allow stopovers, but will permit open-jaws.
The short story: Qatar Airways Privilege Club offers distance-based award pricing on JetBlue, which can be a decent value for economy class in some instances.
Miles required: From 8.5K for the shortest domestic flights to 25K in economy class on transcontinental flights.
How to find awards: You search for space via QatarAirways.com, but to see a calendar of availability, you’ll need to find “P” class space for business class awards. You can find this via a paid tool like ExpertFlyer or with advanced routing codes via ITA Matrix.
How to book awards: Book online at QatarAirways.com
Change and cancellation fees: $25 more than 24 hours in advance / $100 Between 3-24 hours in advance / Nonrefundable within 3 hours or after departure
Key warnings: The Qatar Airways website sometimes can not find major airports. We hope this is a temporary glitch.
Key warnings: Note that it may be worth checking all 3 booking options (Avios.com, BritishAirways.com, and Iberia.com) to determine your best deal, though keep in mind that things like cancellation policies differ (note that Iberia offers no changes or refunds at all on most partner flights whereas British Airways offers cheap cancellation). Aer Lingus and British Airways charge for each segment separately, so multi-segment trips can get expensive quickly (Iberia charges based on cumulative distance each way, which can be cheaper on connecting itineraries).
The short story: British Airways offers a distance-based award chart, so flights from the West Coast of the USA on Alaska Airlines or American Airlines can be a great value with Avios.
Miles required: 16K miles each way plus $5.60 for economy-class segments between west coast cities and Hawaii.
How to find awards: Search for available space at britishairways.com for AA or aa.com for Alaska flights.
How to book awards: Book American flights online at britishaiways.com or Alaska flights over the phone at 800-452-1201.
Key warnings: British Airways charges for each segment separately, so multi-segment trips can get expensive quickly. Furthermore, the British Airways site sometimes shows phantom award space for AA (see: Phantom menace: an award search time suck). You may want to double-check Qantas.com for availability before transferring to British Aiways Executive Club for American flights.
The short story: Iberia Plus offers a distance-based award chart that matches British Airways. However, since they don’t allow changes or cancellations on American Airlines awards, you’re probably better off booking via British Airways
Miles required: From 11K miles each way depending on distance. No fuel surcharges on American Airlines. See our Avios Complete Guide for a full award chart.
Key warnings: Most Iberia partner bookings, including those on American Airlines, are completely nonrefundable and can not be changed. Because of that policy and the fact that Iberia’s chart for American Airlines flights now matches the British Airways chart for the same flights, you’re probably better off booking via BA. Only book AA flights with Iberia if plans are certain.
Best uses of Avios for Business Class and First Class
South America from 22K one-way via British Airways
The short story: British Airways has excellent award pricing for shorter distance American Airlines award flights, whereas you’re better off booking with another program for longer flights or if you need connections (since British Airways prices each segment separately). Keep in mind that while LATAM has left oneworld, their flights should still be bookable with Avios.
Miles required: From 22K miles (Miami to Bogota falls in this distance band) to 92,750 miles (Los Angeles to Buenos Aires is in this distance band) each way in business class. The best deals will be from Miami to Northern South America for 22K or 38,750 miles one way depending on distance (and assuming direct flights). See the full award chart here at One Mile at a Time. No fuel surcharges on American Airlines.
Key warnings: Note that British Airways periodically stops showing American Airlines award availability. When this happens, phone agents are generally unable to book the space either and your best bet is to keep searching or book through another partner.
The short story: Iberia charges as few as 34K miles one-way in business class on its own flights from New York, Boston, Chicago, or DC to Madrid during off-peak season. Sometimes they run a winter travel promotion for even less.
Miles required: Varies by distance. Best deal are the cities above to Madrid: 34K during off-peak dates or 50K during peak dates on Iberia metal. Fuel surcharges are very mild (Around $175 in total taxes & fees round trip. If booking one-way, surcharges are higher leaving Europe than flying to Europe.)
How to book awards: Book at Iberia.com after using the Advanced Avios Search Tool.
Key warnings: Iberia’s website can be challenging to navigate and availability can be challenging to find. There are some surcharges, but at under a hundred bucks from the US to Europe, they are much milder than when using British Airways Avios. Note that Iberia’s award chart is distance-based, so itineraries with connections will require more miles. Note also that sometimes connecting itineraries will have availability even when the nonstop legs between the US and Spain are not available on their own.
Domestic US Transcontinental JetBlue Mint class for 38,750 Avios one-way
The short story: Qatar Airways Privilege Club offers distance-based award pricing on JetBlue, which can be an OK value for Mint class in situations where cash prices are high.
Miles required: 74K for a transcontinental Mint class award.
How to find awards: You search for space via QatarAirways.com, but to see a calendar of availability, you’ll need to find “I” class space for business class awards. You can find this via a paid tool like ExpertFlyer or with advanced routing codes via ITA Matrix. See more detail in this post.
How to book awards: Book online at QatarAirways.com
Change and cancellation fees: $25 more than 24 hours in advance / $100 Between 3-24 hours in advance / Nonrefundable within 3 hours or after departure
Key warnings: The Qatar Airways website sometimes can not find major airports. We hope this is a temporary glitch.
North America to Europe from 78,000 Avios one-way on JetBlue
The short story: Qatar Airways Privilege Club offers reasonable award pricing on JetBlue, which can be a great way to book Mint (business) class to Europe.
Miles required: 78K each way. Taxes & fees departing the US are $10.10.
How to find awards: You can search for space via QatarAirways.com, but it is easier to start by finding “I” class space for business class awards. You can find this via a paid tool like ExpertFlyer or with advanced routing codes via ITA Matrix. See the video instructions in this post for detailed instructions about how to find and book space.
Change and cancellation fees: $25 to change or cancel more than 24 hours in advance, $100 between 3-24hrs in advance, nonrefundable within 3 hours of departure. See more in this post.
Key warnings: Note that Qatar only charges mandatory taxes ($10.10 departing the US and between ~$40-$100 departing Europe) with no additional carrier-imposed surcharges on JetBlue awards.
The short story: British Airways normally offers a distance-based award chart, in what is an exception they charge 70K Avios each way for business class between the US and Doha on Qatar Airways (these flights do not follow the distance band).
Miles required: 70K miles each way in business class between the US and Doha. Taxes and fees add around $250 round trip.
How to find awards: Search for available space at britishairways.com. It’s always best to search before transferring.
How to book awards: Book American flights online at britishaiways.com or over the phone at 1 800 452 1201.
Change and cancellation fees: $55
Key warnings: British Airways charges for each segment separately, so multi-segment trips can get expensive quickly. Taxes & fees also increase substantially with further segments on Qatar.
The short story: British Airways offers an award chart for travel on a single partner and a lesser-known chart for travel on two partners. That second chart could save you some Avios if you were to mix AA and Qantas for example.
How to find awards: Search for available space on each segment separately at britishairways.com.
How to book awards: Book over the phone at 1 800 452 1201. According to Head for Points, there isn’t a clear methodology for pricing mixed-cabin awards. I suspect some agents may be less well versed in this mixed chart.
Key warnings: This secondary chart would save miles over the single-carrier chart, which would price a one-way to Australia at 154K one-way assuming a single carrier and single segment (add more for additional segments). However, as this is a lesser-known chart, some agents may not be well versed in using it. Be prepared to hang up and call again. Furthermore, the British Airways site sometimes shows phantom award space for AA (see: Phantom menace: an award search time suck). You may want to double-check Qantas.com for availability before transferring to British Airways Executive Club for American flights.
Avios can be a helpful currency to keep in your tool belt for great deals on Iberia business class and for short oneworld award flights all around the world. The ability to move your miles freely between British Airways, Iberia, Qatar and Aer Lingus gives you the ability to pivot as necessary to easily take advantage of all of the various Avios sweet spots.
Comprehensive Summarization: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for February 2026, indicating a 6.1% increase in global passenger...
