Avios is the currency used by the British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, Finnair Plus, Aer Lingus AerClub and Qatar Airways Privilege Club loyalty programs. You can earn and redeem Avios if you have a frequent flyer account with any (or all) of these airlines.
You can transfer Avios between any of these programs at a rate of 1:1, so 1 British Airways Avios is worth 1 Qatar Airways Avios and vice versa. Depending on the award redemption, you may wish to transfer your Avios between the different programs because Avios has slightly different values within each program.
For example, Reward Flight Savers are available with Avios using British Airways Executive Club but not Iberia Plus. Meanwhile, you can leverage Iberia Plus to get a great deal on off-peak business-class awards from the U.S. to Madrid.
Similarly, you may find lower prices, fees and taxes when booking a long-haul Iberia-operated flight with Avios in your Iberia Plus account than your British Airways Executive Club account.
Previously, Avios.com was a handy platform you could use to move Avios around multiple programs. However, this platform no longer functions as efficiently as it once did, so a little extra effort is required to move Avios between accounts.
So, how exactly can you move your Avios around? Let’s take a closer look.
Related: Move over, British Airways — Finnair Plus now has some excellent Avios sweet spots
Move Avios to and from British Airways Executive Club
This page on the British Airways website allows you to transfer your Avios to or from your British Airways Executive Club account and your Iberia Plus, Finnair Plus, Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Aer Lingus AerClub accounts by following the link to the various programs you want to combine.
Remember, your personal details for the two accounts you are trying to move Avios between must match, so ensure they are up to date before attempting the transfer.
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Transfers are at a 1:1 rate and can be made in any direction at any time, so you are not locked into one Avios program once you have made your transfer.
Move Avios to and from Qatar Airways Privilege Club
You can move Avios between Qatar Airways and British Airways only on the British Airways website. Once your accounts are linked, you can transfer Avios back and forth between the two programs in either direction at a 1:1 rate as often as you like.
You’ll need to log in to your Qatar Airways Privilege Club account, so make sure the details match correctly.
If you have Avios with Aer Lingus, Iberia and/or Finnair and want to transfer them to Qatar Airways, you’ll first need to transfer them to British Airways.
Move Avios to and from Finnair Plus
As the newest program to adopt Avios as its loyalty currency, Finnair Plus now enables members to transfer Avios to and from the British Airways Executive Club program. The process is the same as Qatar Airways Privilege Club. On the same transfer page, you simply select Finnair Plus as the program you wish to transfer to or from. Link your account by logging into Finnair Plus, and Avios can be moved back and forth at a 1:1 rate.
Again, if your Avios are in Iberia Plus, Aer Lingus AerClub or Qatar Airways Privilege Club, you will need to move them to British Airways Executive Club first before you can move them to Finnair Plus (or vice versa).
Move Avios to and from Iberia Plus
Avios can be moved to or from Iberia Plus via British Airways Executive Club or Aer Lingus AerClub by visiting the Iberia Plus landing page.
You’ll need to log into your Iberia Plus account and link your British Airways or Aer Lingus account to ensure your accounts match correctly.
Related: How to book Iberia flights to Spain (and beyond) using Avios
Move Avios to and from Aer Lingus AerClub
In our tests, the Aer Lingus AerClub program was the most difficult program to move Avios between because the Avios.com platform no longer functions properly.
While you should be able to move Avios to or from Aer Lingus AerClub, Iberia Plus and British Airways Executive Club through the British Airways platform, the AerClub link may not work.
If you are receiving an error message, try completing the process in a different browser or incognito mode. If all else fails, call Aer Club at 855-585-8264 to see if a representative can move the Avios manually for you.
Related: Hotel and flight myths busted: Does your booking method actually matter?
Other ways to earn Avios
If you need to top off your Avios for a specific redemption, here are some easy ways to earn the popular award currency.
Transfer credit card points
You can transfer your credit card points to Avios-based programs and combine them using the above method. Here are your transfer options:
These transfers are at a 1:1 rate, except for Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott transfers are at a 3:1 rate, with a 5,000-Avios bonus offered for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer (60,000 points becomes 25,000 Avios, for example).
Take advantage of credit card welcome offers
The best way to increase your Avios is through welcome offer bonuses from credit cards. Three Avios programs have their own Chase credit cards:
Each card has the same welcome offer: Earn 85,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Additionally, each card has the same $95 annual fee.
If you would rather earn Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios, Cardless now offers two Qatar-branded credit cards, including the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Signature Credit Card, which has a $99 annual fee and a welcome offer of up to 40,000 Avios — 20,000 Avios after the first transaction and an additional 20,000 Avios after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days.
There is also the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite Credit Card, with a $499 annual fee and a welcome offer of up to 50,000 Avios — 25,000 Avios after the first transaction and an additional 25,000 Avios and 150 Qpoints after spending $5,000 in the first 90 days. This card also comes with Privilege Club Gold status.
The information for the Qatar Airways Privilege Club Visa Infinite and Signature Cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If Finnair Avios is your preferred currency, you can transfer Capital One miles to Finnair Plus.
Here’s a list of some currently available consumer cards that earn transferable Capital One miles:
If you’re looking for a business card, here are some options that earn Capital One miles:
The information for the Capital One Spark Miles Select has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
While following these steps to move Avios between programs might initially seem complicated, it’s worth the effort for the excellent flexibility and value you now have in using Avios in so many ways. For award travelers, it’s beneficial to be able to transfer Avios in any direction an unlimited number of times at no additional cost.
If you want to focus on only one Avios program, British Airways Executive Club is a safe bet. It’s the largest program and has the easiest-to-use technology. However, there are sweet spots in each program, so if you have a redemption in mind, consider which option will get you the best value for your rewards.
Ideally, a single platform would be available to link all five Avios programs and allow transfers to every program in one place. Unfortunately, until such a platform exists, you’ll need to follow these steps to move your Avios where you need them.
