If you rely solely on flights to collect Avios, you are missing out on thousands of points every year. Leveraging everyday spending via UK Avios credit cards is the fastest strategy to unlock Business Class award seats.
Top Avios Credit Cards Comparison (UK Market)
Card Name
Earning Rate
Welcome Bonus
Key Benefit
BA Amex Premium Plus
1.5 Avios per £1
25,000+ Avios
Companion Voucher (2-for-1)
Barclaycard Avios Plus
1.5 Avios per £1
25,000 Avios
Barclaycard Cabin Upgrade Voucher
Amex Preferred Rewards Gold
1 MR Point per £1
20,000 MR Points
Flexible Transfer to BA, Qatar & Virgin
Which Card Fits Your Strategy?
The British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card
The undisputed king for UK earners due to the BA Companion Voucher, which allows you to book two reward seats for the Avios cost of one.
Barclaycard Avios Mastercard
Essential for places where American Express is not accepted. It delivers a high Avios earning rate on standard Mastercard transactions across Europe.
If you are planning your next getaway in Business Class or are just a few miles short of locking in that dream flight, the question naturally arises: can you buy Avios?
The short answer is yes. British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, Finnair Plus, and Qatar Airways Privilege Club allow you to buy points directly with cash. However, buying British Airways Avios at standard rates is rarely a smart move.
In this article, we explain exactly how to buy Avios, the best strategies to get cheap Avios with discounts, why you must compare across airlines, and the golden rule to determine if buying points plays in your favor.
1. How to Buy Avios: A Step-by-Step Guide
Buying Avios is an instant process carried out directly through official airline portals. The steps are straightforward:
Log in to your British Airways Executive Club, Finnair Plus, or Iberia Plus account.
Navigate to the Avios section and select Buy, Gift, or Transfer Avios.
Choose the Avios bundle you need.
Enter your payment details (make sure to pay with a points-earning credit card, like a British Airways American Express or Barclaycard Avios Mastercard!).
The Avios will be credited to your account almost instantly (usually within 72 hours max).
Annual Limit: As a general rule, each program caps direct purchases at 200,000 Avios per calendar year (excluding promotional bonus points).
2. The Danger of Standard Pricing: Why You Should NEVER Buy Without a Promo
If you head to the British Airways eStore today to buy a small package of 2,000 Avios at standard rates, you will end up paying over 2.5p per Avios. Even if you purchase a larger tier (such as 100,000 Avios), the price sits around 1.8p – 2.1p per point.
Is that a good deal? Absolutely not. In the points and miles community, we value an Avios at around 1p – 1.2p. Paying nearly 2p per point completely destroys the economic advantage of redeeming miles for flights.
That is why the golden rule at First Class Points is clear: only buy Avios when there is a discount or bonus offer active.
3. The Master Trick: ALWAYS Compare Across Partner Airlines (Example: Finnair vs. BA / Iberia)
Because you can link your accounts and transfer Avios instantly and 100% free between British Airways, Qatar Airways, Iberia, and Finnair, never buy blindly on BA without checking active promos across other partner programs first.
The exact same bundle of Avios can carry a drastically different price tag depending on which portal you purchase it from.
Real Example: Buying 100,000 Avios
Take a look at this real price comparison when buying a block of 100,000 Avios:
Standard Rate (e.g., Iberia/BA baseline): Purchasing 100,000 Avios at full price costs €2,135 (approx. £1,815).
Finnair Plus (With a 20% Discount Promo): By taking advantage of an exclusive Finnair promotion (20% off), those exact same 100,000 Avios drop to €1,680 (approx. £1,430).
The Result: By purchasing through Finnair during their promotion and transferring the points straight to your British Airways Executive Club account for free, you save roughly £385 (€455) in one go.
4. The Secret to Cheap Avios: Top Discount Strategies
To buy cheap Avios, keep an eye out for three main avenues that significantly drive down the cost per point:
A. Bonus Promotions (50% to 100% Extra)
Several times a year (especially around Black Friday, airline anniversaries, or seasonal sales), Avios programs run flash sales offering 50% to 100% bonus Avios on purchases.
Example: Buying 50,000 Avios with a 50% bonus yields 75,000 Avios for the same outlay, dropping your cost per Avios right into the sweet spot of 1.1p – 1.2p.
B. Direct Discount Sales (20% to 50% Off)
As shown in the Finnair example, airlines sometimes offer cash discounts instead of bonus points. Buying Avios with a direct discount accomplishes the same goal: bringing the cost per point well below market value.
C. Avios Subscription Plans
British Airways offers an official subscription model. By paying a monthly or annual fee, you receive a recurring batch of Avios. If you opt for the prepaid annual plan, the cost drops to as low as 0.89p – 1p per Avios, making it the cheapest and most consistent way to buy Avios throughout the year.
5. When Is Buying Avios Actually Worth It? (Real Scenarios)
Buying Avios just to let them sit in your account is a mistake (points suffer from inflation over time). However, there are two key scenarios where buying points strategically is a brilliant move:
Scenario 1: The “Top-Up” To Lock In a Reward Flight
Imagine you need 50,000 Avios to book a Club World (Business Class) reward seat to New York, but you only have 46,000 in your account. Buying the remaining 4,000 Avios—even at standard price—is 100% worth it, as it instantly unlocks a Business Class ticket worth thousands of pounds.
Scenario 2: Business Class Arbitrage
Suppose you want to fly from London to New York in British Airways Club World off-peak:
Cash price for the ticket: £2,500
Avios redemption price: 160,000 Avios + approx. £350 in taxes and fees.
If you stack an Avios subscription or buy Avios during a 50%+ bonus sale, acquiring those points might cost you around £1,400.
The Math:
Cost to buy Avios: £1,400
Taxes & fees: £350
Total out-of-pocket cost: £1,750 (saving you £750 compared to paying the cash fare).
This is where strategic Avios purchasing turns into massive savings.
6. Pre-Purchase Checklist Before You Click “Buy”
Check ALL partner airlines: Compare pricing across BA, Iberia, Qatar Airways, and Finnair. Buy wherever the active deal is best and transfer them to your main account instantly.
Use the right credit card: Pay with a card that earns points (e.g., BA Amex Premium Plus, Barclaycard Avios Plus, or an Amex Preferred Rewards Gold). You earn points on the purchase of points!
Confirm award availability FIRST: Always make sure there are actual reward seats available for your preferred dates before spending a single penny on buying Avios.
What’s Your Strategy?
Have you ever bought Avios to top up a Business Class redemption, or do you prefer collecting points purely through credit card spending and daily shopping? Let us know in the comments below!
If your travel goal is to collect Avios to fly Business Class with British Airways, Qatar Airways, or Iberia practically for free, you already know that every expense counts. And let’s be realistic: accommodation usually takes up the biggest chunk of our holiday budget.
Today, searching for how to earn Avios with Booking.com is the natural move for most travellers. However, sticking solely to the official co-branded portal might mean leaving both money and points on the table.
In this article, we explain how to squeeze Booking.com to the max, why booking on the regular web is usually smarter than using the airline link, when to leverage other alternatives (like Agoda), and the hidden tricks you must master so your hotel pays for your next Business Class flight.
1. The Classic Way: How to Earn Avios with Booking.com
The alliance between the British Airways Shopping eStore (or Iberia Club) and Booking.com allows you to earn Avios on your accommodation stays. To collect points this way, the airline requires you to access Booking via their dedicated partner portal and enter your frequent flyer number during checkout.
However, as you’ll see below, always booking through the airline portal is rarely the most cost-effective choice.
2. Market Reality: Why Booking.com as Normal Is Usually Your Best Option
Although the British Airways eStore promises direct Avios, in practice it frequently inflates room rates or blocks access to Genius discounts and mobile-only deals. For the vast majority of stays, you are far better off making your reservation directly on the standard Booking.com website.
By booking directly on the standard platform, you secure two instant advantages:
Upfront Savings: You preserve your Genius status perks (10%–20% discounts, free breakfast, or room upgrades) and mobile-exclusive rates.
Smarter Double Dipping: The money you save on the room rate can be funnelled into paying with a points-earning credit card (like an Amex or BA Barclaycard), securing Avios on the lower base price without paying a markup.
What about other platforms like Agoda?
It’s true that platforms like Agoda or Rocketmiles occasionally launch aggressive bonus campaigns (offering up to 5 Avios per £1). These are worth checking for specific promo deals, but for day-to-day hotel availability and best pricing, using the standard Booking.com site remains the most reliable and affordable option.
3. The Official British Airways Portal: Pay and Earn Hotels with Avios
Many travellers miss out on the power of the integrated British Airways Executive Club platform (BA Hotels). Through their official hotel portal, you get a double competitive advantage:
High Accumulation Multiplier: You can book hotels directly within their ecosystem, achieving solid Avios earning rates.
Smart Redemption (Avios & Money): It allows you to use your accumulated Avios to pay fully or partially for hotel nights if you want to reduce cash outlay.
4. Double Dipping: Multiply Your Points with the Right Credit Card
To maximize your rewards, you don’t need to rely solely on airline portal links. When you book directly on Booking.com at the lowest rate and settle the bill with a rewards card, you win both on price and points:
British Airways American Express / Barclaycard Avios: Earn Avios directly on all everyday purchases and travel spending.
American Express Membership Rewards (Amex Gold/Platinum): MR points transfer instantly to British Airways Executive Club or Iberia Club at a 1:1 ratio. Paying for your stay with an Amex ensures direct points on the lowest room rate.
5. The Ultimate Trick: Become the Travel Manager for Friends and Family
If you want to see your Avios balance skyrocket exponentially, volunteer to organize hotel bookings for group trips, family getaways, or bachelor parties.
If you handle a booking for 4 rooms worth £1,200 on Booking.com taking advantage of Genius rates and pay for the whole group with your Amex or BA card, you capture all the credit card Avios on the total spend while your companions pay the lowest possible rate.
6. Beware of the Fine Print: Price Traps on Airline Portals
Before clicking pay, pull out your calculator. Points optimization requires attention to detail regarding price differences:
A Real Example: When Is It Worth Paying a Bit More?
Let’s say you are looking for a hotel in London for next month:
Option 1: Price via BA eStore / Airline Link: £165 (via the official Iberia / BA Booking link). Earns 165 Avios.
Option 2: Standard Web Price (Genius / Mobile Rate): £150 (accessing directly via Booking.com).
In this scenario, paying £15 more for just 165 Avios is not worth it (you’d be buying Avios at nearly 9p each—an absurd valuation). The smart move is to book on the standard Booking.com site for £150 and pay with your rewards credit card to collect points on the payment itself.
Only in rare cases where a secondary partner like Agoda runs a massive 5:1 promo (e.g., earning 2,500 Avios for a £20 price difference) does paying the markup make sense.
Conclusion
The golden rule for maximizing your travel budget is to lock in the best base price on the standard Booking.com site and channel your points accumulation through your credit card. Only use airline portals when there’s an aggressive bonus promo running. Happy hunting!
The biggest mistake most people make about Avios is thinking you can only earn them by flying. The truth is you can accumulate thousands of points every month doing exactly what you already do: shopping online, paying your grocery bill, booking hotels or taking out insurance.
With an annual spend of between £8,000 and £12,000 — perfectly achievable if you channel your purchases well — you can earn enough Avios for a return Business Class flight within Europe completely free. You don’t need to be a frequent flyer. You just need to know where to shop.
In this guide I’ll walk you through every way to earn Avios, from easiest to most advanced.
What are Avios?
Avios are the points currency of the OneWorld alliance, which includes British Airways, Iberia, American Airlines, Qatar Airways and Finnair, among others.
Imagine that every time you buy something online — clothes, tech, a hotel, travel insurance — you received a little bonus towards flights. That’s Avios: the loyalty points you can earn through your everyday purchases, at no extra cost.
The best part? You can use those points for free flights — or nearly free, just paying the taxes — on British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Qatar Airways and other airlines in the group. No premium credit cards required, no constant travelling. Just shopping where you already shop, but smarter.
1. Online shopping: the easiest and most underrated way
This is the method that can earn you the most Avios without changing your habits at all. British Airways has agreements with over 500 online retailers that give you Avios for every pound you spend with them.
The system is simple: instead of going directly to Amazon, ASOS or John Lewis, you first visit the British Airways Shopping portal or use our Avios finder — updated weekly — to see how many Avios each store offers, then click through to the shop. That’s it. The rest of your purchase is exactly the same.
The stores offering the most Avios vary week to week, but generally stand out:
Electronics and technology: typically 2–5 Avios per pound
Fashion: between 2 and 8 Avios per pound depending on the brand
Travel (hotels, car hire): up to 10–15 Avios per pound on some platforms
Groceries and food: fewer points but frequent purchases
💡 Practical tip: before any online purchase, check our finder to see if that store has an Avios agreement and how many points it gives. Two minutes that could be worth hundreds of Avios.
2. Credit cards: earn on every payment
Bank cards linked to points programmes are another huge source of Avios that most people overlook. The idea is simple: use the card to pay for everything you can (groceries, petrol, restaurants, pharmacy) and accumulate points on every purchase.
British Airways American Express
The most direct card for earning Avios in the UK. It gives 1 Avios per £1 spent on everyday purchases, with a welcome bonus if you meet certain spend requirements. Best of all: the points are directly Avios, no conversion needed. The Premium Plus version gives 1.5 Avios per £1 and includes a free companion voucher each year.
Barclays Avios Mastercard
A great option if you want to earn Avios without an Amex. It gives 1 Avios per £1 spent and is accepted anywhere Mastercard is, making it a good complement to the BA Amex for places that don’t accept American Express.
💡 Practical tip: choose one card based on your goal and use it for everything. Spreading spend across multiple cards slows down accumulation. Concentrate your spending, earn faster.
3. Flights: the obvious one, done right
Yes, flying also earns Avios. But there are ways to maximise it that few people know about.
Fly with OneWorld airlines
British Airways, Iberia, Iberia Express, Vueling, Qatar Airways, American Airlines and others all belong to the OneWorld alliance. All flights with these airlines earn Avios that can be transferred between different airline accounts.
The fare matters (a lot)
Not all fares earn the same Avios. The cheapest fares (basic, hand luggage only) usually earn very few points or none at all. Flexible or business fares earn many more. Before booking, check how many Avios each fare earns. As a general rule, the more expensive the ticket, the more Avios you receive.
4. Hotels and car hire
Many hotel chains and car hire companies have agreements with airlines. Some of them include:
NH Hotels: earn Avios directly when you book
Meliá: through their MeliáRewards programme, with the option to transfer points
Booking.com: shows the Avios you’ll earn with each booking when you search through their dedicated portal
Hertz, Europcar, Avis: car hire also earns points
💡 Practical tip: always book hotels and car hire through the Avios portal or a partner store link. That way you earn on the booking AND on your credit card if you pay with one linked to points.
This is the big secret most people miss. Everyday spending represents the largest part of any household’s annual outgoings, and almost nobody is optimising it for Avios.
Electronics (Currys, Apple, Samsung): buy through the Avios portal and earn points
Petrol stations: some have agreements with British Airways
Online pharmacies: several are listed on the shopping portal
Insurance: taking out insurance through partner comparison sites can give you thousands of Avios in one go
6. External tools and surveys
Opinion surveys: some market research companies reward you with Avios
Referrals: recommending the Avios app to a friend can earn you a bonus once they make their first purchase through the platform
Avios for Thoughts: the official Avios survey programme, where you earn points by answering questions
7. Transfers between programmes
British Airways Executive Club → Iberia Club: use the “Combine my Avios” feature to reach the minimum needed for a redemption
Qatar Airways Privilege Club: also uses Avios and is compatible
Bank points: American Express Membership Rewards can be converted into Avios or miles for use on airlines in other alliances
How many Avios do you need for a free flight?
Destination
Economy Class
Business Class
Europe (short haul)
4,500 – 9,000 Avios
15,000 – 25,000 Avios
United States
17,000 – 34,000 Avios
50,000 – 68,000 Avios
Latin America
20,000 – 40,000 Avios
60,000 – 80,000 Avios
Approximate prices in low season. Avios offer the best value on long-haul Business Class flights.
Where to start: a practical plan
Open a British Airways Executive Club account if you don’t have one yet (it’s free)
Check our finder and note the stores where you already shop that have an Avios agreement
From now on, always access those stores through the Avios portal before buying
Consider getting a points credit card to earn on everyday spending
Check each week which stores have increased their Avios — the best opportunities are temporary
You don’t need to do everything at once. Just by changing where you click before shopping online, you can earn thousands of Avios every month without spending a penny more.
Conclusion
Avios aren’t just for frequent flyers. They’re for smart shoppers. And with the right tools — like the First Class Points finder, where you can see every week which stores give the most points and which have gone up — accumulating becomes almost automatic.
The first step is the simplest: next time you’re about to buy something online, go through the Avios portal first. That’s all it takes.
