What Flight Companies Acept Avios: Everything You Need to Know

Last Updated on July 24, 2026 by Daniel Globe

Avios is a shared reward currency, but the rules are not identical across every airline that uses it. Seven airline loyalty programs issue Avios, and several of those programs also let you book reward flights with oneworld airlines and selected non-alliance partners. The airline, program, route, date, cabin, taxes, and available reward seats all affect what you can book.

Which Airlines Accept Avios?

There are two different groups to understand. The first group consists of airlines whose own loyalty programs use Avios. The second consists of partner airlines whose flights may be booked using Avios through programs such as The British Airways Club, Iberia Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, or Finnair Plus.

The seven airline loyalty programs that use Avios are:

These programs share the Avios name and currency, but they do not share one universal award chart. A flight may require a different number of Avios or a different cash payment depending on the program through which you book it.

British Airways also publishes minimum reward-seat guarantees on its own flights to and from London Heathrow and Gatwick. These flights generally open with at least eight economy, two premium-economy, and four business reward seats. London City flights have a separate minimum of two economy and two business reward seats. These guarantees do not apply to partner-operated flights.

The Seven Airline Programs That Use Avios

Avios works as a shared currency across the seven programs, but your points remain inside the program account where they were earned until you transfer or spend them. For example, Avios in Qatar Airways Privilege Club follow Qatar’s award pricing and account rules, while Avios in Finnair Plus follow Finnair’s rules.

This creates useful flexibility. You may be able to move the same Avios to another program when that program has a better redemption option, lower fees, easier partner access, or more suitable availability. However, moving Avios does not force the receiving program to offer the same seats or price as the sending program.

Oneworld Airlines You Can Book With Avios

Several Avios programs provide access to reward seats across the oneworld alliance. The alliance currently includes the following airlines:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Fiji Airways
• Finnair
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Iberia
• Japan Airlines
• Malaysia Airlines
• Oman Air
• Qantas
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Air Maroc
• Royal Jordanian
• SriLankan Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines became a full oneworld member in April 2026, while Oman Air and Fiji Airways joined as full members in 2025. Philippine Airlines has announced plans to join but is not yet listed as a full member.

Access to the alliance does not mean that every seat on every flight can be booked with Avios. The operating airline controls how much award inventory it releases, and the Avios program you use controls the price, fees, and booking method. Some partner awards appear online, while others may require a phone or chat booking.

A seat being available for cash does not mean it is available as an Avios reward seat.

Avios Partners Outside Oneworld

Aer Lingus, Vueling, and Loganair use Avios but are not current oneworld member airlines. You can redeem through their own programs and transfer Avios into those programs when their routes or payment options suit your trip.

Some Avios programs also work with additional non-oneworld airlines. British Airways, for example, maintains codeshare and commercial relationships with airlines including Aer Lingus, China Southern Airlines, LATAM Airlines, Loganair, and Vueling. However, a codeshare does not automatically mean that every flight is available as a Reward Flight.

LATAM is no longer a oneworld member. Selected LATAM itineraries may still appear through British Airways or other partnerships, but you should verify the operating carrier, flight number, and Avios eligibility in the booking tool before relying on that option.

Best Avios Redemptions By Airline

There is no permanent list of the best Avios redemptions because airlines change award prices, fees, calendars, and partner access. Instead of relying on an old mileage figure, compare the same route through the Avios programs available to you.

Short Nonstop Flights

Short nonstop flights can provide good value when the cash fare is high and the reward requires a manageable cash payment. This is often useful for travel within Europe, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Australia, or North America, depending on which partner program offers the route.

Peak Travel Dates

Avios can be valuable during school holidays, major events, or last-minute travel when cash fares have increased. The redemption is only worthwhile if reward seats exist and the taxes, fees, and carrier charges remain reasonable.

Premium Cabins

Business- and first-class rewards can offer a high value per Avios, but they may also carry substantial carrier charges. Compare the total cash payment, cancellation rules, connection time, and cabin product instead of choosing the lowest Avios total alone.

Program-Specific Partners

Finnair Plus, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Iberia Club, and The British Airways Club may price the same partner differently. Moving Avios to the program with the most suitable award can help, but only after you confirm that the seat is visible and bookable through that program.

How to Calculate the Value of an Avios Redemption

Avios do not have a fixed cash value. You can estimate the value of a specific booking with this formula:

Avios value = cash price you would otherwise pay minus the taxes and fees on the reward ticket, divided by the number of Avios required.

For example, suppose a flight costs £300 in cash or 20,000 Avios plus £80. Subtract the £80 reward-ticket payment from the £300 cash fare, leaving £220. Divide £220 by 20,000 Avios. That redemption gives approximately 1.1 pence of value per Avios.

Only use the cash price you would realistically pay. A £1,000 business-class ticket does not create £1,000 of personal value if you would have booked a £200 economy ticket instead.

How To Transfer Avios Between Programs

You can transfer Avios between your own accounts in The British Airways Club, Iberia Club, AerClub, Vueling Club, Loganair Loyalty, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, and Finnair Plus. The current British Airways transfer service connects its Club with each of the other six programs.

The Avios value remains 1:1 during these transfers. One Avios moved out of one participating program becomes one Avios in the receiving program. Transfer eligibility, account linking, identity checks, and security requirements may differ.

Eligible Transfer Programs

Transfer Rules And Limits

Your first name, family name, date of birth, and other account details should match across the programs you link. Two-factor authentication may be required. Household accounts, junior accounts, recently opened accounts, or accounts under review may face additional restrictions.

Transfers are generally free and often appear immediately, but technical or account-matching problems can cause delays. Not every pair of programs has a direct transfer connection, so routing the Avios through The British Airways Club may be the simplest option.

Moving Avios between programs may not count as qualifying earning or spending activity for expiry purposes. Check the expiry rule in both the sending and receiving programs.

Step-By-Step Moving Avios

1. Open loyalty accounts in the programs you plan to use.
2. Check that the legal name, date of birth, email address, and other requested details match.
3. Complete any minimum account-age requirement.
4. Enable two-factor authentication where required.
5. Search for the reward seat through the program where you intend to book.
6. Confirm the Avios amount, taxes, carrier charges, and cancellation rules.
7. Open the airline’s transfer or Combine Avios page and link your accounts.
8. Select the sending account, receiving account, and number of Avios.
9. Confirm the transfer and verify that the balance appears before booking.

How To Earn Avios Faster

The best earning method depends on your country and the Avios program you use. Common options include eligible flights, airline credit cards, transferable bank points, online shopping portals, hotels, car rentals, travel extras, and limited-time promotions.

On British Airways-marketed flights, members generally earn Avios from eligible spending, including the fare and airline-imposed charges. Government taxes and airport fees do not normally earn Avios. The earning rate depends on the member’s Club tier.

Some partner flights still award Avios according to the distance flown, booking class, cabin, and membership tier. Always enter the loyalty number for the program where you want the flight credited. The same flight cannot normally earn Avios in two different loyalty programs.

American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and other flexible bank-point programs may transfer to selected Avios airlines in certain countries. Transfer partners and ratios vary by country and can change, so check the bank’s current transfer page before moving points.

UK members may also have access to Avios credit cards, Nectar conversions, airline shopping portals, and travel partners. Other countries offer different cards and retail relationships.

Avios Upgrades And Part-Payment

Avios can be used for more than a full Reward Flight. Depending on the airline and booking, you may be able to upgrade a cash ticket, reduce a cash fare through part payment, purchase travel extras, or combine Avios with money.

Upgrade Eligibility

British Airways allows Avios upgrades on eligible British Airways, Iberia, and American Airlines flights. The upgrade is normally limited to the next cabin and requires reward availability in that cabin.

Most British Airways cash bookings can be considered, but the lowest economy fare classes may be excluded. Package fares and certain travel-agent tickets can also have restrictions. An eligible booking does not guarantee an upgrade because the next cabin must have suitable reward inventory.

1. Open Manage My Booking for an existing reservation.
2. Look for the “Upgrade this flight with Avios” option.
3. Confirm that the operating airline, fare class, and next cabin are eligible.
4. Review the extra Avios, taxes, fees, and carrier charges before confirming.

How Upgrade Pricing Works

For British Airways, the Avios needed for an upgrade is generally based on the difference between the Reward Flight price of the cabin booked and the Reward Flight price of the next cabin.

Reward price of the new cabin minus reward price of the original cabin equals the Avios needed for a one-way upgrade.

The actual amount can change with the route, peak or off-peak date, operating airline, and available cabin. Additional taxes, fees, or carrier charges may also apply.

Using Avios For Part-Payment

British Airways lets members reduce the cash price of selected flights with as little as 1,000 Avios. The checkout page normally presents several combinations of cash and Avios.

Vueling Club also allows Avios to cover all or part of eligible Vueling flights and extras such as seats and baggage. Qatar Airways offers Cash + Avios options on eligible bookings. Minimums and conversion values differ by program.

Part payment can be convenient, but it does not automatically provide the best value per Avios. Compare the cash reduction with the number of points required before confirming.

Where Avios Delivers The Best Value

Avios often delivers strong value in situations where the cash fare is unusually high but the reward price and cash fees remain reasonable. Common opportunities include short nonstop flights, peak travel dates, regional partner flights, and selected premium-cabin awards.

Use this checklist before booking:

• Compare the same flight through more than one Avios program.
• Check the total cash fare you would otherwise pay.
• Subtract the taxes and fees charged on the reward ticket.
• Check whether baggage and seat selection are included.
• Compare nonstop and connecting options.
• Review the cancellation or change fee.
• Confirm that the operating airline is eligible, not merely the marketing airline.
• Do not transfer until you can see the exact reward seat.

How to Book Partner Flights With Avios

1. Choose the Avios program you want to search, such as British Airways, Iberia, Qatar Airways, or Finnair.
2. Sign in before searching because some reward availability is visible only to members.
3. Select the option to book with Avios, points, or reward miles.
4. Search one flight segment at a time if a complicated itinerary returns no results.
5. Verify the operating airline and cabin for every segment.
6. Compare the Avios and cash price against another participating program.
7. Check baggage, seat selection, connection, cancellation, and infant-ticket rules.
8. Transfer any missing Avios only after confirming the seat.
9. Complete the booking and save both the ticket number and airline booking references.

For some partners, the website may not show every available flight. Contact the program’s customer service when its official partner page says telephone or chat booking is required.

Important Avios Booking Rules

Taxes and Carrier Charges

A Reward Flight is rarely completely free. Most programs require Avios plus government taxes, airport charges, and sometimes airline-imposed carrier charges. These cash amounts can vary substantially between airlines, routes, cabins, and booking programs.

Reward Availability

Partner airlines decide how many seats they release. Reward inventory can appear, disappear, or return later. A program may also have access to a different set of seats than another Avios program.

Codeshares

Check the operating airline, not only the flight number shown by the company selling the ticket. A commercial codeshare route may not be eligible for an Avios reward or may earn Avios differently.

Baggage and Seat Selection

The baggage allowance and seat-selection rules usually follow the airline operating the flight and the reward fare booked. Do not assume that a partner reward includes the same benefits as a British Airways Reward Flight.

Changes and Cancellations

Reward tickets are normally subject to the issuing program’s rules. Fees, deadlines, and refund policies differ. Check the cancellation terms before booking, especially for travel within the next 24 hours.

Avios Expiry

Expiry rules differ between programs. British Airways generally keeps Avios active when you collect, spend, buy, or share at least one Avios within 36 months. Finnair Plus uses an 18-month activity period. A transfer alone may not reset the expiry clock, so check the account where the balance is held.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which airlines can I use my Avios points with?

You can use Avios through British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, Finnair, Vueling, and Loganair. Several of these programs also let you book eligible flights on oneworld airlines, including American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, Japan Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines.

How much are 50,000 Avios worth?

Fifty thousand Avios do not have one fixed cash value. They may cover several short economy flights, part of a long-haul reward, or part payment toward a cash booking. Calculate the value by subtracting the reward ticket’s cash fees from the cash fare you would otherwise pay, then dividing the result by 50,000.

Which airline programs can I transfer Avios to?

You can transfer your Avios between your own accounts in The British Airways Club, Iberia Club, AerClub, Vueling Club, Loganair Loyalty, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, and Finnair Plus. The value is normally 1:1, but account linking and eligibility requirements vary.

What airlines are connected to Avios?

The seven airline programs using Avios are British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, Finnair, Vueling, and Loganair. Avios programs may also provide access to oneworld airlines and selected program-specific partners.

Do all Avios programs charge the same number of points?

No. The programs use the same Avios currency, but they can set different reward prices, cash fees, partner rules, peak dates, and change policies. Compare the flight through more than one program before transferring.

Do Avios expire?

They can expire after a period without qualifying account activity. British Airways generally uses a 36-month inactivity period, while Finnair Plus uses 18 months. Check the rule for the program holding your balance because transferring Avios may not reset the expiry date.

Can I use Avios to book a flight for someone else?

Many Avios programs allow a member to book a reward flight for another passenger, but the booking and household-account rules differ. Enter the passenger’s name exactly as it appears on the travel document and review the issuing program’s terms before paying.

Conclusion

Avios can be used through seven airline loyalty programs and across a broad partner network, including the current oneworld alliance. The key is to separate the airline operating the flight from the program issuing the reward ticket.

Search the exact flight first, compare more than one Avios program, review the cash fees and ticket conditions, and transfer only after confirming availability. That process is more reliable than following an old award chart and gives you a better chance of getting useful value from your Avios.

Sources

1. British Airways Reward Flights — current reward-seat guarantees, booking options, partner awards, and published pricing guidance.
2. British Airways Avios Transfers — supported Avios programs and account-transfer process.
3. British Airways Upgrades With Avios — upgrade eligibility, next-cabin rule, and pricing method.
4. Oneworld Member Airlines — current alliance membership.
5. Finnair Avios Transfers — transfer value, security checks, account-age rules, and linking instructions.
6. Loganair Loyalty and Avios — Loganair’s use of Avios and transfer connection with other participating programs.