American Express and Chase make it pretty simple to rack up British Airways Avios—no transatlantic flights required. If you’ve got travel plans and want to use points instead of cash, British Airways’ loyalty program might be a solid fit. Avios are the airline’s reward currency, and you can use them for flights, including some valuable short-haul redemptions.
Use the British Airways Visa Signature® Card
One of the easiest ways to start earning Avios is by applying for the British Airways Visa Signature® Card. This co-branded card offers a generous sign-up bonus and ongoing rewards.
You can earn 85,000 Avios after spending $5,000 within the first three months of opening the account. After that, the card continues to reward your everyday spending:
- 3 Avios per $1 spent with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL.
- 2 Avios per $1 on hotel bookings made directly with the hotel.
- 1 Avios per $1 on all other purchases.
Earn Avios by Transferring Points from American Express Cards
If you’ve got an American Express card that earns Membership Rewards, you’re in luck. British Airways is a transfer partner, and AmEx points can be moved over to Avios at a 1:1 ratio. That makes these cards super flexible—but you’ll want to transfer only when you’ve already found award availability.
Recommended AmEx Cards
Here are a few top personal AmEx cards that earn Membership Rewards:
- AmEx Platinum Card® (Annual fee: $895): Potential welcome offer of up to 175,000 points after spending $8,000 in the first 6 months.
- AmEx Gold Card® (Annual fee: $325): You might earn up to 100,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months.
- AmEx Green Card® (Annual fee: $150): Earn 40,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 6 months.
Note that welcome offers vary and are not guaranteed. You’ll see your personal offer after applying—without impacting your credit score.
How to Transfer Points from AmEx to British Airways
Start by logging into your AmEx account and selecting “Rewards” from the top menu. Then pick “Transfer Points”, followed by “View All” to see all airline partners.
Choose British Airways. If this is your first time, you’ll need to link your Executive Club account to your AmEx profile. You’ll be asked for:
- Your Executive Club number
- A four-digit security code from the front of your AmEx card
- A three-digit code from the back
Once verified, you can proceed with the transfer. AmEx points must be moved in 1,000-point increments, and since British Airways is not a U.S. airline, no excise tax applies to the transfer.
Timing Is Key: Watch for Transfer Bonuses
AmEx often runs transfer bonuses. For instance, in the past they offered a 25% bonus to Hawaiian Airlines and a 50% bonus to Hilton. Timing your transfer during a promotion can give your Avios even more value. British Airways redemptions are particularly cost-effective for short-haul flights and some transatlantic routes on American Airlines, where you avoid high fuel surcharges.
Transfer Avios from Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points
Chase also partners with British Airways, and the process to transfer Ultimate Rewards® points is just as seamless. Like AmEx, Chase transfers at a 1:1 ratio, and you’ll need a qualifying Chase card to get started.
Recommended Chase Cards
Personal Travel Cards:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Annual fee: $795): Earn 125,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® (Annual fee: $95): Earn 75,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months.
Business Travel Cards:
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Annual fee: $95): Earn 90,000 points after spending $8,000 in the first 3 months.
If you already have one of the premium travel cards above, you can also pick up a no-fee card to boost your points potential.
No-Fee Personal Cards:
- Chase Freedom Flex® (Annual fee: $0): Earn $200 bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited® (Annual fee: $0): Same intro offer as Freedom Flex.
No-Fee Business Cards:
- Ink Business Cash® (Annual fee: $0): Earn $900 after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months.
- Ink Business Unlimited® (Annual fee: $0): Also earns $900 after $6,000 in spending within 3 months.
How to Transfer Points from Chase to British Airways
To begin, log in to your Chase account and navigate to the Chase Ultimate Rewards® page. From the top menu, choose “Transfer to Travel Partners”.
Select British Airways from the list and input your Executive Club information. This will link your Chase and British Airways accounts.
Transfers must be made in 1,000-point increments, and most are instant, allowing you to grab award seats without delays.
Whether you go with AmEx or Chase, both paths to earning Avios are flexible and user-friendly. With the right card and smart timing, you could be jetting off sooner—and spending less.
Marriott Bonvoy Cards and Earning British Airways Avios
Marriott Bonvoy® points convert to British Airways Avios at a 3:1 ratio. That means for every 3,000 Bonvoy points, you get 1,000 Avios. But here’s a trick: when you transfer 60,000 Bonvoy points at once, you’ll receive a 5,000-point bonus. So instead of getting 20,000 Avios for 60,000 points, you get 25,000. That’s a sweet spot worth aiming for.
There are a few Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, each catering to different budgets and travel styles:
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (No annual fee): Earn 60,000 Bonus Points when you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card ($650 annual fee): Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy® Bonus Points after spending $6,000 within 6 months of opening. Terms apply.
- Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card ($125 annual fee): Earn up to 125,000 points—75,000 points for $6,000 in purchases, plus an extra 50,000 when you spend another $3,000 in the same 6-month period. Terms apply.
Whichever card you pick, try to always transfer Bonvoy points in chunks of 60,000. That’s how you get the 5,000 bonus Avios. You can check rates and fees for the Brilliant® and Business® cards on their respective pages.
Maximize Transfers with American Express
American Express Membership Rewards is a transfer partner of Marriott. Occasionally, AmEx runs promos where you get bonus points when transferring to Marriott. For instance, in September 2022, there was a 30% bonus.
So if a transfer bonus is running and you’re eyeing a British Airways reward flight, you can go from AmEx → Marriott → British Airways. With the right timing, that triple hop could stretch your points further than expected.
Convert Hotel Points to Avios
Got leftover hotel points just sitting there? Several hotel loyalty programs let you convert them to Avios. Here’s a quick look at the rates:
| Hotel Program | Conversion Rate |
|---|---|
| Marriott | 3,000 points = 1,000 Avios (+5,000 bonus when converting 60,000) |
| Hilton | 10,000 points = 1,000 Avios |
| IHG | 10,000 points = 2,000 Avios |
| Hyatt | 5,000 points = 2,000 Avios (+5,000 bonus for 50,000 points) |
| Radisson | 2,000 = 200, 50,000 = 5,000, 100,000 = 10,000 Avios |
| Choice | 5,000 points = 1,000 Avios |
| ALL Rewards | 4,000 points = 2,000 Avios |
| Best Western | 5,000 points = 1,000 Avios |
| MeliaRewards | 100 points = 30 Avios (in 100-point increments) |
To convert, head to the British Airways hotel partners page and select your hotel. Then log into your hotel loyalty account and look for the option to move points to Avios.
Earn Avios When Booking Hotels or Airbnb
You can also earn Avios by booking hotels directly with select partners or through hotel booking platforms. Participating partners include:
- Accor
- Agoda.com
- Avios Hotels
- Best Western
- Booking.com
- Choice
- Hotels.com
- Hyatt
- IHG
- Kaligo.com
- Marriott
- Rocketmiles
Each partner has its own Avios-earning rate, so it’s worth checking British Airways’ site before you book.
If you prefer Airbnb, you’re in luck! By booking through the British Airways Airbnb portal, you earn 3 Avios per $1 spent. Plus, new Airbnb users get a 500-Avios welcome bonus.
Join the British Airways Executive Club
To earn Avios from flights, join the British Airways Executive Club—it’s free and quick. After joining, simply enter your Executive Club number when booking flights with British Airways or its partners.
As a member, you also earn tier points, which could level you up to elite status:
- Bronze: 25% bonus Avios
- Silver: 50% bonus Avios
- Gold: 100% bonus Avios
So, frequent flyers get rewarded even more. Staying loyal really pays off.
Earn Avios with Partner Airlines
You don’t have to fly British Airways to earn Avios. Many partner airlines also allow you to earn them. Here’s the list:
| Airline | Alliance |
|---|---|
| American Airlines | Oneworld |
| Cathay Pacific | Oneworld |
| Finnair | Oneworld |
| Iberia | Oneworld |
| Japan Airlines | Oneworld |
| Malaysia Airlines | Oneworld |
| Qantas | Oneworld |
| Qatar Airways | Oneworld |
| Royal Air Maroc | Oneworld |
| Royal Jordanian | Oneworld |
| S7 Airlines | Oneworld |
| SriLankan Airlines | Oneworld |
| Aer Lingus | Partner |
| Alaska Airlines | Partner |
| LATAM | Partner |
Note: Air Italy is a partner but does not earn Avios on flights.
Other Ways to Earn Avios
1. Shop Through the Avios eStore
Love online shopping? Visit the British Airways Avios eStore before checking out. You can earn up to 20 Avios per $1 spent with over 400 retailers. Each brand displays its current earning rate, which changes often.
2. Rent Cars with Avis
Need a car rental? Book through Avis, the official British Airways car rental partner. You’ll earn:
- 1 Avios per $1 spent
- Minimum of 500 Avios per rental
- 1,000 bonus Avios after 4 rentals in a year
- 250 extra Avios if you use a British Airways credit card to pay
3. Buy Avios (As a Last Resort)
You can buy Avios in 1,000-point increments, up to 200,000 annually. But it’s pricey:
- 1,000 Avios = 5.3¢ per point
- 200,000 Avios = 2.8¢ per point
Buying Avios should be your backup plan when you’re just short of a redemption goal.
You now know the many ways to earn British Airways Avios—from credit card points and hotel stays to everyday spending and travel. No passport required!
