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Finnair now offers a “Subscribe to Avios” mileage subscription program, letting members buy Avios in fixed monthly increments. Subscriptions can be paid monthly or annually, with totals ranging from 24,000 to a whopping 240,000 Avios per year. With the largest subscription, you can score Avios for just 1.36¢ a piece.
Here’s what you need to know about how the subscription works, the cost, and whether it’s a good deal compared to other ways of buying Avios.
How the Finnair Avios Subscription Works
Subscribing to receive Finnair Avios is very straightforward:
- Log in to your Finnair Plus account and visit the Avios subscription page.
- Choose monthly or annual payment.
- Pick how many Avios you want each month. Options range from 24,000 to 240,000 Avios annually.
- Commit to at least:
- 12 months for annual payments
- 3 months for monthly payments
Each month, your chosen Avios amount is automatically deposited into your account.
Step-by-Step Process
Log in to your Finnair account and head over to the subscription page.
Select your desired subscription payment model and Avios amount
You can then hit subscribe and proceed to payment.
Monthly vs. Yearly Payment Options
You have a few options when it comes to subscribing to Avios. You can choose from various monthly amounts to receive. Additionally, you can opt to pay annually or monthly. It goes without saying that paying up front once per year is a much better value than paying monthly. The annual Avios subscription option is as follows:
| Monthly/Yearly Avios Received | Yearly Payment | Euro Cents Per Avios | USD Cents Per Avios |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000/24,000 | €360 | 1.5 | 1.74 |
| 4,000/48,000 | €629 | 1.31 | 1.52 |
| 10,000/120,000 | €1.476 | 1.23 | 1.43 |
| 20,000/240,000 | €2,808 | 1.17 | 1.36 |
On the other hand, if you want to break up your payment over the year, the monthly subscription model looks as follows:
| Monthly/Yearly Avios Subscription | Monthly Cost In Euros | Yearly Cost In Euros | Euro cents per Avios | USD Cents Per Avios |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,000/24,000 | €36 | €432 | 1.8 | 2.09 |
| 4,000/48,000 | €63.2 | €758.4 | 1.58 | 1.83 |
| 10,000/120,000 | €147 | €1,764 | 1.47 | 1.71 |
| 20,000/240,000 | €282 | €3,364 | 1.41 | 1.64 |
Is the Finnair Avios Subscription a Good Deal?
Considering the various costs associated with the Finnair Avios subscription model, whether to subscribe or not, and whether it's a good deal will depend on your use of Avios. For instance, if you plan to transfer your Avios to a partner such as British Airways, Iberia, or Aer Lingus, there is some value to be had.
Related: How to Transfer Avios Between British Airways, Iberia, Qatar, Finnair, and Aer Lingus.
On average, AwardWallet members have been able to leverage their Avios for 2.55¢ through British Airways Club, 2.99¢ through Iberia Plus, and an impressive 3.73¢ through Aer Lingus (although with many fewer datapoints).
While in every case, using the average subscription model, there is some value. The model has one major drawback. You do not get all your Avios in one hit. Instead, you receive them as a monthly payment. So, if you need 100,000 Avios for a major Business/First Class Award, you will have to wait between 5 months and 4 years and 5 months to receive enough Avios for your redemption.
If you are willing to pay for your Avios, then you have many better options that, in some cases, are more economical. Buying Avios directly during a promotion from a participating airline can be more economical, and you receive your entire Avios balance in your account at once.
Additionally, these promotions are not difficult to come by. For instance, BA recently offered a 40% bonus (1.64¢) a piece. At the same time, Iberia was selling Avios with a 50% Bonus at (1.54¢) a piece. Even Qatar sold Avios recently with a massive 70% bonus at (1.35¢) a piece.
Other Ways to Boost Your Finnair Avios Balance
When it comes to topping up your Finnair Avios Balance, you are spoiled for choice. This is because, as mentioned above, you can transfer Avios free of charge between all of the following programs.
- British Airways
- Iberia
- Qatar Airways
- Finnair
- Aer Lingus
- Loganair
As a result, Finnair is a de facto transfer partner with nearly every major points currency program. However only the following programs transfer directly to Finnair:
You can use Finnair’s Avios partners to indirectly transfer points from American Express, Chase, Citi, and more to Finnair. This makes it relatively easy to quickly boost your Finnair Avios balance.
Our Take
On the one hand, the ability to subscribe and purchase Avios may seem like a good idea; however, there are two significant caveats to consider. First, you should never buy points and miles speculatively, no matter how good the deal is; holding cash is always a better option. That means you would have to be a frequent Avios user who consistently earns and redeems them for awards.
The Avios subscription may have some niche uses, particularly for travelers based in regions where Avios are hard to earn through credit cards or other partners. But for most people, it won’t be the best way to buy Avios. Promotions from other Avios programs regularly offer better pricing, and you won’t have to wait months for your balance to build.
Unless you have limited options, this subscription is probably not the most cost-effective way to grow your Avios balance.
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