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One of the worst feelings when booking award travel is finding out that you'll need to pay thousands in “carrier-imposed surcharges” (also known as fuel surcharges) to book that dream award ticket. If earning miles through flying, it can take years to accumulate the miles required for a premium cabin award redemption. And only then you may discover that you'll also need to shell out hundreds in cash to book an award. You may be asking, “Is there some way to avoid fuel surcharges?”
Ask any frequent flyer and they'll tell you that there are few worse offenders when it comes to outrageous fuel surcharges than British Airways. When redeeming Avios through the British Airways Executive Club program, it is common to come across fuel surcharges of up to $1,000 each way. Requiring both Avios and massive fuel surcharges makes premium cabin redemptions a punch to the gut.
Luckily, there are ways to avoid these costly carrier-imposed fees and surcharges. In this post, we'll take a look at some of the best ways to avoid British Airways fuel surcharges when redeeming Avios.
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Just How Bad Are British Airways Fuel Surcharges?
British Airways — the flag carrier of the United Kingdom — is notorious for its significant carrier-imposed surcharges on award travel. These especially plague transatlantic routes. While British Airways reduced fuel surcharges on some partners, fuel surcharges on its own routes have historically been high. The carrier recently reduced and standardized these for routes from certain regions. However, to reduce the surcharges, you're charged more in Avios. Currently, you have to pay $450 out-of-pocket for a one-way business class award to London from the U.S. West Coast. But 90,000 Avios is steep.
Still, having this option is better than in the past, because you can reduce the surcharges. If you pick the “standard” award price, you'll still approach $2,000 at times for a round-trip business-class award. This hurts.
There are a few solutions to avoid fuel surcharges when booking with Avios. As a founding partner of the Oneworld Alliance, British Airways partners with numerous airlines that don't pass along these atrocious charges. When redeeming miles with certain partner airlines, award tickets come with significantly lower surcharges. Or, in some cases, British Airways partners levy no surcharges whatsoever.
How To Avoid British Airways Fuel Surcharges When Redeeming Avios
Here are some of the top ways to reduce the out-of-pocket costs or completely avoid fuel surcharges (also known as “carrier-imposed surcharges”) when flying British Airways.
Use the statement credits on the British Airways Visa Signature® Card
British Airways Visa Signature® Card holders can take advantage of up to $600 in statement credits each year to help cover taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges on flights operated by British Airways. This is one of the card's best benefits. This statement credit significantly reduces the out-of-pocket expenses that come with the card year-over-year.
In addition to offering cardholders up to $600 in statement credits annually, the British Airways Visa Card also comes with a solid welcome bonus and additional benefits.
- Earn 75,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
- Earn 3 Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL.
- Earn 2 Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel.
- 10% off British Airways flights starting in the US when you book through the website provided in your welcome materials.
- Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you'll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
- Simply tap to pay with your contactless British Airways Visa Signature Card. Just look for the contactless symbol at checkout. It's fast, easy and secure!
- Member FDIC
- 3X Avios per $1 spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and LEVEL
- 2X Avios per $1 spent on hotel accommodations
- 1X Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Completely avoid fuel surcharges within the Americas (including Hawaii)
Flights within the Americas (including Hawaii) can offer great value with little out-of-pocket cost. If you book tickets on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines within the Americas, you'll completely avoid fuel surcharges using Avios.
This includes flying to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Plus, count one of our favorite redemptions: 16,000 Avios one way to Hawaii from the West Coast.
You’ll pay just 16,000 Avios + $5.60 to fly on American Airlines from San Francisco (SFO) to Honolulu (HNL) — an excellent price. You also can redeem Avios on Hawaii routes operated by American Airlines.
Another example is flying from Miami (MIA) to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) on American Airlines for 25,750 Avios and just $5.60 in fees and charges.
You can easily search and book awards for flights operated by American Airlines and Alaska Airlines through the British Airways Executive Club website. If you can't find a flight but see award availability via an Avios partner's website, you can still call British Airways to check whether that flight can be booked with Avios.
Redeeming Avios for transatlantic awards on Aer Lingus
Avios awards booked on flights operated by Aer Lingus incur significantly less in carrier-imposed surcharges compared to flights operated by British Airways.
Booking Avios awards through Aer Lingus is a simple way to cut back on carrier-imposed fees. Bear in mind that you won't be using British Airways Executive Club booking channels when redeeming Avios for flights operated by Aer Lingus. The best option is Avios.com, which is where you'll need to transfer your Avios if you have them with British Airways.
For more information on how to book Aer Lingus flights with Avios, check out AwardWallet's detailed overview of this route in our post on how to search and book Avios awards.
Avoid using Avios.com to book Iberia flights, though. But there is an option for the Spanish flag carrier.
Redeeming Avios for transatlantic awards on Iberia
Booking Avios award travel on Iberia requires a bit more forethought and planning. Iberia is one of five airlines that operates its own frequent flyer program while still utilizing Avios. You can transfer Avios between each program at a 1:1 ratio — but with a couple of small caveats.
The first caveat is that your Iberia Plus frequent flyer account must have been open for at least three months to transfer Avios between accounts. Also, you need to have some form of activity in your Iberia account. One easy way to get past this restriction is by transferring American Express Membership Rewards points to your Iberia Plus account.
Iberia operates nonstop flights between Madrid (MAD) and multiple major U.S. cities, including New York, Miami, and Chicago, among others. Flight between New York (JFK) and Madrid (MAD) are priced at 17,000 Avios one-way in economy and 34,000 Avios one-way in business class.
Surcharges for business class on Iberia are typically less than a third of what you’ll need to cough up to fly business on British Airways metal. Currently, Avios fees are ~$87 USD one-way from the U.S. in economy, and ~$120 USD one-way in business.
It's a double win: The award cost in Avios is less, and the surcharges are less.
Redeem Avios on British Airways flights within Europe for a flat fee
Instead of the sky-high — and sometimes variable — carrier-imposed fees and surcharges required for British Airways transatlantic Avios redemptions, intra-European Avios award flights incur a flat fee. This is similar to what you'll find on domestic awards in the United States (the $5.60 September 11 Security Fee). What's cool is that intra-European Avios award travel has surcharges that start as low as $1 when flying British Airways.
If flying British Airways, you'll also have the ability to choose just how much you want to pay in cash and Avios. For example, an economy award from London (LHR) to Paris (CDG) is available for 9,250 Avios + $1. However, that same flight is also available at the following rates:
- 8,500 Avios + $11 USD
- 7,250 Avios + $16 USD
- 4,750 Avios + $31 USD — generally the best balance of Avios and cash
- 3,700 Avios + $51 USD
- 2,950 Avios + $71 USD
Utilizing your Avios for flights throughout Europe operated by British Airways can be a great way to reposition for another flight or to explore the continent. Additionally, intra-European Avios awards are quite cheap with plenty of availability.
Book Qantas awards with Avios in Australia to avoid fuel surcharges
Australia is one of the more expensive destinations to reach from the U.S. Even domestic travel within Australia can be quite costly. However, domestic travel on Qantas when booked using Avios is a cheap and effective method of getting around the country.
Qantas is the largest domestic carrier in Australia. Using Avios can open up fantastic domestic award rates — much better than the rates you’ll get redeeming Qantas points for the same flights. All you’ll pay are the government taxes and fees, avoiding fuel surcharges entirely.
Redeeming Avios for an economy award from Sydney (SYD) to Melbourne (MEL) will set you back just 6,000 Avios and around $30 in taxes and fees. There is plenty of Avios award availability in economy and even some in business class.
Book domestic awards within Japan on JAL
Similar to domestic travel within Australia, booking domestic awards within Japan on Japan Airlines (JAL) often delivers solid value. Flights between Tokyo (HND) and Osaka (ITM) start at 10,500 Avios. Award travel within Japan comes with the tiniest of fees, if any. You'll fully avoid fuel surcharges.
Just make sure you check with cash prices. Although domestic flights in Japan aren't always cheap, the award rates were hiked last year on these short routes. However, since Japan is such a small country, Avios’ distance-based award chart makes traveling throughout the nation quite affordable.
You can travel in all classes of service offered by JAL on its robust domestic network. This includes J class (business class) and First Class. However, award space is usually only plentiful in economy.
Depart from a destination that limits fuel surcharges
A few countries have prohibited or significantly limited an airline's ability to impose fuel surcharges. These limitations on fuel surcharges also apply to award travel. However, these limitations only apply to flights departing these destinations. Flights to these destinations will still incur any applicable carrier-imposed fees and surcharges from your origin.
As of writing, the following countries have restrictions or bans on carrier-imposed surcharges:
- Australia
- Brazil
- New Zealand
If you redeem Avios for a flight departing from one of the countries listed above, you'll be able to avoid costly fees and fuel surcharges. Hong Kong used to limit fuel surcharges, but it no longer appears to. The British Airways carrier surcharges on Avios redemptions on Cathay Pacific are similar to (but a bit less) than booking with Asia Miles, the currency of Hong Kong's flag carrier.
American Airlines business class from New Zealand is a great example of an award flight you can book with Avios from these destinations.
Getting to London Without Paying British Airways Surcharges
You might have noticed that none of these alternatives will provide a clear solution to redeeming Avios for flights between the United States and the United Kingdom. So, what if you want to redeem Avios for a flight from New York City to London but also don't want to pay ridiculous carrier-imposed fees and surcharges?
There isn't a super straightforward way to do this. Sadly, British Airways levies surcharges on American Airlines flights to Europe. However, here's an example of a method to book flights between the U.S. and the U.K. using Avios without incurring pricey carrier-imposed surcharges.
Step 1: Redeem Avios for a flight from the United States to a non-U.K. destination
To book a flight from the United States to Europe without incurring high carrier-imposed fees and surcharges, find an award flight to any destination outside of the United Kingdom to which British Airways operates flights.
This can be an Iberia flight to Spain, a Finnair flight to Helsinki, or an American Airlines flight to anywhere on the continent. The key is that this flight cannot be operated by British Airways or fly through London.
Sample Itinerary:
- New York (JFK) to Madrid (MAD) in business class, booked through and operated by Iberia
- Avios required: 34,000
- Current fees and surcharges: $120.10
Once you've found a flight from the U.S. to a gateway in Europe, you can move on to step two.
Step 2: Redeem Avios for a flight from Europe's mainland to the United Kingdom
Next, find a flight from your arrival city in step one to your desired destination in the United Kingdom.
Sample Itinerary:
- Madrid (MAD) to London (LHR) in business class, booked through British Airways, operated by Iberia
- Avios required: 12,750
- Current fees and surcharges: $31.20
Once you've found availability for both flights, book both award flights. Keep in mind that this workaround results in you having two separate itineraries. If something goes wrong on the first itinerary (from the U.S. to Europe), you may incur change fees or end up forfeiting your second itinerary. We highly recommend visiting your first destination for a couple of days before continuing to London. At a minimum, allow for sufficient connection time.
Step 3: Calculate your savings
All said and done, the cash total of these two itineraries combined is just $151.30 one-way. The total number of Avios required is just 46,750. And that's for business class the entire length of the journey. You can save even more by booking the intra-Europe flight in economy.
To compare, let's see what this itinerary would cost if we redeemed Avios for a flight operated by British Airways around the same dates:
- New York (JFK) to London (LHR) in business class operated by British Airways
- Total Avios required: 80,000
- Current fees and surcharges: $350
This is the option with the cheapest carrier-imposed surcharges. But you pay a huge number of Avios. If you choose the option with the “normal” price of 50,000 Avios, you'd pay $950 in fuel surcharges! The option we outline is a much better strategy.
There are a few other ways to avoid fuel surcharges when redeeming Avios for flights between the U.S. and the U.K. Each workaround involves following the same formula. First, book a flight to Europe on one of British Airways' partner airlines via their respective booking portals. Then, book a flight from your point of entry to the United Kingdom.
Booking options
Here is a breakdown of the Avios partners through which you can book flights between the U.S. and Europe and avoid British Airways-level fuel surcharges:
- Iberia Plus
- Aer Lingus AerClub (Avios.com)
And here are the programs that allow you to book intra-European Avios award travel:
- British Airways Executive Club
- Iberia Plus
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- Vueling Club
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Earn Avios to Book Your Award
If you don’t have all the Avios you need to redeem an award, it’s worth looking at the latest offer on the British Airways Visa Signature® Card, which could land you 75,000 bonus Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
The current offer is a great way to jumpstart your points balances for your next big trip — hopefully using one of the methods to avoid fuel surcharges.
Additional credit cards that offer Avios via welcome bonuses include the Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card and Iberia Visa Signature® Card.
While not always a great value, you can always buy additional Avios. Be sure to keep an eye out for offers that allow you to buy Avios with a bonus or discount. During promotional periods, purchasing Avios can become a feasible and lucrative way of topping off your account.
Also, you can transfer multiple types of points into an Avios airline account:
Final Thoughts
Thanks to the British Airways distance-based award chart, Avios offer fantastic value for short hops in the Americas, Europe, and Australia, and at times Japan. They're also worth considering when flying on British Airways between European countries.
If you take the time to learn which airlines don’t add outrageous carrier-imposed surcharges when booking with Avios, and which regions those rules apply to, you’ll save yourself hundreds — possibly thousands — of dollars over time.
As always, if you have any questions on how to avoid fuel surcharges, or if we’ve missed any airlines or regions, please respond in the comments below.
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