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British Airways' loyalty program is called the Executive Club program, and members earn Avios. Although the program is based in the United Kingdom, it's a favorite of U.S.-based travelers. This is thanks to the ease of redeeming miles on American Airlines and Alaska, numerous bank transfer partners, and the program's competitive credit card.
In this post, we'll cover the basics of the British Airways Executive Club and its Avios currency.
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How to Earn British Airways Avios
Like many other major frequent flyer programs, travelers can earn British Airways Avios in dozens of ways — many of which don't even require air travel.
Earning Avios on British Airways Flights
The most basic way to earn Avios is through flights on British Airways. The number of Avios you'll earn with each flight depends on a variety of factors. These factors include the cabin and the fare you booked, the price of your fare, and the route on which you are traveling.
Thankfully, British Airways offers members a simple and easy-to-use tool that allows them to estimate how many Avios they'll earn on each flight. You can access this tool by clicking this link.
Here is how you'll earn Avios when traveling on flights operated by British Airways:
| Cabin | Fare Class | Avios Earned |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | G, O, Q | 25% of miles flown |
| Economy | K, L, M, N, S, V | 50% of miles flown |
| Economy | Y, B, H | 100% of miles flown |
| Premium Economy | E, T | 100% of miles flown |
| Premium Economy | W | 150% of miles flown |
| Business Class | R, I | 150% of miles flown |
| Business Class | J, C, D | 250% of miles flown |
| First Class | A | 250% of miles flown |
| First Class | F | 300% of miles flown |
Earning Avios on Partner Flights
We'd love to be able to include an easy-to-read table for partner flight earning rates like the one above. However, every partner airline has a different earning structure. This means there are around 16 different tables outlining how you'll earn Avios when traveling on a British Airways partner airline.
Thankfully, all of these tables are available on a single page of the British Airways website. To access British Airways partner earning rates, click this link and sort through the list to find your desired airline.
Here are the partner airlines on which you can earn British Airways Avios:
- Aer Lingus
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Cathay Pacific
- Fiji Airways
- Finnair
- Iberia
- Japan Airlines
- LATAM
- Malaysia Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Jordanian
- SriLankan Airlines
There is no limit to the amount of Avios one can earn through flights, including on partner airlines.
Executive Club elite frequent flyers will also earn bonus Avios on all British Airways flights as well as most flights operated by partner airlines. To earn British Airways Avios on flights booked with partner airlines, be sure to include your British Airways Executive Club number on your booking.
Earn Avios Using the British Airways Visa Signature® Card
Another simple way to rack up Avios is with the British Airways Visa Signature® Card from Chase. You'll earn Avios on all purchases charged to the British Airways Visa Card — not just those on British Airways.
The British Airways Visa Card is a great way to rack up a ton of Avios without ever having to step foot on an aircraft. Here's how you'll earn Avios when you use your British Airways Visa Card:
- 3X Avios on flights purchased directly with British Airways
- 2X Avios on accommodations booked directly with hotels
- 1X Avios spent on all other purchases
Additionally, the British Airways Visa Card is currently offering a lucrative bonus for eligible new cardholders. For a limited time, new cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus Avios after qualifying spend.
- 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. Plus earn 1 Avios per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- 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
Transfer Avios from a Bank Rewards Programs
You may have thousands of potential Avios and not know it. Several rewards programs let members transfer their points to the British Airways Executive Club. Partner programs include American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Here are some of the rewards programs that allow you to transfer their points or miles to your British Airways account and how many Avios you'll earn with each transfer:
| Partner Program | Partner Currency Transferred | Avios Received |
|---|---|---|
| American Express Membership Rewards | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Capital One Miles | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Bilt Rewards | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Hilton Honors | 10,000 | 1,000 |
| World of Hyatt | 1,250 | 500 |
| IHG One Rewards | 10,000 | 2,000 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 3,000 | 1,000 |
| Accor Live Limitless | 4,000 | 2,000 |
| Best Western | 5,000 | 1,000 |
Some partners offer far better transfer ratios than others. That being said, you'll want to utilize partners with a 1:1 transfer. Additionally, American Express Membership Rewards often transfer to Avios with a bonus.
Earn Avios with Other Partners
There are dozens of other non-airline partners through which Executive Club members can earn Avios. You can view the full list of partners on British Airways' website via this link. We've included some of the more noteworthy partners below.
| Partner | Earning Rate | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Avios Hotels | 15 Avios per £1 | Hotels/Accommodations |
| Airbnb | 3 Avios per $1 | Hotels/Accommodations |
| Avis | 5 Avios per £1 | Car Rental |
| Budget | 1 Avios per $1 | Car Rental |
| Lounge Pass | 5 Avios per $1 | Lounges |
| British Airways Executive Club Shopping | Up to 12 Avios per $1 | Shopping Portals |
| The Economist | Up to 8,400 Avios | Magazines |
| Avios for Thought | Up to 350 Avios per Survey | Surveys |
| eRewards | 600 Avios with First Survey | Surveys |
British Airways Executive Club Elite Status
The British Airways Executive Club program offers members four status tiers. Members can earn elite status by accumulating Tier Points, which are earned on flights operated by British Airways and eligible partners. Each elite status tier also unlocks one of three Oneworld alliance statuses. Here's an overview of British Airways Executive Club elite status.
Executive Club Blue
Blue is the entry-level tier that all members receive upon creating a British Airways Executive Club account. At this tier, members collect Avios and Tier Points without any bonus. As the base tier, travelers don't get any perks.
Executive Club Bronze
Executive Club members earn Bronze status once they earn 300 Tier Points and take at least two eligible British Airways flights in a member year. The following benefits are unlocked with Bronze status:
- Priority check-in and boarding
- Free advanced seat selection starting 7-days before departure
- 25% bonus Avios on eligible flights
- Oneworld Ruby status
Executive Club Silver
Members reach Silver status once they earn 600 Tier Points and take at least four eligible British Airways flights in a member year. In addition to the benefits offered to Bronze members, Silver members receive the following:
- Access to Business Class Lounges on eligible itineraries
- Free advanced seat selection at the time of booking
- Extra checked baggage allowance
- 50% bonus Avios on eligible flights
- Oneworld Sapphire status
Executive Club Gold
The highest elite status tier available to Executive Club members, Gold status is achieved once a member earns 1,500 Tier Points and takes at least four eligible British Airways flights in a member year. Gold members receive all of the benefits of Bronze and Silver as well as the following additional elite benefits:
- Additional award space on British Airways flights
- Access to First Class Check-In
- Access to First Class Lounges on eligible itineraries
- Free advanced seat selection, including for other members of your party
- Extra checked baggage allowance
- 100% bonus Avios on eligible flights
- Oneworld Emerald status
Redeeming British Airways Avios
Avios remain a sought-after frequent flyer currency because of how ways members can redeem their Avios. Executive Club members can redeem Avios for flights operated by British Airways or over a dozen partner airlines. With so many partner airlines, members can redeem Avios for flights to almost anywhere on the planet.
Unfortunately, like many major frequent flyer programs, the British Airways Avios frequent flyer currency has seen some devaluations in recent years. Still, travelers still have plenty of ways to redeem British Airways Avios for outsized value. In recent redemptions, AwardWallet users have utilized British Airways Avios at an average of 3.14¢ cents per Avios.
We recommend you check out our full post on redeeming British Airways Avios. In this post, you'll find everything there is to know about redeeming your Avios. But, to get an idea of how many Avios you'll need, check out the current British Airways Avios award charts below.
British Airways Executive Club Award Charts
Avios Award Chart for Flights Operated by British Airways
| Zone (Distance) | Economy (Off-Peak) | Economy (Peak) | Premium Economy (Off-Peak) | Premium Economy (Peak) | Business (Off-Peak) | Business (Peak) | First Class (Off-Peak) | First Class (Peak) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 (up to 650 miles) | 4,750 | 5,250 | Not Offered | Not Offered | 8,500 | 9,750 | Not Offered | Not Offered |
| Zone 2 (651 to 1,151 miles) | 7,250 | 8,250 | Not Offered | Not Offered | 13,000 | 15,750 | Not Offered | Not Offered |
| Zone 3 (1,152 to 2,000 miles) | 10,000 | 12,500 | Not Offered | Not Offered | 17,750 | 20,750 | Not Offered | Not Offered |
| Zone 4 (2,001 to 3,000 miles) | 10,000 | 12,500 | 20,000 | 25,000 | 31,250 | 37,500 | 42,500 | 50,000 |
| Zone 5 (3,001 to 4,000 miles) | 13,000 | 20,000 | 26,000 | 40,000 | 50,000 | 60,000 | 68,000 | 80,000 |
| Zone 6 (4,001 to 5,500 miles) | 16,250 | 25,000 | 32,500 | 50,000 | 62,500 | 75,000 | 85,000 | 100,000 |
| Zone 7 (5,501 to 6,500 miles) | 19,500 | 30,000 | 39,000 | 60,000 | 75,000 | 90,000 | 102,000 | 120,000 |
| Zone 8 (6,501 to 7,000 miles) | 22,750 | 35,000 | 45,500 | 70,000 | 87,500 | 105,000 | 119,000 | 140,000 |
| Zone 9 (7,001+ miles) | 32,500 | 50,000 | 65,000 | 100,000 | 125,000 | 150,000 | 170,000 | 200,000 |
Partner Avios Award Chart
Avios Partner Award Chart (Revised October 2022)
| Distance/Zone | Economy | Premium Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 650 miles (Zone 1) | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,500 | 24,000 |
| 651 to 1,151 miles (Zone 2) | 9,000 | 12,500 | 16,500 | 33,000 |
| 1,152 to 2,000 miles (Zone 3) | 11,000 | 16,500 | 22,000 | 44,000 |
| 2,001 to 3,000 miles (Zone 4) | 13,000 | 25,250 | 38,750 | 51,500 |
| 3,001 to 4,000 miles (Zone 5) | 20,750 | 41,250 | 62,000 | 82,500 |
| 4,001 to 5,500 miles (Zone 6) | 25,750 | 51,500 | 77,250 | 103,000 |
| 5,501 to 6,500 miles (Zone 7) | 31,000 | 62,000 | 92,750 | 123,750 |
| 6,501 to 7,000 miles (Zone 8) | 36,250 | 72,250 | 108,250 | 144,250 |
| 7,001+ miles (Zone 9) | 51,500 | 103,000 | 154,500 | 206,000 |
Partner Avios Award Chart for Flights Within North America
| Distance/Zone | Economy | Premium Economy (on select flights to Hawaii/Alaska) | Business (Domestic First) | First (On 3-Cabin Flights) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 650 miles (Zone 1) | 7,500 | N/A | 15,000 | N/A |
| Up to 1,151 miles (Zones 2) | 9,000 | N/A | 16,500 | N/A |
| 1,152 to 2,000 miles (Zone 3) | 11,000 | N/A | 22,000 | N/A |
| 2,001 to 3,000 miles (Zone 4) | 13,000 | 25,250 | 38,750 | 51,500 |
| 3,001 to 4,000 miles (Zone 5) | 20,750 | 41,250 | 62,000 | N/A |
In August 2021, British Airways devalued partner awards on Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific. That post contains the new partner award charts for these partners.
British Airways Carrier-Imposed Surcharges
There is one major drawback to the British Airways Executive Club program. British Airways is notorious for adding outrageous carrier-imposed fees and surcharges to awards on its own flights. For flights originating from the United States, it's not uncommon for premium cabin awards to charge carrier-imposed fees totaling over $800 or even $1,000.
Luckily, British Airways recently added a new way for travelers to avoid paying fuel surcharges on redemptions. And there are other ways to navigate around these outrageous award travel surcharges. Check out our post on some of the best ways to redeem your Avios without needing to pay hundreds or thousands in taxes and fees.
Learn Even More About British Airways Avios
AwardWallet has covered the Executive Club program and Avios currency at length. We've published posts on virtually everything there is to know about earning and redeeming Avios. Here are some of our top posts with information about the Executive Club program and the Avios currency:
- How to Search & Book British Airways Awards
- How to Avoid High Fuel Surcharges Booking with Avios
- Do British Airways Avios Expire?
- News: British Airways & Iberia Moving to Revenue-Based Avios Earning Structure
- Earning a British Airways Travel Together Companion Ticket
- British Airways Visa Signature® Card Review
- Transferring Ultimate Rewards points to the British Airways program
- How to Transfer Avios Between Accounts
- Best Ways to Redeem Avios in the Americas
The Bottom Line
The British Airways Executive Club program is one of the best frequent flyer programs offered by a non-U.S. airline. The program's frequent flyer currency Avios offers members significant value, and earning and redeeming Avios is quite easy. With dozens of partners on which members can earn and redeem Avios, their program is also quite lucrative, even for non-U.K.-based travelers.
The current signup bonus offered by the British Airways Visa Card also offers new cardholders exceptional value. With a little planning, you could be well on your way to your next award.
Are you a British Airways Executive Club member? What's your favorite way to redeem Avios?
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
British airways cashing in FTV vouchers. About time too!!
Easy to build up a substantial balance via Barclays Premier Rewards too in UK.
I have a big stash of BA avios points but am unwilling to use them from Montreal since either it takes many more miles than Aeroplan since there are few direct flights from Montreal or the additional fees are enormous. Thinking about using them on Royal Air Maroc, a direct flight to Casablanca but around 1100 dollars for two tickets business class!
Very disaappointed that single travellers are excluded from BA double tier points for holidays over £1500.
Already disadvantaged as had to pay huge single supplement – now feel discriminated against twice!
Anyone know if BA is flexible on this ? And if so, how to get the extra points?
While it is true that BA impose high surcharges on long haul reward bookings, these become worthwhile if made using a Companion / Travel Together voucher. So, worth looking at the credit cards which offer such vouchers if you want to use Avios for long haul bookings.
I’ve had better experience of BA Customer Service and flight availability – though mainly by making bookings 355 days ahead, when at least two business class award seats are released for each flight.
Do not get this card! Avios are worthless and flights are never available and the BA customer service is the worst. Award wallet is just a shill for the banks that offer this worthless piece of plastic.