Affordable ideas for the new world of travel

Work your way through your bucket list: collect Avios from everyday spending and discover the best way to book hotels, Reward Flights, cabin upgrades and more using these five simple tips for how to pay less on your next getaway

Priceless planning

When it comes to booking a getaway, taking the time to organise thoughtfully can save you more cash than you might realise. Set your alarm and scribble on your calendar so you don’t miss the date that seats are released for the flight you want to book – this is exactly 355 days before departure.

By being the first to book a Reward Flight, you’ll enjoy greater availability and be more likely to nab the flight of your choice.

Book an (almost) free flight

Hop on a dreamed-of plane journey to Costa Rica, where you can venture into the depths of a biodiverse jungle, or to Italy, where you can relax at a vineyard bistro while you sip on the finest local wine. If you book a Reward Flight¹ with Avios, all you’ll have to pay are the taxes, fees and carrier charges.

And there are other options. The Reward Flight Saver² offers a fixed Avios and cash amount to cover taxes, which starts from £1 for short haul and £100 for long haul. And Avios Part Payment³ lets you discount a flight and isn’t subject to availability (like Reward Flights are). As an Executive Club Member, you also earn Tier Points and Avios when paying with Avios to reduce the cost of your flight.

Enjoy flexibility when it comes to how much you’d like to pay in cash and in Avios – you can pay as little as £1 as a fixed cash cost.

Hotel stays for less

Whether you’re seeking a short-stop hotel stay near Gatwick or Heathrow, a charming rural B&B in the UK, a historic city five-star in the USA or an all-out luxury resort in Europe or the Caribbean, you can use your Avios towards booking rooms and suites at the best possible prices.

Check out British Airways Holidays’ special prices on a large number of hotels, just for Avios-collecting Executive Club Members.

Experience the world in style

You can also use your Avios on cabin upgrades⁴ – so you can kick back in even greater comfort.What’s on your bucket list? Seeing the awe-inspiring northern lights on a trip around Iceland? Taking the kids on the ultimate thrill-seeking adventure at Universal Orlando? Or have you always dreamed of standing on a boat and being surrounded by the swirling mist of the Niagara Falls?

We have tens of thousands of experiences across the globe for you to spend your Avios on, whether as couple, a family, with friends or as a solo traveller. We also have plenty of experiences in the UK, too – if you’re planning any staycations.

Shop savvy

Much of the money you spend on essentials each month adds to the Avios you can use on your next epic escape. Money forked out on groceries, petrol, clothing, school shoes for the kids and homeware can easily make a dent in your wallet each year. Instead of letting that restrict your big holiday plans, rack up your Avios when spending with the likes of Clarks, BP, Marks & Spencer, TK Maxx and John Lewis.

Enjoy a guilt-free online shopping spree at a selection of fabulous designer stores that award Avios as you spend.

Terms and Conditions

Full Executive Club Conditions of Use, here

1. Reward Flights
Reward Flights  are available to any  Executive Club  Members with an Avios balance. In addition to your Avios, the only cash amount required for  Reward Flights is to cover the taxes, fees and carrier charges. Your chosen date of travel will determine whether you pay a peak or off-peak Avios amount. When booking  Reward Flights, you can choose all peak dates, all off-peak dates or a mixture of the two. The taxes, fees and carrier charges will vary dependent on airline, class of travel and destination and will be calculated when you book your flights. Travel in  World Traveller Plus  (premium economy),  Club Europe  and  Club World  (business) and First will result in higher taxes, fees and carrier charges. The final fee (i.e. Avios plus payable taxes, fees and carrier charges) will be displayed at the final stage of your booking. 

2. Reward Flight Savers
Reward Flight Savers are British Airways’s best value reward flights. Reward Flight Saver offers customers great value flights with a low, flat fee to cover taxes, fees and carrier charges and a fixed Avios amount. To be eligible for Reward Flight Saver, you need to have collected at least one Avios in the past 12 months. To find out more about Reward Flight Saver,  click here. Reward flights are subject to availability.

3. Avios Part Payment
Executive Club Members can reduce the price of their flight by logging into their Executive Club account, selecting their flights and using their Avios part payment options at the price page. Savings are subject to change. Different savings available per route, travel period, Avios balance and number of people on the booking.

4. Cabin Upgrades
An Avios upgrade is always to the next cabin, which can vary depending on the route and airline. On a short-haul flight, you could upgrade from economy (Euro Traveller) to business (Club Europe). On a long-haul flight, you could upgrade from economy (World Traveller) to premium economy (World Traveller Plus); premium economy (World Traveller Plus) to business (Club World), or business (Club World) to First. British Airways offers a limited number of Reward seats on all its published flights, and so they are subject to availability. There must be Reward Flight availability in the next cabin for you to be able to upgrade to it using Avios. Most cash bookings can be upgraded with Avios either at the time of booking or later on, depending on availability. Only the lowest economy (World Traveller) fares (Q, O and G) cannot be upgraded with Avios at any time. You won’t be able to upgrade with Avios at the airport or on board. To find out more about cabin upgrades, click here.