Most people know that Avios can be turned into time in the skies, but what if we told you they can do a whole lot more than just fly you from A to B? If you’re sitting on a pot of Avios, here are just some of the many ways you can start spending today

Spend them on… an upgrade
A holiday really begins on the plane, so a strategic cabin upgrade can be a truly memorable – and wise – use of your Avios.¹ Upgrading, let’s say, from World Traveller Plus (premium economy) to Club World (business) from London to New York would see you go from ‘comfortably seated’ to ‘luxuriously prone’, spreading out at leisure, being pampered by a dedicated crew and perusing a menu of decadent food options. Particularly smug will be the red-eye passengers snuggling up in the front of the plane overnight. Plus, with priority check-in, extra baggage allowance and lounge access available, it’ll feel as if you’re a world away before you even take your seat. 

Spend them on… a British Airways Holidays hotel
So, you’ve decided on a late-summer fling to Tenerife – and now all that’s left is to secure a braggable bolthole with the power to elevate the whole holiday. No pressure. Luckily, British Airways Holidays has a feast of carefully vetted, outlandishly luxurious hotels that can be booked, in full or in part, with Avios. Fewer than 240,000 Avios per person could see you enjoying seven glorious nights at the five-star Ritz-Carlton, Abama, including return flights to Tenerife – based on two adults sharing for stays from 1-30 November 2024 (subject to availability, T&Cs apply). Or, you could pay a combination of £700pp and 95,000 Avios per person to secure the flights and stay. All that money you end up saving? Simply roll it over to your next trip. 

Spend them on… experiences
Make your Avios truly count by turning them into scrapbook-worthy experiences across the globe – you only need a smidgen of Avios to do so. Your balance can unlock a world of more than 50,000 unforgettable travel experiences in our destinations – from tango lessons and wine tastings to photography workshops and silent discos in a whole host of new and exciting places.² Whether you wish to explore one of London’s most celebrated galleries (via an official National Gallery guided tour), or enjoy a night of Flamenco dancing in Seville (inside the Museo del Baile Flamenco) – Avios open the door to thousands of moments and memories.

Spend them on… seats and baggage
If you’re a Bronze Member who gets free seat selection seven days out, or a Silver Member who enjoys free seat selection at the time of booking, you might want to skip this bit. This is for those travellers who are looking at paying for the desired seat of their choice – except, now, you don’t have to pay that money in cash. Grab your favourite window seat simply by paying with Avios (via Manage My Booking). As for baggage, you can check in more bags than your allowance (cost depends on your destination and how many extra bags you want to check in) by paying by card or Avios (again, via Manage My Booking), or a combo of both. 

Spend them on… wine
You’re fresh from your latest trip – so why not invite your friends around for a little post-holiday debrief? Avios are perfect for dinner parties, as you can effortlessly transform any night in with an extensive range of high-end wines, beers and spirits – all available for purchase via The Wine Flyer.³ Consider all palates pampered, from dark and fruity Argentinian Malbecs to light Sauvignons from New Zealand – and just about everything in between. Best of all, you can also simply reduce the cost of your basket with Avios, if you’d prefer to skim some pennies off the top.
Top tip: Choose one of the bargain ‘mixed’ collections if you’re catering for a picky crowd. 

Spend them on… a road trip
Love nothing more than hitting the open road with just the wind in your hair and a decent soundtrack? Avios not only makes it easier to rent a car whenever you need one, but lets you do it in style, too, with Avis offering car groups that include models such as the Ford Mustang.⁴ With Avis, Avios can be used to book a wide range of vehicles – from SUVs and seven-seaters to convertibles – in more than 5,000 locations (including those all-important airports) worldwide. Simply pick your destination, be it in the US or Europe, choose a car, and head out on that long-awaited bucket-list adventure.

Spend them on… High Life Shop
You’re on the plane, comfy as you like and looking to quench your thirst for some high-altitude retail therapy (or maybe just a pre-mixed cocktail). Luckily, your on-board High Life Shop and Café menus unlock a world of refreshment and luxury gifts, all of which can be delivered straight to your seat. And rather than faffing around with real money, all of it can be purchased with Avios. Snag yourself a MAC Made To Wow Brow Kit (5,100 Avios), a good old-fashioned meal deal (1,280 Avios), or a Don Julio Blanco Tequila (70cl; 10,000 Avios), as well as high-end perfumes and that pre-mixed cocktail we promised.
Top tip: High Life Shop will also deliver to your home address. 

Spend them on… charity donations
Could this be the most feelgood way to spend? We think so – put your Avios to philanthropic use by donating them to causes supported by the BA Better World Community Fund.⁵ The fund supports charities across the UK – everything from Comic Relief to the Alzheimer’s Society, Winston’s Wish to the Disasters Emergency Committee – and your Avios go a long way to helping them continue their vital work. You can donate up to 30,000 Avios per calendar month. 

Remember, your everyday spend can pay for your holiday, so for tips and tricks on how to collect Avios, read this guide to building your balance from the comfort of home

Important information
All flights quoted in this piece are subject to availability.

Upgrades with Avios
1. 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. 

We offer a limited number of reward seats on all our 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. 

Experiences - Pay with Avios
2. You can use Avios to pay for British Airways Holidays experiences at the time of booking and via Manage My Booking for existing bookings. Full terms and conditions can be found here.

The Wine Flyer
3. Full terms and conditions can be found here.

Car hire with Avis
4. Full terms and conditions can be found here.

BA Better World Community Fund
5. Donations can be made in increments of 125 Avios, minimum donation 125 Avios, maximum donation 30,000 Avios per British Airways Executive Club (BAEC) Members per calendar month. Donation must be made by a BAEC Member, aged 18+ with a Crowdfunder account. Full donation terms and conditions can be found here.  

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This article has been tagged Avios