We love a flexible travel currency, and that’s exactly what Avios brings to the table. With a little strategy and understanding of this joint currency, you’ll be on your way to moving Avios between airlines and booking some of the best reward redemptions.
In this guide, we’ll break down what Avios are, how to transfer them between accounts, and how to maximize their value.
What is Avios?
Avios is the shared reward currency used across several major airline loyalty programs, including:
- British Airways Executive Club
- Iberia Plus
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- Finnair Plus
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club
- Lesser-known programs like Loganair and Vueling Club
Because these airlines all use the same currency, you can transfer Avios between most programs — offering flexibility you don’t typically see in the airline world.
💡 Pro Tip: Make sure you register for each airline loyalty program (and that your information matches!) before attempting to earn or redeem Avios. Registration is free.
How to Transfer Avios Between Accounts
Avios recently launched a new transfer tool that makes moving points between programs faster and easier than ever. Gone are the days of juggling multiple logins and confusing rules.
Here’s how it works:
- Visit avios.com
- Select the two programs you want to connect.
- Log in to each account and authorize the transfer.
- Complete the process — transfers are instant in most cases.
It’s as easy as that!
The one long-standing rule is that to transfer Avios to Qatar or Finnair, you must do so via British Airways, and the transfer tool also acknowledges this:
Things to remember:
- Personal details must match across all accounts, or you’ll run into errors.
- You’ll also need to have two-factor authentication set up for all accounts to complete your transfers.
- If you’re in a household account, you can only move your own Avios, and not the Avios of other members.
Why Transfer Avios Between Accounts?
Although these airlines all use Avios, their their award rates, taxes, and surcharges differ. This means some airlines offer much better value for specific routes.
One of the best sweet spots in the biz is flying with Iberia from the East Coast (New York) to Madrid in business class for just 40,500 Avios.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a redemption that good with the other Avios airlines for that route.
What if you’re looking to hop around Europe? British Airways charges around 9,000 Avios + $1.00 for short-haul flights departing from London.
Even if you’re hoping to fly domestically within the U.S., Avios has you covered. Thanks to their Oneworld partners, you have access to the airlines’ partner award charts — like Finnair’s option to fly to Hawaii on Alaska Airlines for just 13,500 Avios.
As you can see, having access to all Avios-sporting airlines unlocks incredible flexibility and numerous options to get the best award redemption possible.
💡 Pro Tip: Want to take the guesswork (and stress) out of finding the best award redemption? Daily Drop Pro will do it for you!
Best Cards for Earning Avios
Whether you’re earning Avios directly from a co-branded airline card or one that earns transferable points, these are some of our favorite options:
- British Airways Visa Signature® Card: The airline’s own co-branded card offers 10% off eligible British Airways (BA) flights and 3x Avios earned on BA, Aer Lingus, and Iberia purchases
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns 2x Chase Ultimate Rewards on travel purchases, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 4x on flights booked directly that can be transferred to Aer Lingus, BA, and Iberia
- The American Express Platinum Card® and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express both earn 5x American Express Membership Rewards on flights booked directly (up to $500k per year for the consumer Platinum) that can be transferred to Aer Lingus, BA, Iberia, and Qatar
Bottom Line
Avios isn’t just another airline loyalty currency — it’s a powerful, flexible tool that lets you unlock value across multiple programs. By learning how to transfer Avios and taking advantage of each airline’s unique redemption sweet spots, you’ll stretch your points further and unlock incredible travel experiences.
Avios truly gives you the freedom to choose the redemption that works best for you!
