Avios Points Value – How Much Is An Avios Point Worth?

How much is an Avios point worth?

That’s a question I find myself asking, and one I’ve been asked by other would-be Avios points collectors on my travels. The truth is that they do have a specific value, but you can also squeeze more value from them.

This article uncovers Avios points value. More than this, you’ll learn how to calculate that value, and how to maximize every point for flights, upgrades, and beyond. Look at it as your guide to making the most out of the already valuable Avios program.

Sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the journey as you discover how to unlock the maximum value of Avios.

How Much Are Avios Points Worth?

Let’s get straight out the block and answer the burning question: just how much is an Avios point worth?

The fact is that the value depends upon how you spend your Avios points. Which kind of makes it all a bit complex. However, here’s how I’d break it down…

The lower the cost of your flight, the lower value you’ll get. Move forward through the cabin, and you’ll max your Avios points value when you travel as near to the pilot as possible – it pays to fly luxury!

In dollar value, the rule of thumb is that an Avios point is worth around 0.8 cents to 1.5 cents when you redeem them for economy class tickets. If you use them for business class or first class seats, then their value really takes off, and you could redeem them at an equivalent 2 cents or higher.

(A friend of mine recently took a transatlantic flight and got more than 2 cents for each Avios he redeemed on first class tickets. Envious? Me? Not much!)

How Do Avios Stack Up Against Other Air Miles Programs?

Now that you know what Avios points are worth, the next question is, how do they compare to other frequent flyer/air miles programs?

The answer is that they hold their ground extremely well, and even more so if you use them wisely (we’ll come on to that a little later in this article).

For example, if you put them against the likes of American Airlines’ AAdvantage or Air France KLM’s Flying Blue, the average value of an Avios point for economy travel is very similar, hovering around 1.2 cents to 1.8 cents per mile.

In the latest comparison tables I’ve seen, here’s how the most popular frequent flyer air miles programs compare:

Air Miles/Points Program	Value per Mile/Point (cents)
Avios	1.5
Air Canada Aeroplan	1.5
American Airlines AAdvantage	1.5
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club	1.5
United Airlines MileagePlus	1.45
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan	1.4
JetBlue TrueBlue	1.4
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards	1.4
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles	1.2
Emirates Skywards	1.2
Etihad Airways Guest	1.2
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles	0.9

Avios – currently top of the pile. However, like I said a short while ago, you can get even more value from your Avios.

If you’re booking premium cabins, the difference between comparative values becomes even more distinctive. With Avios, you get real bang for your buck when it comes to luxury travel (especially with British Airways or its Oneworld Alliance partners).

I never look only at the numbers. I want to know what real value I’m getting. Like the wise man said, “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.”

How to Calculate the Value of Your Avios Points

Averages. What do they really mean? What you want to know is not how much an Avios point is worth, but how much your Avios points are worth.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be a stellar math student to figure it out – you just need to apply this simple formula:

Value of Avios Points =

(Cash Price of the Ticket – Taxes and Fees) / Number of Avios Points Used

Before you book your flight, find out how much the ticket would cost if you were paying for it entirely in cash, including all additional charges, except taxes and fees. Then deduct the taxes and fees from the cash price. You do this because these are unavoidable – you would pay them anyway.

Finally, divide this figure by the total Avios points you’d need to spend on the booking. The result is how much each of your Avios points is worth in cash terms on this specific booking.

Here’s an example:

• Cash price of the ticket: $500
• Taxes and fees: $100
• Number of Avios points used: 20,000

Value of Avios points = ($500 – $100)/ 20,000 = $0.02 = 2 cents per Avios point.

Every time you book a flight (you can also apply this formula to other travel expenses on which you can use Avios points), use this simple method to ensure you are getting maximum value.

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Should You Buy Avios Points?

The best way to accumulate Avios points is to sign up to the best Avios credit cards and use them strategically. (You could get up to 75,000 Avios points for doing no more than spending as you usually would as a bonus, too!)

If you’re short of Avios points or want to give your points balance a boost, you can buy more. You can then redeem these as you normally would, to purchase flight tickets, upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals, and more.

You can buy the points online, and they’ll be added to your Avios account almost immediately.

Too good to be true? Well, let’s put it this way, I’m selective about when to buy Avios points:

• If I can get them at the ‘same price’ (or cheaper) when spending on a credit card, why use cash to buy them?
• If I don’t plan to use them for a while, their value will depreciate. It’s like having cash under your mattress. Thanks to inflation, the $1,000 you have stashed away today won’t be worth $1,000 in a year.
• The cost to buy Avios points is often more than the value I can realize when redeeming them.

So, why even consider buying Avios points? Because every now and then you might want to:

• Give your Avios account an immediate boost – for example, to take advantage of a specific reward.
• Unlock high-value redemptions – when redeeming Avios points is more cost-effective than paying cash.
• Take advantage of promotional bonuses – when you can buy points at a great-value price.

So when should you buy Avios points? Follow these three rules and you won’t go far wrong:

1. If you need to top up your Avios balance for a specific, high-value redemption (I’ve found that buying points can cost less than paying for the ticket or upgrade outright).
2. To take advantage of special promotional offers, when points are offered for sale at good value – but always consider the inflationary effects of not using the points quickly.
3. Buy points for last-minute travel needs, when it makes better financial sense to redeem points instead of paying cash.

In short, buying Avios points can make sense. The secret is to be strategic about buying them – especially if you have only recently signed up for an Avios credit card (the last thing you want to do is miss out on thousands of bonus points).

How To Redeem Your Avios Points

Getting the best value from your Avios points extends further than booking flights. You’ll need to be strategic about how you redeem them – think beyond the seat on the plane, and use the Avios points value formula to compare how much value you’re getting.

From Flights to Upgrades

Of course, when you think of Avios points, it’s natural to think ‘flights’. You can redeem Avios with four programs: British Airways, Aer Lingus, Vueling, and Iberia. The value you receive varies greatly:

• Economy flightsgenerally offer lower value. This is especially true for shorter flights where competition is high.
• Business and first class flights offer the highest points values, often equal to 2 cents or more per point.
• Upgradesoften deliver the highest value per point (and it’s great to experience a bit of luxury at a fraction of the price).

Accommodation to Car Rentals

You can also redeem your Avios points for hotel stays and car rentals, though the value is often lower than you’d get for flights.

You should look for value when hotel room cash prices are usually high, but Avios redemption rates are stable – like during peak season or major events. Car rentals can also be good value if other transport options are limited, or car rental prices are expensive.

Essentials to Experiences

Redeeming your Avios points can also help you to unlock extra value on your travels. You’ve taken care of the essentials – flights from A to B, accommodation, and car rental.

What’s going to make your time away even more memorable?

When I’m traveling – even on a business trip – I like to do something special that will help me to remember my time away from home. It might be taking in a ball game or stadium concert, a wine tasting experience, or a hot air balloon trip (one of my favorite experiences to date).

Before using Avios points to pay for these experiences, there are a couple of checks you should make. First, make sure you’re getting personal value from the experience. Is this something you really want to do?

Also assess the Avios points value you’re getting. Could you get better value by using your Avios points on essentials like flights or accommodation?

In a nutshell, being strategic means tying your decision to your personal travel goals, the comparative value of your options, the convenience of using Avios points, and the enjoyment of the experience.

Get your strategy right, and you’ll maximize the value of your Avios points while transforming your travel experiences from ordinary to extraordinary.

Insider Strategies to Squeeze Maximum Value from Your Avios Points

While it may not be possible to hit every high-value Avios pitch out of the park (yep, I’m still a little envious that I missed out on those high-value transatlantic first class tickets, though I know there will be other deals coming), I’ve learned that you can boost the value of your points by being laser-focused with your points collection and redemption strategy.

Here are my insider strategies that will help you get every last drop of value from your Avios points:

Take Advantage of Credit Card Avios Bonuses

Definitely make sure you hit the spending requirements to bank your welcome bonus on new Avios credit cards – these could be worth hundreds of dollars, and are simply too good to miss.

Watch for the occasional transfer bonuses, too. When you transfer your points during these promotions, you’ll boost your Avios balance without needing to spend more.

Book Flights in Advance

The availability of rewards for flights (especially in business and first class) is often higher when you book in advance. You’ll get the most from your points by booking early, especially if you plan to travel at peak times.

Utilize Reward Flight Savers

I’m a fan of British Airways, and an even bigger fan of its Reward Flight Saver deals. Why? Because they cap taxes and fees, and that gives Avios points a back-pocket value boost.

Be Flexible With Travel Dates

If it’s possible, be flexible with your dates, just like you would if paying by cash for your travel needs. You could find better-value redemption rates or more availability in premium cabins.

Join the Executive Club

Subscriptions and memberships can offer some fantastic bonuses and extras. These are even better when subscription is free – like it is to join the British Airways Executive Club.

Here’s a taste of what you get:

• Collect Avios points to help pay for your next vacation
• Combine your Avios points with those of family members
• Special member offers and promotions
• Exclusive deals and more with the Club magazine
• Tier bonuses – earn more Avios points the higher up the tiers you move
• Companion vouchers that allow you to include a partner for just the cost of taxes and fees

British Airways Tiers And Benefits:

How Much Value Can You Get from Avios Points?

My friend still reminds me of that first class transatlantic flight deal he got using his Avios points. When he does, I now tell him just how much value he could have got…

Like the traveler who planned a trip to Tokyo, Japan, and flew in the unparalleled comfort of business class without the hefty price tag. The round-trip ticket would normally have cost $5,000, but he was savvy, booking 11 months in advance and redeeming 150,000 points to do so.

Not only did he avoid the normal scarcity of business class tickets on a high-demand flight, but he achieved a value of 3.3 cents per Avios point.

How about the couple who booked a last-minute weekend getaway to Paris? Now, last-minute flights aren’t what they used to be. They used to be cheap, now they’re expensive.

These tickets were $800 each. Redeeming Avios, the couple ‘paid’ 40,000 points – an equivalent of 2 cents per Avios point: doubled when combined with a companion voucher!

The moral of these stories is that an Avios strategy pays! (My friend replies with the same witty comment each time – “But I didn’t want to go to Paris or Tokyo.” Sometimes there is no winning!)

7 Bonus Tips to Maximize Your Avios Points Value

Okay, I’ve discussed various strategies for maximizing the value of your Avios points. But why stop there when you can power your points value with rocket fuel instead of jet fuel?

Here are seven bonus tips to help your Avios points value shoot through the stratosphere:

1. Consider Off-Peak Travel

You can get some tremendous deals on off-peak tickets, meaning less Avios points are needed.

2. Compare with Partner Airlines

Keep an eye on the deals you can get from partner airlines – sometimes these are better value.

3. Use Avios for Upgrades

Here’s a great way to milk value out of your Avios. If you have paid for an economy or premium economy ticket at a discounted rate, use your Avios to upgrade to a business class or first class cabin.

4. Consider Avios Part-Payment

Before redeeming Avios for the entire ticket cost, compare Avios part-payment value. Especially during promotions, you could save yourself some cash and get great value for your Avios points.

5. Book One-Way Tickets

Sometimes, buying two one-way tickets can be cheaper than buying a return ticket. This is especially true if one flight would be peak and the other off-peak. It may take a little more research, but the time you spend doing this could be worth hundreds of dollars in value.

6. Consider Multi-City and Stopover Options

If the time to travel isn’t a particular concern, booking multi-stop journeys can help you to access extra-value redemption options – and you get to add in a few of those memorable travel experiences, too.

7. Regularly Check for Promotions

Avios-partnered airlines and Avios credit cards run frequent promotions, helping you earn bonus points or get better value from the points in your Avios account. Keep your eyes open for these – they are one of the easiest ways to supercharge your points values.

Pilot Your Avios Points to Sky-High Value

Avios points are more than a currency for flights. They are the gateway to a world of travel opportunities: a flexible and powerful way to transform your travel experiences from ordinary to extraordinary.

But the value of your Avios points can vary significantly – and you want to beat that average value, don’t you?

There’s no real secret to maximizing how much value you extract from each Avios point. It just takes a little planning and a strategic approach to pilot your points to enjoy sky-high value at close to bargain basement prices.