Avios loyalty program: How to earn and claim points

Avios serves as the loyalty currency for seven airlines: British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, Finnair, Vueling, and Loganair. Members can accumulate points through flying, shopping with over 2,000 online retailers, linking payment cards, and converting Nectar or BPme rewards. Partner credit cards and bookings for hotels or car hires also provide opportunities to earn Avios.

To prevent expiration, members must collect, spend, buy, or share at least one Avios every 36 months. For those who have completed travel but have not received their credits, British Airways has specific protocols. Claims for British Airways-operated flights can be submitted via an online form no sooner than three days after the final flight leg, provided the member was enrolled at the time of travel. For partner-airline bookings, claims can be submitted seven days after the final itinerary leg.

Successful claims require details such as travel dates, departure and arrival locations, ticket numbers, and flight classes. Missing credits can impact future redemptions and tier-point totals.