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British Airways loyalty members can now book all flights for less than $2 plus Avios

April 16, 2024
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3 min read
Aer Lingus Aircraft And Check-In Desks At Dublin Airport
British Airways loyalty members can now book all flights for less than $2 plus Avios
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Executive Club loyalty members can now book any British Airways flight for just 1 pound ($1.24) plus Avios.

British Airways has expanded its Avios part-payment service as of Tuesday. Now, it's possible to get even larger cash discounts in exchange for paying part of a fare with Avios.

Before this change, the discount you would receive as part of an Avios part-payment fare depended on several factors, varying by route and the time you booked. Now, British Airways is giving all customers the option to reduce the cash fare of their booking to just 1 pound.

Related: A guide to British Airways’ Reward Flight Saver redemptions

Similar prices have previously been available as part of Reward Flight Saver tickets, which are different from Avios part-payment fares. Avios Reward Flight Saver fares are featured in a limited number on each flight and allow you to pay more Avios and less cash for redemptions.

The new changes mean you can use your Avios to receive a cash discount on any seat booked.

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“We’ve listened to our Members’ feedback and we’re really excited to be introducing this latest update for them,” Colm Lacy, British Airways’ chief commercial officer, said in a statement. “We know that most of our customers choose the lowest cash amount when it comes to making Reward Flight bookings, so we anticipate this to be a popular option for those using Avios part payment too.”

Executive Club members will still collect Avios and tier points on any flights booked using cash and Avios; they will also be able to use the same system for flights operated by American Airlines between the U.K. and North America, and British Airways codeshares.

At a glance, these new updates to the Executive Club program may seem like a great deal. However, it’s worth noting that making a part-cash, part-points payment often offers worse value than what you would get from a standard award redemption.

Reward fares are also much more flexible, with the ability to cancel or change your booking up to 24 hours before you’re due to depart. We’ll be crunching the numbers later this week to give you a full breakdown of where to find the best value for your points.

The changes follow an update last year when British Airways Holidays introduced Avios part-payment, with holiday package bookings starting from 1 pound plus Avios.

Bottom line

British Airways has expanded its Avios part-payment system so that you can now pay less than $2 plus Avios for any flight. On the one hand, this is a good move that will appeal to some Executive Club members; however, compared to standard reward fares, it will likely not provide great value as a redemption.

Related reading:

Featured image by BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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  • Annual Fee is $325.
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