Transfer Avios to and from the Finnair Plus loyalty program
Editor's Note
Finnair has now adopted Avios as its loyalty currency per the airline's website — replacing the Finnair Plus points system.
Avios is the same loyalty currency used by British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and Qatar Airways.
Exciting news for Avios collectors: Starting May 22, you can transfer Avios between the British Airways Executive Club program and the Finnair Plus program.
To do this, log in to your Finnair Plus account on finnair.com and link your British Airways Executive Club account; you will be able to transfer Avios in either direction at a 1:1 rate. While Finnair Plus is not a transfer partner of major credit card programs, British Airways is.
If moving Avios from Finnair to BA, read our guide on moving Avios to and from the other programs that use the currency.
Finnair operates flights from a handful of Oneworld hubs in the U.S., including New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), to its Nordic hub at Helsinki Airport (HEL), as well as destinations in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Finnair Plus points are now Avios
Finnair Plus award points have been converted to Avios at a 3:2 ratio. Avios prices have also been updated with the same 3:2 ratio, and the value of current Finnair Plus points will not change.
Following the changeover, a haul of 120,000 Finnair Plus points, for example, would now be worth 80,000 Avios. TPG currently values Avios at 1.5 cents each.
Related: A review of Finnair's business class on the A350-900 from Helsinki to Singapore
How to collect Finnair tier points
Finnair hasn't just changed its loyalty currency. The overhaul has seen the Finnair Plus program shift to a revenue-based earning platform.
Finnair now awards Avios and elite status based on the amount spent rather than the distance flown — echoing similar moves from British Airways Executive Club and Iberia Plus.
You now collect tier points and Avios from travel extras for new bookings (as well as bookings made before the changeover but flown after March 9) at the following rates for Finnair-operated flights:
| Ticket type | Tier points for flights within Northern Europe | Tier points for flights within the rest of Europe | Tier points for flights between Europe and Asia, North America, Doha or Dubai |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Flex | 1,670 | 3,340 | 13,340 |
Business Classic | 1,340 | 2,670 | 10,670 |
Business Light | 1,000 | 2,000 | 8,000 |
Premium Economy Flex | N/A | N/A | 10,670 |
Premium Economy Classic | N/A | N/A | 8,000 |
Premium Economy Light | N/A | N/A | 5,340 |
Economy Flex | 1,000 | 2,000 | 8,000 |
Economy Classic | 670 | 1,340 | 5,340 |
Economy Light/Superlight | 340 | 670 | 2,670 |
You can no longer reach tiers with flights only. Your existing Finnair Plus tier points have now switched to tier points under the new system at a 3:2 ratio.
While the status levels will remain the same, the following tier points are needed to reach each membership level under the new system:
| Membership tier | Tier points needed |
|---|---|
Finnair Plus Basic | 0 |
Finnair Plus Silver | 15,000 |
Finnair Plus Gold | 45,000 |
Finnair Plus Platinum | 80,000 |
Finnair Plus Platinum Lumo | 300,000 (with 250,000 collected from Finnair) |
New limits for Finnair Plus Lifetime tiers under the new system are as follows:
| Finnair Plus Lifetime tier | Lifetime tier points needed |
|---|---|
Lifetime Gold | 2 million |
Lifetime Platinum | 3.3 million |
If your membership year ended as of January or February, revised tier limits apply. This means you will maintain your current tier or move up to a higher tier with the following tier limits:
| Membership tier | Tier points needed |
|---|---|
Finnair Plus Silver | 22,500 |
Finnair Plus Gold | 67,500 |
Finnair Plus Platinum | 120,000 |
Finnair Plus Platinum Lumo | 450,000 (350,000 must be from Finnair flights) |
If your tracking period ended in January and you met the tier requirements by Jan. 31, or if it ended in February and you reached the tier requirements before Feb. 29, you will automatically maintain your current tier.
The same applies to moving up to a higher tier.
Many Finnair frequent flyers may not welcome this spending-based shift, but overall, the Avios adoption will hopefully open up much better redemption opportunities across partner airlines.
New Finnair award pricing
Following the changeover to Avios, award pricing for Finnair flights will be as follows:
| Zone | Economy class | Premium economy | Business class |
|---|---|---|---|
Finland and Northern Europe | 6,500 Avios (+10 euros or $10.96) | — | 10,000 Avios (+10 euros or $10.96) |
Central Europe | 12,000 Avios (+15 euros or $16.45) | — | 18,000 Avios (+15 euros or $16.45) |
Western and Southern Europe | 13,000 Avios (+15 euros or $16.45) | — | 20,000 Avios (+15 euros or $16.45) |
Canary Islands, Madeira, Eilat and Tel Aviv | 15,000 Avios (+30 euros or $32.89) | — | 25,000 Avios (+30 euros or $32.89) |
Doha, Dubai and India | 28,000 Avios (+30 euros or $32.89) | 42,000 Avios (+35 euros or $38.38) | 55,000 Avios (+60 euros or $65.79) |
Most of Asia and North America | 30,000 Avios (+45 euros or $49.34) | 43,500 Avios (+65 euros or $71.27) | 62,500 Avios (+100 euros or $109.65) |
Japan, Singapore and Los Angeles | 30,000 Avios (+45 euros or $49.34) | 43,500 Avios (+65 euros or $71.27) | 62,500 Avios (+120 euros or $131.58) |
Other Finnair Plus changes
With the overhaul, Finnair has also increased the number of award seats available on flights, guaranteeing at least four award seats on flights within Europe. Finnair's long-haul flights now see at least eight award seats loaded at the start of the schedule — good news for those looking for more redemption opportunities.
Additionally, Finnair Plus members can now receive extra rewards, such as upgrade benefits, upon reaching specific point limits, depending on their elite status.
Finally, Finnair Plus members now receive complimentary internet access for messaging on short-haul European flights operated by the airline's narrow-body Airbus fleet. This perk will be available regardless of elite status.
In 2024, the airline will create a new Finnair lounge with a dedicated space for top-tier members on the Schengen side of Helsinki Airport. The current Schengen lounge will remain in operation until the new lounge opens.
Related reading:
- British Airways Executive Club: Guide to Avios, elite status and transfer partners
- 5 reasons why you should care about British Airways Avios
- 8 cool design elements in Finnair's AirLounge business class (and 3 things I didn't like)
- Comparing the Finnair premium economy flight experience on the A330 vs. the A350
- What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations
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- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month