Skip to content

We're giving away 1 million Avios to 10 readers; here are 4 exciting ways you could use them

Jan. 28, 2022
7 min read
Airplane Stock
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

You may have heard that The Points Guy is giving away 1 million Avios to 10 readers. To enter, all you have to do is donate $10 or more to our Prizeo campaign, which is raising money for Comic Relief US.

For official rules, click here.

Comic Relief US is an American nonprofit that works with corporate, media, and nonprofit partners to harness the power of entertainment to help marginalized communities rise up out of poverty. Over the years, it has raised over $330 million and positively impacted over 25 million people around the world. So you're helping a great cause, and you have a shot at a million Avios in the process.

Big numbers are nice, but what can you actually do with 1 million Avios as a U.S.-based traveler? Turns out, you can do quite a bit.

Thanks to British Airways' vast network of airline partners, you can use your Avios to fly on a handful of airlines like American, Iberia and, of course, British Airways. This opens the door to a ton of awesome award redemptions, like business class flights to Europe and dozens of domestic flights to your favorite U.S. cities.

Let's take a look at a few great ways you could redeem 1 million Avios if you win.

Fly from New York to London... 76 times

Buses in London with Big Ben in the background
(Photo by Scott E Barbour/gettyimages)

Want to finally ride the London Eye? Sample ales in a typical British pub? London is calling your name, and you can use 1 million Avios to book 76 one-way economy tickets from New York-JFK to London-Heathrow (LHR) on off-peak dates. This low price is thanks to British Airways' distance-based award chart, which provides great deals on shorter off-peak flights.

New York to London British Airways award
(Screenshot courtesy of britishairways.com)

Thankfully, off-peak dates cover a good portion of the calendar, and discounts flights in higher cabins like Premium Economy and Business class too. That said, you'll pay significantly higher fuel surcharges when you book premium cabins. For example, a one-way business class ticket from New York to London costs 50,000 Avios and $729.

New York to London business class award
(Screenshot courtesy of britishairways.com)

Or if you'd like to visit another part of Europe, you can connect to hundreds of European destinations in London. British Airways flies everywhere from Athens (ATH) to Zurich (ZRH), giving you a wide range of cities. You'll pay just marginally more miles to connect on from London, in accordance with British Airways' award chart.

Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
New York to Zurich British Airways award
(Screenshot courtesy of britishairways.com)

Related: 17 of our favorite hotels in London

Book 100+ domestic flights

People walking in New York's Times Square
Use your Avios to visit America's greatest cities. (Photo by Alexander Spatari/Getty Images)

Further, British Airways' distance-based award chart is advantageous for short-haul flights around the U.S. with Oneworld partners American and Alaska Airlines. Flights that are 651 miles or shorter cost just 7,500 Avios one-way, meaning that you can take up to 111 domestic flights with your 1 million Avios.

For example, flights like Boston (BOS) to New York-JFK and Portland (PDX) to Seattle (SEA) fall into this lowest pricing tier.

PDX to SEA Avios award
(Screenshot courtesy of britishairways.com)

Of course, you'll pay more miles for longer tickets. For example, flights up between 651 and 1,151 miles cost 9,000 Avios. This includes popular routes like New York (LGA) to Miami (MIA) and Chicago-O'Hare (ORD). Read our complete guide to the British Airways award chart to price out longer routes.

LGA to ORD Avios award
(Screenshot courtesy of britishairways.com)

With that in mind, you can leverage this Avios stash to visit (or revisit) some of America's most exciting cities and regions. Think long weekends in the Big Apple, deep-dish pizza in Chicago, skiing in Vale and sampling fine wines in Sonoma Valley. Between American and Alaska's huge route maps, you can fly just about anywhere in the U.S.

Related: Sea to shining sea: 11 of the best destinations to visit across the U.S.

Take 14 of your closest friends on a business class trip to Madrid

Iberia A330 Business Class Madrid Boston Benji Stawski
(Photo by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy)

Itching to go back to Europe? You can book 14 round-trip tickets from Boston (BOS), Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) or New York-JFK to Madrid (MAD) — in business class — with your 1 million Avios. You can do this by transferring your Avios to Iberia and then booking flights on off-peak dates, which spans most of the year. You'll pay just 34,000 Avios per one-way ticket.

JFK to MAD Iberia off-peak award
(Screenshot courtesy of iberia.com)

Onboard, you can expect great dining options, plenty of in-flight entertainment and a lie-flat seat. This makes your flight significantly more enjoyable than an economy jaunt, and lets you arrive at your destination rested and ready to explore all that Spain has to offer. And with so many Avios, you might as well take a few friends along for the ride, too.

You can also use your Avios to book British Airways flights to Europe, but you will pay significantly higher fuel surcharges. This is why we generally recommend booking through Iberia, especially if you're going to Continental Europe as you can easily connect to another city in Madrid.

Related: Fly business class to Europe from 34,000 Avios each way

Or, explore Ireland with Aer Lingus

Dublin street
The Temple Bar district of Dublin. (Photo by Holger Leue/Getty Images)

You can also use your Avios to book flights on partner Aer Lingus. If you're flying from Boston, flights to Dublin cost just 13,000 Avios one-way in economy, which is an excellent deal. Further, this means you can take 38 round-trip flights on this route. Just note that longer flights cost more Avios, just like domestic flights.

Once in Dublin, make sure to explore the city's vast array of pubs, museums and restaurants. Then, you can rent a car and explore other cities, like Cork, Shannon and Limerick. Along the way, you can see Ireland's beautiful countryside.

Related: 16 of the best hotels in Ireland

Bottom line

Entering TPG's Prizeo campaign not only gives you a shot at 1 million Avios, but you're donating to a great cause at the same time. If you happen to win, you can use this article as inspiration on how to redeem your newfound points stash. No matter how you redeem them, you'll get to see great new places with very little out-of-pocket expense.

Feature photo by Eric Rosen/The Points Guy

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.

TPG featured card

Rewards rate
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 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.
5XNew! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
3XEarn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
2XEarn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
1XEarn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Intro offer
Open Intro bonus
As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.
Annual fee
$325
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Recommended credit
Open Credit score description
Excellent to Good

Pros

  • Valuable dining and food-related credits
  • Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
  • Multiple travel and purchase protections
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • 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.
  • New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
  • Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
  • New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
  • Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
  • Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
  • Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.