Avios points rewarding consumers Beyond the Runway

You are probably familiar with Avios from flying, especially if you are a frequent flyer, but beyond that, do you know Avios serves more than that?

What began as a straightforward airline points programme under British Airways has evolved into something considerably more ambitious. Today, more than 70 million members worldwide can collect and spend Avios across an extensive network of partners spanning travel, retail and financial services. The currency, now managed by IAG Loyalty, a subsidiary of International Airlines Group, has become the loyalty backbone of a growing coalition of airlines, banks, hotels and everyday retailers.

The Airline Network: Bigger Than You Think

The most obvious route to Avios remains the one in the sky. There are now 37 airlines on which you can earn Avios, spanning all corners of the global route map. The Avios programmes include British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, Aer Lingus AerClub, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Finnair Plus and Vueling Club. Beyond those six anchor programmes, members can earn across the entire Oneworld alliance, which includes American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and Qantas.

The expansion has been rapid. South Africa's Airlink became an Avios redemption partner in February 2025; Garuda Indonesia was added as an earn-and-burn partner in March 2025; and JetBlue's transatlantic flights from London and Edinburgh are now also in scope via Qatar Airways Privilege Club. For members who once found Avios most useful on short-haul European hops, the network is now genuinely global.

Beyond the Tarmac: Hotels, Cars and the High Street

The more compelling shift in the Avios story is happening not at 35,000 feet but on the high street and in the weekly shop. The Avios app now connects members to more than 2,000 brands across food, fashion, health and travel, including Deliveroo, Just Eat, Sainsbury's, HelloFresh, John Lewis, ASOS, Selfridges, TK-Maxx, Boots, Look Fantastic and Trainline.

The mechanics are straightforward. Members click through the Avios shopping portal before completing a purchase on a retailer's website, and points are credited automatically, with no codes to enter. Selfridges, for example, offers up to 12 Avios per pound spent, with different rates applying to technology, electronics and fine jewellery. Deliveroo credits 2 Avios per pound for existing customers, rising to 7 per pound on a first order. The portal spans 16 categories, and the fashion and clothing section alone lists 582 retailers, while banking and insurance covers 76 companies, including MoneySuperMarket, Confused.com and all the major comparison aggregators.

The most powerful move available to the attentive earner is stacking. Clicking through the portal while paying with an Avios-linked American Express card generates points twice on the same transaction, once from the retailer and once from the card spend, a compounding effect that rewards those who plan ahead.

Offline, the ecosystem is growing just as quickly. Bicester Village and the wider Bicester Collection across Europe award 1 Avios per pound spent, triggered automatically via a linked card. The Nectar partnership allows members to convert supermarket loyalty into Avios, earning 250 Avios for every 400 Nectar points, effectively putting Sainsbury's, Argos and Esso into the Avios orbit. Theatre bookings via TodayTix, Uber rides and even PizzaExpress dinners now feed the same pot. The programme has quietly inserted itself into almost every category of everyday consumer spending.

Credit Cards: The Fastest Lane

For members who want to accumulate Avios at volume, payment cards remain the most efficient engine. American Express Membership Rewards transfers at 1:1 to British Airways Club, making it the default recommendation for heavy spenders. A special offer running until 5th May 2026 has tripled the sign-up bonus on the American Express Business Gold Card to 60,000 Membership Rewards points, and the Platinum card bonus is up to 120,000 points. Barclaycard also operates a dedicated Avios Mastercard, giving members a second track independent of Amex.

How to Connect It All

Linking the programmes is more straightforward than the ecosystem's complexity might suggest. Members hold accounts in their preferred programmes, whether British Airways Club, Iberia Plus, Qatar Privilege Club or others, and use the Combine My Avios tool on ba.com to pool balances. The key advantage is that you can earn in one programme and spend in another, for example, collecting with Finnair and then redeeming on a Qatar Airways flight.

The Numbers That Validate It

The commercial case for taking Avios seriously is compelling. Avios Group posted underlying profits of £420 million in 2024, up from £367 million the prior year, at an operating margin of 17.3%. In the first half of 2025 alone, IAG Loyalty issued 17% more Avios compared to the same period in 2024, while redemptions rose 15%.

A UK-wide study found that 92% of consumers are now turning to loyalty programmes for everyday spending to make their money go further during the economic downturn. Avios, with its wide range of earning partners and flexible redemption options, is well-positioned to capture that behaviour.