Avios are shortly turning into one of the standard loyalty currencies in Europe — and worldwide.
Whereas British Airways Membership, Iberia Membership and Aer Lingus AerClub have lengthy used Avios as their loyalty forex, Loganair Loyalty and Finnair Plus are the newest additions. Qatar Airways Privilege Membership and Vueling Membership are additionally a part of the Avios program.
What is exclusive and beneficial about Avios is which you can switch your Avios between these packages in any course at a 1:1 fee as usually as you need.
A number of cobranded bank cards can be found from airways that use Avios, and each main bank card program has a minimum of one Avios program as a switch associate at a 1:1 ratio.
So, with Avios really easy to earn, transfer round and redeem, what are the most effective playing cards for Avios redemptions?
Whereas there is not a single finest card that wins in each class, relying in your priorities, listed here are the most effective choices.
You need to earn a big welcome bonus
There are many nice welcome bonuses obtainable proper now on lots of our favourite playing cards. This contains the three Chase-issued Avios playing cards:
The knowledge for the Aer Lingus Visa Signature and Iberia Visa Signature playing cards has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
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With TPG’s September 2025 valuations of Avios at 1.4 cents every, these welcome bonuses are value $1,190 every. That is sufficient for a first-class flight to London (plus charges, taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges).
Simply take into account that you will not have the ability to earn a welcome bonus on certainly one of these playing cards in the event you presently maintain it or have earned a bonus on it previously 24 months.
Associated: Greatest Avios candy spots: How one can redeem for home and worldwide award flights
You spend quite a bit on flights
In the event you earn and redeem Avios, you are prone to make some purchases instantly with airways, whether or not it is paying for the charges, taxes and surcharges related along with your redemption or boosting your Avios stability by buying money fares.
In the event you primarily fly on Aer Lingus, British Airways or Iberia, including certainly one of these cobranded airline playing cards to your pockets is smart. In the event you’re not loyal to 1 airline, although, contemplate the next choices on your airline spending:
Associated: British Airways Visa Signature bank card assessment: Earn versatile Avios — vital for frequent BA flyers
You need to maximize switch bonuses
American Specific usually comes out on prime so far as the frequency of switch bonuses is anxious. With that in thoughts, these are the most effective Amex card gives presently obtainable:
- The Platinum Card from American Specific: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome gives fluctuate and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion.
- American Specific® Gold Card: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome gives fluctuate and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion.
- The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Specific: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of card membership.
- American Specific® Enterprise Gold Card: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first three months of card membership.
You need to get pleasure from elite status-like perks
Incomes elite standing in an airline loyalty program normally requires vital spending instantly with the airline and/or on a cobranded bank card. Thankfully, in the event you want to benefit from the perks of elite standing, you are able to do so with the proper Avios bank card.
The Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Visa Infinite Credit score Card has a welcome supply of as much as 50,000 Avios — 25,000 Avios after the primary transaction and an extra 25,000 Avios and 150 Qpoints after spending $5,000 within the first three months of account opening. The cardboard comes with a $499 annual charge.
The knowledge for the Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Visa Infinite Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Whereas this welcome bonus is decrease than the Chase Avios-earning playing cards, it additionally gives one yr of complimentary Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Gold standing (equal to Oneworld Sapphire), which incorporates advantages like precedence boarding, most well-liked seating, lounge entry and a 75% bonus on incomes Avios with eligible flights.
You can even obtain worldwide lounge entry by means of the proper bank card.
The Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card gives limitless complimentary entry for you and two company to 1,300-plus lounges, together with Capital One Lounges and Precedence Go lounges (enrollment required).
Lounge entry modifications are coming to Enterprise X cardholders beginning Feb. 1, 2026. After this date, Enterprise X cardholders will now not have the ability to deliver complimentary company with them to Precedence Go and Capital One lounges (until they spend $75,000 in a yr for the latter).
Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges) cardholders get entry to Chase Sapphire Lounges in addition to entry to Precedence Go lounges.
Lastly, eligible Amex Platinum cardmembers can entry the American Specific World Lounge Assortment, together with Centurion, Delta Sky Golf equipment*, Escape, Plaza Premium lounges, Precedence Go™ and choose Lufthansa lounges. Enrollment could also be required.
*When touring on same-day Delta flights, eligible Platinum Card members will obtain 10 visits per eligible Platinum Card per yr to the Delta Sky Membership or to Seize and Go when touring on a same-day Delta-operated flight.
You need to get monetary savings on airfares and redemptions
Whereas every of the three Chase Avios-earning playing cards gives a companion voucher or low cost for spending $30,000 yearly on the cardboard, the British Airways Visa Signature Card gives further advantages when reserving money and Avios redemptions.
Annually, along with incomes a companion voucher, you may:
- Get 10% off British Airways-operated income flights departing the U.S. to London and past, together with charges, taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges (excluding extra baggage or seat choice charges) if you e-book by means of the web site offered in your welcome supplies.
- Get a $100 assertion credit score ($200 for business- and first-class seats) as much as 3 times a yr if you e-book a reward flight to London on British Airways and pay your taxes and charges along with your card (as much as $600 yearly).
- Use Avios to pay for taxes, charges and service costs if you redeem a British Airways ticket, although this isn’t normally deal.
You spend in non-travel classes
Whereas Avios lovers could also be directing loads of bank card spending to airfare, in the event you spend some huge cash on different classes like eating, groceries and different journey, you may earn plenty of rewards with elevated incomes charges in these classes with the next playing cards:
- The American Specific Gold Card earns 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback) and 4 factors per greenback spent on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback).
- The Citi Strata Premier® Card (see charges and charges) earns 3 factors per greenback spent at electrical car charging and gasoline stations, eating places and supermarkets.
You fly to Europe commonly
The British Airways Visa Signature Card has quite a few reductions and assertion credit when flying with British Airways for each money fares and Avios redemptions.
With BA’s infamous carrier-imposed surcharges, you would save loads of cash on money fares and Avios redemptions if you e-book a number of seats or flights every year.
Associated: Fast Factors: This is why you should not finish your European journey within the UK
You need to journey in premium cabins with your loved ones
You would possibly need to earn plenty of Avios shortly to redeem for luxurious merchandise like British Airways’ top quality or Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite enterprise class. In that case, you will desire a card with a excessive welcome bonus and beneficiant class bonuses.
New cardholders of the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see charges and charges) can earn 80,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 within the first three months from account opening. You possibly can earn a better welcome supply of 100,000 bonus factors with the identical spending necessities in the event you apply at a Citi department in individual.
The cardboard additionally has spectacular incomes charges, permitting you to earn bonus factors on journey booked by way of Citi Journey and on eating.
In the event you spend closely in these classes, you may enhance your stability shortly, providing you with a stable stash of Avios to make use of for these high-end bookings.
Backside line
Even in the event you do not fly to Europe usually, Avios is value your consideration. Avios are straightforward to earn from many alternative bank cards and straightforward to redeem by means of the seven completely different packages that use the forex. You even have the distinctive flexibility of transferring Avios between every program for free of charge at a 1:1 fee in any course.
Whereas there isn’t a slam-dunk Avios or transferable points-earning bank card for each traveler, there are glorious choices that will help you e-book your subsequent journey.
Associated: New user-friendly software enables you to simply switch Avios between all 7 airline packages
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card, click on right here.
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