Airmiles, collecting AVIOS points and British Airways Membership...

[NachoFries]

How does one go about collecting AVIOS points? Can points be collected from previous flights? And I’ve been hearing about how people pay for flights using airmiles but how does that work? And does one have to join the British Airways Executive Club to collect said AVIOS points?

TIA

My understanding...

Yes you do have to join the executive club to collect avios, but this is free. Once you have joined then you give your executive club membership number when you book a flight and you will automatically be credited with the avios when you fly.

You can also collect avios when flying with BA partner airlines, eg Cathay Pacific. And if you're really keen you can get a BA amex card which gives you avios on your purchases.

To spend avios you can go on the BA website executive club area and choose flights. There are only a limited number of air miles seats available on each flight, and they may sell out months in advance on popular routes. You can choose to pay for the whole flight in avios, or part avios, part cash. You will have to pay for taxes and fees in cash either way.

I'm pretty sure you won't be able to collect avios for flights you've already taken.

I get Tesco points automatically converted to Avios and so far its paid for return flights for two people to Rome with 2 nights in a hotel.

When booking you have to go through the process starting with 'pay with Avios'

Bit faffy but play around and you'll get the hang of it

Avios is closing in July so best to set up a BA Executive Club account instead. You will still earn Avios but you'll redeem then through BA Exec Club instead of the Avios website.

No you can't earn Avios on past flights.

I think you might be able to get points if the flights were recent.

We collected a loads of point when she was commuting across the Atlantic in business class every two weeks. But we’ve found it’s not actually particularly easy to spend them. You need to be super organised and book the flights on the day they are released as they only seem to allow a limited number of points flights on each flight.
The perks (lounge access, extra luggage, free seat allocations) are useful though.

You can spend Avios on things other than flights such as laithwaites wine or some hotel chains. Definitely worth collecting them!

Have a look at the 'Head for Points' website - there is a section called 'Avios University' that has lots of posts.
YY to signing up to BAEC not the generic Avios account as it's closing.
It can be a bit overwhelming at first but can be really worth doing (best value is 'reward flight saver' flights to Europe for £35 return including taxes, and being able to bump yourself up to Business.
Our best deal was Avios + £400 which got us business class returns to New York.

Awesome . Makes me wonder about all those missed points that we could have had we signed up for the Executive Club sooner 🙈

Btw, are Tesco points and Tesco Club Card points the same thing? And go w does one convert Tesco points to AVIOS points? Oh and do AVIOS points expire? As in, if not used after a certain period of time, they are rendered unusable? Or can one just simply accumulate points over years?

go w = how

My husband has that many Avios points he can't get through them, anytime he flies I get him to bring me in my evening snacks paid with his points... mini Bottega, M&S millionaires shortbread and Percy Pigs

He'll be stopping those journeys bows, sad days

*now not bows

They expire after 3 years of no activity on the account. Although I rang them and protested as I'd been busy having kids in 3 years so they reinstated them. Result!

There’s an online shopping site for BA too where you can collect avios by shopping online. You can also register your credit/debit card so you collect points in store too (was very limited last time I looked though)

I find the best value with Avios is booking hotels. We've had some great stays, and ds and dh had a week in London last year where we paid for the hotel (inc breakfast), bus tour, attraction entries and dinner at Hard Rock all with my Avios

The BA Amex is great way to built up Avios - we get most of ours this way. Companion vouchers are crucial to points maximisation! Is funding famil summer holiday long haul flights every other year for us- we just pay tax ~£1k for the 4 of us.

There will be threads from expert point collectors in MSE with all the up to date tricks and info.

As a PP said, Head for Points is your first stop, loads of fantastic info. I found it all mind-boggling to start, but I am in the swing now.

Places I collect points include (I will have forgotten some, no doubt):

Flights
Petrol (Shell)
John Lewis and many other stores through Gate 365 on Exec Club
On my credit cards
Topcashback converts to Avios for most retailers
Clubcard points

Some places are easier to book flights to than others. I don't recommend Cape Town to start with, you may lose the will to live ... New York and the like though seem much easier. I have my business class flights booked for September though (you still pay the taxes, so it is effectively equivalent to paying to a decently priced economy flight, but getting BC/FC travel).

Depending how dedicated you are, some credit cards it may actually be worth paying for.

The AmEx BA ones come in two versions - free, with a reduced Avios intro bonus, standard collection rate and a 2-4-1 voucher that only has 1 year validity before expiring. The one you pay for (£195) a year has an increased collection rate and the 2-4-1 is valid for 2 years.

For those places that don't take AmEx, I have a Tesco Clubcard credit card, so at least I get some.

If anyone wants referral links for the AmEx, feel free to PM me LOL. The referral link slightly increases the amount you get (after spending a set amount over a set time, which presumably varies across the cards but will be clearly set out) and I would get a small bonus too.

GetTaeBed - we do this too - can't believe they'll continue it forever though, as it can been fantastic if you're flexible with dates.