Avios are shortly turning into some of the common 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 latest additions. Qatar Airways Privilege Membership and Vueling Membership are additionally a part of the Avios program.
What is exclusive and useful about Avios is that you may switch your Avios between these applications in any route 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 at the very least one Avios program as a switch companion at a 1:1 ratio.
So, with Avios really easy to earn, transfer round and redeem, what are one of the best playing cards for Avios redemptions?
Whereas there is not a single greatest card that wins in each class, relying in your priorities, listed below are one of the best choices.
You wish to earn a big welcome bonus
There are many nice welcome bonuses out there proper now on lots of our favourite playing cards. This consists of the three Chase-issued Avios playing cards:
The data 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 supplied 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 price $1,190 every. That is sufficient for a first-class flight to London (plus charges, taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges).
Simply understand that you will not be capable to earn a welcome bonus on certainly one of these playing cards in case you presently maintain it or have earned a bonus on it prior to now 24 months.
Associated: Greatest Avios candy spots: Tips on how to redeem for home and worldwide award flights
You spend quite a bit on flights
Should you earn and redeem Avios, you are more likely to make some purchases instantly with airways, whether or not it is paying for the charges, taxes and surcharges related together with your redemption or boosting your Avios stability by buying money fares.
Should you primarily fly on Aer Lingus, British Airways or Iberia, including certainly one of these cobranded airline playing cards to your pockets is sensible. Should you’re not loyal to 1 airline, although, think about the next choices to your airline spending:
You wish to maximize switch bonuses
Often, bank card issuers provide switch bonuses for choose airline and resort companion applications. There isn’t a certainty as to when these bonuses will happen, and the variety of factors and miles you’ll be able to obtain from the bonus can differ from as little as 10% to over 40%.
American Categorical usually comes out on high so far as the frequency of switch bonuses is worried. With that in thoughts, these are one of the best Amex card gives presently out there:
- The Platinum Card from American Categorical: Discover out your provide and see in case you are 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 differ and also you is probably not eligible for a proposal.
- American Categorical® Gold Card: Discover out your provide and see in case you are 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 differ and also you is probably not eligible for a proposal.
- The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of card membership.
- American Categorical® Enterprise Gold Card: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first three months of card membership.
You wish to take pleasure in elite status-like perks
Incomes elite standing in an airline loyalty program often requires vital spending instantly with the airline and/or on a cobranded bank card. Luckily, in case you want to benefit from the perks of elite standing, you are able to do so with the best Avios bank card.
The Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Visa Infinite Credit score Card has a welcome provide 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 data 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 supplied 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 popular seating, lounge entry and a 75% bonus on incomes Avios with eligible flights.
You may as well obtain worldwide lounge entry by means of the best bank card.
The Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card gives limitless complimentary entry for you and two visitors to 1,300-plus lounges, together with Capital One Lounges and Precedence Move lounges (enrollment required).
Lounge entry adjustments are coming to Enterprise X cardholders beginning Feb. 1, 2026. After this date, Enterprise X cardholders will not be capable to carry complimentary visitors with them to Precedence Move and Capital One lounges (except 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 Move lounges.
Lastly, eligible Amex Platinum cardmembers can entry the American Categorical World Lounge Assortment, together with Centurion, Delta Sky Golf equipment*, Escape, Plaza Premium lounges, Precedence Move™ 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 wish to lower your expenses 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 additional advantages when reserving money and Avios redemptions.
Every year, along with incomes a companion voucher, you’ll be able to:
- 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) once you e book by means of the web site supplied in your welcome supplies.
- Get a $100 assertion credit score ($200 for business- and first-class seats) as much as 3 times a yr once you e book a reward flight to London on British Airways and pay your taxes and charges together with your card (as much as $600 yearly).
- Use Avios to pay for taxes, charges and service fees once you redeem a British Airways ticket, although that is not often a superb deal.
You spend in non-travel classes
Whereas Avios fanatics could also be directing loads of bank card spending to airfare, in case you spend some huge cash on different classes like eating, groceries and different journey, you’ll be able to earn a number of rewards with elevated incomes charges in these classes with the next playing cards:
- The American Categorical 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 fuel stations, eating places and supermarkets.
You fly to Europe often
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 possibly can save loads of cash on money fares and Avios redemptions once you e book a number of seats or flights annually.
Associated: Fast Factors: Here is why you should not finish your European journey within the UK
You wish to journey in premium cabins with your loved ones
You may wish to earn a number of Avios shortly to redeem for luxurious merchandise like British Airways’ top notch or Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite enterprise class. In that case, you may need 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 may earn the next welcome provide of 100,000 bonus factors with the identical spending necessities in case you apply at a Citi depa
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