How I Never Pay Full Price For Flights
And Why You Should Not Either
I want to start by saying something that might sound bold but is completely true. I have not paid full price for a long haul flight in years. Dubai, New York, various European cities, all of them done at a fraction of what most people are paying. Amsterdam cost me £1 cash plus 19,500 Avios. New York cost me £100. And before you ask, no I am not doing anything remotely dodgy. I am just using a system that a surprising number of people either do not know about or cannot be bothered to learn.
Start With Avios
The foundation of everything is Avios. If you are not collecting Avios points you are essentially leaving money on the table every single time you book a flight, shop online, or do anything that could be earning you points. Avios is the loyalty currency used by British Airways and a number of partner airlines, and the beauty of it is that you can accumulate points in so many different ways beyond just flying. The Avios shopping portal alone, which lets you earn points every time you shop online by clicking through their app first, is something that the majority of people are completely sleeping on.
Never Use Avios to Discount a Normal Flight
Here is the thing that most people get wrong when they finally do accumulate some Avios points. They use them to get money off a normal flight booking. The problem is that this is the least efficient way to use your points and you get significantly less value out of them doing it this way. What you should always be doing instead is booking a reward flight, which is a completely separate category of ticket that is priced purely in Avios rather than cash. The difference in value is enormous and once you understand it you will never go back.
How to Find Reward Flight Availability
Go to the British Airways website, head to the reward flight section, and search with your Avios in mind. You can book purely in Avios, or you can do a mix of Avios and cash. Reward flight availability is limited. Flexibility is your best friend. Try different dates, fly midweek, book further in advance. The people who say Avios are not worth it are usually the ones trying to book on the most popular flight on a Saturday in August and giving up when it is not available.
Stay Loyal to One Airline
I typically fly with British Airways or Emirates. My Avios live in my British Airways Executive Club account which is free to join. You can transfer points in from Amex, from Nectar, from the shopping portal, and from flying itself. Staying loyal means your points build faster and you reach meaningful redemption levels sooner.
The Friend Booking Hack
When travelling with a group, offer to book everyone's flights and have them transfer you the money. You collect all the Avios from the booking at no extra cost to anyone. On a group of four or five people this can add thousands of Avios to your balance from a single trip.
The Honest Caveat
The Avios reward flight pricing has increased over the years and it is not quite the golden era it once was. You need more patience, more flexibility, and sometimes more points than you would have needed a few years ago. But Amsterdam for £1 cash and New York for £100 are still completely achievable and I am living proof of that.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Avios points?
Avios are the loyalty currency of British Airways and its partner airlines. You earn them by flying, shopping through the Avios portal, transferring from American Express or Nectar, and various other methods.
What is the difference between a reward flight and using Avios to discount a normal flight?
A reward flight is a dedicated ticket category priced in Avios rather than cash and gives you significantly better value for your points. Using Avios to take money off a standard cash ticket gives you much less value per point.
Can I earn Avios without flying?
Absolutely yes. The Avios shopping portal, American Express card spending, Nectar points transfers, and various partner retailers all let you earn Avios without setting foot on a plane.
