How to Transfer Avios Between Accounts

Avios is a loyalty currency created by the International Airlines Group (IAG), which formed after British Airways and Iberia Airlines merged in 2011. Currently, four airline loyalty programs use Avios as a points currency: Aer Lingus AerClub, British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, and Qatar Airways Privilege Club.

One of the unique characteristics of this partnership is that Avios can be easily transferred between the four programs that use it as a points currency.

This feature can come in handy if you have points sitting around in separate accounts and need to move them around to take advantage of a specific program’s sweet spot.

What Are the Different Types of Avios?

The idea of having four different loyalty programs that use the same Avios currency can be a bit confusing at first.

To be clear, the four airlines have separate loyalty programs: Aer Lingus AerClub, British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, and Qatar Airways Privilege Club.

However, what’s unique is that the four separate loyalty programs use the same points currency, Avios, for earning and redeeming. In this sense, you can think of each loyalty program as a different “flavour” of Avios.

Furthermore, you can freely transfer between different flavours of Avios at a 1:1 ratio, which can be useful for several reasons.

For example, it’s easy to earn British Airways Avios, since it’s a transfer partner with many transferable points currencies in North America. Other flavours of Avios are more difficult to access; however, since you can transfer Avios between programs, you can essentially access all four by way of British Airways Avios.

In a similar vein, each loyalty program has a variety of sweet spots. Rather than booking, say, Qatar Airways Qsuites with British Airways Avios, you can stretch your points farther by making a redemption with Qatar Airways Avios instead.

How to Earn Different Types of Avios

In North America, it’s easier to come by certain types of Avios than others.

British Airways Avios

Of the four flavours of Avios, British Airways Avios are by far the easiest to earn.

In Canada, you can access British Airways Avios as a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, RBC Avion, and HSBC Rewards. Amex MR and Avion points transfer at a 1:1 ratio, while HSBC Rewards has a 25:10 transfer…