Buying points directly is rarely the first move on my list.
It’s usually the last one.
But sometimes the math works out. Right now, British Airways is running a sale that gets you Avios for 1.64 US cents each. That is low.
Really low.
Is it worth the credit card charge? Maybe. It depends on how desperate you are for a first class ticket next month and whether you already have a stash of transferable points sitting in Amex or Chase.
The deal
The window is tight. July 9 through July 16.
Buy Avios directly through the BA Executive Club portal. You need to buy at least 2,00 in one go. The bonus is 40%.
The cap on how much you can buy usually sits at 100,00 Avios per calendar year per account. Not during a promo. Right now the ceiling is lifted. You can purchase 200,00 points before the bonus is applied. That nets you a max of 280,02 Avios in your account.
Here is what that max buy looks like across the three currency options:
- USD: Pay $4,592 for 280,0 Avios. That breaks down to 1.6 cents each.
- GBP: Pay £3,532, roughly $4,74. That’s 1.63 cents.
- EUR: Pay €4,239, roughly $4,66. That’s 1.58 cents.
The US pricing wins.
Not because the deal is better for Americans, but because the dollar is currently weak against the pound and the euro. The price per Avios is fixed based on the region your account is registered in. You don’t get to choose your currency to game the rate. Your address decides for you.
Where to buy them
This purchase does not count as airfare.
Points.com processes the transaction. Most premium travel credit cards offer high rewards categories for flights booked directly with airlines or travel portals. This? It’s just a purchase.
Like buying coffee. Or shoes.
Don’t waste a high-tier travel card unless you are chasing a minimum spending requirement. Use a cashback card. Or one that gives flat-rate returns on all spend. Protect your sign-up bonus multipliers.
Are Avios even worth it?
Avios are tricky.
They are also powerful. They serve as the currency for British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, and Finnair. They transfer freely between these programs. That flexibility is the key.
You can use them for short-haul hops on oneworld partners. You can book long-haul business class on BA or Qatar. You can even fly JetBlue Mint if the timing aligns.
What are they worth?
I value them conservatively at about 1. cents. But that number shifts wildly based on redemption. A cheap short haul might give you 0.8 cents per Avios in value. A premium long-haul flight in high demand? That can push the value well past 3 or 4 cents each.
The potential is there.
Other ways to get them
Why buy directly at 1.64 cents when you might already have transferable points?
Most travelers with a decent credit card portfolio can move points from Chase, Capital One, or Amex Membership Rewards to British Airways at no extra cost. The conversion ratios vary, but if you are getting close to or above this per-Avios value from your transfer, buying directly makes sense.
If you are outside the US or lack access to those credit card ecosystems, the sale is your bridge.
There are also dedicated co-branded cards for Aer Lingus, Iberia, and British Airways available to US residents. They offer annual free flight vouchers and signing bonuses that often dwarf the value of this sale. But those cards take time to earn out.
This sale is instant.
Expiration rules
Don’t forget that Avios rot.
They expire after 2 years of no activity in your account.
Keep the balance moving. Earn something. Burn something. It keeps the clock reset.
The bottom line
A 40% bonus is a good sale. BA doesn’t do these often anymore.
But I would not buy Avios just to have them. Hoarding points is a game where you often lose to inflation or changes in the award charts. Have a trip planned. A specific date. A specific seat you want to claim before someone else with deeper pockets grabs it.
If that flight is on the horizon? Pull the trigger.
If not, let it slide. Wait for a transfer bonus. Wait for a credit card signup offer. Points are plentiful. Cash is not.
Just don’t wake up in two years realizing your stash has vanished into thin air.
