What are British Airways Club Avios?
Avios are the points currency used by The British Airways Club (the program name that replaced “Executive Club”). In practice, nothing changed about the core idea: you earn Avios, then you can book with Avios for flights on British Airways and many partners.
For Canadians, Avios are most valuable when you treat them as a flexible oneworld partner currency, and more than just for flights to and from the UK.
The Best Use Cases for Avios for Canadians
When you book with Avios from Canada, you’re usually optimizing for:
- Short-haul value on partner flights where cash fares can be expensive
- Oneworld partner access without needing to route through London
- Flexible earning through Canadian transferable points (Amex MR, RBC Avion, Marriott)
- Simple one-way bookings (great for mixing points, cash, and positioning flights)
The trade-off is that BA-operated long-haul awards can come with higher carrier surcharges, which can make “book with Avios” feel less magical if you’re not careful. We'll cover this in the rest of this article.
How to earn Avios in Canada
1) American Express Canada Membership Rewards → Avios (1:1 transfer ratio)
What you’re earning
- American Express Membership Rewards (MR) points in Canada
How Canadians earn MR
- Welcome bonuses on MR-earning Amex cards (often the fastest way to build a balance)
- Everyday spending on an MR card (your earn rate depends on the specific card)
- Amex Offers and targeted promos (sometimes includes extra MR for specific merchants)
- Business spending (if you run a business card, this can accelerate MR quickly)
Why this is good for Avios American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred when you’re ready to book with Avios, so you keep flexibility until you see award space.
Amex's website says transfers take up to 30 minutes, so no need to transfer well in advance in order to prepare for a redemption.
You can start a transfer of American Express Membership Rewards points to Avios here.
2) RBC Avion → Avios (1:1 transfer ratio, with occasional transfer bonuses)
What you’re earning
- RBC Avion points
How Canadians earn Avion
- Welcome bonuses on RBC Avion-branded cards
- Everyday spend on an Avion card (earn rates vary by card)
- RBC Avion offers/promotions (RBC periodically runs promos and partner incentives)
- RBC “earn accelerator” categories (depending on the card’s earn structure)
Why this is good for Avios RBC has historically run transfer bonuses to British Airways Avios, which can improve your effective “cost per Avios” when you book with Avios. These usually are a 30% transfer bonus, so you'll get 1.3 Avios for every 1 Avion point you transfer over.
RBC's website says it takes up to 4 weeks to transfer from Avion to Avios, but in practice it's much faster, and you can expect a transfer to go through in a few days.
You can start a transfer of Avion points to Avios here.
3) Marriott Bonvoy → Avios (3:1 transfer ratio)
What you’re earning
- Marriott Bonvoy points
How Canadians earn Bonvoy
- Welcome bonuses on Marriott American Express cards available in Canada
- Everyday spend on a Marriott American Express card (especially strong if you spend heavily on travel)
- Staying at Marriott hotels (paid stays earn Bonvoy points)
- Marriott promos (global promos pop up throughout the year)
Why this is good for Avios Marriott transfers are best used to top up an Avios account for a specific “book with Avios” redemption, rather than as your main engine. This is because it takes a transfer of 3 Marriott points to get 1 Avios. For every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer, there is also a 5,000 partner bonus applied. In this case, 60,000 Marriott points would earn you 25,000 Avios. Still not the best return, but can be useful in some cases.
You can start a transfer of Marriott Bonvoy points to Avios here.
4) RBC British Airways Visa Infinite (the only BA co-branded Visa in Canada)
If you want the most direct way to earn Avios in Canada (and unlock BA-specific perks), the RBC British Airways Visa Infinite is the only co-branded British Airways credit card available here. It earns Avios directly into your British Airways Club account, so it’s a clean setup if your goal is to book with Avios regularly.
What you’re earning
- Avios directly in your British Airways Club account (earned from card spend)
Core earn rates (Canada)
- 3 Avios per $1 CAD on British Airways and BA Holidays purchases
- 2 Avios per $1 CAD on Dining
- 1 Avios per $1 CAD on all other qualifying purchases
Annual fee and eligibility
- Annual fee: $165 CAD
- Minimum income: $60,000 personal or $100,000 household (typical Visa Infinite requirement)
Companion Award eVoucher (the big ongoing perk) When you spend $30,000 CAD in a calendar year, you can earn a Companion Award eVoucher that:
- Can cover the base Avios cost of a second passenger on a booking for two, or
- Can give a 50% Avios discount for a solo traveller on one reward seat (same itinerary)
This is one of the strongest reasons Canadians keep the card long-term if they can hit the spend threshold.
Why this is good for Avios
- Avios post directly (no transfer step), which is convenient if you frequently book with Avios
- The Companion Award eVoucher can meaningfully reduce the Avios required for BA redemptions if you use it strategically
- The 10% cash-fare discount can be a nice “Plan B” when Avios pricing or fees aren’t attractive
5) Earn Avios by flying (and crediting flights correctly)
If you fly British Airways or eligible partners, you can credit flights to The British Airways Club to earn Avios. For many Canadians, this is a slower path than transferable points, but it’s still relevant if you regularly fly oneworld.
Avios can be moved between programs
A major advantage when you book with Avios is that Avios can often be moved between several Avios-based airline programs (BA, Iberia, Qatar, Aer Lingus, Finnair, and others), typically at 1:1. This matters because pricing and availability can differ by program even for similar flights.
If you've linked your British Airways Club to other accounts, such as Qatar Airways Privilege Club, you'll be able to see and use your Avios balance right away when booking through those other accounts as well.
The two main ways to book with Avios
1) Book with Avios on British Airways (BA-operated Reward Flights)
BA calls these “Reward Flights.” You’ll typically see:
- An Avios amount (often based on distance and peak/off-peak timing)
- A cash amount (taxes, fees, and often carrier charges)
- Multiple “Avios & Money” combinations at checkout (pay more Avios to reduce cash, or vice versa)
2) Book with Avios on partner airlines (oneworld and other partners)
When you book with Avios on partners, pricing is generally distance-based and can be additive by segment (nonstops are your best friend). Taxes and fees vary by carrier and route.
BA also maintains special/exception charts for certain partners and scenarios, which is why it’s important to know the rules before you transfer points.
British Airways “book with Avios” distance bands + typical surcharges in CAD
These are for flights operated by British Airways, and are one-way values. British Airways currently flies nonstop from London Heathrow to three Canadian cities: Toronto (YYZ), Vancouver (YVR), and Montreal (YUL).
The cash surcharges below are approximate values and may fluctuate slightly due to currency exchange rates.
Economy (Avios + typical surcharge in CAD)
| Distance Band | Distance from London (miles) | Off-peak (Avios) | Peak (Avios) | Typical surcharge (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | 0–650 | 10,000 | 10,750 | $2 |
| Band 2 | 651–1,150 | 13,000 | 14,000 | $2 |
| Band 3 | 1,151–2,000 | 15,000 | 16,750 | $94 |
| Band 4 | 2,001–3,000 | 24,750 | 30,250 | $93 |
| Band 5 | 3,001–4,000 | 27,500 | 33,000 | $111 |
| Band 6 | 4,001–5,500 | 33,000 | 38,500 | $157 |
| Band 7 | 5,501–6,500 | 38,500 | 44,000 | $204 |
| Band 8 | 6,501–7,000 | 44,000 | 49,500 | $250 |
| Band 9 | 7,001+ | 55,000 | 60,500 | $296 |
Premium Economy (Avios + typical surcharge in CAD)
| Distance Band | Distance from London (miles) | Off-peak (Avios) | Peak (Avios) | Typical surcharge (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 4 | 2,001–3,000 | 41,250 | 52,250 | $185 |
| Band 5 | 3,001–4,000 | 46,750 | 66,000 | $324 |
| Band 6 | 4,001–5,500 | 52,250 | 74,250 | $370 |
| Band 7 | 5,501–6,500 | 55,000 | 85,250 | $416 |
| Band 8 | 6,501–7,000 | 60,500 | 88,000 | $463 |
| Band 9 | 7,001+ | 88,000 | 126,500 | $509 |
Business (Avios + typical surcharge in CAD)
| Distance Band | Distance from London (miles) | Off-peak (Avios) | Peak (Avios) | Typical surcharge (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | 0–650 | 16,500 | 18,000 | $28 |
| Band 2 | 651–1,150 | 22,000 | 24,500 | $28 |
| Band 3 | 1,151–2,000 | 26,750 | 30,000 | $231 |
| Band 4 | 2,001–3,000 | 77,000 | 88,000 | $231 |
| Band 5 | 3,001–4,000 | 88,000 | 99,000 | $369 |
| Band 6 | 4,001–5,500 | 99,000 | 110,000 | $462 |
| Band 7 | 5,501–6,500 | 110,000 | 121,000 | $554 |
| Band 8 | 6,501–7,000 | 121,000 | 132,000 | $620 |
| Band 9 | 7,001+ | 159,500 | 187,000 | $739 |
Considering the above, when looking at the cities that BA flies to/from in Canada, here's what you'll end up paying for a redemption:
Montreal (YUL) ↔ London (BA nonstop)
| Cabin | Approx. distance from London (miles) | Off-peak (Avios) | Peak (Avios) | Typical surcharge (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ~3,240 | 27,500 | 33,000 | ~C$111 |
| Premium Economy | ~3,240 | 46,750 | 66,000 | ~C$324 |
| Business | ~3,240 | 88,000 | 99,000 | ~C$369 |
Toronto (YYZ) ↔ London (BA nonstop)
| Cabin | Approx. distance from London (miles) | Off-peak (Avios) | Peak (Avios) | Typical surcharge (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ~3,550 | 27,500 | 33,000 | ~C$111 |
| Premium Economy | ~3,550 | 46,750 | 66,000 | ~C$324 |
| Business | ~3,550 | 88,000 | 99,000 | ~C$369 |
Vancouver (YVR) ↔ London (BA nonstop)
| Cabin | Approx. distance from London (miles) | Off-peak (Avios) | Peak (Avios) | Typical surcharge (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ~4,710 | 33,000 | 38,500 | ~C$157 |
| Premium Economy | ~4,710 | 52,250 | 74,250 | ~C$370 |
| Business | ~4,710 | 99,000 | 110,000 | ~C$462 |
What this means in practice for Canadians
- If you’re in YYZ or YUL, you’re in the 3,001–4,000 mile band for BA nonstop to London.
- If you’re in YVR, you’re in the 4,001–5,500 mile band, which pushes both Avios and surcharges higher.
- Before you transfer points, always price the exact dates you want so you can judge the full “Avios + cash” cost of booking with Avios.
The multi-carrier Avios chart (useful for complex trips)
If you build an itinerary that uses multiple oneworld airlines (two or more partners), BA has a published multi-carrier award chart based on total trip distance.
Multi-carrier Avios costs (economy)
| Total distance (miles) | Economy (Avios) |
|---|---|
| 0–1,500 | 30,000 |
| 1,501–4,000 | 35,000 |
| 4,001–9,000 | 60,000 |
| 9,001–10,000 | 70,000 |
| 10,001–14,000 | 90,000 |
| 14,001–20,000 | 100,000 |
| 20,001–25,000 | 120,000 |
| 25,001–35,000 | 140,000 |
| 35,001–50,000 | 160,000 |
Premium cabins are commonly described as:
- Premium economy: 1.5x economy
- Business: 2x economy
- First: 3x economy
When this helps:
- You’re building a complex, multi-stop one-way using multiple partners
- You want stopovers/open-jaws and are willing to do the extra work
How to book with Avios step-by-step
1) Search before you transfer points
Most transfers into Avios are one-way. Find the flights first by searching on the British Airways website for reward flights. Once you find the flight you're looking for, then you can prepare your appropriate points transfer to Avios.
2) Use BA’s search flow and select “Book with Avios”
- Go to ba.com
- Use the booking tool
- Choose the “Book with Avios” option
- Search flexible dates if you can
Third-party tools can help you quickly scan space, but ba.com is still the final source for the exact price and cash amount.
Avios expiration and common rules
BA states Avios won’t expire as long as you have eligible activity at least once every 36 months (earn, spend, buy, share, etc.). So if you have a balance that's getting close to expiry, doing a small transfer of other points to Avios is an easy way to extend that expiration period.
Quick Canada-first “book with Avios” strategy
- Use Amex MR or RBC Avion as your primary way of getting Avios
- Book with Avios for short-haul flights first (best reliability for value)
- Always check the cash component before you transfer
- Prefer nonstop routes when possible
- Keep Avios flexible by moving between Avios programs if pricing differs
