Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to earn Avios without flying in the UK
Earning Avios without flying means collecting Avios, the currency of The British Airways Club, through everyday spending instead of air travel — most visibly by shopping with more than 2,000 brands online or in store at Avios Shop. [1] British Airways lists hotels, car hire, travel extras, credit cards, banking and lifestyle partners as the other ground-based routes. [1]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- The British Airways Club lists shopping, hotels, car hire, travel extras, credit cards, banking and lifestyle partners as ways to collect Avios on the ground. [1]
- Shopping runs through Avios Shop, described as more than 2,000 brands online or in store, with selected brands also available at the Edit. [1]
- Avios stay alive as long as at least one Avios is collected, spent, bought or shared every 36 months. [1]
- Missing Avios or tier points can be claimed up to six months after a flight. [1]
How do you collect Avios without flying?
British Airways sets out its partner routes on one collecting page. Shopping is the largest: members can shop with more than 2,000 brands online or in store at Avios Shop, and can spend and collect Avios with selected brands at the Edit. [1] The Avios app is presented as a way to find new ways to collect with over 2,000 partners. [1] How these portals work is explained separately in the guide to shopping portals and card offers and the entry for shopping portal.
| Route | What British Airways lists |
|---|---|
| Shopping | More than 2,000 brands online or in store at Avios Shop, plus selected brands at the Edit [1] |
| Hotels | Partner hotels, with Avios collected on every stay [1] |
| Car hire and travel extras | Rental partners, airport parking and rail transfers [1] |
| Holidays | British Airways Holidays packages with bonus Avios [1] |
| Credit cards | Avios credit cards issued with partner banks [1] |
| Banking | Barclays Premier Banking, described by British Airways as the only UK current account that can collect Avios [1] |
| Lifestyle and finance | A range of lifestyle and finance partners [1] |
Spending attached to a booking also collects Avios. British Airways says pre-booking a seat, paying for extra baggage or upgrading the cabin on a British Airways or Iberia-marketed flight all count, and that contributing to Sustainable Aviation Fuel on eligible flights collects Avios and tier points. [1] Member-only offers are listed as another way to collect sooner. [1]
Avios can also be moved between programmes rather than earned. Members can transfer Avios between their British Airways Club account and their Iberia Club, AerClub, Loganair Loyalty, Vueling Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club or Finnair Plus accounts, as often as they like, with the value staying the same. [4]
Does partner spending keep your Avios alive?
Avios have a three-year activity rule. British Airways says Avios will not expire as long as the member collects, spends, buys or shares at least one Avios every 36 months, and that if Avios are neither collected nor used for three years they expire and are removed. [1] The test is written in terms of a single Avios, so one Avios posted by a shopping, hotel or car hire partner is a collection for that purpose. [1] The wider set of activity rules is covered in the points expiration activity checklist.
There are two other ways to add to a balance without flying. Avios can be bought to make up the difference when there are not enough for a Reward Flight or an upgrade, and members can pool Avios with others in their British Airways Club household or ask a friend or family member to share some of theirs. [1] [3]
How do you claim Avios that never arrive?
British Airways says Avios or tier points can be claimed up to six months after a flight, and that new members can claim for flights taken before they joined. [1] That window is stated for flights and tier points, which is where the claim process is defined. [1] The step-by-step version sits in the guide to missing miles claims.
Exceptions and limits
- Market. These are the routes listed on the United Kingdom pages of ba.com; British Airways asks visitors to confirm which country they are in before continuing, so the partner set follows the country version in use. [1]
- Expiry. Three years without collecting or using Avios means the Avios expire and are removed; collecting, spending, buying or sharing a single Avios resets the clock. [1]
- Claim window. The six-month limit is expressed in relation to a flight, and new members can also claim for flights taken before joining. [1]
- Credit card offer terms. British Airways advertises 5,000 bonus Avios when a new cardmember applies and spends £2,000 in the first three months, plus 1 Avios for every £1 spent, with no annual fee and a representative 29.1% APR variable, as of 18 October 2026; it is for eligible new cardmembers only, aged 18 or over and resident in the UK, subject to status. [1]
- Transfers. Transfers between British Airways Club and Iberia Club, AerClub, Loganair Loyalty, Vueling Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club or Finnair Plus keep the same value and can be made as often as the member likes once the accounts are linked. [4]
Frequently asked questions
Do Avios collected from shopping expire if I stop flying?
They can. Avios expire and are removed after three years without collecting or using them, but a single Avios collected, spent, bought or shared every 36 months keeps them. [1]
Can I collect Avios on hotel stays and car hire?
Yes. British Airways lists partner hotels, where Avios are collected on every stay, and car rental partners, along with airport parking and rail transfers booked as travel extras. [1]
How long do I have to claim missing Avios?
Up to six months after a flight for Avios or tier points, and new members can claim for flights taken before they joined. [1]
Is there a UK bank account that collects Avios?
British Airways names Barclays Premier Banking and describes it as the only UK current account that can collect Avios. [1]
Can I move Avios between airline programmes?
Yes. Avios can be transferred between a British Airways Club account and an Iberia Club, AerClub, Loganair Loyalty, Vueling Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club or Finnair Plus account, and the value stays the same. [4]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It covers The British Airways Club on the United Kingdom pages of ba.com; Iberia Club, AerClub, Loganair Loyalty, Vueling Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Finnair Plus appear only as transfer partners, and other airline programmes are not covered here.
- Collecting Avios, The British Airways Club, checked 18 October 2026
- Reward Flights, The British Airways Club, checked 18 October 2026
- Transfer your Avios, The British Airways Club, checked 18 October 2026