How to transfer Avios to and from Privilege Club

Who can link a Privilege Club account to a British Airways Executive Club account?

The joint terms describe a linked member as an individual who is both a British Airways Executive Club member and a Privilege Club member, and who has successfully linked the two accounts. [1] The individual must be at least 18 years old. [1]

The personal details registered on each account — first name, last name, date of birth and email address — have to match the details on the other account for linking to go through. [1] Only one Privilege Club account and one BAEC account can be linked at any given time. [1]

There are two narrower cases in the same terms. On a Privilege Club account that belongs to the Family Program, only the Main Member can move Avios to their BAEC account. [1] A member of a BAEC Household account who is over 18 can link their own BAEC membership number to their Privilege Club account, but only their individual balance of Avios can be moved, not the household's pooled balance. [1]

How do you link the two accounts?

1. Wait until at least 30 days after the account creation date, because the linking feature only becomes available then. [1]
2. Go to ba.com or qatarairways.com, or open the Qatar Airways mobile app, and choose "Link your account". [1] Linking is not available offline. [1]
3. Check that your name, date of birth and email address match on both accounts before you submit the link. [1]
4. Expect a confirmation email from Qatar Airways and another from British Airways, each sent to the address registered on that account. [1]

Security checks can appear during the process: the terms say that in some circumstances a member has to complete both the British Airways multi-factor authentication and the Qatar Airways one-time password during Avios transactions such as linking accounts, moving Avios and redeeming Avios. [1] Unlinking works the same way — through ba.com, qatarairways.com or the app, using an "Unlink accounts" option that is not available offline, with a confirmation email from Qatar Airways afterwards. [1]

How do you move Avios between the linked accounts?

After the accounts are linked, the member can move Avios between them in either direction. [1] The terms set out the mechanics as follows.

Which program's rules then apply depends on where the Avios land: once Avios are moved to an account, the terms and conditions of the program that holds that account govern them. [1] Privilege Club Avios are issued, redeemed and expire under the Privilege Club terms, while BAEC Avios are issued by Avios Group (AGL) Limited and expire under the BAEC terms. [1] On the Privilege Club side, the program's earning page states that every time a member earns or spends Avios, the balance is valid for a further 36 months. [4]

Two practical notes from the same terms. If the email address on a BAEC account has been updated, Avios can be moved between the accounts from seven days after the profile was updated. [1] Avios have no fixed or par value and cannot be redeemed for cash. [1]

Do you have to move Avios before spending them?

No. A linked member can redeem Avios from either or both linked accounts for award tickets or Cash + Avios without moving Avios first, and this feature is not available offline. [1] At checkout the member chooses how the Avios are taken:

• From both accounts in proportion to the balance of each account. [1]
• From the Privilege Club account first, with any remainder taken from the BAEC account. [1]
• From the BAEC account first, with any remainder taken from the Privilege Club account. [1]

Changes and refunds on award tickets and Cash + Avios tickets are only supported offline. [1] When such a ticket is refunded, all the Avios to be returned are credited to the linked member's Privilege Club account under the Privilege Club terms, and the member can then move them to BAEC while the accounts stay linked. [1] If the accounts are unlinked before the refund is issued, the refunded Avios sit in the Privilege Club account and cannot be moved to BAEC unless the accounts are linked again. [1]

Limits and exceptions

• Linking is capped over a lifetime. A Privilege Club account can be linked to a BAEC account a maximum of twice in any 50-year period, even though members can unlink at any time. [1]
• One link per member at a time. Only one Privilege Club account and one BAEC account can be linked at any given time. [1]
• Fraud review. British Airways and Qatar Airways reserve the right to impose limits on movement, including the number of transactions, if fraud is suspected. [1]
• New accounts. The linking feature only appears 30 days after the account creation date. [1]
• Recent email change. If a BAEC email address was updated, movement is possible seven days after the profile update. [1]
• Merged Privilege Club accounts. If a member merges two Privilege Club accounts and the one chosen to be closed is the linked one, the link ends and the member has to link the BAEC account to the open Privilege Club account. [1]
• Death of the member. The two accounts are unlinked and each program's own terms then apply. [1]
• Breach of the terms. Each airline reserves the right to suspend access, remove Avios and close the account concerned if these terms or its own program terms are breached. [1]
• Transfers are not a way around expiry. Moved Avios follow the receiving program's rules, so they expire in line with Privilege Club terms or BAEC terms as applicable. [1]

Frequently asked questions

Is there a fee to transfer Avios between Privilege Club and British Airways Executive Club?

No. The joint terms state that Avios can be moved in either direction without incurring any fee. [1]

How long does a transfer take?

Avios are credited immediately to the target account at 1:1 and are available to use. [1] If the Avios have not moved within 24 hours, the member can contact British Airways or Qatar Airways. [1]

Can I move Avios into someone else's account?

Linking works between one Privilege Club account and one BAEC account at a time, and the first name, last name, date of birth and email address on both accounts must match. [1] Only the Main Member of a Privilege Club Family Programme can move Avios to their BAEC account. [1]

Do transferred Avios keep their original expiry date?

Once Avios are moved to an account, the terms of the program holding that account apply, and Privilege Club Avios expire under Privilege Club terms while BAEC Avios expire under BAEC terms. [1] Privilege Club's earning page says a balance is valid for a further 36 months each time a member earns or spends Avios. [4]

Can I unlink the accounts and link them again later?

Members can unlink at any time through ba.com, qatarairways.com or the Qatar Airways app, and will receive a confirmation email from Qatar Airways. [1] A Privilege Club account can be linked to a BAEC account a maximum of twice in any 50-year period. [1]

Related pages

Start with the Privilege Club starter guide, then compare British Airways Club and Qatar Airways Privilege Club. For spending what you have moved, see how to book Qatar Avios awards and Qatar Avios upgrade awards. Definitions of transfer and expiry terms are in the frequent flyer glossary.

Sources

Sources checked on 18 October 2026. This page reports no account test. Other Avios programs, including Aer Lingus AerClub and Iberia Plus, are not covered here, and transfers between Privilege Club and any partner other than British Airways Executive Club are outside this page.

1. Qatar Airways Privilege Club: terms and conditions for linking British Airways Executive Club and Qatar Airways Privilege Club accounts, checked 18 October 2026
2. Qatar Airways Privilege Club: earn Avios, checked 6 October 2026