Avios

What Avios does

Avios is a global loyalty rewards currency platform operated by a UK-based, 501–1,000 employee company headquartered in Crawley, functioning as the shared loyalty currency across six airline programmes: British Airways Club, Aer Club (Aer Lingus), Iberia Plus, Vueling Club, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, and Finnair Plus. Members collect Avios through flight activity, credit-card spending on co-branded British Airways American Express cards, an online shopping portal with 2,000+ retail partners, an in-store card-linking feature supporting 150+ retailers, Uber rides, Nectar point conversion, and hotel/car-hire bookings. Redemption is similarly broad, covering reward flights, cabin upgrades, the Avios Shop merchandise marketplace, Avios Hotels (powered by Expedia, 300,000+ properties), Avios Car Hire (Avis, Budget, 8,000+ locations), and vouchers such as PizzaExpress and LeShuttle. The platform is supported by a mobile application on iOS and Android (4.6 rating across 51,000+ App Store reviews) with account management, goal setting, reward flight seat alerts, and a referral programme. A Household Account feature allows family pooling of balances, and a Companion Voucher benefit is unlocked at £15,000 annual spend on the BA American Express Premium Plus card.

Name

Avios

Legal name

Unknown - no legal name explicitly stated in source material

Website

https://avios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Avios is a global loyalty rewards currency platform enabling millions of members to collect points through flights, retail, credit cards, and partners, and redeem them across six airline programmes, hotels, car hire, and merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Loyalty Program

akta.pro primary industry

Redemption Ecosystem (Flights, Partners, Non-Travel) (THABAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Loyalty Technology Platforms (LMS, Wallets, APIs) (THABAKAH), Co-Branded Credit Card Partnerships (Issuers/Networks) (THABAKAD), Co-Branded Card & Card-Linked Offers Enablement (Issuer/Network Integrations) (THALAKAI)

Keywords

• Travel loyalty program
• Rewards currency platform
• Airline frequent flyer
• Loyalty points currency
• Travel rewards ecosystem

Headquarters

HQ city

Crawley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Transaction/Referral Commissions from Retail Partners: Avios earns commissions from retail partners (over 2,000 brands including Apple, John Lewis, Sainsbury's, Currys, Harvey Nichols, Pizza Express) when members shop through the Avios platform online or in-store. The more members spend with partners, the more Avios are collected and the more revenue is generated through affiliate partnerships.
2. Avios Purchase and Boost Fees: Members can purchase Avios directly (starting at £49 for 2,000 Avios) or boost existing collections (100%, 200%, or 300% on transactions from last 30 days). Subscription plans start from £26/month for 20,000 Avios annually. This provides direct revenue from members wanting to accelerate their rewards.
3. British Airways American Express Card Partnerships: Revenue from co-branded British Airways American Express cards (standard and Premium Plus) where Avios earns interchange or partnership fees based on cardholder spending. Cardholders earn Avios on all purchases with additional bonuses for shopping via Avios.com.
4. Avios Shop Marketplace Commissions: Avios operates an e-commerce shop where members can spend Avios on products (Apple, Dyson, Beats, luggage, beauty products, fragrances). The shop features hybrid pricing where items can be purchased with Avios plus cash, generating revenue through product margins and Avios redemption fees.
5. Travel Partner Commissions: Revenue sharing arrangements with travel partners including Avios Hotels (powered by Expedia, offering 300,000+ hotels), Avis and Budget car hire (8,000+ locations globally), and British Airways Holidays. Members can collect or spend Avios on these bookings with Avios earning commissions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Avios operates a global travel loyalty currency platform through which individual members collect Avios points via flights, credit card spending, online and in-store shopping with 2,000+ retail partners, Uber rides, hotel bookings, and car hire, then redeem them for reward flights, hotels, car hire, merchandise, vouchers, and cabin upgrades. The platform supports cross-airline transfer between British Airways, Aer Lingus (Aer Club), Iberia, Vueling, Qatar Airways (Privilege Club), and Finnair (Finnair Plus) loyalty programs, giving members a unified currency usable across the partner network.

Product overview

Avios is a global loyalty rewards currency platform operated as a programme that enables members to collect Avios through everyday spending and partner activities, then spend them on travel rewards. The core offering consists of the Avios currency itself, supported by the Avios mobile app for account management. The spending ecosystem comprises Reward Flights (guaranteed seats on British Airways and partner airlines), Avios Hotels (powered by Expedia with 300,000+ properties), and Avios Car Hire (through Avis and Budget). Additional redemption options include the Avios Shop for merchandise, vouchers for dining and transport, and flight upgrades. Members can also boost their balances through direct purchase, subscription plans, or by boosting recent collections. The companion voucher feature provides additional value for frequent travellers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Avios Rewards Currency The Avios rewards currency is the core product: a global, transferable travel loyalty currency earned through flights, shopping, Uber rides, credit card spending, hotel and car hire bookings, then spent on reward flights, upgrades, hotels, car hire, merchandise, and vouchers. It is for individual consumers/travelers enrolled in one or more of the partner airline loyalty programs (British Airways Club, Aer Club, Iberia, Vueling, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Finnair Plus).
• Avios Mobile App iOS and Android mobile application (4.6 App Store rating, 51,000+ reviews) that provides real-time Avios balance tracking, travel destination goal setting, reward flight seat alerts, in-store partner discovery via location services, and access to card linking, Avios Purchase/Boost, and the friend Referral Programme. It is for Avios members enrolled via British Airways Club sign-in.
• Reward Flights Flight redemption service offering guaranteed seats (12 per flight) on British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and oneworld partner airlines, with distance-based pricing starting from 10,000 Avios + £2.50 and including 23kg luggage allowance and flight change flexibility. Booking is completed through the British Airways website for member-travelers.
• Avios Hotels Hotel booking platform powered by Expedia offering access to 300,000+ hotels worldwide. Members can collect 10 Avios per £1 spent on cash bookings or pay for hotel stays using Avios; designed for individual travelers seeking accommodation within the Avios redemption ecosystem.
• Avios Car Hire Car rental service delivered through Avis and Budget partnerships with availability at 8,000+ global locations including most major airports. Members can collect 5 Avios per £1 spent or pay for car hire with Avios; designed for individual travelers booking ancillary ground transport alongside flights.
• Avios Shop Online e-commerce shop where members can spend Avios on electronics (Apple, Dyson, Beats), luggage, beauty products, and fragrances using hybrid pricing that combines Avios and cash. Members can also collect Avios on purchases. Designed for members seeking non-travel redemption options or who want to part-pay with Avios.
• Avios Vouchers Digital voucher catalogue allowing members to redeem Avios for PizzaExpress dining vouchers and LeShuttle (Channel Tunnel) crossing vouchers, providing lifestyle redemption options beyond pure travel for consumer members.
• Flight Upgrades Premium cabin upgrade service allowing Avios holders to upgrade existing flight bookings or new bookings to Business Class or First Class. It is for individual members seeking premium-cabin experiences by redeeming accumulated Avios balances.
• Avios Purchase Direct one-time Avios purchasing service allowing members to buy Avios on a pay-as-you-go basis starting at £49 for 2,000 Avios. Higher-volume purchases offer better per-Avios value and Avios are delivered to the member's account within 30 minutes; targeted at members who want to top up their balance to complete a redemption.
• Avios Subscription Monthly Avios subscription plan starting from £26/month, delivering 20,000 Avios per year (1,667 Avios per month) to the member's account on a recurring billing basis. Annual commitment pricing is more cost-effective than equivalent one-time purchases; targeted at members seeking predictable, ongoing Avios accumulation for planned redemptions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guaranteed 12 Reward Flight seats on every British Airways flight, released 355 days in advance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• British AirwayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish Airways is the primary airline partner, with Avios serving as the loyalty currency for the British Airways Club. Members can collect Avios on BA flights and spend them on Reward Flights, upgrades, and other BA services. Booking is completed through the BA website.
• Aer Club (Aer Lingus)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAer Lingus loyalty program Aer Club allows members to collect and spend Avios on flights. Enables cross-airline reward flexibility for members flying between UK/Ireland and North America.
• IberiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish airline Iberia operates Iberia Plus program where members can collect and spend Avios. Enables access to Iberian and Latin American routes.
• VuelingsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish low-cost carrier Vueling allows members to earn and redeem Avios through its loyalty program. Provides access to European short-haul routes.
• Qatar Airways (Privilege Club)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQatar Airways Privilege Club enables members to collect and spend Avios on flights to Middle East, Asia, Africa and beyond. Extends Avios reach to long-haul markets.
• Finnair (Finnair Plus)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnair Plus program allows members to earn and redeem Avios on Finnish carrier flights to Europe and Asia. Provides Nordic route access.
• Expedia (Avios Hotels)coreTechnology or IntegrationAvios Hotels is powered by Expedia, offering access to 300,000+ hotels worldwide. Members can collect Avios when paying cash or spend Avios to reduce hotel costs.
• AviscoreTechnology or IntegrationAvis car hire partnership offers 5 Avios per £1 spent at 8,000+ global locations. Members can also pay for car hire using Avios.
• BudgetcoreTechnology or IntegrationBudget car hire partnership alongside Avis offering 5 Avios per £1 spent. Extends car hire availability to budget-conscious travelers at 8,000+ global locations.
• American ExpresscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish Airways American Express cards (standard and Premium Plus) allow cardholders to earn Avios on all purchases. Enhanced earning rates when shopping via Avios.com. Companion Voucher eligibility at £15,000 annual spend.
• UbercoreTechnology or IntegrationUber partnership allows UK members to link accounts and collect up to 3 Avios per £1 spent on eligible rides. Automatic collection when using linked accounts.
• NectarsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationNectar points can be converted to Avios (250 Nectar points = 1 Avios), allowing supermarket shoppers to transfer loyalty currency to travel rewards.
• British Airways HolidayssecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPackage holiday partner offering 1 Avios per £1 spent on holiday bookings. Simplifies trip planning by bundling flights, hotels, and car hire.
• AirbnbsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationMembers can collect Avios when booking Airbnb stays and accommodations. Alternative accommodation option for flexible travelers.
• PizzaExpresssecondaryTechnology or IntegrationPizzaExpress vouchers available for Avios redemption, allowing members to use travel currency for dining experiences.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aeroplan (Air Canada): Aeroplan is Air Canada's loyalty program and one of Canada's most recognized travel currencies, with extensive retail, hotel, and credit card partnerships plus Star Alliance airline redemptions. Directly comparable to Avios in scope, partner diversity, and credit-card-anchored economics.
• Emirates Skywards: Emirates Skywards is the loyalty program of Emirates airline with millions of members worldwide and extensive airline, hotel, and retail partnerships. Comparable to Avios as a single-airline-anchored loyalty currency with global reach, multi-airline partner redemptions, and co-branded credit card offerings.
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue: Flying Blue is a shared loyalty currency across Air France, KLM, and partner airlines including Transavia, allowing cross-airline earning and redemption similar to Avios's multi-carrier model. Directly comparable as a multi-airline loyalty currency with European airline anchors and retail/hotel partner network.
• United MileagePlus: United Airlines' MileagePlus is a major airline loyalty program with millions of members, extensive airline partner network across Star Alliance, and significant co-branded Chase credit card partnerships. Directly comparable to Avios in scale, structure, and multi-airline redemption ecosystem.
• Singapore KrisFlyer: KrisFlyer is Singapore Airlines' loyalty program, allowing earning on flights, retail partners, and co-branded credit cards with redemptions across Star Alliance partners. Comparable to Avios in structure, scale (millions of members), and airline-anchored loyalty currency model with bank card partnerships.
• Delta SkyMiles: Delta Air Lines' flagship loyalty program is one of the largest airline loyalty currencies globally, allowing members to earn and redeem miles across Delta's network and partner airlines. Directly comparable to Avios as a single-airline-anchored travel loyalty currency with retail and credit card earn partnerships.
• American Airlines AAdvantage: AAdvantage is one of the world's largest airline loyalty programs, anchored to American Airlines and the oneworld alliance (overlapping with Avios's British Airways anchor). Comparable in member scale, co-branded Citibank card partnerships, and airline alliance positioning.
• Lufthansa Miles & More: Miles & More is the largest loyalty program in Europe with ~36 million members, anchored by Lufthansa and partners including Austrian, Swiss, and Brussels Airlines. Comparable to Avios as a European airline-anchored loyalty currency with extensive retail, hotel, and credit card earn partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Marriott Bonvoy: Marriott Bonvoy is the largest hotel loyalty program globally with 200M+ members and extensive airline transfer partnerships including Avios. Comparable as a large-scale travel loyalty currency with co-branded credit cards and retail earn partnerships, but anchored to hotels rather than airlines.

Regional players

• Qantas Frequent Flyer: Qantas Frequent Flyer is the flagship Australian airline loyalty program with millions of members and a large retail partner network, comparable in structure to Avios but primarily serving Australia and Oceania rather than competing directly in the European market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aviossa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/avios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Avios