Here’s the full BA ‘buy on board’ menu, with pricing, which launches next week

‘Buy on board‘ comes to British Airways short haul flights from next Wednesday.  That is, if your flight isn’t cancelled by the strike.

Don’t forget to claim your 1,000 Avios compensation if you had any short haul flights booked before the 29th September announcement date for travel after 11th January.  You need to drop Customer Services an email.

Note that it is 1,000 Avios per member and not 1,000 Avios per flight.  In theory flight refunds are also available although you will get some push back from Customer Services on this.

The full menu, with cash and Avios pricing, is now available online.  You can see it here.  

This is what you will be able to buy:

Fresh food

Smoked British bacon roll – served hot – £4.75 / 600 Avios
Aberdeen Angus beef and red onion chutney bloomer – £4.75 / 600 Avios
Harissa chicken and couscous salad – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Farmhouse cheddar cheese ploughmans – £3.00 / 375 Avios
Buffalo mozzarella and tomato focaccia – served hot – £4.95 / 625 Avios
Fruit salad – £3.50 / 450 Avios
Yogurt with summer berry compote and crunchy granola – £1.95 / 250 Avios

Savoury snacks

Cashew nuts – £1.60 / 200 Avios
Wasabi peas – £1.60 / 200 Avios
Lightly sea salted hand cooked crisps – £1.00 / 125 Avios
Sea salt and balsamic vinegar hand cooked crisps – £1.00 / 125 Avios
Oat and barley porridge – £1.40 / 125 Avios
Nut assortment – £1.60 / 200 Avios
Olives basil and garlic olive snack – £1.20 / 150 Avios

Sweet snacks

Milk chocolate covered pretzels and popping candy popcorn – £2.45 / 300 Avios
Soft apricots – £1.95 / 250 Avios
The Whippy One – fluffy light mallow encased in creamy milk chocolate with caramelised walnut pieces – £1.00 / 125 Avios
Mini oat biscuits – £1.10 / 150 Avios
Brownie bar – £1.45 / 175 Avios
Super nut, fruit and seed flapjack – £1.45 / 175 Avios
Milk chocolate mountain bar – £1.75 / 225 Avios
Percy Pig – soft gums made with fruit juice – £1.85 / 225 Avios
Salted caramel hazelnut millionaire – gluten free biscuit – £1.45 / 175 Avios
4 Finger KitKat – £1.20 / 150 Avios
All butter shortbread – pack of two fingers – £1.20 / 150 Avios

Hot drinks

Java Republic regular coffee – 12oz cup – £2.30 / 300 Avios
Java Republic decaf coffee – 12oz cup – £2.30 / 300 Avios
Twinings English breakfast tea – £2.30 / 300 Avios
Twinings Earl Grey tea – £2.30 / 300 Avios
Twinings Pure Green tea – £2.30 / 300 Avios
Twinings Pure Peppermint tea – £2.30 / 300 Avios
Cadburys hot chocolate – 12oz cup – £2.70 / 350 Avios

Soft drinks

Highland Spring sparkling water – 500ml – £1.80 / 225 Avios
Highland Spring still water – 500ml – £1.80 / 225 Avios
Vita Coco coconut water 330ml – £2.70 / 350 Avios
Sprite – 330ml can – £1.80 / 225 Avios
Coca Cola – 330ml can – £1.80 / 225 Avios
Diet Coke – 330ml can – £1.80 / 225 Avios
Fanta Orange – 330ml can – £1.80 / 225 Avios
Pip Organic orange juice – 200ml – £2.70 / 350 Avios
Pip Organic apple juice – 200ml – £2.70 / 350 Avios
Folkington’s Elderflower Presse – 250ml can – £2.20 / 275 Avios
Fruit shoot Orange, low sugar – 200ml – £1.80 / 225 Avios
Appletiser – 330ml – £1.80 / 225 Avios
Fever Tree tonic water – 150ml – £1.50 / 200 Avios
Fever Tree Slimline tonic water – 150ml – £1.50 / 200 Avios
Big Tom Spiced Tomato mix – 150ml – £1.50 / 200 Avios
Folkington’s Ginger Ale – 150ml – £1.50 / 200 Avios
Folkington’s Club Soda – 150ml – £1.50 / 200 Avios
Folkington’s Bitter Lemon – 150ml – £1.50 / 200 Avios

Alcoholic drinks

Bacardi Carta Blanca rum – 50ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Baileys Irish Cream – 50ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Bombay Sapphire Gin – 50ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Jonnie Walker Red – 50ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Jack Daniels – 50ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Smirnoff Red – 50ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
XO Brandy – 50ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Dry River Shiraz – 187ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Shorn Sauvignon Blanc – 187ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Belle Vignes Sauvignon Blanc – 187ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Belle Vignes Syrah Rose – 187ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Belle Vignes Grenache Syrah Marselan – 187ml – £4.50 / 575 Avios
Prosecco Bottega Gold – 200ml – £6.00 / 750 Avios
Heidsieck & Co. Monopole, Blue Top, Brut – 375ml – £16.00 / 2025 Avios
Heineken – 330ml – £4.00 / 500 Avios
Old Speckled Hen – 330ml can – £4.00 / 500 Avios
Magners Original Cider – 330ml can – £4.00 / 500 Avios

The first observation is that the fresh food selection seems pitifully small.  The pricing seems relatively reasonable, however, when compared to the drinks list – £4 for a can of Heineken (sold in a duty free environment, remember) is a bit of a shocker.  £1.80 for a can of coke isn’t going to win BA any friends either.

In terms of pence per Avios, 0.8p per point is not a bad deal. I have done worse flight redemptions than this.  I can’t see a scenario where I would pay cash.

(Technically, you can’t pay cash at all – it is credit cards or BAEC cards only.)

It isn’t clear whether the porridge at 1.12p per Avios is a typo or a special offer for Avios collectors – I am guessing the former.

I am told that BA will be over-stocking for the first few weeks so you should at least get what you want.  Stock numbers will be cut back once the airline has a better idea of what is required.

It remains to be seen if BA will be doing a strict ‘front to back’ service routine or not, because on short routes where you sit could be the difference between getting served or not.  I think one of the big US airlines varies it based on whether the flight number is even or odd.

Club Europe food remains separate.  If you don’t like what is on offer, you will need to pay to take an alternative from the buy on board selection.

Is this going to work or it will be a monumental flop?  We will see after next Wednesday.

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How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (March 2025)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard

Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

Get 5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

30,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 Read our full review

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 30,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, and the standard card is FREE. Capital on Tap cards also have no FX fees.

Capital on Tap Visa

NO annual fee, NO FX fees and points worth 1 Avios per £1 Read our full review

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits Read our full review

There is also a British Airways American Express card for small businesses:

British Airways American Express Accelerating Business

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 8th April 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Business Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to 120,000 points. You receive 80,000 points when you spend £12,000 within three months and a further 40,000 points if you spend on the card between Month 14 and Month 17. Points convert 1:1 into Avios and many other programmes. Click here to apply.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 8th April 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Business Gold is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 60,000 points. You receive 40,000 points when you spend £6,000 within three months and a further 20,000 points if you spend on the card between Month 14 and Month 17. Points convert 1:1 into Avios and many other programmes. Click here to apply.

American Express Business Platinum

Up to 120,000 points when you sign-up and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

Up to 60,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.