British Airways launches new Heathrow route to Almeria – bookable now with Avios

British Airways has announced a new route to Almeria.

From the end of March 2018 there will be two flights a week from Heathrow to the southern Spanish city.

As with all new routes, this is especially interesting news as it means there will be lots of seats available today to book with Avios. Virtually every flight should still be showing the guaranteed two Club Europe and four Euro Traveller seats, even on peak dates, until HfP readers snap them up.  If you are looking for an interesting Summer holiday or short break destination, you should look at Almeria.

Flights to Almeria will be twice-weekly from Heathrow Terminal 5 starting on 27th March 2018.

The flights will be operated on an Airbus A320.

The route will be a Summer only route, ending on 27th October, with flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Sean Doyle, British Airways’ director of network and alliances, said:

We’re extremely happy to start flying to Almeria, situated on part of Spain’s most unspoilt shores. If you want to jump into crystal clear water, explore the volcanic cliffs of the Wild West and drink sangria in the desert, then this stunning part of Andalucía is a dream holiday destination.

A hand baggage only Euro Traveller fare will be available starting from £66.  Flights went on sale yesterday and can be booked using cash or Avios on ba.com.

Make sure to choose a Tuesday or Saturday for your flight dates as you’ll otherwise be routed via Madrid.  The airport code for Almeria is LEI for those who prefer to search that way.

PS. British Airways will also expand its route to Inverness from March 2018 adding three flights to the current seven per week.  This means that on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays there will be two flights daily.  Flights from Inverness are excluded from Air Passenger Duty, saving up to £166 in taxes on long-haul Avios redemptions.

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How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 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.

American Express Business Platinum

50,000 points when you sign-up and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

20,000 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.