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Why you should turn down the new British Airways ‘at the airport’ Avios flight upgrades

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During June, British Airways is trialling something new at Heathrow.  During midweek office hours, passengers on cash tickets may be offered the chance to upgrade their seat using Avios.  The offer will come via the BA app once the customer is identified as being in the airport.

Don’t do it.

This is how it seems to be working.  For a long time, BA has let you upgrade at the airport for cash if a flight was quiet and there are no catering issues.  You just need to ask at check-in.

The only thing that appears to be different now is that BA is converting the cash cost into Avios, using a poor exchange rate close to 0.5p per Avios, and quoting you that instead.

British Airways upgrade at the airport

Even if you wanted to upgrade, you should pay cash instead of using Avios.  You are basically getting around 0.5p per Avios, which is very poor.  This is the same rate that you get if you choose to use Avios instead of cash to pay for seat selection.

Here is an example from a HfP reader who was travelling to Abu Dhabi in Club World yesterday and asked about upgrading to First:

The standard difference in Avios pricing, one way, from Club World to First is 18,000 – 20,000 Avios depending on whether it is a peak or off-peak date

Our reader was on a 2-4-1 British Airways American Express voucher, however, so if he had upgraded in advance – if Avios seats had opened up – he and his partner would only have paid 9,000 – 10,000 Avios each

Instead, he was quoted 65,000 Avios for the one-way upgrade, per person

The only caveat I would add is that, had the reader called Executive Club to upgrade into Avios seats, he would have had to pay a £35 change fee and any difference in taxes on top.  This still doesn’t cover the value gap between 65,000 Avios and 18,000 Avios.

Allegedly, the BA employee at the upgrade desk told him that only two people had accepted the upgrade offer over the past two days.

I am guessing that 65,000 Avios is based on a one-way cash upgrade cost of between £325-£400 per person, each way, translated into Avios at a poor rate.

There is one other data point from Flyertalk at a similar level.  The poster, flying to Chicago, was quoted 60,000 Avios for a one-way World Traveller to World Traveller Plus upgrade, or 120,000 Avios for a one-way World Traveller to Club World upgrade.  What is amusing here is that the standard cost of a one-way First Class Avios seat to Chicago is only 68,000 Avios off peak.

Just say no, kids.

This HfP article tells you all you need to know about upgrading British Airways flights with Avios BEFORE arriving at the airport.

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How to earn Avios from UK credit cards

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 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 card

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.

Category

British Airways and Avios

Comments (191)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Londoner says:
    7 Jun7 June 05:51

    The guy on FT was offered to pay 60.000 Avios for an upgrade from World Traveler to World Traveler Plus and 120.000 Avios from World Traveler to Club World (not First).

    Even more reason to say no.

    • David says:
      7 Jun7 June 07:37

      WT to CW, but still not great…

    • Lady London says:
      7 Jun7 June 12:08

      hum. could do 3 transatlantic return trips with those avios if you know what you’re doing.

  • BJ says:
    7 Jun7 June 05:57

    “Allegedly, the BA employee at the upgrade desk told him that only two people had accepted the upgrade offer over the past two days.”

    Sadly if the email from AerClub I commented on yesterday is truthful and they have indeed sold €1M worth of avios at 0.5ppa in just 3 months then this avios airport upgrading is likely to be a huge success. We can only hope those stupid enough to sell their avios for 0.5p are also too stupid to find out about this and figure out how to use their app to make use of it at the airport. I fear that if this works well for IAG we could be looking at the demise of UUA which would be a great shame.

    • Lady London says:
      7 Jun7 June 12:10

      On the subject of Aer Club, read elsewhere this week that you can’t use Aer Club miles anymore for CX or QF tix.

      Apparently their tie-up with UA continues though…. for now…!!!

  • BSI1979 says:
    7 Jun7 June 05:58

    Difficult to see what BA’s thinking is here. They must realise that the majority of people that might have accumulated that level of Avios to consider this, will then conversely be more aware of the poor value of the same?!

    • John says:
      7 Jun7 June 08:33

      Not sure it is accurate to say that people accumulating lots of Avios are aware of the potential value

      • Lady London says:
        7 Jun7 June 12:13

        + 1. The majority are not aware, as you say, @John.

        Plus anyone with a ready source of avios they don’t feel they have to work too hard to get, such as un-conscious employees flying on Business, will view this as good value. Especially as some employers are now so mean as to insist on PY (or even Y) for horrendoulsly long and uncomforable long hauls…

        I’m with @BJ and seroiusly hoping the takeup by the above types of collector won’t ultimately stuff UUA.

        • David says:
          7 Jun7 June 13:10

          What line of business might you be in to be flying everywhere unconscious…? Anaesthetic researcher?

  • Claire says:
    7 Jun7 June 06:38

    Used the sofitel check in last week and was very impressed our bags first off at Helsinki ( we were on club europe) As far as I was aware it wasn’t stopping and hope to use again in August.

    • Lady London says:
      7 Jun7 June 12:15

      If that continued it would make me shell out for the Sofitel for any fligth I have with more than one piece of luggage departing out of T3… and believe me as I travel alone the Softel costs are normally far too high for me to reach! It would make such a difference though. Now, if only the Sofitel could send someone to collect my luggage off the conveyor belt at T3 also…!!!

  • Charlieface says:
    7 Jun7 June 06:38

    I have a thought based on comments I’ve seen recently:
    People often think that if lots of others redeem at poor value then the loyalty scheme is less bothered about the few who redeem at high value (pence per point). This should be the case, because there needs to be an incentive for people to actually accumulate points for outsize rewards.
    But often the managers just focus on the top 10% of redemptions (pence per point) and try to lower their costs by increasing the points required, not realising they are thereby removing the incentives.

    • Rob says:
      7 Jun7 June 08:52

      Very true. I would be intrigued to know, for example, what % of IHG points are redeemed at the top 5 global ICs. Probably peanuts, but those are the ones that get whacked for devaluation.

      Hilton is smarter, letting Conrad Maldives stay at 95k. I accept that any scheme with ‘last room availability’ may think differently.

  • Waribai says:
    7 Jun7 June 06:41

    “Just say no, kids”

    Very apt as Zammo is coming back to. UK tv imminently!

  • Sam Wardill says:
    7 Jun7 June 06:41

    Such a shame. I really had high hopes that BA was trying to emulate Qantas flight upgrade reward program which is IMHO second to none.

  • Craig says:
    7 Jun7 June 06:45

    OT: Avis and BA additional driver, I’m planning to pick up a car at Orlando and then collect the grown up kids from Tampa. Does anyone know if it’s possible to add the additional driver if they are not there at collection?

    • AJA says:
      7 Jun7 June 08:12

      I think it’s possible to do if you show a copy of the other driver licence at the time of collection in Orlando. I dont think they have to be present. Alternatively pop into an Avis location in Tampa and add them then. There’s nothing I can see on the website t&cs that says you have to add 2nd driver at time of collection or booking. Have you tried calling Avis to ask directly?

      • Craig says:
        7 Jun7 June 08:25

        I’ve Tweeted them, waiting for an answer. Just wondering if anyone here had experience of similar?

    • MikeL says:
      7 Jun7 June 08:30

      Did you book via Avis ? Make sure you have something confirming the free additional driver via a BA booking. Had an issue at Atlanta where they refused to add the additional driver unless I paid £77. Despite my protestations, they wouldn’t budge. Had to claim the money back from BA when I returned home. The voucher I had did not mention free additional driver. To answer your question, my additional driver was guarding the luggage golf clubs about 50 yards away. They didn’t ask to see him. I had his licence with me.

      • Craig says:
        7 Jun7 June 08:56

        Thanks Mike, I’ll take some screenshots and make sure the voucher lists it. I’m preferred plus which also includes an extra driver.

    • Charlieface says:
      7 Jun7 June 09:23

      Yeah I added an extra driver after pickup, with the BA deal incidentally.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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