Choose your Avios / Nectar auto-convert deal: 2x Nectar points at Sainsbury’s or win 50,000 Avios

British Airways and Nectar have launched two promotions to persuade you to auto-convert your Nectar points into Avios.

There are two deals. It may be possible to get both of them – the terms and conditions are confusing.

One offers a guaranteed bonus, one offers a chance of winning a big prize.

Before we go into this, if you want to learn more about the Nectar and Avios partnership, take a look at these articles from last year:

• Sainsbury’s is the new Avios supermarket partner!

• How the Nectar and Avios tie-up will change how you earn and spend points

• You can now link your Nectar and Avios accounts – this is what you need to do

Over on the Nectar website ….

Sainsbury’s is offering double Nectar points on your shopping if you activate auto-conversion of your Nectar points to Avios.

To take part, you need to go to the Avios page of the Nectar website and activate auto-convert by 28th February.

You will receive double Nectar points (2 per £1) on all of your shopping in Sainsbury’s between the day you register and 28th February. Clearly, the sooner you register, the longer you have to earn double points.

Auto-conversion must be retained for at least 28 days after 28th February, and the bonus points will be added after that date. Double points only relates to base points and not any instore promotions.

You can find out more on the Avios page of the Nectar website here.

If you read the small print, it contradicts what I have written above and implies that you get the bonus whether you activate auto-convert on the BA site or the Nectar site. This is important because …..

Over on the BA website ….

If you look at the British Airways website, there is a competition for you. You need to have the BA app to see the details.

Your chances of winning – if you jump through the hoops – should be good.

What can you win?

There are 350 prizes to won, totalling 3,125,000 Avios:

• 20 x 50,000 Avios
• 30 x 25,000 Avios
• 50 x 10,000 Avios
• 100 x 5,000 Avios
• 150 x 2,500 Avios

How do you enter?

This is the trick bit. You must activate auto-conversion from Nectar to Avios and transfer at least 400 Nectar points EVERY MONTH between February and May (four transfers).

A draw will take place in July to award the prizes.

I don’t know how many people generate 400 Nectar points each month, but it will only be a small percentage of account holders. If you do earn 400 points each month, I would set up auto-convert and take part in this competition.

Remember that you can always transfer your Avios back into Nectar points at the end!

The terms and conditions are vague, unfortunately. Despite running to 25 clauses, you are not told:

• what the last day to activate auto-conversion in, to trigger a transfer out in February
• whether existing auto-converters are also eligible

The terms and conditions also suggest that you are entered into the competition irrespective of whether you set up auto-convert from inside the BA website or the Nectar website.

Neither promotion makes any mention of the other offer in its terms and conditions, so it isn’t clear if you can have both.

EDIT: To add to the confusion, this competition is now showing on the Nectar site today. Do you get both offers?

Can you take advantage of both promotions?

It really isn’t clear.

The situation got even more confusing this morning when the competition also appeared in my Nectar app. I now see both offers there, but separately.

The Nectar page to set up auto-conversion is here.

The ba.com page to set up auto-conversion is here.

If you already have auto-conversion activiated then I have absolutely no idea what is going on …..

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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:

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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