Is converting NatWest Rewards to Avios good value?

[cska]

Just been made aware but until recently hadn’t realised that Natwest MyRewards can be redeemed for Avios at a rate of £10 rewards = 1170 Avios. Just wanted people’s perspectives on this. It would take 2 months (at a cost to me of £2/month) to earn enough to convert to 1170 Avios on the most basic rewards account so seemingly you are purchasing Avios at 0.34p per point.

Converting to Nectar would provide worse than £10 of cash value however there would seem to me to be a small opportunity here? Would love others’ thoughts as I am new to this game!

[Luca M]

I do not think it is great but no bad either, it gets better with larger denomination so better to wait to exchange £20 at once then twice £10.

I do this anyway (RBS rewards, exactly same product from the different brand of the same group). And it all adds up

[John]

You are not purchasing avios at 0.34p if you ever spend money at Waitrose / Morrisons / Argos or the other retailers offered. Furthermore, you can cash the money out to bank, which gives a base rate of 0.851p per avios already.

If you spend money at Waitrose, you’re giving up 0.887p of gift card for every 1 avios you get this way.

For Argos, you get £2.63 of gift card for every £ of account fee you pay if you redeem directly, but if you go via avios you only get £2.35 of gift card for every £ of account fee.

Now if you’re happy to buy avios at 0.9p then go for it obviously.

Luca M wrote:

I do not think it is great but no bad either, it gets better with larger denomination so better to wait to exchange £20 at once then twice £10.

Well you get 10 avios more for converting £20 of reward cash than 2x £10, but yes you might as well.

[cska]

Thanks for your thoughts. Seems to not really be worth it then. I was only thinking from the perspective that I can buy gift cards (sometimes 80% of their value – Monese) but I can’t do this with Avios points. Good to hear your take on it though 🙂

[BuildBackBetter]

The avios vouchers from NatWest aren’t locked to a user or email id. You can use it to top up household accounts to extend their expiry or be eligible for RFS.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[Bobri]

While the value is not great enough to warrant a no-brainer conversion, I treat these a my stash that gets converted to top up to do a particular redemption or just add some balance to a depleted account quickly. The great benefit of these rewards is that the voucher that you receive is not tied to your name and you can top up e.g. your partner’s account.

Gift cards for shopping are an alternative, but usually can be sourced through PAW or similar sites for comparable value

[WillPS]

John wrote:

You are not purchasing avios at 0.34p if you ever spend money at Waitrose / Morrisons / Argos or the other retailers offered. Furthermore, you can cash the money out to bank, which gives a base rate of 0.851p per avios already.

If you spend money at Waitrose, you’re giving up 0.887p of gift card for every 1 avios you get this way.

For Argos, you get £2.63 of gift card for every £ of account fee you pay if you redeem directly, but if you go via avios you only get £2.35 of gift card for every £ of account fee.

Now if you’re happy to buy avios at 0.9p then go for it obviously.

Luca M wrote:

I do not think it is great but no bad either, it gets better with larger denomination so better to wait to exchange £20 at once then twice £10.

Well you get 10 avios more for converting £20 of reward cash than 2x £10, but yes you might as well.

Worth noting that even many of the gift card redemption options offer poor value compared to taking cash and then purchasing gift cards with Perks At Work, Sodexo or even TopGiftcards sometimes.

[olliet365]

Reviving this one as I don’t think my new post actually went through

The rate has now gone down to £10 = 900 Avios.

I previously transferred my rewards into John Lewis vouchers as I got 4% back in rewards (so £92 in rewards got me £100 in JL vouchers) but this has recently gone down to 2% back.

Does this reduced avios earning of 900 still make sense do we think?

Many thanks

[MattB]

Personally no as you are ‘buying’ them for ~ 1.1p per point.

[Joe G]

I think since the devaluation it’s cheaper to take the cash out of your rewards account then use that cash to do an avios boost so from that point of view I no longer really see it as a “Trade up” option

[PeteM]

Re-reading the thread I cried a little at the mention of the erstwhile Monese gift cards 🤣

[BBbetter]

Joe G wrote:

I think since the devaluation it’s cheaper to take the cash out of your rewards account then use that cash to do an avios boost so from that point of view I no longer really see it as a “Trade up” option

Very good point.