Fly For Free (Almost) | 8 Ways to Build Your Avios Points Balance Fast
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- Опубліковано 22 лип 2024
- This is my complete guide to collecting Avios and how you can fly for (almost) free.
For only one single shiny Great British Pound and 19,000 Avios Points you can fly to Dublin, Amsterdam or Paris. For just a few more you can fly all over Europe. And those Avios are so easy to get, with 8 different ways to collect Avios you can build your Avios balance and get your European flights booked!
If you build a big enough balance, then you can fly to Barbados, South Africa or Australia. The sky is literally the limit, because you can use your Avios on British Airways, Iberia and Qatar, and from February next year (2024) you can use them on Finnair.
That is a big chunk of the world opened up for Avios collectors.
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0:00 Fly for (ALMOST) Free
1:04 What Are Avios
2:38 The Executive Club
4:03 Taking Flights
6:20 BA Holidays
7:37 BA Shopping Portal
9:19 Credit Cards
13:55 Nectar Points
15:13 Barclays Bank Account
15:43 Hotel Points to Avios
16:33 This may Surprise You!
But the big savings come when you spend a bit more money and fly long haul premium cabins. That aspirational trip in a business class cabin can be within your reach by using Avios. But how to do that will be in Part 2, for now enjoy part 1 and build that Avios balance so you can take that trip of a lifetime in a year or two.
I flew to Barbados in First Class earlier this year which was a huge bucket list item for me. It cost 85,000 Avios and about £700, which is more than the £1 for European Economy flights and a long way from a free flight but remember this is a £5,000 (yeas you read that right, Five Thousand Pounds) flight and a flight I wouldn’t have ever afforded without using Avios.
In the video I talk about Credit Card Referrals, if you chose to take out a credit card then you will often get a sign up bonus and you can enhance that bonus if you are referred. I have a few different cards and I can refer you if you’d like (couples can refer each other once one of you has the card!)
If you would like a referral link for an AMEX Card:
▶ phil @ mygreygapyear . com ◀
And if you’re interested in investigating credit cards in more detail these are the links to Head for Points that I promised:
www.headforpoints.com/2023/06...
www.headforpoints.com/2023/01...
Thank you for watching, please remember to like and subscribe and put any and all questions in the comments,
So, thank you for joining me on My Grey Gap Year
Phil
#flyforfree #collectavios #onepoundflights
Brilliant info Phil, thank you.
Thank you, and thank you for your support 👍
Helpful charismatic and well explained thank you very much
Thank you for your kind comments, I'm glad it was helpful.
Thank you for this video Phil. Really informative and well presented.
Thank you for your comment, glad you enjoyed it
So much useful info! Thanks!
You're welcome, I'm glad it was helpful.
Just found this channel, looks very interesting - subscribed! Always interested in min/maxing bonuses
Thank you for your comment and support, and welcome to the community.
Phil
Hi Phil, new subscriber just making my way through your videos! Some fantastic advice and information, so easy to follow and understand. Unfortunately for me I'm not in a position to build Avios for another year or so whilst I'm paying off a couple of debts but after that I can't wait to get travelling and building up some points and status! These videos are great inspiration in that regard 😂 Cheers, Michael
Thanks for your comment and support, welcome to the community. Glad the videos are offering you value and hopefully some entertainment. Good luck in your future points building and status,
Thanks
Phil
Hi Phil! It’s great to have someone explaining Avios. I’ve subscribed and am watching your videos. I’m awaiting the Credit Card video with interest as I’ve got Amex and Avios MC. I’m planing to refer people and BA shopping etc including Nectar too. Can you please publish a specific video on this topic? Much appreciated 😊
Thank you for your kind comment and your support, it's much appreciated. I have pushed a credit card points collection video up my "to do" list.
Super video Phil 👍🏼 I’ve recently switched from the free BA Amex to the Premium as I want to be able to use the Companion Voucher for Cape Town and hope to get at least WTP, preferably Club. My partner is a school teacher so we’re limited to school holidays and peak fares so wish me luck!
Thank you for your kind comments, in next weeks video I'm talking about spending Avios and I have three tips, the first one is "book early". And I think that is what you'll need to do to get Cape Town in the school holidays. But someone gets the reward seats, so why not you.
You'll probably have a better chance of getting Club because they release more of those seats than in Premium Economy.
Good luck and all the very best,
Phil
@@mygreygapyear Thanks Phil- be interested to hear your thoughts on booking the LHR-CPT leg as soon as it opens and then calling up and adding the return when it opens. I won’t be booking until April as it’s for late March 25 but I’m getting prepared as I’ve heard this route is particularly competitive.
I used to play the award flights and status games like it's the Olympics, back in the mid-2010s. But now with devaluation and how flights have gotten so much cheaper anyway, I've slowed down a bit. Poke!!!
I love that, like an Olympic Event. I wonder how they'd score that, would it be judged and scored like gymnastics, or would there be a first past the post like 100m sprint and rowing?
Thanks as always, it's appreciated.
Phil
Tip 8 is a useful one for someone like me as in a few months I’ll receive my upgrade voucher from Barclays, however I’ve only got 20,000 avios. Therefore if I want to upgrade to a business class in long haul i’ll need to increase my avios balance significantly and the only of doing that is to pay for them
Thank you for your comment, I do sometimes buy Avios through Boost because I know I'm planning to use them in the next 12 months.
Hi Phil, thanks again but I would really like to see something about Aer Lingus and how it fits in. I'm in Northern Ireland so it's often do I do direct with Aer Lingus through Dublin or do I pay extra fares to use Belfast City. Most of the recommendations seem to focus on London. That's just a non-starter for me. Also, I think it would be great given I am modest means and I'd love to see more details about how low spenders can maximise their potential. None of this is negative at all - you are my favourite guy on UA-cam, please keep it coming!
Hi @kuzeyboy, thanks for your comments and support, it's much appreciated. I think a video on other airlines to spend Avios through, like Aer Lingus, Iberia and possibly Vueling is a great idea. And how to use small Avios balances is also another great idea for a video.
Thanks
Phil
Starting out on this with an aim to rack up some points and vouchers over the next 18 month or so. Got the BA account and started the Amex referral chain off at the lowest level - so will see where it takes us!
Thanks for your comment and good luck 😀
once again a fantastic video, very informative.
i have around 310,000 avios and am thinking about a RTW booing in Business/1st. class. do you have any info on this. thanks Gordon from N. Ireland
Thanks for your comment, I haven't tried to book a round the world trip on Avios, but I think you're going to need to use multiple carriers, not sure how easy it will be to use Avios. A call to BA might be a good first step, to find availability you could look at the AA website.
Aer Lingus member…so, what’s our best ways? Relocated from London and want the best deals…Dublin…Awesome!!! What a gang and what fun11
Thanks for your comment, much appreciated.
Phil, I spat out my beer when I saw what you were quoted for the ibis Schipol! Were you booking for a month 🙂 ? As I'm sure you know, you have to take a bus to the hotel complex unless you want to pay for a taxi. I found that bus to be crowded and infrequent - at least, it was when I stayed there last year.
Thank you very much for this helpful Avios summary.
😂 You know I didn't even really look at the prices I was just gathering information. It was for a week I think, but that was a holiday price and included the club flight, but that's Amsterdam for you.
Thanks got your comment, that made me chuckle,
Phil
Hi Phil, thanks for your amazing videos, I started studying how to earn miles and your videos have been very useful. I would like to know if there is a way to earn miles (avios) when we shop on Amazon? Gratitude!
Thanks for your question and your kind comments, the only way I know to get any miles from Amazon is when you use your points credit card to pay for them, sorry.
Slight addition, positioning to Europe first (something like Oslo) and booking the Qatar avoid flight from there would actually save you quite an amount on the fees.
Thanks for your comment and sharing your tip, much appreciated.
Not a question but just an observation. It is definitely better to use Avios (or equivalent) on flights rather than anything else. I used to have a substantial number of Air France miles but I recall their validity ran out if you didn’t fly frequently enough. Because moving job I didn’t fly and despite at least 2 short haul trips to revalidate, I eventually paid for (a lot) of wine (being a nervous flyer was also part of decision !). But key message is (as I understand) Avious never run out of validity…..although (as with Air France) need to be aware if points required for a flight progressively increase
You loose your avios, or at least some if you go 3 years without adding to your pot. Even just spending £5 on a amex card a year will reset the timer.
Thanks for your comment, I really appreciate you sharing. Rich is correct that unfortunately Avios do expire after 36 months, but if you spend, buy or share 1 Avios then the timer resets, so as long as you're aware it's reasonably simple to keep the balance alive.
Thanks again,
Phil
If i book a reward flight with Avios and then pay to choose seats, would I earn Avios on what I spent on the seat selection or other paid extras or not?
Thanks for your question and my answer is I think you should based on the new system, but I honestly don't know for sure.
Using avios for redemption flights is a win/ lose conundrum.. yes, you get a cheap or free flight, but you get zero tier points.
Personally I quit looking for redemption flights a long time ago.. I just use my avios from each previous flight to reduce the price of my next flight a little… the loyalty program status is important to me.
You make a valid point, that Avios redemptions get zero tier points, but cash and Avios fares get full tier points and it is a consideration if you're chasing status.
Thanks for your comment and your support
Phil
Can you pay your rent by points credit cards?
Thanks for your question, it would depend on your landlord or agency accepting AMEX or Mastercard, which is unlikely. I pay my council tax using my Mastercard though, get me over 3,000 points and I get over £2,000 closer to the voucher spend 😊
Mate I have points coming out my arse. Sorry to be colloquial but I don't fly eco because I always buy flights with points.
I don't see your value in the status system because if I'm flying reward biz anyway I get all the privileges.
I'm intrigued because my daughter doesn't have my privileges and I'm wondering about the status thing. It's great to see someone do these calculations.
Thanks for the comment, nice problem to have. As long as you can find availability status shouldn't be something you really need if you're flying business (trying to think of something).
@@mygreygapyear Status does give you priority for awards seats sometimes. That can be nice.
@@peetiegonzalez1845 Gold will give you additional award availability, that's true. And business passengers won't get access to First Class Lounges, but some routes will have a first class cabin which is the same points (or less) that a business cabin.
First in 👍
Thanks for your support 😊
Ah but Phil, Avios are currency and thus are worth money. So that’s not “free” 😉 haha
The avios scheme does sound really intriguing though with the different earning rates per status level. I wish CX would follow this too cuz i only earn miles for flights, so it’s a bit slow-going. I refuse to use credit cards cuz i find there’s more value in cash back
😂 I did make sure I put in the "almost", but Avios aren't technically a currency because they don't belong to you, they belong to the scheme and if you die they are lost, you can't will your Avios balance.
You make a really interesting point on taking a cash back card over a points card. If I get chance to make a video about credit cards then I'll make sure I make that point,
Thanks for your comment,
Phil
@@mygreygapyearthat’s true and i like that you compared the rewards tickets to paid flights at different price points because that makes it clear what the actual value is.
My beef with miles is that i never seem to be able to use them. If you can only fly durian school holidays it gets challenging. That’s why a cash back card for me. Or the Amex points card. Those i like collecting. 😂😅
I might open a UA-cam channel! Any advice?:)?
To be completely honest the best advice I can give you is to watch this video by Ali Abdaal. ua-cam.com/video/T2M9hSswlIs/v-deo.html
He puts things much better than I ever could.
My personal advice would be to make three videos (like Ali says) but not publish them. Just make them and see if you enjoy it. If you don't love it, then ditch it, it's not for you. But I hope you love it because a rising tide lifts all boats.
And if you do then keep going and watch videos about Niche and the other parts of UA-cam, I really like Think Media and VidIQ.
The very best of luck, let me know how you get on,
Phil
Also shame the Sainsbury’s app is soooooo rubbish. The hassle of using that app is just not worth it, despite the extra avios
Thank you for your comment, I haven't needed to use it yet, my local Sainsbury's is on a paid car park that requires coins so I rarely go there.
Hey
Hi there
@@mygreygapyear im going to Madrid alone for first time in the summer holidays I think maybe Rome next year any advice or other places Im an introvert
@@gexrge-ps5 Well, I can relate to being an introvert, I know it doesn't look like it when I'm on camera. I rented a car in Sicily and that was nice, my own space and exploring at my own pace. Bucharest has lots of cafe bars in the Old Town where you can just sit and order with your back to the wall and watch the world go by as it merrily ignores you.
@@mygreygapyear tysm
I don't want to fly. It's a hideous experience - terrorist level security, cramped cattle class, vaccinated pilots, the public, queueing for ages, everything is expensive. No thanks, and I'm a retired pilot.
Thanks for your comment and sharing. Even if I didn't want to travel I would have to if I wanted to see my grandchild in Australia.
But I take your point that flying can be a tough, I find status helps, but those 24 hour trips in Economy can be really hard.
Thanks again,
Phil