The best Avios-earning credit cards: Which one is ...

Avios are shortly turning into some of the standard loyalty currencies in Europe — and worldwide.

Whereas British Airways Club, Iberia Membership and Aer Lingus AerClub have lengthy used Avios as their loyalty foreign money, Loganair Loyalty and Finnair Plus are the latest additions. Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Vueling Membership are additionally a part of the Avios program.

What is exclusive and worthwhile about Avios is which you could switch your Avios between these packages in any path at a 1:1 fee as usually as you need.

A number of cobranded bank cards can be found from airways that use Avios, and each main bank card program has no less than one Avios program as a switch associate at a 1:1 ratio.

So, with Avios really easy to earn, transfer round and redeem, what are the very best playing cards for Avios redemptions?

Whereas there is not a single greatest card that wins in each class, relying in your priorities, listed here are the very best choices.

There are many nice welcome bonuses available right now on a lot of our favourite playing cards. This consists of the three Chase-issued Avios playing cards:

The data for the Aer Lingus Visa Signature and Iberia Visa Signature playing cards has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

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With TPG’s September 2025 valuations of Avios at 1.4 cents every, these welcome bonuses are value $1,190 every. That is sufficient for a first-class flight to London (plus charges, taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges).

Simply needless to say you will not be capable to earn a welcome bonus on one in all these playing cards should you presently maintain it or have earned a bonus on it up to now 24 months.

Associated: Best Avios sweet spots: How to redeem for domestic and international award flights

You spend quite a bit on flights

If you happen to earn and redeem Avios, you are more likely to make some purchases immediately with airways, whether or not it is paying for the charges, taxes and surcharges related together with your redemption or boosting your Avios stability by buying money fares.

If you happen to primarily fly on Aer Lingus, British Airways or Iberia, including one in all these cobranded airline playing cards to your pockets is sensible. If you happen to’re not loyal to 1 airline, although, think about the next choices to your airline spending:

Associated: British Airways Visa Signature credit card review: Earn flexible Avios — a must-have for frequent BA flyers

Often, bank card issuers offer transfer bonuses for choose airline and resort associate packages. There isn’t a certainty as to when these bonuses will happen, and the variety of factors and miles you possibly can obtain from the bonus can fluctuate from as little as 10% to over 40%.

American Specific typically comes out on high so far as the frequency of switch bonuses is anxious. With that in thoughts, these are the very best Amex card affords presently out there:

• The Platinum Card from American Express: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome affords fluctuate and also you will not be eligible for a proposal.
• American Express® Gold Card: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. Welcome affords fluctuate and also you will not be eligible for a proposal.
• The Business Platinum Card from American Express: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 on purchases inside the first three months of card membership.
• American Express® Business Gold Card: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first three months of card membership.

You need to take pleasure in elite status-like perks

Incomes elite standing in an airline loyalty program normally requires important spending immediately with the airline and/or on a cobranded bank card. Happily, should you want to benefit from the perks of elite standing, you are able to do so with the correct Avios bank card.

The Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Visa Infinite Credit score Card has a welcome supply of as much as 50,000 Avios — 25,000 Avios after the primary transaction and an extra 25,000 Avios and 150 Qpoints after spending $5,000 within the first three months of account opening. The cardboard comes with a $499 annual charge.

The data for the Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Visa Infinite Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Whereas this welcome bonus is decrease than the Chase Avios-earning playing cards, it additionally affords one 12 months of complimentary Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Gold standing (equal to Oneworld Sapphire), which incorporates advantages like precedence boarding, most popular seating, lounge entry and a 75% bonus on incomes Avios with eligible flights.

You can even obtain worldwide lounge access through the right credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card affords limitless complimentary entry for you and two friends to 1,300-plus lounges, together with Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required).

Lounge access changes are coming to Enterprise X cardholders beginning Feb. 1, 2026. After this date, Enterprise X cardholders will not be capable to carry complimentary friends with them to Precedence Cross and Capital One lounges (until they spend $75,000 in a 12 months for the latter).

Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) cardholders get entry to Chase Sapphire Lounges in addition to entry to Precedence Cross lounges.

Lastly, eligible Amex Platinum cardmembers can entry the American Express Global Lounge Collection, together with Centurion, Delta Sky Golf equipment*, Escape, Plaza Premium lounges, Precedence Cross™ and choose Lufthansa lounges. Enrollment could also be required.

*When touring on same-day Delta flights, eligible Platinum Card members will obtain 10 visits per eligible Platinum Card per 12 months to the Delta Sky Membership or to Seize and Go when touring on a same-day Delta-operated flight.

Whereas every of the three Chase Avios-earning playing cards affords a companion voucher or low cost for spending $30,000 yearly on the cardboard, the British Airways Visa Signature Card affords further advantages when reserving money and Avios redemptions.

Annually, along with incomes a companion voucher, you possibly can:

• Get 10% off British Airways-operated income flights departing the U.S. to London and past, together with charges, taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges (excluding extra baggage or seat choice charges) while you e-book by means of the web site offered in your welcome supplies.
• Get a $100 assertion credit score ($200 for business- and first-class seats) as much as thrice a 12 months while you e-book a reward flight to London on British Airways and pay your taxes and costs together with your card (as much as $600 yearly).
• Use Avios to pay for taxes, charges and provider fees while you redeem a British Airways ticket, although that is not usually a good deal.

Whereas Avios fans could also be directing loads of bank card spending to airfare, should you spend some huge cash on different classes like dining, groceries and other travel, you possibly can earn plenty of rewards with elevated incomes charges in these classes with the next playing cards:

• The American Express Gold Card earns 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback) and 4 factors per greenback spent on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback).
• The Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees) earns 3 factors per greenback spent at electrical car charging and fuel stations, eating places and supermarkets.

The British Airways Visa Signature Card has quite a few reductions and assertion credit when flying with British Airways for each money fares and Avios redemptions.

With BA’s infamous carrier-imposed surcharges, you possibly can save loads of cash on money fares and Avios redemptions while you e-book a number of seats or flights annually.

Associated: Quick Points: Here’s why you shouldn’t end your European trip in the UK

You may need to earn plenty of Avios shortly to redeem for luxurious merchandise like British Airways’ first-class or Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite business class. In that case, you will desire a card with a excessive welcome bonus and beneficiant class bonuses.

New cardholders of the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see rates and fees) can earn 80,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 within the first three months from account opening. You’ll be able to earn the next welcome supply of 100,000 bonus factors with the identical spending necessities should you apply at a Citi department in particular person.

The cardboard additionally has spectacular incomes charges, permitting you to earn bonus factors on journey booked through Citi Journey and on eating.

If you happen to spend closely in these classes, you possibly can increase your stability shortly, providing you with a strong stash of Avios to make use of for these high-end bookings.

Associated: New user-friendly tool lets you easily transfer Avios between all 7 airline programs

For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum Card, click on here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card, click on here.