British Airways Avios Devaluation - 10% Avios Price Increase from December 2025

British Airways has just dropped news that no Avios collector wants to hear: Reward Flight prices are increasing from 15 December 2025. This affects both the Avios requirement and the cash portion of fares across all British Airways flights and airline partners. If you've been sitting on a pile of Avios waiting for the perfect redemption, now might be the time to act.

The increase works out to roughly 10% across the board for both Avios and cash elements. This isn't a subtle tweak – it's a meaningful jump that will affect everything from short-haul European hops to long-haul business class redemptions.

Here's how the pricing compares:

Economy: 9,250 Avios + 50p → 10,000 Avios + £1

Business: 15,000 Avios + £12.50 → 16,500 Avios + £15

Economy: 50,000 Avios + £100 → 55,000 Avios + £120

Premium Economy: 85,000 Avios + £305 → 93,500 Avios + £350

Business: 160,000 Avios + £375 → 176,000 Avios + £399

First: 136,000 Avios + taxes → 150,000 Avios + taxes

This is frustrating. As someone who has built up a decent Avios stash through credit card spending and strategic earning, seeing the goalposts move again is disheartening. This follows a pattern we've seen throughout 2024 and 2025, with BA quietly increasing fees on Reward Flight Saver bookings and hiking prices for partner airline redemptions.

That said, a 10% increase isn't catastrophic. Avios still offers genuine value, particularly on short-haul European flights where the Reward Flight Saver pricing keeps cash costs minimal. A return to Geneva in business class for 33,000 Avios + £30 (post-increase) is still excellent value compared to paying cash.

The real sting is psychological. When you've been planning a redemption at current prices, suddenly needing 10% more Avios feels like theft. But let's be honest – we've been playing this game long enough to know devaluations are inevitable. The key is to stay informed and act strategically.

If you have any flights you've been planning to book with Avios, book them before 15 December 2025. This is straightforward advice, but it's worth emphasising. Even if you're not 100% certain on dates, remember that BA Reward Flights can be changed (subject to availability) – you'll just pay the difference if moving to a peak date.

Use our How Many Avios Points for a Flight tool to check current pricing and plan your redemptions. If you're searching for award availability across multiple airlines, Award Travel Finder can help you spot seats quickly.

Don't forget that Avios can be used across multiple programmes. Qatar Airways, Iberia, and other partners often offer better value on certain routes. For transatlantic flights, Iberia business class from Madrid can be significantly cheaper than flying BA direct – and you might actually prefer the experience.

If you need to check distances for partner airline pricing, our Great Circle Mapper can help you calculate award costs on distance-based programmes.

A 10% increase means you need 10% more Avios. If you're not already maximising your earning potential, now's the time to review your strategy. The BA Amex Premium Plus remains excellent for personal spending, while Capital on Tap is still my go-to for business spending (they just added Virgin as a transfer parter). Check out our full UK Avios credit card guide for more options.

This devaluation comes at an interesting time. British Airways has been making significant changes to the programme in 2025 – the rebrand to 'The British Airways Club', the new spend-based tier point system, and now this. It feels like IAG is trying to reshape the value proposition of loyalty membership.

On one hand, the new tier point system rewards high spenders more generously. On the other, redemptions are becoming more expensive. The message seems clear: BA wants you to spend more, both in earning and redeeming.

For those of us who play the points game strategically – using credit card bonuses, shopping portals, and transfer bonuses – Avios still represents solid value. But the margin for error is shrinking. You need to be more intentional about when and how you redeem.

Is this the end of the world? No. Is it annoying? Absolutely. The 10% increase stings, but Avios remains one of the most accessible and useful points currencies for UK travellers. The Reward Flight Saver pricing still offers genuine value, particularly on short-haul routes where you're paying pennies in cash.

My advice: don't panic-redeem everything in your account, but do bring forward any bookings you were planning for next year. And keep earning – the next devaluation is always around the corner, but so is the next opportunity.

Have you got any Avios redemptions you're now racing to book before December? Let me know your plans – I'd love to hear what you're targeting.

Until next time,

Jack