Finnair's Clever Way to Sell Oneworld Elite Status: Buy Avios, Get Tier Points Free

Finnair has just launched one of the more interesting promotions I've seen this year - and it's not just about buying Avios on the cheap. Running until 30 November 2025, the Finnish carrier is offering a 50% bonus on purchased Avios (bringing the cost down to roughly 1.4 euro cents each), but here's the kicker: you'll also receive 10% of your purchase as tier points, and you can convert additional Avios to tier points at a 3:1 ratio.

For those keeping score at home, this effectively means you can buy your way to oneworld elite status - Sapphire or even Emerald - without setting foot on a plane. Let me explain why this matters, particularly for UK-based frequent flyers.

The mechanics are straightforward enough. Between 19 November and 30 November 2025, Finnair Plus members can purchase up to 200,000 Avios with a 50% bonus, meaning you'll receive 300,000 Avios total. The pricing works out to approximately 1.4 euro cents per Avios at the maximum bonus tier - not the cheapest we've seen (Finnair has previously offered up to 100% bonuses), but reasonable nonetheless.

Here's where it gets interesting: on top of those Avios, you'll receive 10% of the purchased amount as tier points. Buy the maximum 200,000 Avios? You'll get 20,000 tier points deposited into your account. These tier points don't expire within your current qualification year and can be combined with points from actual flights or - and this is the clever bit - by converting some of your newly purchased Avios.

Finnair allows members to exchange Avios for tier points at a 3:1 ratio, with tier-specific maximums:

Now let's talk about what really matters: the oneworld status these tier points unlock. Finnair Plus has four elite tiers, with the top three corresponding to oneworld status levels:

For context, oneworld Sapphire (equivalent to British Airways Silver) grants you business class lounge access across the alliance, priority check-in and boarding, and an extra baggage allowance. Oneworld Emerald (equivalent to BA Gold) steps it up with first class lounge access, even more generous baggage allowances, and priority everything.

Let's work through a couple of scenarios to see what it would take to reach each status level through this promotion alone.

Target: 45,000 tier points

If you're starting from zero, here's one path:

1. Buy 200,000 Avios (cost: €2,800 or roughly £2,468) 2. Receive 300,000 Avios + 20,000 tier points automatically 3. Convert 75,000 Avios to 25,000 tier points (your maximum as a Basic/Silver member) 4. Total tier points: 45,000 ✓ 5. Remaining Avios: 225,000

So for around £2,468, you'd secure oneworld Sapphire status valid for at least 12 months (likely longer with Finnair's status extension policies), plus 225,000 Avios to spend on award flights. Those Avios can also be transferred instantly and free to British Airways, Qatar Airways, Iberia, or Aer Lingus.

Target: 80,000 tier points

This one requires a bit more creativity since you can only convert a maximum of 40,000 tier points as a Platinum member:

1. Buy 200,000 Avios (cost: €2,800 or roughly £2,468) 2. Receive 300,000 Avios + 20,000 tier points 3. You're now 60,000 tier points short of Platinum 4. Convert 120,000 Avios to 40,000 tier points (your maximum) 5. Total tier points: 60,000 (still 20,000 short)

The challenge here is that to reach Platinum through this sale alone, you'd need those final 20,000 tier points from somewhere else - either from actual flying or by already holding Gold status (which allows you to convert more Avios). This is where the promotion becomes more valuable for existing Platinum members looking to requalify, or for those willing to do a modest amount of flying to bridge the gap.

Since British Airways moved to its revenue-based British Airways Club system earlier this year, earning elite status has become significantly more expensive for many UK-based frequent flyers. Under the new system, you need to spend thousands of pounds on BA-marketed flights to earn status, with partner flights barely contributing.

Finnair Plus, by contrast, still awards tier points based on the old distance and booking class model for partner flights. This means you can credit flights on any oneworld carrier - British Airways, American Airlines, Qatar Airways, etc. - and earn meaningful tier points. Combined with this purchase opportunity, it creates a more accessible path to oneworld status than the BA programme currently offers.

Plus, once you have Finnair status, you enjoy all the oneworld benefits when flying BA or any other alliance member. Business class lounge access at Heathrow? Check. Priority boarding on your Qatar Airways flight to Doha? Check. Extra baggage allowance on Cathay Pacific? Check.

Beyond the core oneworld benefits, Finnair Plus status comes with some airline-specific advantages:

Before you rush off to buy 200,000 Avios, here are some important points to consider:

1. Eligibility: You must have joined Finnair Plus before 16 November 2025 and have at least 50 Avios in your account to participate. If you don't have an existing balance, you can easily transfer a small amount from British Airways to qualify. 2. Annual purchase limit reset: The good news is that Finnair has reset the annual purchase limit for this promotion, so even if you've already bought Avios in 2025, you can still purchase up to 200,000 during this sale. 3. Tier points don't show during purchase: According to the terms, tier points aren't displayed during the buying process but will be credited to your account after the transaction completes. 4. Credit card considerations: Avios purchases are processed by Points.com, which means they don't code as airfare. You won't earn bonus points on travel cards, so it's best to use a card where you're working towards minimum spend (like a new American Express card) or a card that maximises everyday spending.

Here's where things get a bit nuanced. If you're purely looking to buy Avios, this isn't Finnair's best-ever sale. They've previously offered 100% bonuses (most recently in September 2023), which would give you 400,000 Avios for the same £2,468 outlay. The November 2024 sale also offered a 50% discount rather than a 50% bonus, working out to slightly better value.

However, none of those previous sales included the 10% tier points bonus. That's what makes this promotion unique - it's not just about the Avios, it's about the status opportunity.

During the pandemic, Finnair ran similar promotions offering 25% of purchased points as tier points (rather than the current 10%), which made it even easier to buy status outright. Those sales were legendary in the points and miles community, with many travellers securing oneworld Emerald status for around £2,000. This current offer isn't quite as generous, but it's the best we've seen since those pandemic-era deals.

Before committing to this purchase, it's worth considering whether there are better ways to achieve oneworld status:

I'll be honest - this promotion has me tempted, even though I already hold BA Gold (and therefore oneworld Emerald). Here's why:

The flexibility of Finnair Plus compared to the British Airways Club system is significant. With BA's new revenue model, I'm locked into crediting flights to BA if I want to maintain my status, even when other oneworld programmes might offer better value for specific routes. Having Finnair Platinum as a backup would give me more freedom to credit flights wherever makes most sense.

Additionally, 225,000 Avios (after converting enough for Sapphire status) represents real value. That's enough for a return business class flight to several European destinations, or a good chunk towards a long-haul business class redemption. When you factor in the status benefits you'll enjoy over the next 12-18 months, the value proposition starts to look quite attractive.

That said, £2,468 is not an insignificant sum, and you should only consider this if:

If you've decided this promotion makes sense for you, here's how to proceed:

1. Join Finnair Plus if you haven't already (it's free and takes just a few minutes) 2. If you don't have any Avios in your Finnair account, transfer 50+ Avios from your British Airways account to meet the eligibility requirement 3. Purchase your desired amount of Avios through the Finnair website before 30 November 2025 4. Wait for the Avios and tier points to credit (typically 1-3 days) 5. If needed, convert additional Avios to tier points through the Finnair Shop to reach your target status level

Remember to check your credit card's foreign transaction fees before purchasing, as the transaction will be in euros.

Finnair's latest Avios sale is one of the more creative promotions we've seen this year. By bundling a decent Avios bonus with tier points and the ability to convert currency to status, they've created a pathway to oneworld elite benefits that's more accessible than traditional flying requirements - particularly for UK travellers dealing with BA's new revenue-based system.

Is it worth it? That depends entirely on your travel patterns and how much value you'd extract from oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status over the next 12-18 months. For frequent oneworld flyers who don't want to be locked into crediting everything to British Airways, this could be a smart investment. For occasional travellers, the £2,468 price tag probably doesn't justify the benefits.

What I do know is this: if Finnair brings back the pandemic-era 25% tier points bonus (rather than the current 10%), that would be an absolute no-brainer for anyone serious about collecting oneworld status. This current 10% bonus? It's good, but it requires more careful consideration.

The promotion ends on 30 November 2025, so if you're tempted, don't leave it too late. And if you do decide to take the plunge, let me know how it goes - I'd love to hear whether the tier points credit as quickly as advertised and how useful you find your new status!

Jack