Garuda Indonesia Joins Avios Family via Qatar Airways unlocking Strategic Sweet Spots

In fantastic news for UK travellers looking to maximise their Avios collection, Garuda Indonesia has quietly joined the Avios ecosystem as an earning and redemption partner through Qatar Airways (shout out to Head For Points for breaking this one). Given how quickly Bali award seats typically sell out on Qatar Airways, this partnership opens up valuable new options for reaching this popular destination.

This development is particularly significant since British Airways offers limited flight options to South East Asia, making Garuda a welcome addition for those looking to use their hard-earned Avios for trips to Indonesia and beyond.

The Real Sweet Spots You Need to Know

Based on the Qatar Airways partner award chart (which is distance based - use our new tool to help with this!), these Garuda routes offer particularly good value:

• Singapore to Bali: Just 9,000 Avios one-way in economy

• Singapore to Jakarta: Only 6,000 Avios one-way in economy

• Sydney to Bali: 16,000 Avios one-way in economy

• Sydney to Jakarta: 25,000 Avios one-way in economy

That Singapore-Bali route is especially attractive, offering a new way to reach one of Asia's most popular destinations for minimal Avios. For UK travellers who frequently connect through Singapore, this creates an affordable add-on to existing travel plans.

Strategic Routing Possibilities

With these new options, savvy travellers can create some interesting itineraries:

1. The Singapore Hub Strategy: Fly to Singapore using existing Avios partners, then continue to Bali for just 9,000 additional Avios

2. The Southeast Asia Tour: String together affordable flights between Singapore, Jakarta, and Bali

3. The Australia Extension: If you're visiting Sydney, adding Bali to your itinerary is now more accessible at 16,000 Avios

For UK travellers specifically, this creates new possibilities for reaching Bali when British Airways award seats are unavailable. You could potentially use our How Many Avios Points Calculator to find the best way to Singapore, then add this new 9,000 Avios leg to Bali.

How to Book These Flights

The process is straightforward but does require a few specific steps:

1. Create a Qatar Airways Privilege Club account if you don't already have one

2. Link it to your British Airways Club account

3. Search and book directly through the Qatar Airways platform

Remember that when you book, the system will automatically pull Avios from your linked BA account – no manual transfers required. However, note that only Avios from your personal BA account can be used, not from a household account.

My Personal Strategy

Having earned British Airways Gold status through my tier point run last year, I'm always looking for ways to maximise both earning and redemption opportunities.

For my planned Asia trip next year, I'm considering:

1. Using my Capital on Tap business card for ongoing Avios accumulation

2. Flying to Singapore on a main carrier, then adding a Bali side-trip using this new 9,000 Avios sweet spot

3. Potentially exploring a multi-city itinerary that incorporates Jakarta as well

I've already begun looking into how we can begin to track this availability through Award Travel Finder to pounce when seats become available.

Business Class Options

While economy redemptions offer the best pure value, business class can also present good opportunities:

• Singapore to Bali: 18,000 Avios one-way in business

• Singapore to Jakarta: 12,500 Avios one-way in business

• Sydney to Bali: 40,000 Avios one-way in business

• Sydney to Jakarta: 65,000 Avios one-way in business

For the Singapore-Bali route, 18,000 Avios for business class could be worth considering for a special occasion, especially as this is a popular tourist route where cash fares can spike dramatically during peak seasons.

Important Considerations

Before booking, keep these points in mind:

1. Companion vouchers from American Express or Barclaycard cannot be used on these redemptions

2. The partnership is still new, so expect some teething issues with award availability

3. Taxes and fees will apply, though exact amounts aren't fully clear yet

4. For complex itineraries, you might need to book each leg separately

The Bottom Line

This Garuda partnership creates exciting new possibilities for Avios collectors, particularly for travel within Southeast Asia and between Australia and Indonesia. The Singapore-Bali sweet spot at just 9,000 Avios is a standout opportunity that provides valuable flexibility for reaching one of the region's most sought-after destinations.

For UK travellers struggling to find BA availability to Asia, these new options provide valuable alternatives and potentially allow for more creative routing to maximise your travel experience.

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