💺 How to Fly in Business Class Using Avios

Hello, Adventurous Travellers, and Happy Thursday!

One of the best ways to get value from your Avios points is by redeeming them for Business Class flights. Business Class redemptions typically offer the highest "pence per Avios" value compared to other uses, such as Economy flights or non-flight options like car hire and hotels.

Let’s Get Started!

• 💺 Flying in Business Class Using Avios: Redeem Avios for British Airways’ long-haul Club World or short-haul Club Europe.

• 🎫 Upgrading to Business Class with Avios: Use your Avios points to upgrade from Economy to Premium Economy or from Premium Economy to Business Class.

• 📝 Our Best Tips: Discover tips and tricks.

• 🎵 New Direct Flights from Dublin to Nashville: Aer Lingus is launching a direct route from 12th April 2025.

💺 Flying in Business Class Using Avios

✈️ Why Upgrade to Business Class?

• Lie-flat beds on long-haul flights and extra legroom on short-haul routes make a big difference.

• Dedicated check-in desks, priority boarding, and fast-track security.

• Before your flight, you will have complimentary access to British Airways’ lounges + oneworld lounges.

• In Club World and Club Europe, enjoy a special menu designed to suit the length and time of your flight.

• More personal space, wider seats, legroom, and privacy screens on long-haul flights.

• More bags and weight allowance. 2×32kg bags.

• Your bags are tagged as a priority, meaning they’re the first off the plane upon arrival.

Long Haul Vs Short Haul Business Class

Long-Haul Business Class (Club World)

The standout feature of Club World is the spacious, lie-flat seat that turns into a fully horizontal bed (183cm). These seats also have direct aisle access and extra storage for a more exclusive and private experience.

You will also dine from an à la carte menu, be gifted high-quality amenity kits by The White Company, and watch in-flight entertainment on a 12-inch screen with noise-cancelling headphones.

Short-Haul Business Class (Club Europe)

British Airways' short-haul Business Class is a more compact premium experience. The seats in Club Europe are generally the same as Economy, but the middle seat is blocked off.

Flying in short-haul Business Class, you can enjoy priority services, access to BA's lounges, and a complimentary meal and drinks.

🎫 How Many Avios Do You Need for Business Class?

The number of Avios required depends on the route, class availability, and peak or off-peak seasonality. For British Airways, a one-way Business Class flight within Europe can start from as low as 15,000 Avios, while long-haul flights can range from 80,000 to 200,000+ Avios depending on the destination and fare class.

There is no official redemption calendar for British Airways, but here's a general breakdown:

• Short-Haul Flights (Europe): 15,000-27,250 Avios one-way.

• Medium-Haul Flights (Middle East or North Africa): 25,200 - 90,000 Avios one-way.

• Long-Haul Flights (North America, Asia, etc.): 80,000 - 120,000+ Avios one-way.

You can use the Smart Redemptions Extension to see how many Avios your flight will cost and whether it’s worth spending your Avios.

Upgrading to Business Class with Avios

Did you know you can use Avios to upgrade your seat you've paid for with cash?

You cannot jump straight from Economy to Business Class, so you'll have to pay for Premium Economy if you want to upgrade using Avios.

You can also use Avios to upgrade from Economy to Premium Economy. On short-haul routes, you can upgrade straight from Economy to Business Class.

A reward seat must be available in the cabin you want to move to for an Avios upgrade. If there's no availability in Business Class, you won't be able to upgrade.

When you upgrade, you'll only pay the Avios difference between the two cabins. However, you might need to pay additional taxes and fees, which can sometimes be quite high for long-haul flights.

Cash + Avios

If you're short on Avios, British Airways allows you to book with a combination of cash and Avios. This is a good option when you don't have enough points for a full redemption but want to reduce the cash amount for a Business Class ticket.

📝 Our Best Tips

• British Airways and most other airlines release award seats 355 days in advance. Booking as early as possible increases your chances of finding business-class availability.

• You can use Avios on other Oneworld partners like Qatar Airways, Finnair, Iberia, and American Airlines, which sometimes have better redemption value. Remember, you can use the Smart Redemptions Extension to see which airline has the best value.

• Travelling during off-peak times can reduce the number of Avios required for a Business Class ticket.

• If you have a British Airways American Express Companion Voucher, you can book two seats for the Avios of one. You can earn a companion voucher with the British Airways American Express Credit Cards.

• Booking open-jaw tickets (e.g., flying into one city and out of another) or adding stopovers can sometimes provide more availability and flexibility for Business Class redemptions.

🎵 New Direct Flights from Dublin to Nashville

Aer Lingus is launching a brand-new direct route from Dublin to Nashville, Tennessee, starting 12th April 2025.

The flights will operate four times a week—on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays—using the state-of-the-art Airbus A321XLR.

The journey to Nashville takes 9 hours and 5 minutes, and the return flight is quicker at 8 hours and 10 minutes. Fares start from €499 return, including taxes and fees.

✈️ Avoid UK Air Passenger Duty

As we covered last week, departing from Dublin is a savvy option that can save you a lot in taxes and fees so you can get a better value redemption.

Connecting flights to Dublin are available with Aer Lingus from multiple airports, including London Heathrow, Edinburgh, and Manchester. You can book these short-haul flights starting at 9,750 Avios.

Cash flights from London to Dublin range from £40-£76 from Heathrow. If you book with a budget airline like Ryanair and fly from a cheaper airport like Luton, you can fly from London to Dublin for as little as £28.

Remember to book the long-haul segment of your flight separately to avoid UK passenger duty. It may also be wise to stay the night in Dublin to make sure you make your long flight.

Currently, we’re seeing Avios redemptions available for 20,750 points plus taxes for this new route or a cash fee of £547 using the Smart Redemptions Extension - a great value redemption.

The same flight from Heathrow to Nashville via Dublin with Aer Lingus on the same day is £721, or a direct flight from Heathrow to Nashville is £1305 or 30000 Avios + £ 75.00.

Final Words

That’s all for this week! We hope these tips help you maximise your travel rewards and have better experiences.

Safe travels, and always aim for the upgrade!

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Bye for now!