Just in time for Easter, IAG Loyalty and Nectar have launched a limited-time conversion bonus that runs until 30 April 2026. You can get up to 20% bonus Avios when converting Nectar points across, or — for the first time — a bonus when going the other way too (Avios into Nectar points). It sounds good on paper, but as always the details matter, so let's work through exactly what's on offer and who should actually act on it.
The Two Directions Explained
Nectar → Avios (the interesting direction)
This is the direction most Smart With Points readers will want to pay attention to. The standard rate for converting Nectar points into Avios is 400 Nectar = 250 Avios. During this promotion:
Manual conversion (10% bonus): 400 Nectar = 275 Avios
Auto-conversion / AOI (20% bonus): 400 Nectar = 300 Avios
No maximum bonus cap on this direction — so convert as much as you like
The auto-conversion option (where Nectar converts to Avios automatically every Monday) gets you the better 20% rate. If you're already set up on auto-conversion, you're sorted. If not, you can switch this on — but note that to qualify for the 20% auto-conversion bonus, you need to have your British Airways Club and Nectar accounts linked before 23:59 BST on 25 April 2026.
If you haven't linked your accounts yet, now is a good time to do it. You can manage this via your Avios account or through the British Airways Executive Club app.
Avios → Nectar (a first, with caveats)
This is the first time IAG Loyalty have offered a bonus in the Avios-to-Nectar direction, which is a bit of a milestone for the partnership (we covered the original launch of this feature when it went live — full breakdown here). The standard rate is 400 Avios = 400 Nectar. During this promotion:
Manual conversion (10% bonus): 400 Avios = 440 Nectar
Auto-conversion (20% bonus): 400 Avios = 480 Nectar
Maximum bonus on manual conversions: 5,000 bonus Nectar points
Maximum bonus on auto-conversions: 10,000 bonus Nectar points
That cap matters. At the auto-conversion rate, you'd hit the 10,000 bonus Nectar cap after converting around 200,000 Avios (which would net you 240,000 Nectar). For most people it's unlikely to be a binding constraint, but worth knowing.
Is It Worth Converting Avios into Nectar Points?
Honestly, for most readers here: probably not. Avios are genuinely valuable when used for award flights — we'd typically value them at around 1p to 1.5p each depending on how cleverly you redeem them. Nectar points, by contrast, are worth 0.5p each when spent at Sainsbury's.
Even with the 20% bonus, you're getting 480 Nectar (worth £2.40) for 400 Avios (conservatively worth around £4–£6 depending on your redemptions). That's a poor exchange rate for anyone who's even half-decent at using points for travel.
There's one scenario where it makes sense: if you have a very large Avios balance and struggle to use them all, and you genuinely want to offset your grocery bill. But even then, you'd be better off earning Avios through a good credit card and keeping your Avios for flights.
The Nectar → Avios Direction Is Where the Value Lies
This is where I'd be focusing. If you shop regularly at Sainsbury's and have been quietly accumulating Nectar points — or you shop there specifically to earn Nectar — this promotion gives you a meaningful uplift when converting into Avios.
At the 20% auto-conversion bonus rate, you're effectively getting 300 Avios per 400 Nectar, versus the standard 250. That's a 20% improvement on an already-reasonable conversion, and with no cap on the bonus in this direction, you can convert as much as you want before 30 April.
To put that in context: if you had 40,000 Nectar points sitting around, you'd normally convert those to 25,000 Avios. With the 20% bonus, you'd get 30,000 Avios instead — an extra 5,000 Avios for free, just for timing your conversion. That's not nothing. Use our Avios Balance Booster Calculator to see how those points compare against buying Avios directly from British Airways or Qatar.
What Can You Do With Avios?
If you're relatively new to collecting Avios, the short answer is: a lot. They're the currency of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, Finnair, Vueling, and Loganair, and you can use them for reward flights on all of these airlines plus a wide range of oneworld partners. You can check exactly how many Avios you'd need for a specific route using our Avios flight cost tool, and to see what award seats are actually available right now, Award Travel Finder searches British Airways and Qatar Airways availability in real time.
Quick Summary: What To Do
Have Nectar points? Convert them to Avios before 30 April for up to 20% extra
Enable auto-conversion (AOI) for the 20% rate — you need linked accounts by 25 April
Manual conversion still gets you a 10% bonus — still better than nothing
Converting Avios into Nectar is not recommended for most points collectors — the maths doesn't stack up
This is one of the better Nectar/Avios promotions we've seen in a while, mostly because of the lack of a cap on the Nectar-to-Avios direction. If you've been sitting on a Nectar balance, now's a genuinely good time to move it across.
The offer is valid for UK residents only, and ends 30 April 2026. Don't sit on this one — Easter weekend will come and go quickly.