The very best Avios-earning bank cards: Which one is for you?

Avios are rapidly turning into one of the crucial common loyalty currencies in Europe — and worldwide.

Whereas British Airways Membership, Iberia Membership and Aer Lingus AerClub have lengthy used Avios as their loyalty foreign money, Loganair Loyalty and Finnair Plus are the latest additions. Qatar Airways Privilege Membership and Vueling Membership are additionally a part of the Avios program.

What is exclusive and invaluable about Avios is that you would be able to switch your Avios between these applications in any course at a 1:1 fee as usually as you need.

A number of cobranded bank cards can be found from airways that use Avios, and each main bank card program has not less than one Avios program as a switch accomplice at a 1:1 ratio.

So, with Avios really easy to earn, transfer round and redeem, what are the most effective playing cards for Avios redemptions?

Whereas there is not a single greatest card that wins in each class, relying in your priorities, listed below are the most effective choices.

You need to earn a big welcome bonus

There are many nice welcome bonuses out there proper now on lots of our favourite playing cards. This contains the three Chase-issued Avios playing cards:

The knowledge for the Aer Lingus Visa Signature and Iberia Visa Signature playing cards has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

With TPG’s September 2025 valuations of Avios at 1.4 cents every, these welcome bonuses are price $1,190 every. That is sufficient for a first-class flight to London (plus charges, taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges).

Simply needless to say you will not be capable of earn a welcome bonus on one in all these playing cards in the event you presently maintain it or have earned a bonus on it prior to now 24 months.

Associated: Greatest Avios candy spots: The way to redeem for home and worldwide award flights

You spend loads on flights

Should you earn and redeem Avios, you are prone to make some purchases straight with airways, whether or not it is paying for the charges, taxes and surcharges related along with your redemption or boosting your Avios steadiness by buying money fares.

Should you primarily fly on Aer Lingus, British Airways or Iberia, including one in all these cobranded airline playing cards to your pockets is smart. Should you’re not loyal to at least one airline, although, take into account the next choices on your airline spending:

Associated: British Airways Visa Signature bank card evaluate: Earn versatile Avios — vital for frequent BA flyers

You need to maximize switch bonuses

Often, bank card issuers supply switch bonuses for choose airline and resort accomplice applications. There isn’t any certainty as to when these bonuses will happen, and the variety of factors and miles you’ll be able to obtain from the bonus can fluctuate from as little as 10% to over 40%.

American Categorical usually comes out on high so far as the frequency of switch bonuses is anxious. With that in thoughts, these are the most effective Amex card presents presently out there:

• The Platinum Card from American Categorical: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 175,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents fluctuate and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion.
• American Categorical® Gold Card: Discover out your supply and see if you’re eligible for as excessive as 100,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months of card membership. Welcome presents fluctuate and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion.
• The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $20,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of card membership.
• American Categorical® Enterprise Gold Card: Earn 100,000 bonus factors after spending $15,000 on purchases within the first three months of card membership.

You need to take pleasure in elite status-like perks

Incomes elite standing in an airline loyalty program often requires important spending straight with the airline and/or on a cobranded bank card. Happily, in the event you want to benefit from the perks of elite standing, you are able to do so with the suitable Avios bank card.

The Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Visa Infinite Credit score Card has a welcome supply of as much as 50,000 Avios — 25,000 Avios after the primary transaction and a further 25,000 Avios and 150 Qpoints after spending $5,000 within the first three months of account opening. The cardboard comes with a $499 annual payment.

The knowledge for the Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Visa Infinite Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Whereas this welcome bonus is decrease than the Chase Avios-earning playing cards, it additionally presents one yr of complimentary Qatar Airways Privilege Membership Gold standing (equal to Oneworld Sapphire), which incorporates advantages like precedence boarding, most popular seating, lounge entry and a 75% bonus on incomes Avios with eligible flights.

You may as well obtain worldwide lounge entry by the suitable bank card.

The Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card presents limitless complimentary entry for you and two visitors to 1,300-plus lounges, together with Capital One Lounges and Precedence Cross lounges (enrollment required).

Lounge entry modifications are coming to Enterprise X cardholders beginning Feb. 1, 2026. After this date, Enterprise X cardholders will now not be capable of deliver complimentary visitors with them to Precedence Cross and Capital One lounges (until they spend $75,000 in a yr for the latter).

Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) cardholders get entry to Chase Sapphire Lounges in addition to entry to Precedence Cross lounges.

Lastly, eligible Amex Platinum cardmembers can entry the American Categorical International Lounge Assortment, together with Centurion, Delta Sky Golf equipment*, Escape, Plaza Premium lounges, Precedence Cross™ and choose Lufthansa lounges. Enrollment could also be required.

*When touring on same-day Delta flights, eligible Platinum Card members will obtain 10 visits per eligible Platinum Card per yr to the Delta Sky Membership or to Seize and Go when touring on a same-day Delta-operated flight.

You need to lower your expenses on airfares and redemptions

Whereas every of the three Chase Avios-earning playing cards presents a companion voucher or low cost for spending $30,000 yearly on the cardboard, the British Airways Visa Signature Card presents further advantages when reserving money and Avios redemptions.

Every year, along with incomes a companion voucher, you’ll be able to:

• Get 10% off British Airways-operated income flights departing the U.S. to London and past, together with charges, taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges (excluding extra baggage or seat choice charges) if you e book by the web site offered in your welcome supplies.
• Get a $100 assertion credit score ($200 for business- and first-class seats) as much as 3 times a yr if you e book a reward flight to London on British Airways and pay your taxes and costs along with your card (as much as $600 yearly).
• Use Avios to pay for taxes, charges and service prices if you redeem a British Airways ticket, although this isn’t often deal.

You spend in non-travel classes

Whereas Avios fanatics could also be directing loads of bank card spending to airfare, in the event you spend some huge cash on different classes like eating, groceries and different journey, you’ll be able to earn plenty of rewards with elevated incomes charges in these classes with the next playing cards:

• The American Categorical Gold Card earns 4 factors per greenback spent at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback) and 4 factors per greenback spent on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $25,000 per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback).
• The Citi Strata Premier® Card (see charges and costs) earns 3 factors per greenback spent at electrical automobile charging and gasoline stations, eating places and supermarkets.

You fly to Europe frequently

The British Airways Visa Signature Card has quite a few reductions and assertion credit when flying with British Airways for each money fares and Avios redemptions.

With BA’s infamous carrier-imposed surcharges, you possibly can save loads of cash on money fares and Avios redemptions if you e book a number of seats or flights annually.

Associated: Fast Factors: This is why you should not finish your European journey within the UK

You need to journey in premium cabins with your loved ones

You may need to earn plenty of Avios rapidly to redeem for luxurious merchandise like British Airways’ firstclass or Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite enterprise class. In that case, you will need a card with a excessive welcome bonus and beneficiant class bonuses.

New cardholders of the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see charges and costs) can earn 80,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 within the first three months from account opening. You possibly can earn a better welcome supply of 100,000 bonus factors with the identical spending necessities in the event you apply at a Citi department in individual.

The cardboard additionally has spectacular incomes charges, permitting you to earn bonus factors on journey booked by way of Citi Journey and on eating.

Should you spend closely in these classes, you’ll be able to enhance your steadiness rapidly, supplying you with a strong stash of Avios to make use of for these high-end bookings.

Backside line

Even in the event you do not fly to Europe usually, Avios is price your consideration. Avios are straightforward to earn from many various bank cards and simple to redeem by the seven totally different applications that use the foreign money. You even have the distinctive flexibility of transferring Avios between every program without charge at a 1:1 fee in any course.

Whereas there is no such thing as a slam-dunk Avios or transferable points-earning bank card for each traveler, there are glorious choices that will help you e book your subsequent journey.

Associated: New user-friendly device permits you to simply switch Avios between all 7 airline applications

For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and costs of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card, click on right here.