How to transfer credit card points to British Airways Avios

Last updated October 20, 2026 · By Kyle Burrows

British Airways' program is called the British Airways Club, and its currency is Avios. You can spend Avios on British Airways and on oneworld partners such as American Airlines, Alaska, Iberia, Qatar Airways and Japan Airlines.

Avios are easy to collect from US cards, but they reward a bit of care. The same Avios can be a great deal on one flight and a poor one on another, mostly because of the cash you pay on top.

Which bank points transfer to British Airways

Bank points	Ratio	How long it takes
American Express Membership Rewards	1:1	Usually instant
Chase Ultimate Rewards	1:1	Usually instant. Chase says allow up to 7 business days.
Capital One Miles	1:1	Usually instant
Bilt Points	1:1	Usually instant. Bilt says allow up to 48 hours.
Wells Fargo Rewards	1:1 (points cards such as Autograph and Autograph Journey)	Can take a little time to post

Citi doesn't transfer to British Airways directly. Citi points can reach Avios through Qatar Airways Privilege Club.

Before you move any points

Open a free British Airways Club account at britishairways.com if you don't have one. Your membership number is in your account area.
Make the names match on your bank account, BA account and passport.
Find the flight first. Search ba.com for the exact flights, the Avios price and the cash price before you transfer. Transfers can't be undone.
Think about a Household Account if you book for family. BA lets up to seven people (you plus six others) pool their Avios. Read the rules before you set one up: anyone added has to stay in for at least six months, and once you're in a household you can only redeem Avios for household members and up to five people on a family and friends list.

How to transfer from each bank

American Express. Log in at americanexpress.com, open Membership Rewards and choose Transfer Points, then British Airways. The first time, link your membership number and confirm with your card's security code or a one-time code. Amex only sends points to your own account, or to an authorized user who has had their card for at least 90 days. New Amex card? Each new US Membership Rewards card can start with its own separate points balance. Before you transfer, and before you cancel that card, link it to your main account under Manage Connections on the Amex website or app, so all your points sit in one balance.

Chase. Open Ultimate Rewards on a Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve or Ink Business Preferred, find the option to transfer points to travel partners (Chase has moved this menu around, so look for the word Transfer), and pick British Airways. Transfers go in 1,000-point blocks.

Capital One. Sign in, open your rewards, and choose the transfer option, then British Airways. Your Capital One name has to match the BA account. The minimum is 1,000 miles.

Bilt. In the app, go to Rewards, then Travel rewards, and tap Transfer. Choose British Airways and link your number. Blue status members have a 2,000-point minimum.

Wells Fargo. Transfers work from Wells Fargo cards that earn Rewards points, such as the Autograph and Autograph Journey. Sign in online, go to your rewards and look for Rewards Points Transfer. You can transfer any amount.

Check that the Avios arrived

Log in at britishairways.com and check the Avios balance at the top of your account. If nothing shows after the usual time, check your bank's transfer history before trying again.

How to book on ba.com

Log in at britishairways.com.
Choose the option to book a flight with Avios.
Enter your airports, dates, cabin and travelers.
Pick your flights. BA usually shows a slider that trades Avios for cash. Moving it changes both numbers, so set it on purpose.
Check the cabin and the operating airline on every leg.
Enter each traveler's name, date of birth and gender exactly as on the passport.
Pay the taxes and fees by card.
Save the booking reference and ticket numbers.

Most BA awards can be booked online, including many on American, Iberia and other oneworld partners. Some multi-airline trips need a call.

Where Avios work well, and where they don't

The cash part matters a lot. Long-haul flights on British Airways itself can come with high carrier charges on top of the Avios. That isn't a mistake on the site. It's how BA prices them. Before you transfer for a BA flight across the Atlantic, look at the full cash amount and compare it with other programs.

Partner flights can be a better use. Avios pricing on partners like American and Alaska is based on distance, so short nonstop flights can be good value, with little cash on top. Long trips with connections add up quickly, because each flight is priced on its own distance.

Avios can move between programs. BA, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Qatar Airways all use Avios, and you can usually move them between accounts. It's handy, but there are account rules, so only move Avios between programs when you know you need to.

Changes and cancellations

If you cancel more than 24 hours before the first flight, your Avios come back. BA keeps a per-person fee from the cash you paid, and shows the amount before you confirm.
Changes to date, time or cabin are possible for a similar fee, as long as there's award space and you make the change at least 24 hours before the flight.
Inside 24 hours of departure, or if you don't show up, the Avios are lost.

Do Avios expire?

Avios expire after 36 months with no activity. Collecting, spending, buying or sharing Avios resets the clock, and a transfer in from your bank counts as collecting.

Mistakes I see most

Moving the Avios slider by accident and paying more cash than planned.
Transferring for a BA flight without checking the cash total.
Moving Avios between BA, Iberia and Qatar on a hunch. Some moves have account-age rules.
Cancelling too late. Inside 24 hours the Avios are gone. If you're unsure about a trip, cancel early.

Sources I checked

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