Summary
- British Airways is the only Avios airline with BP partnership for converting gas purchases into points.
- Earning Avios points can be done by converting BPme Rewards to Avios through a British Airways Executive Club account.
- Avios earned can be spent on flights, upgrades, hotels, car hire, and more with British Airways.
Introduced in 2011, Avios serves as the frequent flier currency for the loyalty programs of six airlines. These include Qatar Airways, Finnair, and the carriers under the International Airlines Group (IAG), such as British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, and Aer Lingus. The most straightforward method to accumulate loyalty points is, of course, by flying. However, Avios points can also be collected at gas stations. Here is how.
British Airways partnership with BP
Currently, British Airways is the only airline that has partnered with BP. None of the other airlines using Avios frequent flier currency have partnerships with oil and gas companies, nor do they offer the option to convert gas purchases into Avios points.
However, if you are a member of the British Airways Executive Club and BPme Rewards and frequently buy gas at BP, you can convert your gas purchases into Avios points. These points can then be used for air travel, upgrades, or other perks British Airways offers.
Photo: Cristian Storto | Shutterstock
The process is relatively simple. BPme Rewards points are converted into Avios points through your Executive Club account on the British Airways website. First, you need to link both accounts. Once linked, you can start converting your points.
You can choose between manual or automatic conversion. Manual conversion allows you to switch from BPme Rewards to Avios as often as you like. Meanwhile, automatic conversion transfers your BPme Rewards points to Avios once a month without any effort on your part. Additionally, you can still convert them manually if needed. Below is a visual explanation of the steps that need to be taken.
According to BP, 40 BPme Rewards points are equal to 25 Avios points. You can convert a maximum of 30,000 BPme Rewards points every month. You earn one BPme Reward point for every liter of Regular fuel purchased, two points for every liter of Ultimate fuel purchased, and one point for each pound spent in the shop.
In addition, the British flag carrier currently has a promotion where you can collect 200 bonus points by converting BPme Rewards points to Avios points for the first time by June 30, 2024.
How can you spend your Avios points?
There are many ways to spend your Avios points with British Airways, whether they were earned through gas purchases or other means. Typically, the optimal use of Avios points is for flights with British Airways or any oneworld partner. However, there are numerous alternative options available as well.
In addition to booking flights with British Airways, you can spend Avios on:
- British Airways cabin upgrades
- Hotels and car hire
- Partner airline flights
- Part paying for flights
Related
How To Spend Avios With British Airways Executive Club
The best value is in using Avios for flights – with a range of airlines and a flexible booking system.
You can also transfer your earned Avios points from your British Airways Executive Club account to another program. As mentioned above, five other airlines currently use Avios as their frequent flier program currency: Finnair, Qatar Airways, Iberia, Vueling, and Aer Lingus.
Transferring Avios points between these programs is as straightforward as exchanging BPme Reward points for Avios points. Below, you will find a complete guide on how to move your Avios miles between each program.
Related
Move Your Miles: How to Transfer Avios Between Programs
Moving Avios points between certain programs doesn’t lose value, and transfers are free and instant.
Other airline partnerships with gas companies
The partnership between British Airways and BP is not unique in the airline loyalty industry; other airlines have formed similar partnerships in the past that work in almost the exact same way or are currently offering such joint partnerships.
For example, United Airlines and BP introduced their joint partnership in 2018. Members of the United MileagePlus frequent flier program could earn and use miles on fuel purchases at participating BP retail locations in the US. This was the first program in the US that allowed customers to earn and use airline miles directly at the pump for gasoline purchases.
Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock
By participating in this program, you can earn:
- 1 MileagePlus mile for every gallon of fuel purchased.
- 2 MileagePlus miles for every gallon of fuel purchased with a linked debit or credit card.
- 3 MileagePlus miles for every gallon of premium-grade fuel purchased with a linked debit or credit card.
Currently, American Airlines, which has one of the most extensive loyalty programs, allows its AAdvantage members to earn three AAdvantage miles for every gallon of fuel purchased at Shell.
Shell has partnered with American Airlines to offer a new way to earn fuel rewards. It is possible by signing up for the Fuel Rewards program and linking to your AAdvantage account. Unlike credit card benefits, which can come with annual fees as low as $99, using the Fuel Rewards account directly allows you to accumulate loyalty miles with American Airlines continuously.
Related
How To Earn 3 American Airlines Miles Per Gallon Of Gas
Members must link their AAdvantage account with the Fuel Rewards program to earn miles.
What do you think about this? Have you ever tried accumulating Avios points through means other than flying? Let us know your experiences in the comments section.