You can use your Avios to pay for seats in advance via Manage My Booking, with full or part payment options available. This is available for British Airways-operated flights and gives you more ways to spend your Avios. As an Executive Club Bronze, Silver or Gold Member you can choose seats for free in many instances.

Excellent question! The short answer is yes, you can use Avios for seat selection, but it’s not always the best use of your points.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how it works, the costs, and the important considerations.

How to Use Avios for Seat Selection

1. During Booking: When you book a flight using cash, Avios, or a combination (Part Pay with Avios), you will typically be offered the option to pay for seat selection. At the checkout, you can often choose to pay with Avios instead of cash.
2. After Booking (Manage My Booking): If you didn’t select a seat initially, you can log into “Manage My Booking” on the airline’s website (e.g., British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus). There, you’ll see the option to choose a seat and will be given the choice to pay with Avios, cash, or a combination.

Key Considerations & Costs

• It’s a Fixed Conversion Rate: The Avios-to-cash conversion rate for ancillary purchases like seat selection is generally poor. British Airways, for example, typically uses a rate of 1p per Avios (1 Avios = £0.01). You can often get much better value by redeeming Avios for flight rewards.
• Cost Varies by Flight & Seat: The number of Avios required depends entirely on the cash price of the seat.
  • Short-haul/Economy: A standard seat might cost £20 / 2,000 Avios.
  • Long-haul/Premium Seats: An exit row or premium economy seat