Is British Airways Executive Club the same as Avios?

Avios is the currency of the British Airways Executive Club. You collect Avios when you fly and can keep topping up that balance with hotel stays, car hire and much more.



No, British Airways Executive Club is the name of the airline's loyalty program, whereas Avios is the digital currency (or "points") used within that program. Think of the Executive Club as your bank account and Avios as the money inside it. You join the Executive Club for free to start collecting Avios every time you fly with British Airways or its oneworld partners (like American Airlines or Qatar Airways). Beyond flights, you earn Avios through credit card spending, hotel stays, and car rentals. These Avios can then be "spent" on reward flights, cabin upgrades, or hotel bookings. A key distinction in 2026 is that Avios is a shared currency; you can link your British Airways Executive Club account with the loyalty programs of Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Qatar Airways to move your Avios between them at a 1:1 ratio. Additionally, being a member of the Executive Club allows you to earn Tier Points, which are separate from Avios and determine your "status" (Bronze, Silver, or Gold), unlocking benefits like lounge access and priority boarding.

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Welcome to Avios Avios is the currency of the British Airways Executive Club. You collect Avios when you fly and can keep topping up that balance with hotel stays, car hire and much more. When you've collected enough you can spend your Avios on flights and upgrades, or choose from a range of other rewards.

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Earn and save Avios for your next holiday by joining the Executive Club. It's free to join.

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At 5,000 Tier Points (and 3,000 Tier Points each year thereafter) our Gold Executive Club Members and one guest have access to our Chelsea lounge at New York JFK Terminal 8 when travelling on a scheduled long-haul flight with British Airways, or a long-haul, transcontinental or international short-haul flight with ...

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The value of British Airways Avios is 1.83 cents per avios, on average. That means 10,000 British Airways Avios have a value of roughly $183. British Airways Avios are more valuable than the average airline miles, which are worth 1.32 cents each, as a result.

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At 2,500 Tier Points, we will award you with a voucher that you and a companion can use towards an upgrade to the next cabin of your choice. If you earn 3,500 Tier Points we will award you 2 Gold Upgrade for one vouchers which you can use for yourself or travel with a companion.

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If you're not familiar, Avios is the spendable 'points currency' of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling – all part of the International Airlines Group (IAG). Qmiles have now swapped to Avios at a 1:1 ratio, with the number of miles – sorry, Avios – you need to redeem for flights remaining the same.

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First class lounges Flyers with Executive Club Silver status can get in if they are booked in first class. You can bring one guest in with you. Oneworld Emerald members can access these lounges if they're on a scheduled flight operated by British Airways or one of their Oneworld partners.

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Ultimately, if you want to gain access to British Airways lounges, you need to fly in business or first class with British Airways, or one of its partners, or hold British Airways Executive Club or Oneworld status.

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British Airways lounge access rules You can't pay to access British Airways lounges. You'll have to rely on your fare class or elite status to get access. Elite status in either the airline's Executive Club or the Oneworld alliance will work.

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In other words, your 100,000 bonus Avios would be enough for a return flight in business class to Ireland on off-peak dates.

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