In 2026, the "sweet spot" for spending Avios (the currency of British Airways, Iberia, and Qatar Airways) is generally on short-haul European flights or upgrading from Premium Economy to Business Class. Because British Airways uses a distance-based award chart, flights under 650 miles (like London to Paris or Dublin) can be booked for as little as 9,250 Avios plus a flat fee of £17.50 through "Reward Flight Saver." Another excellent value is using Avios for Qatar Airways Qsuite redemptions; since Qatar joined the Avios ecosystem, booking their world-class Business Class from the U.S. to Doha for 70,000–85,000 Avios is considered one of the best "luxuries" in travel. Avoid using Avios for long-haul Economy seats on British Airways, as the "fuel surcharges" can often be almost as expensive as a cash ticket. For 2026 travelers, the absolute best value is often found by transferring Avios to Iberia for transatlantic Business Class flights from Madrid, which frequently have significantly lower taxes than flights departing from London.