By Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO of The Points King. Last updated: October 12, 2026. Editorial Policy
Amex points vs. Avios: an American Express Membership Rewards point is worth more than an Avios, about 2.0 cents against 1.4 cents on The Points Guy’s October 2026 numbers. The reason is simple. An Amex point can become an Avios at 1:1 whenever you choose, or go to any of Amex’s other partners instead. An Avios cannot go back. Amex transfers to four Avios programs: British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Qatar Airways.
I buy both currencies at The Points King, which gives me a plain view of how each holds its value. Avios had a rough 12 months: British Airways raised award prices in December 2025 and raised the cash fees again in May 2026. So the order of this page is deliberate: what changed first, then where Avios are still a good use of Amex points.
Amex Points vs. Avios at a Glance
| Amex Membership Rewards | Avios | |
|---|---|---|
| Value, The Points Guy, October 2026 | 2.0 cents | 1.4 cents |
| Value, NerdWallet, October 2026 | 1.3 cents | 1.2 cents (British Airways) |
| Where they can go | 16 airline and 4 hotel programs | Flights and upgrades in the Avios programs and their partners |
| Transfer between the two | Amex to Avios at 1:1 | No way back to Amex |
| Expiry | None while the card account is open | After 36 months with no activity |
| Value as cash | 0.6 cents as a statement credit | No cash option |
| Main risk | A partner leaves or a ratio is cut | British Airways changes prices or fees |
What Changed for Avios in 2025 and 2026
- April 1, 2025: the British Airways Executive Club became The British Airways Club, and status is now earned on money spent.
- May 2025: Iberia raised business class prices. Off-peak business from the Northeast US to Madrid went from 34,000 to 40,500 Avios, The Points Guy reported.
- December 15, 2025: British Airways raised Avios prices by about 10% on its own flights, and by about 13% on American and Alaska flights within the US, per The Points Guy.
- May 27, 2026: British Airways raised the cash fees on reward flights. Business class from London to New York and back became 176,000 Avios plus £499, up from £399, The Points Guy reported.
- August 3 to September 27, 2026: Amex ran a 30% transfer bonus to British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus. It has ended, and no Avios bonus is running as of October 10, 2026.
How Avios Work Across Programs
Seven programs use Avios as their currency: British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, Finnair, Vueling and Loganair. You can move Avios between your own accounts in these programs free of charge at 1:1 using “Move Avios,” the tool that replaced “Combine My Avios” in late 2025, according to Head for Points. Your name and email must match across accounts.
Two cautions. Sources disagree on how old an account must be before Avios can be moved, with figures from 30 to 90 days, so open the accounts you might need well before you need them. And Finnair is not an Amex partner: Avios reach it only by moving them from another program.
This matters because each program prices the same flights differently and adds different fees. Because Amex transfers to four of the seven directly, you can usually send points straight to the program with the better price.
What British Airways Charges Now
| Route from London | Cabin | Avios | Cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam, one way, off-peak | Economy | 10,000 | £2.50 |
| Rome, one way, off-peak | Economy | 13,000 | £2.50 |
| Rome, one way, off-peak | Business (Club Europe) | 22,000 | £20 |
| New York, round trip | Economy | 55,000 off-peak, 66,000 peak | £120 before the May 2026 fee rise |
| New York, round trip | Business | 176,000 off-peak, 198,000 peak | £499 |
Short-haul figures are from Turning Left for Less and long-haul from AwardFares and The Points Guy. We could not confirm the new long-haul economy fee after May 27, 2026.
From the US, the fees are the problem. Thrifty Traveler found British Airways business class across the Atlantic at 88,000 to 110,000 Avios plus $400 to $500 each way before the May increase, and an American Airlines transatlantic business seat booked with Avios at 68,500 Avios plus $1,400 or more.
Where Avios Are Still a Good Use of Amex Points
| Redemption | Program to book through | Price, one way | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| American or Alaska flight within the US, up to 650 miles | British Airways | 13,500 Avios | Low. No carrier surcharges |
| American or Alaska flight within the US, 651 to 1,150 miles | British Airways | 18,000 Avios | Low. No carrier surcharges |
| West Coast to Hawaii on American or Alaska | British Airways | 22,000 Avios | Low |
| East Coast to Dublin, economy, off-peak | Aer Lingus | 13,000 Avios | Lower than British Airways |
| East Coast to Dublin, business, off-peak | Aer Lingus | 50,000 Avios | Lower than British Airways |
| Northeast US to Madrid, business, off-peak | Iberia | 40,500 Avios | About $125 |
| US to Doha in Qsuite business class | Qatar Airways | 70,000 Avios | Described as reasonable by The Points Guy |
Prices are from The Points Guy’s Avios guide, August 18, 2026, and its report on the December 2025 changes. The pattern is consistent: Avios work best on partner airlines and on Iberia and Aer Lingus, and worst on British Airways’ own long-haul flights.
Transferring Amex Points to Avios
- Ratio: 1:1 to British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Qatar Airways, in blocks of 1,000.
- Speed: usually instant to British Airways and Aer Lingus, and about 12 to 24 hours to Iberia and Qatar, by Frequent Miler’s observations.
- No fee: the Amex excise fee applies only to Delta and JetBlue.
- No way back: the transfer is final.
- Bonuses: Amex has offered 30% to British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus about once a year: in 2024, in mid-2025 and from August to September 2026.
Chase, Capital One, Bilt and Wells Fargo also transfer to British Airways, and Citi transfers to Qatar. The full Amex list is in our guide to Amex transfer partners, and the Chase one in Chase transfer partners.
Other Ways to Earn Avios in the US
You do not need Amex points to collect Avios. Four other routes:
- The Chase British Airways Visa. $95 a year, 3 Avios per dollar on British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus flights, 2 on hotels booked direct and 1 on everything else. The offer on Chase’s card page on October 12, 2026 was 75,000 Avios after $5,000 of spending in three months. Chase issues Iberia and Aer Lingus versions on the same terms.
- Flying American or Alaska. Put your British Airways Club number on the booking and the flight earns Avios in place of American miles or Atmos points. Head for Points keeps the list of airlines that qualify.
- Marriott Bonvoy. Points convert at 3 to 1, with 5,000 bonus Avios for each 60,000 points moved, per AwardWallet.
- The British Airways shopping portal. The eStore pays Avios at more than 1,000 US retailers, according to Upgraded Points (April 2026).
Avios earned this way sit in one program from the start, so the caution above applies: once they are Avios, they cannot go anywhere else.
Which Should You Hold?
- You have Amex points and no trip booked: keep them as Amex points. They are worth more, they do not expire, and they are not exposed to the next British Airways change.
- You have found a short American or Alaska flight, or an Iberia or Aer Lingus seat: transfer what you need and book the same day.
- You want British Airways long-haul business class from the US: price the cash due first. The fees ran $400 to $500 each way before the May 2026 increase.
- You already hold Avios: keep the account active. One Avios earned or spent every 36 months is enough.
- A transfer bonus appears: it helps only if you already had an Avios booking in mind.
If You Have Points or Avios You Will Not Use
Brokers, including The Points King, buy both for cash. Selling Membership Rewards points is against the program’s terms, which say you can’t sell your points and let American Express take points away or cancel your card account. Selling Avios is against the British Airways Club terms and conditions, which prohibit selling, bartering or purchasing Avios and let British Airways end your membership and cancel all the Avios in your account. Read the risks of selling miles and points first, then see our pages on selling Amex points and selling British Airways Avios.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you transfer Amex points to Avios?
Yes. American Express Membership Rewards points transfer at 1:1 to British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus and Qatar Airways, all of which use Avios.
Are Amex points worth more than Avios?
Yes, by published estimates. The Points Guy values an Amex point at 2.0 cents and an Avios at 1.4 cents for October 2026. NerdWallet has 1.3 cents and 1.2 cents.
Can you convert Avios back to Amex points?
No. Transfers go one way.
Do Avios expire?
Yes, after 36 months with no earning or spending in British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus or Qatar Airways accounts. Finnair’s limit is 18 months.
Can you move Avios between British Airways, Iberia and Qatar?
Yes. Avios move free of charge at 1:1 between your own accounts, provided your name and email match.
Is there an Amex to Avios transfer bonus now?
No. The last one, 30% to British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus, ended on September 27, 2026.
What is the best use of Avios from the US?
Short American and Alaska flights from 13,500 Avios, Aer Lingus to Dublin, Iberia to Madrid, and Qatar Airways Qsuite at 70,000 Avios one way.
Sources
- The Points Guy: monthly valuations, October 1, 2026
- NerdWallet: points and miles valuations, October 2026
- Upgraded Points: Amex transfer partners, updated August 21, 2026
- The Points Guy: British Airways Avios price increase, December 16, 2025
- The Points Guy: British Airways award fee increase, May 22, 2026
- Thrifty Traveler: British Airways award fee increase, May 22, 2026
- The Points Guy: best ways to redeem Avios, August 18, 2026
- The Points Guy: Iberia award chart changes, May 28, 2025
- Head for Points: moving Avios between programs, July 13, 2026
- The Points Guy: how to stop Avios expiring, updated June 11, 2026
- One Mile at a Time: Amex to Avios transfer bonus, August 3, 2026
- LoyaltyLobby: British Airways Club changes, December 30, 2024
- AwardFares: British Airways Avios prices, December 22, 2025
- Turning Left for Less: British Airways short-haul award chart, 2026
- Chase: British Airways Visa Signature Card, read October 12, 2026
- AwardWallet: Marriott transfer partners, updated April 8, 2026
Update Log
- October 12, 2026: added a section on earning Avios without Amex points and folded in an older duplicate of this comparison.
- October 10, 2026: rewritten for October 2026. Valuations, the four Amex transfer routes, British Airways’ December 2025 and May 2026 changes and current award prices updated, and six older videos removed.