The number of Avios points required for a flight depends mainly on the distance flown, the cabin class, and whether it is peak or off-peak travel time. For British Airways reward flights, the points needed can be categorized by distance zones as follows:
- Zone 1 (1 to 650 miles): Economy from 4,750 to 5,250 Avios one way
- Zone 2 (651 to 1,151 miles): Economy from 7,250 to 8,250 Avios
- Zone 3 (1,152 to 2,000 miles): Economy from 9,250 to 10,750 Avios
- Zone 4 (2,001 to 3,000 miles): Economy from 10,000 to 12,500 Avios
- Zone 5 (3,001 to 4,000 miles): Economy from 13,000 to 20,000 Avios
- Zone 6 (4,001 to 5,500 miles): Economy from 16,250 to 25,000 Avios
- Zone 7 (5,501 to 6,500 miles): Economy from 19,500 to 30,000 Avios
- Zone 8 (6,501 to 7,000 miles): Economy from 22,750 to 35,000 Avios
- Zone 9 (7,001 miles and upwards): Economy from 32,500 to 50,000 Avios
Business and First Class tickets require significantly more Avios. For example, a Zone 5 Business Class flight requires 50,000 to 60,000 Avios, and a First Class flight can require 68,000 to 80,000 Avios or more. The exact Avios cost varies by peak or off-peak times and the specific airline cabin class.
Additionally, Avios can be earned based on how much is spent on a ticket with British Airways and partners, with multipliers depending on membership tier, typically ranging from 6 to 9 Avios per GBP spent on British Airways flights.
For a precise calculation for a specific flight, there are Avios calculators available online by British Airways and partners.
In summary, the Avios points needed for a flight vary widely by distance, class, and time but start as low as around 4,750 Avios for short economy flights and can go up to over 100,000 Avios for long-haul first class flights.
