How to collect Avios on your Christmas shopping
Turn your seasonal spending into flight rewards with these smart Avios-collecting tips
17/10/2025
Words: Hannah Ralph
Festive celebrations can put some serious Avios under the tree. With all that seasonal spending – from tinsel to turkeys and everything in between – it’s a no-brainer to turn your shopping into future take-offs. Ready to strategise ahead of the Christmas chaos? Here are six ways to effortlessly boost your balance as we approach December.
1. Do it… at the airport
A fragrance for Dad, noise-cancelling headphones for Mum, whisky for your favourite aunt and cosmetics for the cousins – the whole crew can be ticked off in at just one shop: World Duty Free. For those travelling through Heathrow between now and the big day, all stores will see you collect one Avios for every £1 spent on goodies within.
How to collect: You’ll have to join the Duty Free loyalty programme, Club Avolta, first (don’t worry – it’s free) and link it to your British Airways Club account. After this, simply flash the app’s QR code when shopping in person. Best of all, new customers will get a bonus 250 Avios on their first shop.
2. Do it… online
There’s a decent chance you intend to smash your Christmas gift list in one big online spree. We’re here to say: wait! Before you fill up any baskets, first head to the Avios Shop, where hundreds of retailers (likely the ones you planned on using, anyway) have agreed to put Avios in your pocket for the pleasure. We’re talking kitchenware from John Lewis & Partners, luxury pyjamas from M&S and fitness watches from Apple Store Online – with brands delivering different baseline amounts of Avios and, occasionally, bumper offers to enjoy.
How to collect: Just sign in with your British Airways Club details and then browse for the retailers you want. Once the new tab loads, make sure to stay on it, as your cookies have been tracked.
Christmas all wrapped up with Habitat
3. Do it… with Nectar
Nectar’s tinselled trio – Sainsbury’s, Argos and Habitat – have Christmas so wrapped up, you barely need to go anywhere else. Sainsbury’s will stock your fridge with all the holiday staples, Habitat will make your house look fabulously festive and Argos is practically Santa’s workshop. Nectar, the loyalty scheme that connects all three, has a present for you, too – a merry trickle of Avios.
How to collect: Link your Nectar and British Airways Club accounts, get shopping and then convert every 400 Nectar points for 250 Avios. You can even set up automatic conversion so all the work is done for you.
4. Do it…. with a British Airways American Express® Credit Card
Will all those December outlays, it makes sense to collect Avios along the way. The British Airways American Express® Credit Card is a year-round Avios supercharger, but it’s especially powerful at Christmas. For every £1 put on the Card, one Avios is added to your balance. Plus, spend more than £15,000 in a Cardmembership year, and you could gain a Companion Voucher, meaning two for one travel, or 50% fewer Avios required on Reward Flights if you’re flying solo.*
How to collect: Choose which Card is right for you and see if you’re eligible here. Money spent on the Card automatically puts Avios in your British Airways Club account.
British Airways American Express® Credit Card. Representative 29.4% APR variable. Credit limit and interest rates depend on our credit assessment of you and may differ from those shown. Terms apply. 18+ UK residents, subject to status.
*Spend a minimum of £15,000 in a Cardmembership year to get a Companion Voucher. Voucher valid for 12 months, in economy cabins only. Rewards Flights are paid for with a fixed Avios and cash amount.
Bring on the seasonal cheer with The Wine Flyer
5. Do it… at The Wine Flyer
The perfect pairing? Christmas cheer and a healthy pour of Avios. At The Wine Flyer, the wine and spirits club made for frequent flyers, every bottle uncorks five Avios per £1 spent – whether you’re splurging big on Champagne or just stocking up on the crowd favourites. And it’s not just bottles up for grabs, as The Wine Flyer’s curated offering also includes flight-tasting experiences – perfect for the wine lover in your life.
How to collect: Simply sign into your British Airways Club on The Wine Flyer website and start loading up that basket.
6. Do it… at Bicester Village
A designer Disneyland right here in the UK, Bicester Village’s luxe shopping streets are full of first-class gifts. Best of all, you can collect Avios on every receipt. Pick up an über-luxe latte from Ralph’s Coffee and fuel yourself for a day of discovering exclusive discounts at celebrity-favourite brands – the kind that make people gasp come Christmas morning. Not only is this the country’s most refined shopping experience, but it’s also the most lucrative for frequent flyers, since members of The British Airways Club can collect one Avios for every £1 spent in participating boutiques.
How to collect: Link your debit or credit card to your British Airways Club account before you go.
