Seven surprising ways to spend Avios

Words: Qin Xie

Members of The British Airways Club collect Avios every time they fly with British Airways or a oneworld™ alliance partner, which makes Reward Flights and cabin upgrades the obvious choices when it comes to spending them. But Avios can be used to pay for everything from gadgets and groceries to holidays and more, making them incredibly valuable as a global rewards currency. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Drive to Europe

LeShuttle became one of the newest Avios partners in June 2025, which means you can now collect and spend Avios on your journeys to France and beyond. Simply head to the Avios website and exchange your Avios for a LeShuttle digital voucher, which will be sent to you via email. Create or log in to your Club LeShuttle account to book your ticket and apply your digital voucher code at checkout. You can use your voucher to pay the full balance or just a part of it. Redemption starts from 1,000 Avios, which is worth £5. 

2. Hire a car

Need a hire car for your road trip? Visit Avios.com and you can book and pay for a rental with either Avis or Budget using Avios. You can even make bookings with different pick-up and drop-off points – perfect if you’re flying into one airport and out of another. The number of Avios required will depend on your travel plans, but you can pay for the whole booking with Avios or put some Avios towards your car rental.

3. Book hotel stays 

Search and book stays around the world with Avios Hotels, powered by Expedia. There are more than 300,000 properties to choose from, ranging from luxury hotels to boutique boltholes. Taxes, fees and charges are generally included, too, so you can treat yourself without splashing out. Pay for the entire booking with Avios or use a smaller amount for a discount towards your stay. 

4. Pay for groceries

If you’re looking to spend your Avios on something other than travel, consider converting them into Nectar points. You’ll need to link your British Airways Club and Nectar accounts first. Once completed, you’ll unlock access to all of Nectar’s partners, including Sainsbury’s. Avios are converted into Nectar points in increments of 400, and each 400 Avios will give you 400 Nectar points. At Sainsbury’s, 500 Nectar points are worth £2.50 off your weekly shop – just scan Nectar at checkout to pay with them.

5. Buy gadgets

Another of Nectar’s partners is Argos, where 500 Nectar points is worth £2.50. Simply convert your Avios into Nectar points, then pop into any Argos store and scan Nectar to pay. Link your Nectar and Argos accounts and you’ll also be able to spend your Nectar points online. Whether you’re picking up a new laptop or a bougie coffee machine, bear in mind you can spend a maximum of 100,000 Nectar points in a single transaction, equivalent to £500. 

6. Get money off petrol

A great way to stretch the value of your Avios is to use them towards petrol. Esso is another Nectar partner, and at participating service stations you can trade 300 Nectar points for 5p off every litre of petrol (up to 60 litres). It means 300 Nectar points are worth a discount of up to £3. Convert your Avios into Nectar points first, then scan Nectar at the checkout and select the ‘5p/litre for 300 points’ option to get the discount.

7. Save on wines

At The Wine Flyer, you can use your Avios to enjoy discounts on wines – perfect if you’re planning a big party or having an indulgent evening in. There are two ways to do this. You can get a straightforward discount by choosing how many Avios you want to spend at the checkout. You can also redeem your Avios on wine to unlock further savings.

For more ways to collect and spend Avios, head to Avios.com