Owais Crawford
Access to airport lounges can be a great way to start your holiday, providing a quiet place to relax, eat a meal, or catch up on work. Lounge access can be purchased with Avios points, but is it worth it? While it is possible to use Avios points to access certain lounges, it may not be the best use of your points. For example, using Avios points for Plaza Premium lounges is considered poor value for money. However, if you have a small business, consider signing up for the American Express Business Platinum Card, which offers a bonus of 120,000 Membership Rewards points, equivalent to 120,000 Avios.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Avios points can be used for lounge access | Yes, but only for local contract lounges and not for British Airways' own lounges. |
| How to redeem Avios points for lounge access | Call the Avios call center in the UK |
| Cost of lounge access | 7,600 Avios for Plaza Premium lounges at Heathrow. 3,250 Avios for some No.1 Lounges. |
| Other ways to get lounge access | Credit cards such as the Platinum Card from American Express, HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard, Barclays Travel Plus Pack, Capital on Tap Pro Visa credit card, etc. |
| Benefits of lounge access | A luxurious start to your holiday, a quiet place to enjoy a meal, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Using Avios points for lounge access may not be good value
Although it is possible to use Avios points for lounge access, it may not be good value. For example, if you want to use Avios points to access a Plaza Premium lounge, you will need 7,600 Avios, which is equivalent to spending £76, considering each Avios is valued at 1p. However, you can buy access to the same lounge for £24 by purchasing a DragonPass voucher from Regus, which is a much better deal.
Similarly, if you plan to spend more than three hours in the lounge, you will need 12,400 Avios, which is equivalent to £124. This is a poor value considering the alternatives.
Another option is to use a credit card that provides airport lounge access as a benefit. For example, the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card offers four airport lounge passes and is free for the first year. Alternatively, the HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard provides access to the Priority Pass network, although guests are charged at £24.
Therefore, while you can use Avios points for lounge access, it is often not the best use of your points, as you can usually get better value by redeeming them for flights or other benefits.
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Avios points can be used for Plaza Premium lounges
To use your Avios points for Plaza Premium lounges, you need to search for 'activities' at Heathrow on the British Airways website. This will bring up over 1,800 ways to spend your Avios points, including museums, shows and attractions. You then need to filter the results with the word 'lounge', and Plaza Premium will appear as an option.
There are alternative ways to access airport lounges using Avios points. For example, you can collect Avios points through Tesco's Clubcard and the Amex British Airways credit card, as well as in over one thousand online stores. You can then use these points to pay for access to an airport lounge, with prices starting at 3,250 Avios. This includes access to some No.1 Lounges, which are highly rated. Lounge Pass and Plaza Premium Group have the most extensive coverage, offering 540 lounges between them.
You can also collect Avios when you book parking at certain airport car parks, or when purchasing Heathrow Express tickets in advance using the dedicated website for British Airways Club members.
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Avios points can be earned through Tesco's Clubcard
Avios points can be used to purchase lounge access at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5. However, this can only be done by upgrading your class of travel or booking a business or first-class award flight.
Regarding earning Avios points through Tesco Clubcard, it is important to note that the partnership between Avios and Tesco Clubcard ended on 18 January 2021. Prior to this date, Tesco Clubcard customers could convert their points into Avios air miles at a rate of 2.4 or 2.5 Avios per point, which was considered a strong exchange rate. Tesco Clubcard customers who collected points before the deadline could still convert them into Avios via the Clubcard website until the January 2021 cutoff.
There were various ways to earn Avios points through the Tesco Clubcard partnership. One way was to shop at Tesco, earning 1 point for every £1 spent, which could then be converted into vouchers and discounts. Another way was to purchase fuel at Tesco filling stations, earning 1 point for every £2 spent. Tesco Clubcard customers could also earn points through the Tesco Clubcard Mastercard, with 1 Clubcard point earned for every £8 spent, and from Tesco Mortgages.
While the partnership with Avios has ended, Tesco Clubcard points can still be redeemed in other ways, such as converting them into Virgin Points or taking advantage of various restaurant and 'days out' deals worth 3 times the face value of the vouchers.
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Avios points can be earned through Airbnb Experiences
While you can't directly use Avios points to purchase lounge access, there are other ways to use Avios points to gain lounge access. For example, you can use Avios points to upgrade your flight class or book a business/first-class award flight, which may come with lounge access. Alternatively, you can collect Avios points by spending on airport parking, the Heathrow Express, or a Lounge Pass for non-British Airways airport lounges.
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Avios points can be earned through Royal Caribbean Cruises
As of my cut-off date, it is not possible to use Avios points to buy access to an airport lounge. However, you can use Avios points to upgrade your class of travel or book a business/first-award flight, which may come with lounge access. Alternatively, you can purchase a Lounge Pass to access non-British Airways airport lounges worldwide, and collect 5 Avios per £1 spent.
To be eligible to collect Avios, you must be at least 18 years old and be the Lead Guest or a named guest on a qualifying booking made directly with Royal Caribbean International through their Call Centre or website in the UK, Ireland, or Spain. You must enter your Airline membership number on the booking confirmation page. All bookings will be eligible for Avios collection, provided the staterooms are a balcony or a suite.
Avios are collected on the total cruise fare, and any add-ons such as shore excursions, service charges, beverage packages, flights, hotels, and transfers are not eligible for Avios collection. Avios will only be awarded if the Eligible Participant completes the booked cruise holiday. Any bookings that are cancelled for any reason will not be eligible for Avios rewards.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use Avios points to access airport lounges. However, it is only possible to use Avios points for local contract lounges and not for British Airways lounges.
The number of Avios points required to access an airport lounge varies. Some lounges, such as the Plaza Premium lounges, require 7,600 Avios points, while others start at 3,250 Avios points.
You can collect Avios points by making purchases at over one thousand online stores, through Tesco’s Clubcard, or by using an Amex British Airways credit card. Additionally, you can earn Avios points by booking airport parking, travelling on Heathrow Express, or purchasing tickets for Airbnb Experiences.
