Last Updated: 20 Feb 2024
Maybe you won’t have a private chef in tow or a luxury villa waiting for you, but you can certainly copy celebrities’ holiday destination choices. And, if you’ve enough Avios for an upgrade, you might also get there in style.
We’ve used our own BA redemption finder to show you the availability of seats this year for some of the popular A-list hangouts.
Palma de Mallorca
Popular with: Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michelle Obama, Alexa Chung and Joseph Fiennes.
It may be a long-established fly-and-flop destination, but Mallorca also has a more sophisticated side. Michael Douglas liked it so much that he bought a villa with mountain views in the village of Valldemossa.
Puerto Portals is a particular celebrity favourite. Here the harbour jostles with superyachts and the likes of Brad Pitt and Bill Gates have been spotted locally. The King of Spain has been among VIP diners at the resort’s Wellies Bar & Restaurant. Jennifer Aniston, meanwhile, suns herself at Es Trenc beach.
Don't overlook the historic capital Palma with its huge cathedral. Once the cruise ship visitors have left for the day it has a local vibe and great dining options. Brad Pitt has been seen in the Karma Bar here. La Cuchara restaurant is another VIP favourite.
Availability: great for economy and business class reward seats, especially over the summer and autumn half term.
Points needed: economy off-peak returns from 5,800 Avios, depending on your cash contribution.
Business Class off-peak returns from 16,000 Avios, depending on your cash contribution.
Florida
Popular with: Rebel Wilson, Jennifer Lopez, Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, Serena Williams
The Sunshine state is a popular place to make an Avios redemption flight, particularly in winter.
Orlando is the theme park capital of the world. You will also find huge outlet malls (handy if you haven’t an A-list budget) and can be dwarfed by the rockets at the Kennedy Space Centre. World-class golf courses attract celebrities and tourists alike.
Miami has drawn Hollywood stars as far back as the 1930s – one of the reasons for the beautiful Art Deco hotels around South Beach. Shakira’s pad is at Miami Beach while Matt Damon and Jennifer Lopez stay on the island of La Gorce.
You can join a boat tour to cruise past VIP homes. Or, you might drive south to spot alligators in the Everglades or to chill in another celebrity hotspot, the Florida Keys.
Availability: good for economy and business class reward seats throughout 2022.
Points needed: economy off-peak returns from 11,400 Avios depending on your cash contribution.
Business Class off-peak returns from 62,500 Avios depending on your cash contribution.
Mykonos
Popular with: Tom Cruise, Ariana Grande, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Moss
If you’re looking to make your Avios flight redemption closer to home, consider Mykonos. The Greek island is known for its nightlife, including its LGBT+ party scene. Its more chilled charms and high-end villas also draw VIPs.
Glamorous Psarou is one of the popular celebrity resorts. Beach club Nammos here has had Lewis Hamilton and Mariah Carey amongst its restaurant guests. Other famous names’ favourite eateries include Scorpios at Paraga, Principote at Panormos and Alemagou at Ftelia.
Away from the beach, the island has plenty of designer shops, or you might prefer simply browsing the characterful alleyways of Mykonos Town. And you don’t need a private yacht to take a boat trip around the island or to nearby Delos island to see archaeological treasures.
Availability: great for economy and business Class reward seats from July to October 2022.
Points needed: economy off-peak returns from 8,500 Avios, depending on your cash contribution.
Business Class off-peak returns from 19,500 Avios, depending on your cash contribution.
Cote d’Azur (Nice)
Popular with: Cristiano Ronaldo, Bono, Kris Jenner
The Cote d’Azur is a byword for glamour. It stretches from Saint Tropez to France’s Italian border, with its famous beaches backed by mountains.
Some celebrities have villas here, and some yachts but there’s plenty of other luxury accommodation, like Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cannes where Kylie Jenner recently holidayed.
Ronaldo has been seen relaxing on his yacht in Saint Tropez, where local Café Senequier, with its distinctive red terrace, has been a favourite with stars back to Brigitte Bardot. Bono has a pad between Monaco and Nice (where Elton John is a part-time resident) and has lunched with the Obamas at La Chèvre d’Or, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the village of Èze.
If your interests are more modest, use your Avios flight redemption to hike coastal trails, seek out hilltop villages or food markets, browse the Matisse museum in Nice or don a snorkel to visit Cannes’ underwater sculpture museum.
Availability: amazing for economy and business class reward seats throughout 2022.
Points needed: economy off-peak returns to Nice from 5,900 Avios, depending on your cash contribution.
Business Class off-peak returns to Nice from 10,500 Avios, depending on your cash contribution.
Rio De Janeiro
Popular with: Madonna, Penelope Cruz, Gerard Butler
From Christ the Redeemer statue to distinctive Sugar Loaf Mountain to Copacabana beach, the Brazilian city of Rio has its fair share of iconic spots.
Want to party with your Avios? Redeem flights to take you to the world’s biggest carnival, which features a samba parade through a giant stadium and multiple street parties (book early for February 2023). Prefer to get close to nature? Take a jeep tour in search of sloths and monkeys in Rio’s Tijuca national park.
If you simply want to relax and look out for celebrities, order a caipirinha in one of the smarter bars around Ipanema beach.
Availability: decent for economy and business class reward seats for summer 2022, Really great for spring 2023.
Points needed: economy off-peak returns from 17,350 Avios, depending on your cash contribution..
Business Class off-peak returns from 75,000 Avios, depending on your cash contribution.
Turkey
Popular with: Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, John Galliano
Visiting the Blue Mosque and souk shopping in Istanbul, taking a hot air balloon over the spectacular rock formations of Cappadocia, or simply hanging out on the Turquoise coast - Turkey has plenty to tempt an Avios flight redemption.
Marmaris and Antalya are among the popular resorts but it’s another favourite, Bodrum draws famous names, with Kate Moss among the regulars.
Top international brands like Six Senses, Kempinski and Mandarin Oriental are among hotel choices and ancient sites await exploration. For celebrity spotting, try the open-air Secret Garden restaurant in the Halikarnas club, owned by Jade Jagger.
The yachting set meanwhile hangs out around Yalikavak Marina, with its smart restaurants and designer shops. Harry and Meghan are even rumoured to have secretly stayed.
Availability: excellent availability for economy and business class reward seats for summer 2022 and autumn half-term holidays.
Points needed: economy off-peak returns to Istanbul from 8,500 Avios, depending on your cash contribution..
Business Class off-peak returns to Istanbul from 19,500 Avios, depending on your cash contribution..
Can’t decide? Use our BA redemption finder to find the most up-to-date availability across multiple dates and destinations.