Do you collect Nectar points as well as Avios? You could be closer to snapping up your dream BA reward seats than you think.
Millions of people worldwide collect Avios. They do so through booking flights, hotel stays, car hire and everyday spending. Many use their Avios to secure British Airways reward flights. British Airways has been expanding the ways to collect Avios and has now partnered with Nectar to make it even easier to boost your Avios balance. Nectar points can be converted into Avios to earn even more reward seat flights using Reward Flight Finder (RFF).
How to earn Nectar points
If you’re one of the 18 million people who already have a Nectar account, you’ll know how to collect points on your everyday spending.
But if you’re a Nectar newbie, you can collect Nectar points with over 300 brand partners on the Nectar.com Eshop portal as well as off-line. Brands include Sainsbury’s, Esso, ASOS, Selfridges, and Argos.
You can also collect Nectar points through the Nectar American Express credit card and through Sainsbury's Bank when you take out insurance, a loan or a credit card.
The American Express Nectar Credit Card
Supercharge your Nectar collection with the American Express Nectar Credit Card, specifically designed for Nectar collectors who want to convert to Avios.
Key benefits:
- Welcome offer: 20,000 bonus Nectar points (worth 12,500 Avios) after £2,000 spend in first 3 months
- First year free: £0 annual fee year 1, £30 thereafter
- Earn rates: 3 Nectar points per £1 at Sainsbury's and Nectar partners + 2 points per £1 everywhere else
- Representative APR: 35.8% variable (29.1% purchases, £30 fee included)
- Up to 5 free supplementary cards so family can help build your Nectar balance faster
Use this card for your weekly Sainsbury's shop to stack credit card points on top of your regular Nectar card points, then convert everything to Avios at 400:250. The 20,000 point welcome bonus alone gets you over halfway to a European off-peak return economy reward flight.
What is a Nectar point worth?
One Nectar point is worth 0.5p. In Sainsbury's, you get 1 point (0.5p) for every £1 you spend, the equivalent of 0.5% cashback. 100 points are 50p, 200 points £1 etc.
Conversion of Nectar into Avios
British Airways Club members who collect Avios and Nectar points can link their accounts and transfer Nectar to their Avios pot at a rate of 400 Nectar points to 250 Avios, valuing each Avios at a minimum of 0.8p.
You can even set up a weekly automatic conversion so that every time you reach 400 Nectar points they will be automatically turned into 250 Avios. Simply log into your British Airways Club account and click ‘Convert now’ to set up automatic conversion and never miss out on Avios again. Members can manually convert a maximum of 80,000 Nectar points or 50,000 Avios per month. Additionally, members can automatically convert a maximum of 40,000 Nectar points or 25,000 Avios in a calendar quarter.
If you’ve never transferred Nectar to Avios before, if you sign-up for the auto-conversion and convert 400 Nectar points into 250 Avios between now and May 2022 you have the chance to win up to 50,000 Avios.
It is surprising how quickly a regular shop at Sainsbury's, plus another everyday spending can boost your Nectar points, thus increasing your chances of earning enough Avios for your favourite BA reward seat flight destinations. With BA being a part of the One World Alliance, you can also spend your Avios points on Aer Lingus, Iberia and American Airlines, amongst others.
Nectar App and bonuses
Whenever you want to check your Nectar balance, the Nectar app and website record your current points total and a transaction record of where and when you earned your points.
As with any loyalty scheme, you can take advantage of bonuses and points offers. Sometimes you’ll be sent vouchers for extra Nectar points available at the till, and throughout the year Sainsbury's, eBay and Argos offer bonus points promotions.
Dream Away
If you've already got somewhere in mind, you can check the availability of reward seats on British Airways flights up to a year ahead at rewardflightfinder.com. We'll even tell you how many Avios points you need to snag your seats.
Alternatively, if you’re tied to particular travel dates, but want to browse different destinations to suit your Avios points balance you can sign up to become a Silver or Gold RFF member and use our Worldwide Map to find your ideal getaway.
The only cash you’ll pay for British Airways reward seats are taxes and fees – everything else is covered by your Avios points. However, you can decide to pay part cash for reward seat flights if that’s the best travel option for you. RFF has good availability on loads of sizzling European destinations right now. As an example, you can fly off-peak economy return to Rome in May 2022 for as little as 5,800 Avios and £90. If you want to pay less cash, you can use 23,500 Avios and pay just £1 Your choice, though the latter does not really use your Avios to maximum effect. There are variations in between.
To snap up your ideal reward seats Sign Up for a RFF membership today.
Everyday spending like the weekly shop, refreshing your summer wardrobe, or filling the car with petrol can help take you one step closer to a post-pandemic trip to paradise and other rewarding flight adventures.
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