Avios has introduced a calendar-style “Find Reward Flights” search that displays an entire month of award availability at once for British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus — a big time-saver if you’ve been frustrated having to check one day at a time. The tool is free; you just need a (free) Avios account to use it.
How it works
– Enter departure and arrival airports, number of passengers, month, and whether you want one-way or round-trip travel. You can also filter by cabin (economy, premium economy, business, etc.).
– The calendar shows nonstop award availability for the selected month. Dates are marked to indicate limited versus good availability (a half circle means limited; a full circle means plentiful). Hover over a date to see how many seats are available, which cabins they are in, and the Avios price; click a date for flight times and more details. When you choose a flight, the tool sends you to the operating airline’s Avios booking page (for example, British Airways Club, Iberia Club or Aer Lingus AerClub) to complete the redemption.
A note about Companion Vouchers and Travel Together tickets
The interface includes a reference to Companion Vouchers. U.K. American Express British Airways cardholders who hold a Companion Voucher can access additional inventory made available to that voucher. Comparable U.S. products that reference a Travel Together ticket do not get extra inventory through this tool — inventory access remains the same for most Avios members.
What it does not do (yet)
– Shows nonstop flights only. Connecting itineraries are not displayed at the moment, though Avios says multi-leg searches are planned.
– Displays taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges. Those vary widely between carriers — notably British Airways often adds high surcharges — so expect to check the airline’s booking page for full cost details.
– Lets you complete the booking on Avios.com. After finding availability you are forwarded to the operating airline’s website; this can be inconvenient if you want to book on a different carrier’s Avios program.
Where the tool is most useful
Because availability is concentrated at each carrier’s hub, the calendar is most effective for point-to-point searches to and from London Heathrow (LHR), Madrid (MAD) and Dublin (DUB). If your route might connect through more than one hub, run separate searches from each. Qatar Airways and Finnair — both of which also use Avios as a currency — are not included in this search tool.
Earning and moving Avios
One of Avios’ strengths is how easy the points are to earn and move around. British Airways Club, Iberia Club and Aer Lingus AerClub all accept transfers from major transferable currencies including Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Points, Wells Fargo Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. British Airways also accepts transfers from Capital One, and Qatar Privilege Club (which uses Avios) partners with Citi ThankYou Rewards. You can transfer Avios between these airline programs at no cost and do so as often as needed.
Cards with big welcome offers
Below are common card options people use to generate Avios (offers vary and change frequently; check current terms before applying):
– American Express® Gold Card — large Membership Rewards welcome offers are occasionally available.
– American Express Platinum Card® — another Membership Rewards option with sizable offers for new cardholders.
– Capital One Venture and Venture X — Capital One miles transfer to British Airways and other Avios programs.
– Chase Sapphire Preferred® and Chase Sapphire Reserve® — both earn Chase Ultimate Rewards, which transfer to Avios partners.
– Ink Business Preferred® — a business card option that earns transferable Chase points.
Bottom line
The new Avios Find Reward Flights calendar is a welcome improvement for quickly spotting nonstop award seats on British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus. It won’t replace more advanced search tools while it lacks connecting itineraries, surcharge visibility and direct booking, but for nonstop searches to London, Madrid or Dublin it should save time and help you spot opportunities you might otherwise miss.