Update: The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available.
Raise your hand if you have upcoming travel! If your plans involve an Airbnb stay, Avis rental cars, or an IHG hotel stay, this newest promotion from British Airways Executive Club may be of interest. Let’s take a look.
Promotion Details
British Airways has launched increased Avios earnings when booking with several different partners:
- The promotion is valid now through June 28, 2022
- Earn 4.5x Avios per $1 spent on Airbnb stays and Airbnb Experiences
- No date limit for Airbnb bookings
- Earn 7.5x Avios per $1 spent on Avis rental cars
- Valid for rentals from September 1, 2022, to October 31, 2022
- Must rent for at least 3 days
- Valid on C class car rentals and above
- Discount code varies based on elite status level
- Earn 1,000 bonus Avios for stays of 2+ nights at IHG Hotels
- Check-in dates from May 31, 2022, to August 31, 2022
- Must convert earning preference to British Airways Avios
- This bonus is in addition to the 2x Avios per $1 spent at IHG
As you can see, the earning rate (and its conditions) vary quite drastically depending on with whom you’re booking.
Is It Worth It?
The answer to this question will depend a great deal on the promotion you’re looking to use.
Airbnb and Airbnb Experiences
For Airbnb and Airbnb Experiences, it’s a no-brainer. Airbnb currently partners with Delta to earn SkyMiles on all your bookings. However, the standard earn rate is just 1 SkyMile per $1 spent.
We value Delta SkyMiles at 1 cent each, which means you’ll be getting a 1% return by booking with Delta. By contrast, we value British Airways Avios at 1.25 cents each. This means the 4.5x Avios per $1 you’ll earn equates to a 5.63% return.
Hot Tip: British Airways Avios are interchangeable with Qatar Airways, Aer Lingus, and Iberia, giving you tons of options for redeeming your miles.
Avis Car Rentals
Although you’ll want to take a second look at the Avis earn, you’ll want to consider carefully if the price difference is worth the points. Generally speaking, booking directly with a rental car company isn’t the best deal — and this is no exception.
Here’s an example of a 3-day rental on Avis’ website during July:
Image Credit: AvisIn this case, you’d earn 2,152.73 Avios for your rental car, worth $26.90 according to our valuations.
However, could also choose instead to book via the Chase travel portal. If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you’ll earn 10x Ultimate Rewards per $1 spent on rental cars booked via the Chase travel portal. Plus, it’s cheaper:
Image Credit: ChaseIn this case, you’ll earn 2,570 Chase points, worth $51.40 based on our valuation of 2 cents per point. So, not only will it cost you less, you’ll have a better return by booking in this method.
Of course, if you’re desperate to have Avios, you can always transfer over Chase points to British Airways at a 1:1 ratio, meaning you’ll still come out ahead with 2,570 Avios.
IHG Hotels
If you’re wondering whether you should opt-in to the IHG promotion — skip it. You’ll earn more by far when sticking to earning IHG One Rewards points versus Avios.
Final Thoughts
British Airways has come out with its newest promotion for members, allowing them to earn up to 7.5x Avios per $1 spent on certain bookings. While the 4.5x Avios you’ll score on Airbnb stays is worth taking advantage of, you’ll want to carefully consider your options when looking at rental cars — and stay away from the IHG promotion entirely.
Featured Image Credit:
Airbnb
