Airline loyalty programmes compared

For most people flying from the UK, the practical answer is Avios. Not because it's the most generous currency point-for-point — dynamic pricing and surcharges take the shine off — but because of how the ecosystem fits UK travel patterns:

• Qatar Airways — Privilege Club
• British Airways — The British Airways Club
• Iberia — Iberia Plus
• Finnair — Finnair Plus
• Aer Lingus — AerClub

Five programmes, one currency: Avios move freely and instantly between The British Airways Club, Aer Lingus AerClub, Iberia Plus, Finnair Plus and Qatar Airways Privilege Club. That means a balance topped up by UK credit-card spend can be redeemed on any oneworld airline — and between them those five carriers cover Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Dublin, Madrid, Helsinki and Doha. BA's Reward Flight Saver caps fees on short-haul redemptions, and household accounts let families pool.

The main alternative for UK flyers is Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club: Virgin Points never expire, SkyTeam membership widens redemption options, and American Express Membership Rewards convert across. It's the better fit if your flying is concentrated on Virgin's transatlantic network — just remember it's guidance, not law: the right programme is always the one matching the airlines you actually fly.

Every alliance flight earns into whichever member programme you choose — fly Cathay Pacific or JAL and credit to BA Club; fly ANA or Turkish and credit to Singapore KrisFlyer; fly Delta or Korean Air and credit to Flying Blue. Two rules make the system work for you:

1. Pool into one programme per alliance. Ten small balances in ten programmes never reach a redemption; one pooled balance does. Pick the programme whose airline you fly most, or whose redemptions you value most, and credit everything there.
2. Check earning before you fly, not after. Deep-discount economy fares can earn as little as 25% of miles flown — or nothing — depending on the programme you credit to. The same BA-operated ticket earns very differently across BA Club, Iberia Plus and Finnair Plus, so run the numbers on each programme's earning table first.
3. Status is alliance-wide. Reach Silver-equivalent with one member and every airline in the alliance honours priority services; Gold-equivalent unlocks lounges worldwide, whoever you're flying that day.

UK travellers earn a large share of their points without flying: the British Airways American Express cards and Barclaycard Avios Mastercard pay Avios on everyday spend, while American Express Membership Rewards points convert into Avios, Virgin Points, Flying Blue and several other schemes in this table. Companion vouchers on the paid BA Amex can halve the cost of a long-haul redemption.

For educational comparisons (no affiliate / no commission on cards), read the UK airline credit cards guide and the ranked UK travel credit cards hub.