How to transfer Nectar points to Avios (and vice versa)

If you shop in UK supermarket Sainsbury's and have a Nectar card and you also collect Avios as part of British Airways frequent flyer programme, did you know you can convert Avios to Nectar and vice versa?

After you link your account you can convert Nectar points into Avios or Avios into Nectar card points. Setting it up is easy, simply follow our guide and get ready to transform your weekly shop to a week in Spain.

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What do you need to convert your Avios and Nectar points?

In order to convert points, you’ll need to make sure you are a member of both schemes.

Already a member of both? Then you’re ready to link your accounts and start collecting and converting points.

If you need to sign up for Nectar¹:

• Head to the Nectar site and follow the instructions
• Download the Nectar app
• Alternatively, pick up a registration pack in a Sainsbury’s store, fill in the form and send it back

To sign up for Avios²:

• Visit the British Airways Executive Club website and follow the instructions
• Or, fill in the registration form directly on the British Airways website

Once you’ve signed up, here’s the information you’ll need handy:

1. Your date of birth
2. The email address that’s connected to your British Airways Executive Club account
3. Your account details for both BA Executive Club and Nectar

Note: if you haven’t added the above information to your account you can do so by logging on and heading to ‘Manage My Account’.

As well as being a member of both, you must also be 18 years old with only one Nectar account linked to a British Airways Executive Club account at a time³.

How to convert Nectar points into Avios³

Step 1: Link both accounts

Visit either the British Airways Executive Club website or the Nectar website. Next, find the section that allows you to link your Nectar and British Airways accounts. Simply follow the instructions to link both accounts. This typically involves proving membership details and verifying your identity.

Step 2: Convert your Nectar points to Avios

Next, you can perform a points transfer and decide how many points you want to convert. It’s worth noting that you can only transfer up to 400 Nectar points at a time⁴. Head to the points conversion section on either site, enter the desired number of Nectar points to convert to Avios, confirm your conversion and your points should be converted instantly (or within a few days).

What is the conversion rate from Nectar to Avios?⁴

Standard conversion rate is 400 Nectar points to 250 Avios. Of course, it’s worth keeping an eye out for any special promotions that offer bonus Avios when converting.

Can you set up auto-conversion?

Yes, you can set up automatic conversion⁵. This means all of your Nectar points are automatically converted to Avios whenever you hit 400 Nectar points.

How to convert Avios into Nectar points⁵

Step 1: Link both accounts

Again, just like before, head to both websites and look for the section that allows you to link the two. You only need to do this on one of the accounts. Locate the section for linking your accounts and follow the instructions. You’ll be prompted to enter your membership details and verify your identity.

Step 2: Convert your Avios to Nectar points

Choose the amount of Avios you wish to transfer, though keep in mind that all conversions must be in multiples of 400 Avios. Go to the points section on either website and enter the amount of Avios you want to convert. You’ll be asked to confirm this amount and once you do, your Nectar points will usually be added to your account within 10 days.

What is the conversion rate from Avios to Nectar?⁴

Standard conversion rate is 400 Avios to 400 Nectar points. When converting this way, be aware that there is a 50,000 Avios limit on how many Avios you can manually convert in a month.

Can you set up auto-conversion?

Yes, you can set up auto-convert for Avios to Nectar points⁵. It’s worth doing this if you plan on regularly converting to simplify the process. However, there is a limit of 25,000 auto-converted Avios per quarter⁶.

How to collect Avios

1. Fly regularly with British Airways and their partners

The simplest way to collect Avios is to fly with British Airways. The number of Avios you can earn will depend on the distance flown, your fare class, and your Executive Club tier status. You read more about the different tiers in our breakdown of frequent flyer programs below.

📚 Read more: How frequent flyer
programs work

You can also earn Avios when you fly with British Airways’ partner airlines, this includes Oneworld alliance members, including American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qantas. Other BA partners include Aer Lingus.

Depending on your Executive Club tier status, here’s how many Avios you’ll collect when you fly⁷:

Executive Club tier	Avios per £
Blue Members	6 Avios per £
Bronze Members	7 Avios per £
Silver Members	8 Avios per £
Gold Members	9 Avios per £

Note: Non-airline taxes and fees (e.g. airport charges and government taxes) don’t collect Avios. You can collect Avios for the following: your fare, airline carrier charges, cabin upgrades, pre-booked or paid for seats and additional baggage.

2. Use an Avios credit card

Avios credit cards are a popular way to earn Avios on everyday spending. Different providers offer different perks and Avios per pound spent can vary. Make sure you shop around for the best welcome bonuses and extra benefits.

In 2022, Barclaycard launched two new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards, but other credit cards include British Airways Amex and Amex Nectar.

Here’s a quick, at-a-glance table:

Avios credit cards	Features, fees and interest
Barclaycard Avios8	Receive 1 Avios point per every £1 spent, free cabin upgrades if you spend £20,000+ per year and 5,000 bonus Avios when you spend £1,000+ in the first three months. 29.9% rep APR.
Barclaycard Avios Plus8	Receive 1.5 Avios points per £1 spent and 25,000 bonus Avios when you spend £3,000+ in the first three months plus a free cabin upgrade if you spend £10,000+ per year. £20/month fee and 80.1% rep APR.
British Airways Amex9	Receive 1 Avios point per £1 spent and get a 5,000 bonus points when you spend £1,000+ in the first three months plus a free companion ticket if you spend £12,000+ per year (rising to £15,000+ from 1 Nov). 31% rep APR.
British Airways Amex Premium Plus9	Receive 1.5 Avios points per £1 spent and a 25,000 point bonus when you spend £3,000+ in the first three months plus a free companion ticket if you spend £10,000+ per year (rising to £15,000+ from 1 Nov). £300/year fee and 139.9% rep APR.
Amex Nectar10	Receive Nectar points which can be converted into Avios and get 20,000 Nectar points (worth worth 12,500 Avios) if you spend £2,000+ in the first three months. Free in the first year, then £30/year fee. 37.8% rep APR.

Remember, as with any credit card, always take into account any interest charges and make sure you have enough to pay your bill at the end of the month.

3. Book hotels and car rentals

When booking hotel accommodation or arranging car hire, make sure to always book through a British Airways partner.

For hotel bookings, you’ll collect 10 Avios for every £1 you spend¹¹. And when booking car rental via British Airways partners you will receive 5 Avios per £1 spent¹². Car rental partners include Avis, Budget and Zipcar.

4. Shop via British Airways eStore

Make purchases via the British Airways' Executive Club e-Store; it features multiple retailers that offer Avios on your purchases. It works like a cashback store though instead of cash back, you get Avios.

Participating retailers in the UK include¹³:

• Deliveroo
• John Lewis
• Marks and Spencers
• Boots
• Trainline
• … and many more.

5. Convert your Nectar points

Of course, you can convert Nectar points to Avios by following the steps provided earlier in this article.

How to collect Nectar points

1. Do your weekly grocery shop at Sainsbury’s

Of course, this is the easiest way to collect Nectar points. Collect one Nectar point for every £1 spent with Sainsbury’s either in-store or online. Check for bonus point offers and promotions to earn more.

Loyalty points schemes like Sainsbury’s Nectar points can help you to save on your groceries, as well as earn points. Why not check out our guide to the best loyalty card schemes in the UK.

📚 Read more: Best UK
loyalty card schemes

2. Shop with Nectar partners

It’s not just your weekly supermarket shop that will earn you Nectar points. You can earn points with 350+ Nectar partner brands, too.

Some Nectar partners in the UK include¹⁴:

• eBay
• Esso
• Argos
• Caffè Nero
• Vue Cinemas
• Eurostar
• … and many more

3. Use a Nectar credit card

You can earn Nectar points whenever you spend with a Nectar credit card.

• Sainsbury's credit cards
• Nectar Amex credit card

4. Take part in surveys

Participate in and fill out opinion surveys via Nectar Canvass¹⁵. Simply head to the Nectar Canvass website, sign up for free, start participating in surveys and watch the Nectar points roll in.

5. Convert Avios to Nectar points

Of course, you can convert Avios into Nectar points when you link your accounts and follow the steps we provided earlier in this article.

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FAQs on transferring Nectar to Avios and vice versa 🔄

Can I transfer Avios to another person?

Yes, you can gift or transfer your Avios. There is a fee to transfer, unless you’re a Gold member, in which case it’s free. The maximum you can transfer in one go is 60,000 and up to 200,000 in a year¹⁶.

Do Avios expire?

Yes, Avios expire if there is no activity on your account for 36 consecutive months . Activity includes collecting and spending¹⁷.

Do Nectar points expire?

While there’s no auto-expiry, if you don’t spend or collect any Nectar points for a year, it’s assumed that you no longer wish to participate and your account is closed¹⁸.

How many accounts can I link to?

You can link a single British Airways Executive Club account to one Nectar account and vice versa. However, you can change your linked accounts up to four times a year⁶.

Once your accounts are linked you will receive a confirmation email or you can check on the Nectar website and the Executive Club Exchange.

How do I check my Avios balance?

You can check your Avios balance by logging in to your British Airways Executive Club account online or via the mobile app.

How do I check my Nectar points balance?

You can check your Nectar balance online via the Nectar app¹⁸, or by swiping your card at a Sainsbury’s till.

Are there a minimum number of points I can convert?

Avios convert in increments of 400 Avios. And Nectar points convert in increments of 400. The minimum number of points you can exchange are 300 Avios and 400 Nectar points⁶.

And what about the maximum?

You can convert up to a maximum of 50,000 Avios or 80,000 Nectar points per calendar month⁶. However, it is worth noting that if you have an auto-convert setup, a maximum of 25,200 Avios or 40,000 Nectar points will be converted automatically per quarter.

Can I change the direction of my points conversion?

Yes you can⁶. Simply login to either of your accounts to adjust the direction manually. If you have auto-convert turned on, simply cancel your original auto-conversion, and then change the direction you wish to convert.

Can I use Avios for upgrades?

Yes, subject to availability you can use Avios to upgrade your seat or class¹⁹. Though, you can only move up one class (e.g. if you were in economy, you can only upgrade to economy plus).

Can I use my Avios in Sainsbury’s stores?

No, you can’t use Avios in Sainsbury’s stores. However, if you convert Avios to Nectar points, you can do so.

Sources used in this article:

1. Sainsbury's - different ways to get a Nectar card
2. British Airways Executive Club - application for British Airways Executive Club
3. BA Shopping - converting your points
4. Nectar - conversion rates from Nectar to Avios and vice versa
5. British Airways - Avios - auto-converting points information
6. British Airways - Avios - linking accounts and collecting points FAQs
7. British Airways Executive Tiers - Executive Club tier status information
8. Barclaycard -Barclaycard Avios and Avios Plus cards
9. British Airways Credit Cards - British Airways Amex and British Airways Amex Premium Plus cards
10. American Express - Amex Nectar credit card
11. British Airways Avios Hotels - Avios hotels
12. British Airways Car Rental - Avios car rental
13. BA Shopping - British Airways Executive Club participating retailers
14. Nectar - participating Nectar partners
15. Nectar Canvass - taking surveys for Nectar points
16. shopping.ba.com - transferring or gifting your Avios
17. British Airways Avios - Avios expiry
18. Nectar - Nectar points balance and expiry
19. British Airways - Avios - using Avios for flight upgrades

Sources last checked on 21-May-2024.