What Avios transfers are and who can receive them

Avios are loyalty points issued by British Airways and partner airlines under the Executive Club program. You can move Avios from your own account to another person's account, or to airline and hotel partners that accept them. The receiving account must be registered with the same airline program or partner network — you cannot send Avios to a random email address.

Transfers between your own accounts (if you hold multiple Executive Club memberships) are straightforward. Transfers to other people's accounts require their consent and their membership number. Transfers to airline partners like Iberia, Aer Lingus, or Qatar Airways, or to hotel chains like Marriott Bonvoy, follow a different process and may take several business days to complete.

Not all Avios can be transferred. Avios earned from sign-up bonuses on some credit cards carry a restriction period — usually 12 months — before they become transferable. Check your card's terms to confirm when your bonus Avios unlock for transfer.

Key Takeaways

  • You can transfer Avios to another person's Executive Club account or to airline and hotel partners, but the receiving account must already exist in that program.
  • Bonus Avios from credit card sign-up offers are often locked for 12 months before you can transfer them.
  • Transfers to other people require their membership number and usually process within one to three business days.
  • Transfers to airline partners like Iberia or Aer Lingus may take longer and sometimes incur a small fee depending on the partner.
  • You cannot reverse a transfer once it has been submitted, so verify the receiving account number before confirming.

How to transfer Avios to another person's account

Log into your Executive Club account on the British Airways website or mobile app. Go to the Avios section and look for "Transfer Avios" or "Send Avios" — the exact label varies by platform. You will be asked to enter the recipient's Executive Club membership number, not their email address. If you do not have their membership number, ask them to log into their own account and find it in their profile settings.

Enter the number of Avios you want to transfer. The system will show you any restrictions — for example, if some of your Avios are still locked from a sign-up bonus. You can only transfer Avios that are currently available. Review the transfer summary carefully, including the recipient's name as it appears in their account, then confirm. The transfer is when ready in the system, though it may take one to three business days for the points to appear in the recipient's account balance.

Keep a record of the transfer confirmation number. If the points do not arrive within three business days, contact British Airways Executive Club customer service with this number and the recipient's membership details.

Transferring Avios to airline partners

British Airways allows you to transfer Avios to several airline partners, including Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, and others. Each partner has its own transfer process and timeline. Start by logging into your Executive Club account and selecting the partner airline from the transfer options menu.

You will need the recipient's membership number with that partner airline. If the person does not yet have an account with the partner, they must create one before you can send Avios. Some partners charge a small fee for incoming Avios transfers — this fee is deducted from the Avios you send, so if you transfer 10,000 Avios and the fee is 500 Avios, the recipient receives 9,500. Check the partner's terms before you transfer.

Transfers to airline partners typically take five to ten business days. The points may not appear when ready in the partner's account, and some partners batch transfers weekly rather than processing them daily. Once the transfer is submitted, you cannot cancel it, so confirm the receiving membership number is correct.

Transferring Avios to hotel and travel partners

Avios can also be transferred to hotel loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and IHG One Rewards, as well as some car rental and travel partners. The process is similar to airline transfers: you select the partner from the transfer menu, enter the recipient's membership number with that partner, and specify the number of Avios.

Hotel and travel partners often have different conversion rates than airline transfers. For example, 1,000 Avios might convert to 2,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, or a different ratio depending on the partner and any current promotions. The system will show you the conversion rate before you confirm the transfer. These transfers usually take five to ten business days as well.

Some partners offer bonus conversions during promotional periods — for instance, "transfer 5,000 Avios and receive 15,000 hotel points instead of 10,000." Check the Executive Club website for current promotions before you transfer, as the rate you see today may not be available next week.

Restrictions and what you cannot transfer

Avios earned from a credit card sign-up bonus are locked for a set period, usually 12 months from the date they post to your account. During this time, you can use them to book flights or hotel stays, but you cannot transfer them. Once the lock period expires, those Avios become transferable along with any other Avios in your account.

Avios earned from everyday spending on your card (not the sign-up bonus) are usually transferable when ready. However, some card issuers impose their own restrictions — for example, requiring a minimum account age before any transfers are allowed. Check your card's terms or contact the card issuer if you are unsure.

You cannot transfer Avios that are pending or conditional. For example, if you have a pending bonus that has not yet posted, or Avios held in dispute, those will not appear as available for transfer. Only Avios showing in your confirmed balance can be moved.

Fees and costs for transfers

Transfers between your own Executive Club accounts are free. Transfers to another person's Executive Club account are also free. However, transfers to airline and hotel partners may include a fee charged by the partner, which is deducted from the Avios you send. The fee varies by partner and is shown on the confirmation screen before you submit the transfer.

Some partners charge a flat fee (for example, 250 Avios per transfer), while others charge a percentage of the transfer amount. A few partners charge no fee at all. If the fee seems high, you can cancel the transfer and try a different partner, or use your Avios to book directly instead of transferring them.

There is no fee to receive a transfer from someone else, and no tax or hidden charges. The only cost is what the partner charges the sender, if any.

What to do if a transfer does not arrive

If you transferred Avios to another person and they have not appeared after three business days, contact British Airways Executive Club customer service. Have ready the transfer confirmation number from your account, the recipient's membership number, and the date and amount of the transfer. The service team can check whether the transfer was processed and where it is in the system.

If you transferred to an airline or hotel partner and the points have not arrived after ten business days, contact both British Airways and the partner's customer service. Transfers between programs sometimes stall in the handoff, and both organizations may need to investigate. Again, keep your confirmation number and the recipient's membership details.

Transfers cannot be reversed once submitted. If you sent Avios to the wrong account by mistake, you will need to ask the recipient to transfer them back to you, or contact customer service to explain the error. Customer service cannot move points between accounts on your behalf — the recipient must initiate any return transfer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer Avios to someone who does not have an Executive Club account yet?

No. The recipient must have an active Executive Club membership before you can transfer Avios to them. If they do not have an account, they can create one free on the British Airways website, and then you can send the transfer. The same applies to airline and hotel partners — the receiving account must exist first.

What happens if I transfer Avios to the wrong membership number?

The transfer cannot be reversed. You will need to contact the person who received the Avios by mistake and ask them to transfer the points back to you. If you cannot reach them or they refuse, contact British Airways customer service to report the error, though they cannot force a return transfer — only the account holder can initiate one.

Do transferred Avios have an expiration date?

Avios in the Executive Club program do not expire as long as there is activity on the account at least once every three years. Transferred Avios follow the same rule. If the recipient's account becomes inactive for three years, all Avios — including transferred ones — may be forfeited. Check the program's terms for details on reactivating an inactive account.

Can I transfer Avios to a business account or corporate membership?

Yes, if the business account is registered in the Executive Club system. You will need the business membership number, which is found in the account settings just like a personal membership number. Some corporate programs have different transfer rules, so confirm with the account holder or their company's program administrator before transferring.

Are there limits on how many Avios I can transfer at once?

British Airways does not publish a single-transfer limit, but very large transfers may trigger a review for fraud prevention. If you are transferring a significant amount (typically over 100,000 Avios), contact customer service first to confirm there are no holds on your account. Smaller transfers usually process without any review.