Two of the UK’s biggest air-miles currencies, compared head to head for 2026 — how they earn, how they redeem, and which one wins for the trips you actually take.
“Which is better, Virgin or Avios?” is the wrong question. They are separate currencies with different strengths, and the smart move for many UK collectors is to understand both and pick the right one per trip. Here is how they stack up.
Avios is the shared currency of British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Qatar Airways and other members of the wider group. Virgin Points belong solely to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. They are not interchangeable — there is no way to convert one into the other — so the choice is really about which programme to feed and when.
The one currency that bridges both is American Express Membership Rewards, which transfers at 1:1 into either programme. That makes Amex the flexible hub for many UK collectors.
Both are easy to earn in the UK. For Avios, the British Airways American Express cards and Amex Membership Rewards are the workhorses. For Virgin Points, the Virgin Money Reward and Reward+ Mastercards and, again, Amex Membership Rewards do the heavy lifting. Because Amex feeds both, your everyday spend can go either way.
This is where the programmes differ most. Both now price their own reward flights dynamically, so prices move with demand. The best fixed value in each tends to sit on partners: oneworld carriers for Avios, and Delta, Air France-KLM and ANA for Virgin Points. Always subtract taxes, fees and carrier surcharges before judging a redemption — our Virgin Points value calculator does the sum for you.
| Feature | Avios | Virgin Points |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | British Airways (and Aer Lingus, Iberia, Qatar and others) | Virgin Atlantic |
| Main UK earning | BA & partner flights, BA Amex cards, Amex Membership Rewards (1:1) | Virgin flights, Virgin Money cards, Amex Membership Rewards (1:1) |
| Own-airline reward pricing | Largely dynamic, with reward flight savers | Dynamic since 30 Oct 2024, with “Saver” reward seats |
| Partner reward pricing | Set tables on oneworld partners | Fixed charts on Delta, Air France-KLM, ANA |
| Typical value | ~1p per Avios (varies widely) | ~0.8p–1.0p per point (varies widely) |
| Sweet spots | Short-haul Europe, off-peak, oneworld premium | Transatlantic premium, partner awards |
| Household pooling | Household Account (BA) | No formal points pooling |
Values are broad estimates and vary hugely by route, cabin and date. Confirm current terms with each programme before booking.
Choose Avios for
Choose Virgin Points for
There is no single winner. If your flying is mostly European and you value flexibility, Avios is the natural home. If you dream of lie-flat seats across the Atlantic, Virgin Points can deliver outstanding value. The most effective UK strategy is often to earn flexible Amex Membership Rewards and decide which programme to feed once you know the trip — keeping both doors open. This is general information, not financial advice.
New to all this? Start with Virgin Flying Club Explained and our Avios beginner’s guide.
The AviosArcana Editorial Team
We decode UK air-miles programmes in plain English, cross-checking every figure against the airlines’ published terms. We are independent and this is general information, not financial advice.