BA Avios devaluation from 15 Dec 2025

[Captain Halliday]

BA has announced a devaluation for awards booked from 15 December 2025.

Avios required and the cash component will both increase across all cabins.

Increase seems to be around 10% across most cabins and routes.

Here’s the BA announcement.

 

[sudoer]

A bit confused by the linked page - why do J awards start at a higher price than F awards?

 

[Captain Halliday]

A bit confused by the linked page - why do J awards start at a higher price than F awards?

I don’t know.

If it’s an unintended sweet spot, I’m sure it’ll disappear swiftly.

 

[aaa99]

I guess Qatar award charts will also increase to follow this devaluation?

 

[am0985]

I guess Qatar award charts will also increase to follow this devaluation?

Qatar are due a devaluation but they won't necessarily follow BA, they didn't with the last devaluation I don't think.

If anyone moves with BA first it'll be Iberia but I haven't seen this yet either.

Ultimately BA have the whip hand being the transatlantic airline of choice for business travellers.

 

[elanshin]

I guess Qatar award charts will also increase to follow this devaluation?

Qatar are due a devaluation but they won't necessarily follow BA, they didn't with the last devaluation I don't think.

If anyone moves with BA first it'll be Iberia but I haven't seen this yet either.

Ultimately BA have the whip hand being the transatlantic airline of choice for business travellers.

Didn't Qatar "devalue" recently by jacking up co-payment?

 

[shuuy]

Does this change then sending Membership Rewards points to BA/QR/EY before the devaluation

(potentially, as I may favour CX, until they de-value).

Even though the conversion rates stink, I still think holding MR, to then transfer to Marriott, to then change to the program that has J class availability that you need is best.

I'm long points, short opportunities to use them!

 

[am0985]

Does this change then sending Membership Rewards points to BA/QR/EY before the devaluation

(potentially, as I may favour CX, until they de-value).

Even though the conversion rates stink, I still think holding MR, to then transfer to Marriott, to then change to the program that has J class availability that you need is best.

I'm long points, short opportunities to use them!

This would mean 450,000 MR would transfer to 300,000 Marriot rewards which would in turn transfer to 100,000 airline miles. Add on a 25,000 bonus (5,000 for every 60,000 MR) and it's still a rate of 3.6:1.

Surely you'd just transfer straight from Amex at 3:1 unless it was a program not covered by them?

 

[andye]

The Avios gurus at headforpoints are not too stressed and say IB has already devalued

BIG NEWS: Avios announces a (manageable) devaluation of flight redemptions

Avios has just announced a devaluation of flight redemptions, for new bookings made from 15th December. Both cash and Avios elements increase, across all cabins.

www.headforpoints.com

A potential advantage of transferring to BA (rather than QR) Avios is the ability to Avios Boost and buy at GBP 0.0092

Buy Avios for 0.92p with Avios Balance Boost - is it worth it?

British Airways has launched Avios Balance Boost, allowing you to buy Avios points equal to triple your earnings in the last 30 days at a low price. Worth it?

www.headforpoints.com

 

[am0985]

A potential advantage of transferring to BA (rather than QR) Avios is the ability to Avios Boost and buy at GBP 0.0092

Buy Avios for 0.92p with Avios Balance Boost - is it worth it?

British Airways has launched Avios Balance Boost, allowing you to buy Avios points equal to triple your earnings in the last 30 days at a low price. Worth it?

www.headforpoints.com

This is interesting especially with regard to the upcoming Amex Australia devaluation.

180,000 MR transfers to 60,000 BA/QR Avios.

However transferring to BA means this can buy another 60,000 Avios for currently about 1150 AUD or 120,000 Avios for around 2263 AUD.

Transferring to QR from here....120k Avios can get JFK - MEL one way via Doha, there is availability for late November 2026.

As long as availability holds up it's not a bad way to proceed going forward. It's basically a co-pay but given the quality of Qatar's product it's pretty good.

 

[Frank Santagada]

Does this change then sending Membership Rewards points to BA/QR/EY before the devaluation

(potentially, as I may favour CX, until they de-value).

Even though the conversion rates stink, I still think holding MR, to then transfer to Marriott, to then change to the program that has J class availability that you need is best.

I'm long points, short opportunities to use them!

Would you not loose so much in value by waiting and doing this? It’s great but so much lost?

 

[madrooster]

A bit confused by the linked page - why do J awards start at a higher price than F awards?

J/W/Y awards have a fixed co-pay that is lower than the true taxes/fines most of the time. F doesn't - you pay full taxes/fines.