A cheeky round of drinks here, a few concert tickets there.
We all know someone who acts as the cash cow of the friendship group, asking to put any and all purchases on their credit card with the hopes of racking up their air miles – and copping an international flight.
Obviously, you’ll be paying them back for that pint – and they’ll be keeping the airline perks without so much as inviting you on the trip. Cheers.
And now, there’s a whole new way for those Avios hoarders to rack up points.
Estate agent Foxtons is introducing a new air miles policy that’ll give homeowners the chance to boost their points simply by either selling their home or renting it out.
Foxtons and IAG Loyalty, the brand behind the Avios rewards system, are partnering to give property customers the opportunity to convert their cash into cold, hard points, becoming the first estate agent to do so.
Customers letting out or selling their home can collect up to 30,000 Avios (worth about £300) for the pleasure – and landlords who already organise their tenancies through the agents can rack up up to 20,000 points.
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There’s also the possibility of collecting points for sales that’ve gone through in the last year, as the qualifying period is between January 15, 2025 and January 31, 2026.
The key here is sales that’ve gone through, as customers won’t be able to pre-emptively collect any points for a house that’s currently on the market, and not under offer.
Remind me, what are Avios points?
Avios – also known as ‘airmiles’ or ‘air miles’ – is a British Airways’ loyalty scheme. Think of it like a Tesco Clubcard. When you buy qualifying goods, you earn a certain number of points.
Various retailers are signed up to the scheme, meaning you can gain Avios points on your M&S shop, but Avios is most frequently used to collect and exchange points on flights and hotels.
If you’re choosing to rent out your property, you’ll be able to collect the points once a month for as long as you’ve got an agreement signed with Foxtons. So, if you’ve qualified for the maximum reward (30,000 Avios), then you’ll receive that in 12 monthly instalments, rather than all in one go.
Before instructing Foxtons to either sell up or rent out, customers need to have linked their My Foxtons account with their British Airways Club.
And, if they’re not already a member, they can sign up with a fresh application and collect the points, anyhow. Consider it a starting point in maximising the possibility of free travel (well, the flights, at least).
You’ll need a minimum of 10,000 Avios points to be eligible for the British Airways Reward Flights, but a cheeky house sale could effectively gather you enough credit to visit destinations like Geneva, Paris or Nice.
Guy Gittins, Foxtons’ CEO, said: ‘This partnership is another way we’re adding value for our customers and strengthening what makes Foxtons unique. It supports our focus on attracting and retaining landlords, growing our share of the London market, and supporting more customers with our property management services.
‘As the only UK estate agent where people can earn Avios, we’re giving customers an additional benefit when they choose to let or sell in London.’
The best ways to collect Avios points
You can typically accrue the most points by booking flights with BA and its partner airlines, such as Iberia, Vueling, and Aer Lingus.
However, if you connect your debit or credit cards to your Avios account, you’ll also earn through in-store shopping at associated retailers such as Pizza Express, Fenwick and Hamleys.
Alternatively, go directly from the website or app when online shopping from the likes of ASOS, John Lewis, Deliveroo, and M&S.
Don’t forget, you can also convert your Nectar points into Avios points by linking your Nectar and British Airways accounts.
And if you’re looking for a credit card, consider a British Airways American Express, which offers one Avios point for every £1 spent.
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