If you are familiar with Avios points or have read my post on why British Airways are so valuable, you’ll know British Airways Avios points are valuable for both short and long haul flights. My favorite redemption flight with Avios points is the New York to Montreal for only 4,500 Avios Points one-way in coach.

If you establish a British Airways family account (I shared a step by step process described in this post) you can further maximize Avios points by combining the points of family members.

British Airways has a few limited time transfer bonus offers available through the end of the year. You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points with a 30% bonus and hotel points with a 25% bonus. That means you can transfer only 3,462 (in theory, but you have to transfer in increments of 1,000 points) American Express points for a one-way ticket + taxes with the current American Express 30% transfer bonus.

Here are two current transfer offers with British Airways Avios points.

American Express 30% Transfer Bonus

American Express is offering a 30% bonus on transfers of American Express Membership Rewards points to British Airways Avios points. This is a limited time promotion that pops up from time to time. You can see the normal transfer rate with American Express to Avios points is 1:1, but with this offer you’ll get a 1:1.3 transfer rate.

It is too bad I just received the targeted offer for 100,000 American Express Membership Rewards with the Business Platinum card. I may not be able to receive the card and meet the spend requirement in time for this promotion offer. If I do, that could mean 130,000 British Airways Avios Points, enough for 28 short haul one-way flights using Avios points!

Hotel Program 25% Transfer Bonus

Through January 13, 2013, British Airways is also offering a bonus on transfers into Avios Points from hotel program points.Participating Hotel partner transfer rates can be found on their official site here. Current participating hotel programs including SPG, Club Carlton, Marriott, Priority Club, Hyatt, and Shangri-La.

Terms And Conditions

• This promotion is only open to Eligible Participants. An eligible participant is a person aged 18 or over and is a British Airways Executive Club Member (“BAEC”) (membership terms and conditions apply) and is enrolled and registered with one of the hotel partner loyalty programmes. By taking part in this promotion, Eligible Participants confirm that they accept the Terms and Conditions below.
• Eligible Participants can earn up to 25% Bonus Avios between 13 December 2012 and 13 January 2013 for any qualifying hotel loyalty points converted into Avios. 
• To convert your points, please contact the hotel whose points you wish to convert to Avios.
• Taxes, fees and charges remain payable by the BAEC member.
• Bonus Avios can take 4-6 weeks to show on your account from the date of conversion. Once they have been credited, you can start redeeming them for flights, hotels and Avis car hire.· Bonus Avios is non-redeemable for cash and non-reversible.
• Reward flights are subject to availability and capacity control and availability may be limited at peak times.
• Hotel loyalty scheme membership, and earning and redemption of points are subject to the Terms and Conditions of each specific hotel’s loyalty scheme in addition to British Airways Terms and Conditions, as applicable.
• This promotion cannot be used in conjunction with any other British Airways offers or promotion.
• Promoter reserves the right to withdraw the promotion or amend these terms and conditions without prior notice at any time, for whatever reason, and without any liability to customers for doing so.
• This promotion shall be governed by the laws of England & Wales and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.
• This promotion is provided by British Airways Plc Waterside, PO Box 365, Harmondsworth, UB7 0GB. Registered No. 1777777 England

Bottom Line

British Airways points are valuable for both short and long haul redemptions. The best reason in my opinion is to redeem for short haul domestic flights on American Airlines, these flights only require 4,500 Avios points + a very small tax. The big question is what will happen to this option when and if American Airlines merges with US Airways. I think the option could remain as the combined entity remains in the oneworld airline alliance, which is the current assumption.

I always keep a healthy balance of Avios points available for last minute short haul one-way flights. These promtions just made it a little easier to maintain that healthy balance.

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