The complete guide to Avios redemptions from UK regional airports

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I have been threatening to put together a full list of flights from UK regional airports which can be booked with Avios points for some weeks. The job has proved messier than I imagined.

I have given it my best shot but I am sure a few options have slipped past me. Please post below with any additions and I will add them in. This list should be considered a work in progress for now.

Short-haul redemptions are NOT covered by Reward Flight Saver unless operated by a BA franchise. These flights will often be a very poor use of Avios points because the taxes represent a very high percentage of the fair.

Avios wing 13

Some services may be seasonal. Some have not yet launched but are due to start later in 2015. Domestic British Airways flights have been ignored.

airberlin is not listed because it now only flies to Guernsey and Jersey with no UK mainland services.

A note on Flybe:

ba.com and avios.com have different Flybe reward availability so it is worth looking at both. Because not all routes are included, it has not been possible to list them here. The current list of Flybe UK departure airports can be found listed at the bottom of the page on the Flybe website.

A note on Vueling:

Vueling redemptions can only be booked using Iberia Plus Avios points. You need to have an active Iberia Plus account (ie have earned at least 1 Avios point in it) and the account must be 90 days old. You can then transfer points across from British Airways or avios.com.

Oneworld members

Aberdeen

Aer Lingus to Dublin (telephone booking via BA)

Belfast

Aer Lingus to Fara, Malaga, Palma

Vueling to Barcelona

Birmingham

American Airlines to New York

Aer Lingus to Dublin, Cork, Shannon (telephone booking via BA)

Air Malta to Malta (bookable via avios.com)

Vueling to Barcelona

Birmingham is also a major hub for Flybe

Some Monarch services from Birmingham are likely to be bookable via avios.com. You can see a list of current routes here.

Bristol

Aer Lingus to Dublin, Cork, Shannon (telephone booking via BA)

Air Malta to Malta (bookable via avios.com)

Aurigny to Guernsey (bookable via avios.com)

Cambridge

British Airways (SUN-AIR) to Gothenburg

Cardiff

Aer Lingus to Dublin (telephone booking via BA)

Air Malta to Malta (bookable via avios.com)

Vueling to Alicante, Barcelona, Majorca, Malaga, Barcelona

Doncaster

Aer Lingus to Dublin (telephone booking via BA)

East Midlands

Aer Lingus to Dublin (telephone booking via BA)

Aurigny to Guernsey (book via avios.com)

Edinburgh

American Airlines to New York

Qatar Airways to Doha

Aer Lingus to Dublin, Cork, Shannon (telephone booking via BA)

Iberia Express to Madrid

Vueling to Barcelona

Exeter

Aer Lingus to Dublin (telephone booking via BA)

Air Malta to Malta (book via avios.com)

Glasgow

US Airways to Philadelphia

Aer Lingus to Dublin, Cork (telephone booking via BA)

Air Malta to Malta (book via avios.com)

Inverness

Aer Lingus to Dublin (telephone booking via BA)

Leeds Bradford

Aer Lingus to Dublin (telephone booking via BA)

Some Monarch services from Leeds Bradford are likely to be bookable via avios.com. You can see a list of current routes here.

Luton

Iberia Regional to Vigo

Some Monarch services from Luton are likely to be bookable via avios.com. You can see a list of current routes here.

Manchester

American Airlines to New York

American Airlines to Chicago

Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong

US Airways to Philadelphia

Qatar Airways to Doha

Air Malta to Malta (book on avios.com)

Aer Lingus to Dublin, Cork, Shannon (telephone booking via BA)

Aurigny to Guernsey (book on avios.com)

British Airways (SUN-AIR) to Billund and Gothenburg

Finnair to Helsinki

Iberia Express to Madrid

Vueling to Barcelona

Manchester is also a major hub for Flybe

Some Monarch services from Manchester are likely to be bookable via avios.com. You can see a list of current routes here.

Newcastle

Aer Lingus to Dublin, Cork (telephone booking via BA)

Air Malta to Malta (book on avios.com)

Newquay

Aer Lingus to Dublin (telephone booking via BA)

Norwich

Air Malta to Malta (book on avios.com)

Southampton

Aer Lingus to Dublin (telephone booking via BA)

Aurigny to Guernsey via Alderney (book on avios.com)

Southend

Aer Lingus to Dublin (telephone booking via BA)

Category

Aer Lingus and AerClub, American Airlines and AAdvantage, Finnair and Finnair Plus, Iberia and Iberia Plus, oneworld alliance partners, Qatar Airways and Privilege Club, Vueling and Vueling Club

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Danksy says:

10 Mar10 March 06:46

Great list!

If you have to book by BA will they waive the booking fee (since it’s not possible to book any other way?)

For say AER Lingus to DUB from BRS will the redemption get the basic fare (no bags) or does it include hold luggage?

Cheers!
- takke says:
  
  25 Mar25 March 10:21
  
  Aer Lingus redemptions include up to 20kg of hold baggage. Whether you get charged the fee or not will depend on the agent – you can argue that you shouldn’t be charged the fee because it can’t be booked online and it’ll be waived maybe 50% of the time.
richie says:

10 Mar10 March 06:52

Rob the Cambridge flight is to Gothenburg not billund.
- @mkcol says:
  
  10 Mar10 March 07:10
  
  When I check on ba.com for the CBG-GOT flight it says that BA & its partners don’t operate that route. Seems odd, as I recall the launch details a few weeks ago.
  - sandgrounder says:
    
    10 Mar10 March 07:19
    
    Might be a glitch. Ive had trouble bringing up a few routes recently.
- Matthew says:
  
  10 Mar10 March 08:29
  
  Yes you are right, its Gothenburg. Started on March 2nd apparently but I have never seen a reward seat either.
- Rob says:
  
  10 Mar10 March 08:53
  
  Thanks, corrected
bilk says:

10 Mar10 March 07:15

The following Flybe services can be booked: IOM-LPL and IOM-STN. Probably also IOM-BHX and probably IOM-MAN.
erico1875 says:

10 Mar10 March 07:20

Great list.
With the loss of the free london connection for RFS, BA will now be paying one of these airlines for me to fly using Avios.
And if I want to pay for a flight, from Edinburgh and Glasgow we have Qatar, Etihad , Emirates and Turkish flying East, US airways, AA and Delta flying West and Ryanair, Easyjet ,Jet 2 covering short/mid haul there really is no reason to fly BA again.
JQ says:

10 Mar10 March 07:24

OT: Nectar Hive closed.
- @mkcol says:
  
  10 Mar10 March 07:25
  
  Could you expand on that a little please?
- Me says:
  
  10 Mar10 March 10:52
  
  I signed up using the link that was posted in HfP but in theory I was not offered the trial… Hopefully they will return my points… Has anyone got the points back yet?
  - DG says:
    
    10 Mar10 March 15:37
    
    The Nectar Hive was a time limited trial which has now come to an end.
    
    If you had points deposited in the Hive, these are being transferred back into your main Nectar account. Please look out for an email updating you on the changes. For more information please visit the FAQs
    - Jude says:
      
      10 Mar10 March 16:04
      
      Just received this email:
      
      Hi
      
      As a Nectar Hive saver, we are writing to let you know that the Nectar Hive trial has come to an end and the Hive has now closed.
      
      Since you started using the Hive you have collected 192 points in interest. The points you have deposited into the Hive and the interest you’ve collected will be returned to your Nectar balance within 48 hours.
      
      To say thank you for using the Hive and helping to make the trial a success we would like to give you an extra 3 months interest on your current Hive balance. Look out for 207 bonus points in your account!*
      - Alan says:
        
        10 Mar10 March 23:08
        
        Hmm – haven’t received that email although get the same message when trying to login. Just moved more points a couple of weeks ago so at least I should hopefully get the three month bonus on them!
        
        Just moved my remaining EC points to Nectar at the 6x rate – some exciting money off my Sainsbury’s shopping in store then!
Gordon says:

10 Mar10 March 07:37

Aer lingus flies to Faro, Malaga and Palma from Belfast city
- Rob says:
  
  10 Mar10 March 08:51
  
  Thanks, will add that.
- Oscarthegrouch says:
  
  10 Mar10 March 09:47
  
  I like this idea. Are these bookable with arseios, and can you search online?
vontrapp23 says:

10 Mar10 March 07:44

Thanks Raffles – really helpful list…. and I had no idea previously that Monarch were bookable with Avios. Hardly glamorous… but hopefully a decent way in which our avios can be used up on family holidays since we moved away from the South East.
Lyn says:

10 Mar10 March 08:16

Interesting info. Thanks.
Does Avios redemption for Monarch availability appear in the Avios website search? I can never see any availability. Is it because there is very little in first place, or do you have to telephone?
Thanks
- Rob says:
  
  10 Mar10 March 08:51
  
  Yes, it comes up on avios.com.