How do I change an Avios flight booking? What will it cost?

Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. A list of partners is here.

How do you change an Avios booking? Today I want to run through how the process works and what it will cost to change your flight.

The simple answer is that all Avios flights can be changed or cancelled up to 24 hours before departure. There is a £35 fee per person to pay. I will look at exactly how this works below.

It is smart to book with Avios if your plans might change

One good reason to book a flight using Avios points is that it can be changed if your plans change. This can often be a valuable extra benefit which you should think about when deciding whether to book a particular flight for cash or to use Avios. Even if you aren’t getting the best ‘pence per point’ value from a particular Avios flight booking, it still might be worth using Avios if you thought there was a chance you would have to make changes.

How do I change my Avios booking?

There are two options. You can either:

go into ‘Manage My Booking’ on ba.com and select the change option, or

call your local British Airways Executive Club service centre

For anything apart from a simple change of time or date, you will probably find it easier to call.

Without wishing to state the obvious, there must be Avios reward availability still showing for the flight to which you want to change. This can be a problem if trying to make a change at short notice.

Whilst you might be tempted to cancel your original flight and rebook from scratch, only do this if you intend to change both the outbound and return flights. There is no guarantee that the seats you are cancelling will go back into Avios reward availability. If you only want to change the outbound but keep your return intact, do it as a ‘change’ and not a ‘cancel and rebook’.

Can I change my return flight after I have flown my outbound?

Yes you can.

However, you cannot cancel the return leg of a flight once you have the outbound. The only thing you can do is make a change.

What are the Avios change fees?

The good news is that you can change your Avios flight up to 24 hours before departure for a fee of £35 per person.

Do I get my Avios back if I cancel my redemption flight entirely?

Yes, as long as you cancel your Avios flight within 24 hours of departure, you will get all of your Avios points back. They should return to your account immediately. You will also get your taxes and charges back, less the £35 cancellation fee.

The fees page of ba.com, which lists all of BA’s ancillary charges, is here.

(This article is part of our ‘BA Q&A’ series which explains how British Airways Executive Club works. You can see all of our ‘BA Q&A’ articles here. )

(Head for Points is the UK’s biggest frequent flyer website with 1.8 million monthly page views. Want to learn more about earning and spending Avios? Click here to read our latest news stories, click here to join our email list and click here to read our ‘Avios Redemption University’ series.)

How to get 20,000 Avios from Amex Gold or 30,000 Avios from Amex Platinum (December 2021 offer)

The sign-up bonus on American Express Preferred Rewards Gold converts to 20,000 Avios and the card is free for the first year. You can apply here.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & two airport lounge passes Read our full review

You don’t qualify for the Amex Gold bonus if you have a British Airways American Express card. You DO qualify for the bonus on The Platinum Card, which converts into 30,000 Avios. You can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

30,000 points and an unbeatable set of travel benefits – for a fee Read our full review

If you have your own small business, the best way of earning Avios is via the Capital On Tap Business Rewards Visa. It has a sign-up bonus which converts to 10,000 Avios:

Capital On Tap Business Rewards Visa

The most generous Avios Visa or Mastercard for a limited company Read our full review

You should also look at the British Airways Accelerating Business card, because it currently has a limited time offer of 60,000 Avios when you sign up by 14th November. You can apply here.