How to Get the Best Value from the Barclaycard Avios Upgrade Voucher
Got a Barclaycard Avios Upgrade Voucher? This handy little perk can help you upgrade from Economy to premium cabins using your Avios points. However, there are a few tricks you should know to get the most out of it.
What are Barclaycard Avios Credit Cards?
There are two types of Avios-related Barclaycard credit cards:
Barclaycard Avios: This is the basic no-fee version, which allows you to earn Barclaycard Avios points on your spending and receive a voucher after hitting the spending criteria. You must spend £20,000 within a membership year to qualify for an Upgrade Voucher, and you’ll earn 1 point for every £1 spent on the card along with a host of other benefits. New Barclaycard customers can earn 5,000 Avios points by spending £1,000 within the first three months.
Barclaycard Avios Plus: This premium Barclaycard credit card offers more Avios per pound spent, plus you’ll earn the Upgrade Voucher more quickly. However, it comes with a monthly fee of £20. To receive an Upgrade Voucher, you must spend £10,000 within a membership year. You’ll earn 1.5 Avios points for every £1 spent on the card. New Barclaycard customers can earn 25,000 Avios points by spending £3,000 within the first three months. The premium card also includes airport lounge membership with access to over 1,000 lounges all over the world at a discounted rate of £18.50 per person per visit.
What is the Barclaycard Avios Upgrade Voucher?
The Upgrade Voucher is available exclusively to holders of the Barclaycard Avios or Barclaycard Avios Plus credit cards. It allows you to upgrade one return Avios reward seat for a single traveller or two one-way Avios reward seats for two travellers.
Even though it’s called an Upgrade Voucher, there must be reward seat availability in the higher cabin class you want to book. While it may seem complex, think of it this way: You’re not booking a World Traveller Plus seat with Avios and then upgrading to Business Class using the voucher. Instead, you’re booking a Business Class seat with Avios, and the voucher reduces the Avios cost to that of the next lower cabin class. The Upgrade Voucher basically lets you move up by one cabin class, provided Avios reward seats are available. For example:
- From Economy (Euro Traveller) to Business Class (Club Europe)
- From Economy (World Traveller) to Premium Economy (World Traveller Plus)
- From Premium Economy (World Traveller Plus) to Business Class (Club World)
However, you cannot use the voucher to upgrade from Business Class to First Class.
How Do I Qualify for an Upgrade Voucher?
To qualify for the Upgrade Voucher, you must be a British Airways Executive Club member and the primary account holder of a Barclaycard Avios or Avios Plus Card.
The required spending that qualifies you for the Upgrade Voucher must be met within a 12-month period, which ends annually on the anniversary of your Card Account opening (e.g., if your account was opened on 1 September 2023, the spending target must be met by 31 August 2024).
If you’re an authorised user on someone else’s Barclaycard Avios or Avios Plus account, you’re not eligible to earn a Cabin Upgrade Voucher. However, any spending by the authorised user contributes to the primary cardholder’s spending goal. Finally, only one Upgrade Voucher can be earned per 12-month period.
How to Maximise the Barclaycard Avios Upgrade Voucher?
The short answer is to use your voucher for a destination you genuinely want to visit. While some of the ‘best value’ Avios redemptions regarding points per mile flown include locations like Abuja, Jeddah, and Kuwait, these aren’t typical holiday spots for most travellers.
Keeping that in mind, using your voucher for short-haul flights is generally not advisable. This isn’t because the difference between Business Class and Economy on British Airways short-haul flights is minimal. In fact, if you don’t have BA status, redeeming Avios for Club Europe can offer good value. The added benefits, such as fast-track security, priority boarding and check-in, lounge access, an empty middle seat, complimentary meals, and unlimited drinks, often justify the extra Avios over Euro Traveller.
However, the reason why using your Upgrade Voucher on short-haul flights is a poor choice is British Airways’ pricing strategy. A few years ago, BA introduced the ‘50p taxes’ redemptions on short-haul flights. While these may look appealing in advertisements, they often represent poor value. For example, a one-way flight to Amsterdam could cost:
- 4,750 Avios + £17.50 in taxes and charges, or
- 9,250 Avios + 50p
Given that an Avios point is worth at least 0.8p (when you convert to Nectar points and use at Sainsbury’s), the second option is an inferior value.
If you use a Barclays Upgrade Voucher for a short-haul flight, it’s priced according to the ‘50p’ scheme. For a Business Class flight to Amsterdam using the voucher, you would pay 9,250 Avios + 50p per person, which is the standard Economy price. Without the voucher, a regular one-way Business Class Avios redemption from London to Amsterdam would cost 8,500 Avios + £25 per person.
Using the voucher in this way might save you up to £35 at most. Although you could see slightly more value on longer European flights, there are better options available.
If used smartly, your voucher has the potential to save up to 120,000 Avios. This maximum saving applies to a return Business Class flight during off-peak times to Zone 9, reducing the Avios requirement from 250,000 to 130,000.
In practice, you’re more likely to save around 40,000 Avios. For example, if you use your Barclaycard voucher for a peak season return flight in Business Class to New York, you’ll realistically save 40,000 Avios.
At an approximate value of 1p per Avios, this translates to a £400 saving. However, since Avios can be converted to Nectar points at a rate of 0.8p per point, a voucher saving of 40,000 Avios is equivalent to £320 in real terms.
One advantage you might not have noticed is that you save more Avios when travelling during off-peak periods. For instance, a return flight from Heathrow to New York in Club World Business Class will cost:
- 52,000 Avios on off-peak dates with the voucher, saving 48,000 Avios
- 80,000 Avios on peak dates with the voucher, saving 40,000 Avios
Keep in mind that the taxes and charges you pay are based on the cabin class you fly in. Suppose you use the voucher to upgrade from Economy to Premium Economy or from Premium Economy to Business Class. In that case, you will still incur the taxes and charges for the higher cabin class.
This is because:
- Premium Economy has a higher Air Passenger Duty (£185) compared to Economy (£26 on long-haul flights)
- British Airways applies additional surcharges on Avios redemptions, which increase with the cabin class
Upgrading from Premium Economy to Business Class offers a more significant improvement than moving from Economy to Premium Economy, despite both upgrades saving the same amount of Avios. The difference between Premium Economy and Business Class is substantial, with benefits like lounge access and a fully flat bed (including the Club Suite).
To make the most of your voucher, focus on enhancing your flying experience rather than just the number of Avios saved. Consider using the voucher for long-haul Business Class upgrades or for flights that offer better amenities, such as a good lounge or better meal options. The goal is to maximise your overall travel experience.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Voucher:
Here are key tips to ensure you get the most value out of your voucher:
Avoid Short-Haul Redemptions
Short-haul flights may seem convenient, but redeeming your voucher on these won’t save you much Avios due to the already low points cost. Instead, focus on long-haul routes where the Avios cost difference between cabins is greater, which means bigger savings.
Target High-Value Long-Haul Routes
The highest value of your voucher comes from upgrading on long-haul flights. For example, using the voucher to upgrade from Premium Economy to Business Class on the London to Sydney route during off-peak times can save you up to 130,000 Avios, which translates to approximately £1,300 in cash value. This is an excellent way to stretch the value of your points, especially if you consider each Avios point worth about 1p.
If the Sydney route is too far or expensive for your plans, consider popular mid-range destinations such as Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, or Singapore. These flights will save you approximately 100,000 Avios on a round-trip upgrade from Premium Economy to Business Class, which is worth about £1,000.
Alternatively, shorter long-haul routes like New York, Abu Dhabi, or Bermuda still provide substantial savings, typically around £750, when upgrading from Premium Economy to Business Class.
Taxes and Fees Apply
While the voucher helps you save Avios, you’ll still need to pay taxes and fees based on the cabin you fly in, not the one you originally booked. This is important to keep in mind when calculating your overall savings, as upgrading to a higher cabin means higher taxes.
Focus on the Experience, Not Just Savings
Ultimately, the goal is to use your voucher on a flight and destination that offers you a great travel experience. Prioritise using the voucher for upgrades on long-haul routes that allow you to enjoy the benefits of Business Class or Premium Economy.
Additional Tips
- Consider Timing: If possible, use your voucher for flights where British Airways has quality lounges, or where the flight is timed to provide full meal services rather than just snacks.
- Save for the Right Route: Hold onto your voucher until you can redeem it on a flight and destination that truly matters to you.
Final Thoughts
The Barclaycard credit card Upgrade Voucher can save you thousands of Avios and offer a luxurious flight experience if used correctly. Avoid short-haul flights, target high-value long-haul routes, and be aware of the taxes and charges you’ll still need to pay.
