Qatar Avios vs British Airways Avios — compared in 2026
Both are called Avios but belong to different programmes: Qatar Privilege Club and the British Airways Club. Compare where award prices, surcharges and rules differ and how Avios move between the programmes.
| Feature | Privilege Club (Avios) | Executive Club (Avios) |
|---|---|---|
| Official transfer | ja | ja |
| Family pooling | ja | ja |
| Gift points | ja | ja |
| Award for others | ja | ja |
| Processing time | Mostly instant, up to 48 hours. | Household bookings instant; combining Avios usually instant. |
| Transfer fees | Privilege Club offers paid Avios sharing/gifting and free 1:1 combining with BA, Iberia, Finnair and Aer Lingus. | Pooling Avios in a Household Account is free. Moving Avios between BA, Iberia, Qatar, Finnair and Aer Lingus is 1:1 and free. |
| Minimum transfer | 1,000 Avios (indicative) | 1,000 Avios when combining (indicative) |
| Expiry rules | Avios expire after 36 months without qualifying activity. | Avios expire after 36 months without account activity. |
| Currency | Avios | Avios |
| Region | Middle East | Europe |
Our verdict
Avios move 1:1 between Qatar and British Airways, so the programme mainly decides where you book. For Qatar Airways flights the surcharges are usually lower via Qatar; for British Airways flights you normally book directly with BA.