British Airways | British Airways announces Avios-Only flights to Cape Town over the peak festive period 

  • Cape Town is the latest British Airways long-haul Avios-Only flight destination 
  • This popular route will be made available for customers using their Avios over the festive period  
  • Since the launch of Avios-Only flights, the airline has offered its Members 34 flights to 15 destinations 
  • The Avios-Only flight to Cape Town marks the release of the airline’s 7,500th Avios-Only seat 

British Airways has announced that the latest Avios-Only destination will be Cape Town, with more than 500 seats now available for customers to spend their Avios on. Members of The British Airways Club can travel to Cape Town over the Christmas period, from as little as 70,000 Avios and £150. 






Date 

Flight No. 

Route 

Aircraft 

20 Dec 2025 

BA43 

London Heathrow – Cape Town 

Boeing 777 

02 Jan 2026 

BA42 

Cape Town – London Heathrow 

Boeing 777 

Cape Town marks the release of the airline’s 7,500th Avios-Only seat since the launch in 2023. British Airways has operated 34 Avios-Only flights to 15 destinations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America, and the Caribbean. The most recent Avios-Only flights to Málaga and Marrakech were scheduled during the October half-term and were especially popular with families. Booking rates for families with children were more than four times higher than for other reward flights. 

British Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, Colm Lacy, said: “We’re delighted to announce Cape Town as our latest Avios-Only flight destination, in South Africa’s peak travel season. Members will have the opportunity to book seats across all four cabins over the popular festive period offering more value and choice than ever.” 

Rob McDonald, Chief Commercial Officer at IAG Loyalty, said: “We know how popular Avios-Only flights are with customers and we’re incredibly excited to work with British Airways to offer the next long-haul Avios-Only flight to Cape Town, operating over the peak Christmas period. This will allow customers to take full advantage of the value Avios unlocks on an incredibly popular route.” 

Avios-Only seats are sold as normal Reward Seats, which means that customers with British Airways American Express Credit Cards will also have the option to use their Companion Vouchers. These entitle Members to a second seat for just the taxes and charges, or one seat for half the amount of Avios. 

Reward Seats are those that can be purchased using Avios at static rates. British Airways guarantees a minimum of 12 and 14 Reward Seats on standard short and long-haul flights respectively, whereas Avios-Only flights mean that every seat is available to purchase using Avios. Members booking the Avios-Only flight can do so in any cabin as they normally would through ba.com. 

ENDS  

About The British Airways Club  

The British Airways Club is a free-to-join reward programme for anyone who loves travel. Its currency is Avios, which can be collected by flying with BA or its partner airlines, taking a holiday, making purchases with more than 2,000 retailers when shopping through British Airways at avios.com, or through everyday spending with a wide range of partners such as American Express, Nectar, Avis Budget Group and Marriott.  

Members can also collect tier points every time they fly with British Airways or its oneworld® partners, which offer access to a range of exclusive benefits as they climb the tiers through Blue, Bronze, Silver and Gold. As of 1 April 2025, Members will also collect tier points on ancillary spend, co-brand credit card spend and contributions to sustainable aviation fuel. For more information, visit www.ba.com/theclub 

About IAG Loyalty 

IAG Loyalty is a pioneer in the loyalty industry with over 30 years of experience. It’s home to British Airways Holidays and Avios – the loyalty currency of British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling, Qatar Airways, Finnair and Loganair. With a vision to create the world’s most rewarding experiences, IAG Loyalty enables more than 69 million members worldwide to collect and redeem Avios through a diverse range of partners spanning retail, travel and financial services. Its parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), is one of the world’s largest airline groups with 600+ aircraft carrying more than 122 million customers to 260 destinations across 91 countries each year. For more information, visit www.iagloyalty.com.  

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