AIRMILES from Avios can now be spent on groceries at Sainsbury’s after British Airways ditches Tesco Clubcard for Nectar.
Sainsbury’s and Argos shoppers will now also earn Avios points for their holidays when paying with their Nectar card.
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The Avios rewards scheme, which lets shoppers earn points towards British Airways Executive Club flights, upgrades and hotel stays, ditched Tesco Clubcard as a partner earlier this month.
It has partnered with Nectar instead, which lets you earn points on shopping with brands such as Sainsbury’s, Argos Esso, eBay, Café Nero and Vue.
There isn’t much opportunity for travel at the moment so Avios users will also be able to transfer their air miles into Nectar points to buy items such as loo roll, pasta and milk at Sainsbury’s.
From January 25, every 400 Nectar points collected can be converted into 250 Avios and vice-versa.
Customers will also receive a one-off bonus 500 Avios when they convert 1,600 Nectar points.
How to get a Nectar card
The Nectar scheme is one the best-known loyalty cards in the UK with more than a million customers.
You collect points for every pound you spend, either in Sainsbury’s or at a range of retailer partners such as Argos.
It is free to sign up and you just need to provide your name, date and birth and address on the Nectar website.
You will then be sent a card in the post and you can manage your points and access deals in the Nectar app.
Usually you’ll get one point per pound spent but sometimes partners will offer better deals where you can collect even more.
The points can then be redeemed, either to be spent in Sainsbury’s or to be exchanged for vouchers or rewards to spend elsewhere.
Points are usually worth half a penny each, but you can usually get more if you swap them.
Sainsbury’s is also doubling Nectar points earned until April 19.
Avios points can be used towards holiday purchases made through the British Airways Executive Club.
You need just 4,000 Avios to get a one-way flight to Amsterdam.
That works out as 6,400 Nectar points.
One Nectar point is typically worth half a penny, unless there are bonus points on offer, so the Amsterdam flight would be the equivalent of spending £32.
You will still need to pay £17.50 on top of a flight to cover taxes, fees and carrier charges.
It comes after British Airways ditched Tesco Clubcard as an Avios partner earlier this month.
Rob Burgess, editor of frequent flyer website Headforpoints.com, said the new partnership is generous for buying Café Nero coffees but is not as competitive as the Clubcard offer when earning Nectar points at Sainsbury’s.
He said you can convert 219 Avios into 350 Nectar points to get any hot or iced drink at Café Nero.
With a Caramel Latte coming in at £3.30, you will get a 1.51p return per Avios.
How to earn Avios points
THE Avios reward scheme allows travellers to earn points towards buying flights, upgrades and hotel stays.
You can collect Avios points by signing up with one of these frequent flyer clubs: AerClub, British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, Vueling Club.
Once you are a member of one of these clubs you can earn points by shopping with the brands that work with Avios.
It is free to join and you will need to select the club you want and register online.
Some of the brands, such as the British Airways Executive Club will let you setup a household account so all your family can earn points and rewards.
However, he added that Tesco shoppers previously earned 2.4 Avios per £1 from Clubcard points and are now getting just 0.625 per £1 from Nectar with Sainsbury’s.
You could earn more with Sainsbury’s bonus Nectar points though.
Mr Burgess said: “Given the lack of opportunity to fly right now, those sitting on large pots of Avios now find they have an abundance of uses for their points.
“This will be particularly attractive to anyone who is Avios rich but currently cash poor. “
“All in all, we see this as good news for both Avios and Nectar collectors. Both groups now have additional ways to earn and spend their points.”
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