How to convert Avios to Nectar (and vice versa)

A step-by-step guide including the current Nectar to Avios conversion rate

Since the link-up between Avios and Nectar in 2021, there’s the opportunity to convert one for the other depending on whether you prefer saving Nectar or Avios. You can also convert your Amex Reward points to either scheme.

Here’s what you need to do to swap points, plus how much they’re effectively worth.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

What are Avios points?

Avios is the British Airways reward scheme. You collect points from BA flights or holidays, or from using an Avios credit card.

Once you’ve gained enough, you can put these towards flights with BA and some partner airlines. You’ll have to pay for taxes and fees on top. Or you can use them to upgrade or part-pay a cash booking.

My main issue with collecting these points is that you need a huge number of points to get those upgrades or long-haul flights. And they also restrict you to certain seats on certain flights at certain times. I much prefer the flexibility to shop around for cheaper tickets across a number of airlines and travel when I want.

Of course, there will be times when these points can get you a huge saving, particularly if you spend enough (on an eligible Amex Avios credit card) to get a free “companion voucher”, where you get a free ticket for the same flight you book on.

There are other ways to use your points, though these are generally seen as not great value.

What are Nectar points?

You’ll be familiar with Nectar points already. These are usually earned from Sainsbury’s shopping, but you can also nab them from Argos.

One Nectar point is worth 0.5p if you use it at a Nectar partner. So with the Amex Nectar card you earn two points per £1 spent, the equivalent of 1% back. Swiping at Sainsbury’s though will earn you one point per £1 spent, working out at 0.5%.

I’ve written more about the best ways to spend and earn Nectar points.

What are Amex Reward points?

Just to throw one more loyalty scheme into the mix, it’s worth talking about American Express Reward points.

Though some Amex credit cards will earn you cashback (actual money paid to your card), or the aforementioned Avios and Nectar credit cards earning those respective points, you can also earn Amex Reward points on other cards.

Generally you’ll get one reward point per £1 spent via cards such as the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card, Amex Platinum card and Amex Rewards card.

There are a number of ways to redeem them. You can put them towards your credit card bill where they work out as 0.45p per point. A slightly better return is for a gift card such as Amazon.

You can also swap Reward points direct to Nectar at a one-to-one ratio, also working out at 0.5p per point. There’s a similar 1:1 ratio for Amex to Avios. You can’t swap Avios or Nectar points back to Amex Reward points.

The Nectar to Avios conversion rate

The number of Avios points needed to get Nectar points changed in early 2024.

• 400 Avios are now worth 400 Nectar
• 400 Nectar are now worth 250 Avios

This means that one Avios when converted to Nectar is worth 0.5p.

This means that

• 100 Avios points are worth 50p in Nectar points
• 1,000 Avios points are worth £5 in Nectar points
• 5,000 Avios points are worth £25 in Nectar points
• 20,000 Avios points are worth £100 in Nectar points

How to convert Avios points to Nectar (and vice versa)

If you’re already collecting Avios or have swapped them over from Amex Rewards, you’ll have a British Airways Executive Club account. You’ll also need a Nectar account if you don’t already have one.

First up you need to connect these BA and Nectar accounts. You can do it via either site, but here’s the Nectar link.

On the Nectar to Avios exchange page, you’ll see your points balance on both schemes. There are two ways to convert points in either direction.

My preference is manual conversion. You are able to type in how many of either type you want to swap and you’ll immediately see what you’ll get in return. You’ll also be prompted to change the value if it’s not a multiple of 250 (Avios) or 400 (Nectar).

Once you’ve chosen the amount to swap, hit convert and the transaction will take place.

The alternative is auto-conversion. This will move over all your points earned every week, as long as there are enough to reach the minimum levels, and only within those 250/400 multiples.

Avios to Nectar conversion limits

One of the issues of collecting huge Amex Reward or Avios welcome bonuses from Amex credit cards with the intention of moving them to Nectar points is there are weekly and monthly limits.

The manual exchange is capped at 80,000 Nectar points and 50,000 Avios points per month. The auto-swap is set at 40,000 Nectar and 25,000 Avios every week.

These are independent limits, so you could do both an automatic conversion and a manual conversion above these levels in the same month if you have enough points.

How long do Avios and Nectar conversions take?

If you swap Nectar to Avios you’ll see the Avios points in your balance straight away. Do it the other way and it’ll take 10 days for the Nectar points to be useable.