Unlocking the Best Rewards with Finnair’s Revamped Frequent Flyer Program

Finnair, based in Helsinki, has long been a member of the oneworld alliance and part of the transatlantic joint venture with American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus. Despite these connections, its frequent flyer program had been less advantageous until now.

Recently, Finnair has enhanced its program by adopting Avios as its currency, joining forces with British Airways and other partners. This change includes guaranteed award availability for at least two business class seats on Finnair flights when schedules are first released, provided you redeem Avios. The revised award chart now offers excellent value for frequent flyers.

The ability to transfer points between various programs, such as Finnair, British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Qatar Airways, is a significant advantage. Notably, Finnair Plus is a transfer partner of Capital One, enabling seamless point transfers across these programs.

Each program has its unique benefits. For example, Iberia charges as little as 34,000 miles one-way for business class flights between the U.S. and Madrid, avoiding the hefty fuel surcharges of British Airways. Additionally, you can move points between Avios programs to access the best deals, regardless of your starting points.

Finnair’s revamped frequent flyer program allows members to book business class flights from North America to Asia on Cathay Pacific for just 75,000 Avios each way, significantly cheaper than booking through British Airways or Cathay directly. Similarly, flights from the U.S. to Helsinki in Finnair’s business class cost 62,500 Avios, with modest surcharges of around 100 euros.

To maximize these benefits, ensure two-factor authentication is set up on both Finnair and British Airways accounts, with matching names. This integration makes point transfers straightforward and enables access to the best award options available across different programs.

Finnair’s enhancements to its frequent flyer program provide travelers with more opportunities to book valuable awards, making it a compelling choice for frequent flyers looking to maximize their rewards.