Airbnb has become a popular lodging alternative to hotels. There's obviously some crossover between those who fly frequently and those who need accommodation frequently.
As a result, we've not only seen airlines forge partnerships with hotels, but also with Airbnb. About a year ago British Airways and Airbnb formed a partnership, though it has now been adjusted a bit, mostly for the worse.
It's possible to earn British Airways Avios for Airbnb stays. With the updated earning rates, you can:
This is different than what was offered when this partnership was first launched. In the past you could:
In order to take advantage of the British Airways and Airbnb partnership you need to make your booking through British Airways' Airbnb portal. That's how they track your stays and are able to award you Avios (presumably they're being paid some commission by Airbnb, and in turn they're awarding some Avios to those booking through them).
The terms state that Avios will post within 60 days of the booking date.
Personally I value British Airways Avios at 1.3 cents each, so to me that's the equivalent of a ~2.6% return on Airbnb spending, or a ~7.8% return if it's your first stay.
Earn British Airways Avios for Airbnb stays
British Airways isn't the only airline to partner with Airbnb, so there are some other options for earning points for stays as well. Each of these is mutually exclusive, which is to say that you have to book through the portal with the program you want to earn points with.
What are the other options?
I'm sure we'll see other programs added in the future as well, though those are the two main ones I know of as of now.
You can also choose to earn Qantas points for Airbnb stays
If you're based in the US, one of the best ways to earn British Airways Avios is with the British Airways Visa Signature® Card ( review). The card offers a welcome bonus of up to 100,000 Avios, and also offers lots of great perks that can make the card worth holing onto long term, like 10% off British Airways flights, an award surcharge rebate, and a companion certificate for spending.
Alternatively, you can transfer points to British Airways Executive Club from Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards.
See this post for the best ways to redeem British Airways Avios, and this post for the best credit cards for earning British Airways Avios.
Earn 100K Avios with the British Airways Visa
British Airways and Airbnb have had a partnership since mid-2019. Unfortunately it's not quite as rewarding as it used to be, as you used to earn three Avios per dollar, rather than two Avios per dollar.
However, for many people the welcome bonus may be better now, as you earn six Avios per dollar spent, rather than a flat 500 Avios.
In general I'd still consider the partnership between British Airways and Airbnb to be the most rewarding one for Airbnb stays.
Have you taken advantage of this British Airways & Airbnb partnership?(Tip of the hat to Frequent Miler)
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