British Airways is expanding its innovative Avios-only concept across Europe once again, adding Spain and France to a line-up that already includes Italy, Switzerland, Greece and Croatia. The latest announcement introduces dedicated reward flights from London City Airport to Madrid and Toulon Saint Tropez, unlocking peak summer travel opportunities that can be booked entirely with Avios, plus a small cash co-payment. For frequent flyers and savvy points collectors, the move signals a further shift toward rewarding loyalty with real, high-demand seats on some of Europe’s most desirable routes.
Avios-Only Flights Reach a 50-Service Milestone
The new routes to Madrid and Toulon mark the 50th Avios-only service since British Airways launched the concept in 2023. Avios-only flights are departures on which every single seat is released as a reward seat, a significant step up from the airline’s standard guarantee of a minimum allocation of reward inventory on regular services. For loyalty members, this means the entire aircraft is effectively reserved for those booking with points.
This latest milestone comes after British Airways has operated 48 Avios-only flights to 16 destinations spanning Europe, the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East. Previous services have included popular leisure hot spots such as Málaga, Geneva, Sharm El Sheikh, Cape Town, Barbados and Marrakesh. With each tranche of routes, the airline has tested different seasons, geographies and demand patterns, fine-tuning a model that turns loyalty currency into tangible, headline-grabbing travel experiences.
The decision to celebrate the 50th service with two new summer routes from London City Airport reflects an emphasis on convenience and high-value leisure appeal. By concentrating on a bank holiday city break to Madrid and a prime-week escape to the French Riviera via Toulon, British Airways is clearly targeting both culture-focused travellers and sun-seekers ready to cash in their Avios at the height of the season.
New Summer Hotspots: Madrid and Toulon from London City
The Spanish capital Madrid joins the Avios-only network with a limited series of flights operating over the late May bank holiday weekend in 2026. Flight BA3272 is scheduled to depart London City at 11:00 on 22 May, arriving in Madrid at 14:20, with the return BA3273 leaving Madrid at 15:10 on 25 May and landing back in London at 16:30. Timed to offer a perfectly packaged long weekend, the schedule allows travellers to maximise their time in one of Europe’s great cultural capitals without sacrificing convenience.
Pricing for the Madrid Avios-only service starts from 28,000 Avios plus 2 pounds return in Euro Traveller, including a 23 kilogram checked baggage allowance. Those seeking extra comfort can opt for Club Europe, where return prices begin from 49,000 Avios plus 30 pounds. These fixed reward levels, combined with the inclusive baggage and the guaranteed availability of every seat as a reward seat, create a transparent and compelling proposition for travellers who plan their redemptions in advance.
The second new route is to Toulon Saint Tropez, a fresh addition to the British Airways network and the airline’s latest gateway to the glamour of the French Riviera. From 13 to 20 June 2026, flight BA8747 will depart London City at 07:00, arriving in Toulon at 10:00, with the return BA8748 leaving at 10:45 and touching down in London at 11:50. The morning departure and late-morning return make it possible to squeeze maximum sunshine and seaside time into a one-week break.
On the Toulon route, Euro Traveller redemptions start at 21,500 Avios plus 2 pounds return, again including 23 kilograms of checked luggage. Club Europe fares begin at 36,000 Avios plus 30 pounds. As with Madrid, every seat on these services is released as a reward seat, giving British Airways Club members an unusually clear opportunity to secure peak-summer flights to one of Europe’s most in-demand regions using their loyalty currency.
Spain and France Join a Growing Map of Reward-First Destinations
The addition of Madrid and Toulon means Spain and France now join Italy, Switzerland, Greece and Croatia among the European countries to have benefited from Avios-only operations. Earlier waves of flights have included services such as London to Geneva in Switzerland for winter and spring escapes, as well as a range of sun-oriented routes across the Mediterranean, including popular Italian, Greek and Croatian gateways.
This growing geographic spread shows how British Airways is using Avios-only departures to showcase both well-known and emerging leisure destinations. In southern Europe, the airline has focused on routes that appeal strongly to British holidaymakers, from classic island getaways and beach towns to culture-rich cities. By placing Spain and France at the heart of its 50th-service celebration, the carrier reinforces the importance of these two markets for short-haul leisure travel out of the United Kingdom.
For travellers, the expansion of Avios-only flights across the continent provides a more diverse set of redemption options than the traditional focus on London hub connections and long-haul cabins. Instead of simply saving Avios for a future business class seat to a far-flung destination, members can now plan a series of shorter, high-value trips to different corners of Europe, knowing that entire flights will be opened up solely for reward bookings on specific dates.
How Avios-Only Flights Transform Loyalty Redemptions
British Airways’ Avios-only concept is designed to address one of the most persistent frustrations in airline loyalty: limited reward seat availability on the most desirable flights. On a standard flight, only a set number of seats is guaranteed for redemption, and those often disappear quickly on popular routes and dates. In contrast, Avios-only departures place every seat in every cabin into the reward pool from the moment the flight is loaded for booking.
For members of the British Airways Club, this can be a game changer. Knowing that all capacity is made available as reward inventory lets travellers plan around specific Avios-only dates and align their holiday calendars accordingly. It also reduces the anxiety that often comes with trying to secure scarce seats during school holidays, bank holiday weekends or peak summer weeks when cash fares tend to rise sharply.
The pricing model further underlines the value proposition. By pairing modest cash surcharges starting from 2 pounds in economy and 30 pounds in Club Europe with fixed Avios amounts, the airline offers a simple, predictable way to calculate the worth of a redemption. The inclusion of generous checked baggage allowances on these reward services, at a time when many low-cost fares exclude such extras, enhances the perceived and practical value for families and leisure travellers alike.
The British Airways Club and the Power of Everyday Avios
The Avios-only services are reserved for members of the British Airways Club, the airline’s free-to-join loyalty programme. Members collect Avios by flying with British Airways and its partner airlines, booking package holidays, staying with hotel partners, renting cars, and shopping with a wide network of retailers. Co-branded credit cards and partnerships with major brands across finance, retail and hospitality provide additional paths to earn points through everyday spending.
This ecosystem is central to the appeal of Avios-only flights. The more diverse the earning options, the more achievable a peak-season redemption becomes for the average traveller. A long weekend in Madrid over the late May bank holiday or a week in the South of France in June can be funded not just by frequent flying but by months of routine purchases, bill payments and online shopping, all quietly contributing to the reward balance.
For the airline and its partners, these dedicated reward flights are also a powerful showcase for the value of loyalty. By promoting entire aircraft as redeemable solely with Avios, British Airways highlights in very concrete terms what can be achieved when customers concentrate their travel and spending within a single ecosystem. That visibility can encourage deeper engagement, increased card usage and a stronger emotional connection between members and the programme.
What These Routes Offer Travellers on the Ground
Madrid’s inclusion as an Avios-only destination taps into the city’s status as one of Europe’s most dynamic capitals. Travellers redeeming Avios for the late May service can look forward to an extended weekend immersed in world-class art at the Prado and Reina Sofia museums, leisurely strolls through the historic streets around Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace, and long, late evenings spent sampling tapas and local wines in lively neighbourhood bars. With the city basking in warm late-spring temperatures, it is an ideal time to enjoy outdoor terraces before the height of the summer heat.
Toulon Saint Tropez, meanwhile, opens the door to the French Riviera and the famed Côte d’Azur. Toulon’s position on the Mediterranean coast provides convenient access to resort areas strung along the shoreline, while being the closest airport to Saint Tropez gives Avios redeemers a relatively direct route to one of Europe’s most glamorous seaside towns. The June travel window coincides with the start of the high season, when coastal villages are buzzing with activity but have not yet reached the peak crowds of late July and August.
Departures from London City Airport add another layer of convenience, particularly for travellers based in or near central London and the financial districts. The airport’s compact size and typically swift security experience make it a favourite among time-pressed travellers who want to minimise the stress and overhead of getting to and through a major hub. Combining this ease of access with Avios-only availability will be a strong draw for city-based professionals and families looking for a quick escape.
Strategic Significance for British Airways and European Travel
The continued roll-out of Avios-only flights across major European leisure markets reflects British Airways’ broader strategy to anchor loyalty at the core of its commercial offering. By integrating high-visibility reward events into its short-haul network, the airline is competing not only with other network carriers but also with low-cost rivals that dominate many Mediterranean routes. Instead of relying purely on low fares, British Airways is using the appeal of guaranteed reward availability, inclusive baggage and the service standards of a full-service carrier to differentiate its proposition.
For the wider European travel landscape, Avios-only routes demonstrate how loyalty programmes can shape not just how people pay for travel but when and where they choose to go. When an entire flight is dedicated to reward seats on specific dates, it effectively nudges demand toward those travel windows and destinations. Over time, such initiatives can influence shoulder-season patterns, encourage city breaks outside of traditional peak weekends, and introduce travellers to new gateways such as Toulon that might otherwise lie off the mainstream radar.
Looking ahead, the success of routes like Madrid and Toulon is likely to inform future Avios-only launches, both within Europe and beyond. With Spain and France now embedded alongside Italy, Switzerland, Greece and Croatia in the programme’s growing European map, British Airways has created a compelling template for how loyalty-driven capacity can support its network, reward its most engaged customers and offer fresh, aspirational ways to turn points balances into unforgettable trips.