- Mr Plane Guy
- 5 hours ago
- 5 min read
Free Flight Upgrade with Avios? Here’s How the Barclays Voucher Really Works
By Mr Plane Guy, Flight Expert & Avios Addict
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support my travel blog and allows me to continue drinking premium gin at airport departure lounges worldwide.
You’ve probably heard whispers about the Barclays Avios Upgrade Voucher, that digital golden ticket hiding in your British Airways Club account that can bump you up a cabin without spending a single extra Avios point.
Sounds good? It is. But there’s a knack to using it, and a tool that makes it ten times easier. Here’s the full story, written by someone who’s actually used one.
What Is the Barclays Avios Upgrade Voucher?
The Barclays Avios Upgrade Voucher is a reward you can earn with the free Barclaycard Avios credit card. Spend enough each year, and you’ll unlock a voucher that lets you book the next cabin up using the Avios points from the cheaper one.
In simple terms:
Book Business Class for the Premium Economy Avios rate.
Book Premium Economy for the Economy Avios rate.
You’ll still pay the higher taxes and fees for that upgraded cabin, but you’ll save a serious stack of British Airways Avios points.
It’s one of the easiest ways to experience a little luxury without burning through your Avios balance.
How to Earn the Voucher
Here’s the breakdown:
Hold the free Barclaycard Avios credit card.
Spend £20,000 in a 12-month period.
Once you qualify, the voucher appears in your BA Executive Club account and is valid for two years.
You’ll be asked whether you want the voucher or 7,000 Avios points instead. Unless you’re desperate to top off your account for an imminent redemption, the voucher offers far more value, it can save you tens of thousands of Avios.
Want to check the maths? Try my Avios Calculator and Value Guide.
How the Voucher Works
You can use your Barclays Avios Upgrade Voucher for:
One person on a return trip, or
Two people on a one-way journey.
It can only be used on British Airways flights (with BA flight numbers), and there must be Avios reward availability in the cabin you want to upgrade into.
No mixing it with Companion Vouchers, no hopping into First Class, Business is as high as it goes.
Plane Tip: if you hold two vouchers, you can use one on the outbound and another on the return to cover both legs.
The Problem: Finding Reward Seats
Here’s the catch and the biggest frustration for Avios collectors.
Finding reward seat availability can be brutal.You’ll spend hours refreshing the BA site, only to see “no seats available” again and again.
That’s where Reward Flight Finder comes in and honestly, it’s a total game-changer for anyone trying to use Avios points efficiently.
Plane Tip: Avios reward seats drop fast, Reward Flight Finder alerts you instantly when new ones appear, so you can book before anyone else.
Plane Tip: Use Reward Flight Finder to Spot Avios Seats Instantly
Reward Flight Finder is the UK’s leading tool for tracking British Airways Avios reward flight availability and it’s trusted by over 100,000 frequent flyers.
It shows the next 355 days of Avios reward seats across every BA route, all on one screen. You can search by date, route, and cabin, or set instant alerts when new seats open up.
That means you can finally stop trawling through the BA site and let RFF do the work.
Got Avios? Turn your travel dreams into reality with premium membership
Select the membership plan that's right for you
Here’s how it helps:
Bronze membership (free) – up to 3 daily Economy searches + 1 seat alert.
Silver (£3.99/month) – unlimited searches + up to 5 alerts, notified within 1 hour.
Gold (£6.99/month) – unlimited searches, instant alerts, up to 20 alerts at once + worldwide map search.
You’ll even get a 7-day free trial to test it out.
If you’re serious about maximising your Avios points, I’d say go Silver or Gold, the instant alerts alone are worth it.
the easiest way to find British Airways Avios reward seats before they disappear.
Where to Use the Barclays Voucher
The real value comes from long-haul flights where the Avios gap between cabins is huge.
London – Dubai
Off-peak Business Class using the voucher:
42,500 Avios + £187.50 taxes and fees (instead of 80,000 Avios)Return in Economy: 25,000 Avios + £50Total: 135,000 Avios + £475 for two people, saving around 75,000 Avios points.
East Coast USA
Identical value applies to New York, Boston, Washington DC, Toronto, and Montreal where Avios availability is also easier to find (and even easier when you use RFF alerts).
Short-Haul Club Europe
For something closer to home, try a Club Europe upgrade on routes like London–Athens or Lisbon. You won’t get a flat bed, but you’ll enjoy lounge access and priority everything a neat weekend treat.
Is the Voucher Better Than 7,000 Avios Points?
Almost always, yes.
Even if you buy Avios points during a sale, you won’t match the value of this voucher. The upgrade can easily deliver the equivalent of £700–£1,000 in value per person, far beyond 7,000 points.
If you’re new to Avios collecting, check out my guide on How to Use Avios Points Effectively for more redemption examples.
What You Need to Remember
Valid for two years from issue.
One voucher per booking.
BA flights only, no partner airlines.
Can’t be combined with a Companion Voucher.
Must book at the highest Avios / lowest cash option available.
Final Boarding Call
The Barclays Avios Upgrade Voucher isn’t flashy, but it’s one of the smartest ways to get more comfort for fewer Avios points.
Combine it with Reward Flight Finder to actually find the seats, and you’ll be flying flat-bed for the same points most people burn on Premium Economy.
Free upgrade? Let’s go.
More from my Plane Avios Blogs:
How I Went from Zero Avios to a Qatar Airways Business Class Upgrade in 3 Months
Buy Avios from Finnair with Up to 40% Bonus
Qatar Airways x Hilton Honors: The Avios Boost Every Traveller Needs
How to Earn 14 Avios Per £1 with Harrods
Hello, I’m Paul a professional jet-setter and all-around plane travel pro. After 15 years working in and around planes, I became a flight delay expert at a London Airport and mastered plane travel hacks, a PLANE flight expert with BIG travel plans but small carry-on.
Now, I share PLANE travel news, tips, reviews, and deals with honesty, humour, and zero baggage! Thanks for reading Free Flight Upgrade with Avios? Here’s How the Barclays Voucher Really Works.
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