British Airways vs Cathay Pacific

British Airways Avios vs Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Updated June 2026

At a Glance

Feature BA Avios Asia Miles
Currency Avios Asia Miles
Airline British Airways Cathay Pacific
Alliance Oneworld Oneworld
Hub London Heathrow (LHR) Hong Kong (HKG)
Award Type Distance-based with peak/off-peak Distance-based award chart
Earning Rate 1 Avios per $1 spent on flights 1 mile per HK$6 spent
Transfer Partners Amex MR, Chase UR, Capital One, Bilt Amex MR, Capital One, Citi TYP, Bilt

BA Avios

Strengths

  • Short-haul Europe from 4,000 Avios
  • Peak/off-peak pricing gives flexibility
  • Household accounts for family pooling

Weaknesses

  • High fuel surcharges on BA metal
  • Peak pricing doubles the cost
  • Limited partner award availability

Asia Miles

Strengths

  • Excellent first class product
  • Flexible stopovers in Hong Kong
  • Good partner redemption rates

Weaknesses

  • Devaluations have raised prices
  • Limited availability in peak season
  • Complex routing rules

Sample Award Pricing

BA Avios Rates (from London Heathrow (LHR))

Destination Economy Business First
Dublin 10,000 16,500 --
Copenhagen 10,000 16,500 --
Milan 10,000 16,500 --
Berlin 10,000 16,500 --
Paris 10,000 16,500 --
Prague 10,000 16,500 --

Asia Miles Rates (from Hong Kong (HKG))

Destination Economy Business First
Ningbo 10,000 25,000 40,000
Nanjing 10,000 25,000 40,000
Hangzhou 10,000 25,000 40,000
Haikou 10,000 25,000 40,000
Guangzhou 10,000 25,000 40,000
Fuzhou 10,000 25,000 40,000

Points shown are approximate one-way off-peak/standard prices. Actual costs vary by date and availability.

Transfer Partner Access

Which credit card programs can transfer points to each loyalty program:

Credit Card Program BA Avios Asia Miles
Amex MR
Bilt
Capital One
Chase UR
Citi TYP

Which Program Should You Choose?

Choose BA Avios if...

  • You fly primarily with British Airways or Oneworld partners
  • You have points with Amex MR or Chase UR
  • You value: Short-haul Europe from 4,000 Avios

Choose Asia Miles if...

  • You fly primarily with Cathay Pacific or Oneworld partners
  • You have points with Amex MR or Capital One
  • You value: Excellent first class product

Search Both Programs at Once

Compare real-time award availability across BA Avios and Asia Miles.