“Seven airlines, one loyalty currency – with the Avios frequent flyer programme, a lot can stack up and be combined across different schemes. Accor Hotels’ ALL programme, on the other hand, goes a long way with very little. Two completely different approaches.” Ulf-Gunnar Switalski
Many hotel programmes reward one thing above all else: sheer volume of overnight stays, accumulated over many years. ALL Accor takes a different approach and even makes lower status tiers attractive for travellers who are on the move less frequently. Those who combine these programmes cleverly can quickly secure VIP benefits at hotels. I’ve been using ALL Accor myself for years and know both its strengths and weaknesses.
With around 5,800 hotels, Accor virtually covers the entire price range: from Ibis to Raffles. This breadth makes ALL an everyday companion as well as a prime destination for that special luxury trip. Incidentally, the programme won an award at the German Bonus Awards for its truly excellent app. Just ten nights are enough for Silver, 30 nights for Gold – fewer than with many competitors in the market. Gold status is well worth it: late check-out, upgrades subject to availability, a welcome drink, and significantly more bonus points per stay. Those looking to give their progress a boost can opt for the paid ALL Accor + Voyageur membership (179 euros per year): This subscription immediately adds 20 status nights to your account, plus a 15 per cent discount on stays at over 30 hotel brands worldwide. Combined with just a few actual stays, Gold status is therefore a realistic and easily achievable goal, even for those who rarely stay overnight.
American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred to ALL Accor at a ratio of 3:1. In addition, holders of the American Express Platinum Card are automatically granted Gold status, without needing to stay overnight at all. Particularly appealing: if you link your ALL account to Flying Blue or the Qatar Airways Privilege Club, you can easily earn points whilst flying, without even having to stay at a hotel. Redeeming them is amazingly simple: 1,000 ALL points are worth around 20 euros off your next stay, and there are regular attractive promotions on top of that.
Even as a fan of ALL Accor, I nevertheless find that, in a direct comparison with World of Hyatt or Marriott Bonvoy, ALL offers noticeably fewer excellent benefits to higher-tier members. It’s also a shame that the popular cashback via Shoop is no longer available to status members. Additionally, concerning the many promotions, one strict rule applies: if you don’t register in advance, you’ll miss out when making the actual booking.
All in all, ALL Accor delivers exactly where it counts: fast status, a huge variety of brands, and a credit system that anyone can understand straight away. If you make clever use of these strengths, you can enjoy noticeably greater comfort when travelling with minimal effort.
Avios: Seven programmes, one currency
Hardly any other frequent-flyer currency is as versatile as Avios. Instead of committing to a single frequent-flyer programme, you collect points via a shared points system that links to no fewer than seven airlines. Those who understand how it all works can gain real advantages when collecting and redeeming award flights. I myself am an active member of The British Airways Club, Iberia Plus, and the Qatar Airways Privilege Club – and it is precisely this combination that impressively demonstrates to me time and again just how powerful this system can be. In addition to the three previously mentioned, the Avios family also includes AerClub by Aer Lingus, Vueling Club, Finnair Plus, and Loganair Loyalty.
The best part is that Avios can be transferred between the programmes free of charge at a 1:1 ratio, once the accounts have been linked. This allows you to make the most of the best availability and prices – because the same flight can cost a completely different amount of Avios with British Airways, Iberia or Qatar, and may also be available with varying frequency. It is precisely this freedom to transfer points that lies at the heart of the strategy.
If you can’t find suitable seats with Qatar Airways, simply check with Iberia or British Airways – and transfer your Avios to wherever they’re currently worth the most. It’s especially worth it when comparing, as taxes and fees for the same award flight can also vary significantly between the programmes. Important to note: a transfer only works if the account holder’s name is identical. So if you’re planning a trip, you should open all relevant accounts well in advance, link them together and carefully check that the details match up.
It’s also worth taking a closer look at transferring points from American Express Membership Rewards, as the terms differ noticeably. Transfers to The British Airways Club and Iberia Plus lie at a 5:4 ratio – whereas transfers to the Qatar Airways Privilege Club are at a significantly less favourable 3:2 ratio. The trick: transfer to British Airways or Iberia instead and then move the Avios on to Qatar free of charge at a 1:1 ratio. This little detour saves you money on every major transfer – without much extra effort.
Once you’ve grasped this mechanism, you’ll no longer just mindlessly collect miles, but start thinking in terms of ‘sweet spots’ across multiple programmes. That’s exactly what makes Avios one of the most exciting and flexible currencies in the entire frequent flyer universe for me right now.
Kaum eine Meilenwährung ist so vielseitig wie Avios. Statt sich auf ein einziges Vielfliegerprogramm festzulegen, sammelt man über ein gemeinsamen Punktesystem, das gleich sieben Fluggesellschaften miteinander verbindet. Wer die Zusammenhänge kennt, verschafft sich echte Vorteile beim Sammeln und beim Einlösen von Prämienflügen. Ich selbst bin bei The British Airways Club, Iberia Plus und dem Qatar Airways Privilege Club aktiv – und genau diese Kombination zeigt mir jedes Mal eindrucksvoll, wie mächtig das System sein kann. Neben den genannten drei zählen auch AerClub von Aer Lingus, Vueling Club, Finnair Plus und Loganair Loyalty zur Avios-Familie.
Das Beste daran: Avios lassen sich kostenlos und im Verhältnis 1:1 zwischen den Programmen transferieren, sobald die Konten einmal miteinander verknüpft sind. So nutzt man gezielt die besten Verfügbarkeiten und Preise – denn ein und derselbe Flug kann bei British Airways, Iberia oder Qatar völlig unterschiedlich viele Avios kosten und auch unterschiedlich oft verfügbar sein. Genau dieser freie Transfer ist der Kern der Strategie. Findet man bei Qatar Airways keine passenden Plätze, schaut man einfach bei Iberia oder British Airways nach – und verschiebt seine Avios dorthin, wo sie gerade am meisten wert sind. Dabei lohnt sich der Vergleich gleich doppelt, denn auch die Steuern und Gebühren können sich auf demselben Prämienflug zwischen den Programmen deutlich unterscheiden.
Wichtig zu wissen: Ein Transfer funktioniert nur, wenn der Name des Kontoinhabers identisch ist. Wer also plant, sollte frühzeitig alle relevanten Konten eröffnen, verknüpfen und die Daten sorgfältig abgleichen. Auch beim Punktetransfer von American Express Membership Rewards lohnt sich ein zweiter Blick, denn die Konditionen unterscheiden sich spürbar. Zu The British Airways Club und Iberia Plus transferiert man im Verhältnis 5:4 – zum Qatar Airways Privilege Club dagegen nur im deutlich schlechteren Verhältnis 3:2. Der Trick: Transferiere stattdessen zu British Airways oder Iberia und schiebe die Avios anschließend kostenlos im Verhältnis 1:1 zu Qatar weiter.
Diese kleine Umleitung spart bei jedem größeren Transfer bares Geld – ganz ohne zusätzlichen Aufwand. Wer diese Mechanik einmal verstanden hat, sammelt nicht mehr nur stur Meilen, sondern denkt in Sweet Spots über mehrere Programme hinweg. Genau das macht Avios für mich derzeit zu einer der spannendsten und flexibelsten Währungen im gesamten Vielfliegerkosmos.
Ulf-Gunnar Switalski …
… is a book author, editor of “Upgrade Guru“, founder of the
German Bonus Awards and constantly travels the world himself.
He has been involved with bonus programmes for customer retention and loyalty for more than 30 years.
Photos: istock.com/ Intpro, Stuart Bailey / British Airways www.StuartBaileyPhoto.com
