Finnair Avios 50% Purchase Bonus Expires May 22: The oneworld Business Class Redemptions That Make Buying Points Worth It Before the Window Closes

Buy Finnair Avios before May 22 and you can lock in an effective cost around 1.43 cents each in USD — or even lower paying in yen — then immediately move them to British Airways Executive Club. That’s the window. The 50% bonus on purchases of 80,000 or more Avios disappears after tomorrow, and the current Chase 30% transfer bonus to Avios partners is also live but won’t last forever.

Finnair-purchased Avios hit your BA account almost instantly once you link the two programs. No multi-day delays, no strange restrictions beyond the usual account-linking step. You need a Finnair Plus account created before May 15 with at least 50 Avios already in it, but that’s a low bar for anyone who’s been playing this game.

Why bother? Because these Avios unlock oneworld business class redemptions where cash fares laugh at $8,000 round-trip. The programs involved treat long-haul premium cabins with more respect than most US carriers do for domestic first.

AA Transcon Business: The Lazy Domestic Win

American Airlines’ A321T business class between New York and Los Angeles or San Francisco routinely runs $1,200–$2,000 one-way in cash. Through BA, it’s 55,000 Avios each way in the 2,001–3,000 mile band. At our discounted 1.43 cents per point, that’s about $787 out of pocket for a lie-flat seat, decent meal, and priority everything.

It’s not the sexiest redemption, but it’s reliable availability and zero drama. If you live on either coast and fly this route even semi-regularly, the math works without needing to pretend you’re on a glamorous adventure.

JAL Business ex-US: Where the Value Gets Stupid

Japan Airlines business class from the West Coast to Tokyo is the one that makes points nerds misty-eyed. Cash prices hover between $6,000 and $9,000 round-trip depending on season. BA prices it at roughly 77,250–85,000 Avios one-way from SFO/LAX (distance-based, so West Coast wins).

Round-trip comes in under 170,000 Avios total. At our effective purchase rate, you’re looking at $2,400–$2,500 all-in for an award that JAL still executes at a high level — Sky Suite seating, thoughtful service, and that quiet satisfaction of not paying cash fares that could buy a used car.

East Coast departures cost more (around 92,750 Avios), but still crush the cash alternative. Availability opens 355 days out; set alerts or pay someone who does.

Cathay Pacific to Asia: The Dark Horse

Cathay’s business class product has reclaimed its throne after the pandemic wobble. From the US West Coast to Hong Kong, expect to pay around 85,000–95,000 Avios one-way through BA depending on exact routing and distance calculation. Cash fares? Often $4,000–$7,000 one-way in peak seasons.

The real flex is connecting beyond Hong Kong on Cathay metal into Southeast Asia or further. The Avios cost doesn’t scale as brutally as cash does, and you get the lounges, the hard product refresh, and the feeling that someone at Cathay still cares about premium passengers.

Taxes and surcharges remain the eternal Avios tax — budget $300–$600 round-trip depending on routing and airports. It’s not zero, but it’s not $8,000 either.

The double dip is real right now: transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards with the 30% bonus into a BA-linked Avios account, then top up any gap with these discounted Finnair purchases. You’re effectively manufacturing Avios at well under 1.2 cents in some currency combinations. That’s the kind of inefficiency the airlines will patch eventually.

Don’t buy these for general “future travel.” Have a specific JAL, AA transcon, or Cathay itinerary in mind for the next 12–18 months. Otherwise you’re just hoarding colorful points with an expiration date that sneaks up faster than you expect.

Action item: If you have a qualifying oneworld premium itinerary, open the Finnair shop today, buy at the 80,000+ tier paying in whichever currency gives you the best effective rate, link your accounts, transfer the Avios to BA, and book before both bonuses evaporate. The window is three days. Move.