Before paying for an Airbnb stay or Experience, check whether you can collect Avios or buy Airbnb credit with cashback. Neither method changes the listing price, but one extra step can return part of the value as travel points or cash.
New Avios app users may also be able to collect a 500 Avios referral bonus after joining through an invitation and completing a qualifying activity.
Should you choose Airbnb cashback or Avios?
Choose cashback when a trusted gift-card retailer offers a strong rate and you are certain you will use the Airbnb credit. Choose Avios when you already collect them, want a simple route through British Airways and do not want to prepay with a gift card.
| Option | Main benefit | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Collect Avios through British Airways | Official route earning 2 Avios per £1, €1 or $1 on eligible spend | Tracking requires the correct link, cookies and one booking session |
| Buy Airbnb gift-card credit with cashback | Cashback can be easier to value in pounds | Rates change, gift cards can have restrictions and credit is tied to Airbnb |
You may be able to collect Avios while paying with Airbnb account credit, but do not assume two offers will stack unless the current terms allow it. Treat any successful combination as a bonus rather than a guarantee.
How to collect Avios on an Airbnb booking
British Airways currently offers 2 Avios per £1, €1 or $1 spent on eligible Airbnb stays and Airbnb Experiences. Taxes and fees do not earn Avios.
Collect Avios with Airbnb
- Join the British Airways Club.
Membership is free and gives you the number needed for tracking.
- Start from the official BA Airbnb page.
Use its accommodation or Experiences button rather than opening Airbnb separately.
- Allow the required cookies.
Tracking needs to follow the visit from British Airways to Airbnb.
- Complete the booking in the same session.
Enter the correct British Airways Club membership number when asked.
- Wait until after the completed stay.
British Airways says Avios should arrive within 60 days after completion.
Start from the official BA Airbnb page →
How Airbnb gift-card cashback works
Cashback websites and gift-card marketplaces sometimes offer cashback when you buy Airbnb credit. The rate can change daily and may disappear completely, so compare the live options before committing.
The usual process is:
- Open a trusted cashback or gift-card service.
- Search for Airbnb and read the exclusions.
- Buy only the amount you expect to use.
- Add the gift card to the correct Airbnb account.
- Use the balance when making an eligible booking.
Never rely on an old advertised cashback percentage. Check the live rate and compare it with the value you personally get from 2 Avios per £1.
Can you collect Avios and EverUp cashback on the same Airbnb booking?
Potentially. EverUp cashback is earned when you buy the Airbnb gift card; the Avios route tracks the separate Airbnb booking. British Airways does not list gift-card payment as an exclusion, but its terms say the Avios offer cannot be combined with another Avios-related offer or Airbnb promotion. Neither company guarantees this particular combination, so treat the Avios as pending until they arrive.
The safest order to try both
- Check the complete Airbnb price first.
Open the listing normally, enter the correct dates and guests, and note the final amount including fees. Do not book yet.
- Check Airbnb inside EverUp.
Read the live cashback rate, available gift-card values and restrictions. Our EverUp cashback guide explains how the app and its referral offer work.
- Buy only the Airbnb credit you need.
Enter the amount due if the app accepts it. In our example, EverUp allowed a custom Airbnb value between £50 and £500. Confirm the current limits and avoid buying more locked-in credit than you expect to spend.
- Add the gift card to your Airbnb account.
UK Airbnb gift cards must be used by an eligible UK account with a valid UK payment method. Any unused balance stays on that Airbnb account.
- Start a fresh Avios-tracked session.
Close the earlier Airbnb pages, use the official British Airways Airbnb link, allow the required cookies and complete the booking in that same session.
- Apply the gift-card balance at checkout.
Airbnb allows a gift card to cover part of a reservation and another payment method to cover the remainder. Keep the gift-card receipt and booking confirmation until any Avios arrive.
Any cashback earned remains in EverUp. Under its current rules, you can apply cashback from £1 towards another supported gift card, which could be supermarket credit for groceries if a suitable retailer is available in the app. Check the live retailer list and rate before choosing it.
How to get the 500 Avios app referral bonus
The Avios app invitation is for eligible new app users. Downloading the app alone is not enough. You must complete a qualifying activity after joining.
Activities shown by the referral programme can include shopping online through the app, shopping in store with a linked card, buying Avios or boosting an existing balance. Travel, policies, contracts and subscriptions may be excluded from triggering the bonus, so check the latest list inside the app.
The cheapest sensible route is normally a small purchase you already intended to make through an eligible retailer. Do not buy Avios or spend extra purely to unlock 500 points.
Common Airbnb and Avios tracking mistakes
- Opening Airbnb before clicking through British Airways
- Blocking the cookies needed for referral tracking
- Switching browser or device during booking
- Entering the wrong British Airways Club number
- Assuming taxes and service fees earn points
- Cancelling or changing the booking without checking the effect
- Expecting Avios before completing the stay
- Buying a gift card in the wrong currency or country
- Assuming an old cashback rate is still available
British Airways allows missing Airbnb Avios claims within six months of the completed stay. Keep the confirmation and take a screenshot of the booking route if the points matter to you.