British Airways Adds Avios-Only Flights to Cape Town for Festive Travel
British Airways has announced Cape Town as the latest addition to its Avios-Only flight offering, with more than 500 seats available for members to redeem using Avios. The flights, operating over the December holiday season, allow eligible customers to book seats starting from 70,000 Avios plus £150 return.
The two special services are timed for the peak Christmas and New Year period, offering travel across all four cabin classes.
Avios-Only Flight Details – Cape Town
| Date | Flight No. | Route | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 2025 | BA43 | London Heathrow → Cape Town | Boeing 777 |
| 02 Jan 2026 | BA42 | Cape Town → London Heathrow | Boeing 777 |
This Cape Town launch marks the 7,500th Avios-Only seat released since British Airways introduced the concept in 2023. To date, the airline has operated 34 such flights to 15 destinations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America, and the Caribbean. Past flights to Málaga and Marrakech, scheduled over school holidays, saw high demand, particularly from families. Booking rates for family travellers were four times higher than those seen on standard reward flights.
“We’re pleased to introduce Cape Town as an Avios-Only destination during South Africa’s peak travel season,” said Colm Lacy, Chief Commercial Officer at British Airways.
“It offers Members greater flexibility and options during the festive period.”

Rob McDonald, Chief Commercial Officer at IAG Loyalty, added: “Cape Town is a key long-haul route, and this offering gives Members more ways to get value from their Avios during the holiday season.”
Avios-Only flights differ from traditional services by allowing every seat to be booked using Avios, rather than just a limited number of reward seats. Members can also use British Airways American Express Companion Vouchers, enabling a second seat for only the taxes and fees, or one seat for half the Avios cost.
Bookings for the Cape Town Avios-Only flights can be made via ba.com, with standard Reward Seat terms applying.











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