London City Airport will operate dedicated Avios-Only services to מדריד ו Toulon Saint-Tropez, with seats bookable from 12 February 2026 and fares starting at just £2 plus 28,000 Avios for Madrid and £2 plus 21,500 Avios for Toulon — both fares include a 23kg checked bag.
Route and booking specifics at a glance
The two new routes are scheduled from London City, offering convenient central departures and returns. Availability is exclusive to members of The British Airways Club, and every seat on these particular flights is designated as a Reward Seat redeemable entirely with Avios.
| Destination | Starting Cash Fare | Avios Required | Baggage | Departure Airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מדריד | £2 | 28,000 Avios | 23kg checked | נמל התעופה לונדון סיטי |
| Toulon Saint-Tropez | £2 | 21,500 Avios | 23kg checked | נמל התעופה לונדון סיטי |
How Avios-Only differs from standard Reward Seats
Typical Reward Seats on British Airways routes can be a mix of cash and Avios or set at static Avios rates. Avios-Only flights mean every seat on the plane can be purchased using Avios, allowing members to redeem redemptions across all cabins in the usual booking flow via ba.com.
- Booking opens: 12 February 2026 (for these routes)
- Who can book: Members of The British Airways Club
- Companion Vouchers: Can be applied by British Airways American Express Credit Card holders (taxes & charges still apply)
Reward availability guarantees across London airports
British Airways provides minimum Reward Seat guarantees on standard services at its major London airports, which can influence how travelers plan redemptions:
| Airport | Minimum Reward Seats (short/long-haul) | London City (LCY) Guarantee |
|---|---|---|
| הית'רו | 12 | For LCY services, 4 Reward Seats guaranteed (2 Club Europe, 2 Euro Traveller) |
| גטוויק | 14 | |
| London City | — |
Network expansion and loyalty positioning
Since the Avios-Only launch in 2023, British Airways has used the format across short and long-haul markets, targeting leisure-heavy windows and high-demand holiday periods. With the Madrid return service marking the airline’s 50th Avios-Only flight, the programme has covered destinations across Europe, the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East, including Cape Town, Barbados, Sharm El Sheikh, Málaga and Marrakesh.
Colm Lacy, Chief Commercial Officer at British Airways, noted the popularity of these releases and the appeal of expanding options for loyal customers. Adam Daniels, CEO of IAG Loyalty, highlighted how Avios-Only demonstrates the power of loyalty programmes to increase redemption opportunities in peak months.
Practical tips for redeeming Avios and planning travel
- Book early for bank-holiday travel dates to secure Reward Seats on high-demand services.
- Use Companion Vouchers if available to reduce Avios spend for a second passenger (pay taxes & charges only).
- Compare cabin options on ba.com and factor in baggage allowances included in Avios fares.
- For travellers heading to Toulon, plan onward transport to Saint-Tropez; the airport is the closest gateway to the Côte d’Azur glamour.
Tourism implications: what travellers can expect
Madrid’s museum and cultural calendar peaks attract late May bank-holiday visitors searching for art, gastronomy and urban leisure. Toulon serves as a strategic entry point for visitors seeking coastal resorts and Saint-Tropez’s yacht-lined harbours. These Avios-Only services make short-break logistics simpler for travellers based in central London and can shift demand toward weekend and holiday micro-breaks.
The availability of Avios-Only seats can also influence ancillary tourism bookings: increased early redemptions often lead to higher demand for museum tours with live guides, coastal excursion packages, and luxury options such as exclusive yacht charters for events.
For visitors planning land- or sea-based activities, platforms like GetExperience.com simplify pre-trip arrangements by offering secure online payments with voucher confirmations and the ability to request tailored tours or excursions from verified providers in destinations like Madrid and Toulon.
Highlights: Avios-Only flights open exclusive redemption windows at a glance — easy central departures from London City, award inventory across cabins, and specific pricing that includes checked baggage. However, no review or comment replaces real travel experience; personal trips reveal true value. On GetExperience, you book experiences from verified providers at reasonable prices with voucher confirmation and tailored tour requests, ensuring convenience, transparency and affordability. Book now GetExperience.com
In summary, British Airways’ new Avios-Only services to Madrid and Toulon from London City reinforce loyalty-driven inventory strategies and offer practical benefits for short-break tourism. These releases make high-value travel experiences more accessible, supporting a range of travel experiences from museum tours with live guides to luxury adventure travel experiences, eco-friendly wildlife safaris, adventure rafting trips for beginners, yacht parties and exclusive yacht charters, cruise packages, safari tours, interactive online cultural workshops and professional esports training programs. Travelers should weigh redemption value, cabin choice and on-ground logistics when planning — then book and enjoy the adventure.