Tesco Clubcard customers who wish to convert their points into Avios air miles have until midnight to do so before they can only swap them for Virgin Points.
The supermarket announced last autumn that it was parting ways with British Airways on 18 January, having previously allowed shoppers to convert their groceries into getaways.
Those who automatically converted their points into Avios every quarter did so for the last time on 22 October, but Clubcard customers have until midnight tonight to manually convert their points if they wish to do so.
After 18 January Tesco Clubcard points can no longer be converted into Avios air miles
Clubcard customers earn one point for every £1 spent in Tesco, which can then be converted into vouchers and then discounts. 600 Avios points can be obtained for £2.50 worth of Clubcard vouchers, amounting to a conversion rate of 2.4 Avios per point.
Avios points can then be put towards experiences, flights and holidays with British Airways and its partner airlines.
‘If you are a loyal Avios collector, and aiming towards a redemption using Avios, you probably will want to transfer your remaining Tesco hoard to your BA Executive Club account now’, Nicky Kelvin, from the frequent flyer website The Points Guy UK, previously told This is Money.
Meanwhile Rob Burgess, editor of Head for Points, called the 2.4 Avios per point ‘a strong exchange rate.’
Although shoppers may be concerned about being unable to use their points due to cancelled trips and grounded flights as a result of the continuing coronavirus pandemic, points only expire after three years of inactivity, which would require a customer to not spend or earn any points over a 36 month period.
Those who don’t convert before midnight Monday will only be able to turn their Clubcard vouchers into Virgin Atlantic air miles, or Virgin Points.
The airline is currently running a 2,000-point bonus deal until 28 January for those who sign up and automatically exchange their Clubcard vouchers for the first time.
Clubcard customers who choose to convert to Virgin will get slightly more points for their money, earning 625 Virgin Points for a £2.50 voucher at a rate of 2.5 Virgin Points per Clubcard point.
Clubcard points will only be able to be converted into Virgin Points at a rate of 2.5 points per Clubcard point
Nicky added: ‘We value Virgin Points slightly higher than Avios – 1.1p vs 1.4p per point – so the Virgin option was always providing slight better value. This also means we value the auto convert bonus at £28, which is a great offer.’
However, Virgin Points are slightly harder to redeem for flights due to the fact Virgin Atlantic only flies long-haul, although they can be put toward flights with Virgin partners Air France and KLM.
‘This means that you are unlikely to ever earn enough from Tesco Clubcard to get a free flight’, Rob Burgess warned.
‘Clubcard vouchers to Virgin Points are a transfer best suited to someone who also earns miles by flying Virgin or who is using their credit card.’
Meanwhile Tesco Clubcard customers who don’t wish to convert their points into either scheme also have other options.
Clubcard offers travel rewards with the likes of Eurotunnel, Railcard and Hotels.com, and vouchers with the likes of Pizza Express, Now TV and Goldsmith.
Most of these offers provide a 3:1 return on Clubcard vouchers, although, Kelvin said, ‘the other Tesco partners available are not likely to provide better value than Virgin, but a lot will depend on personal circumstance.
‘You need to weigh up all the options available against what you actually want and need, and the value it will provide.’
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