Activating Iberia Plus account in order to transfer BA Avios
 

I just read that I can't simply transfer my BA avios to Iberia Plus, that the Iberia account needs to be active. Right now I have no Iberia Avios. Any ideas on how to get a minimum amount in my account so I can do the transfer? Thanks.

Firstly your account needs to be BOTH active AND also at least 90 days old to use 'Combine My Avios' to move Avios points between your accounts in the three different loyalty programmes that use Avios points.

So, if you opened your IB+ account less than 90 days ago you won't be able to use the function yet, even if your account is active.

How to get it active:
Buying 1000 (the smallest amount) of Avios points when logged into your Iberia Plus account should do the trick and is probably the quickest.

Other methods, credit something to the account - i.e. 'earn' inside your IB+ account. They quickest method for this is probably a transfer from another loyalty programme, so transfer some hotel points, or credit card points.

I notice you have Amex Platinum in your profile, do you have any Amex Membership Reward points that you could send to your IB+ account?
(Remember they need to go to your IB+ account direct, to be earning, and make it active)

If you are prepared to wait for a couple of months, you could 'try' this freebie route:
http://www.ukpoints.com/2013/04/26/w...50-free-avios/

But it sounds like you want them sooner. If you are in a rush, do a transfer: Amex MR > IB+, or some hotel points > IB+.
If you are in a real rush, buy 1000 Avios inside your IB+ account.

.....

If you have any erewards these also activate the account ~5-6 days to complete the transfer

As far as I know, you just can't buy avios if you IBPlus account is inactive. Otherwise it would be very use to activate them, given the fact that if you want to activate it is to transfer avios to/from it.

In case it is possible for you, another way to grab some fast Avios is to send you IbPlus card to someone in Spain. who could show it at any Repsol petrol station. The avios will show by the end of the month

My account is over 90 days old. I just didn't realize till now that it had to be active in order for me to transfer Avios from BA. I do have MR points I could transfer. That seems the easiest. Thanks.

Just wanted to ask one more time to be sure. Is transferring MR points to IB Plus enough to activate the account so I can transfer avios from BA? I don't want to waster the points if it doesn't do the job. Thanks.

Yes. I've done this on an IB+ account myself. Was not able to "Combine My Avios" before, could do afterwards.

Thanks again, all.

Hoping someone might be able to help me.

I have an IB+ account that's been open over 90 days and has over 1000 Avios (transferred from Accor), yet I can't combine my Avios since the option doesn't appear for me on the Avios Balance page.

From reading this post and others I expected to have met the criteria for being able to do this. Any ideas?

Can you push/pull them from the other end?

(I assume BAEC).

Just "pulled" them from Avios.com. Thanks for the idea. As usual, FT comes to the rescue when the loyalty programmes themselves don't!

Wow, this thread is exactly what I needed. I booked, yesterday, two business class trips LAX-MAD via BA Avios, paying fees of a whopping $1910.00. I then discovered last night that booking through Iberia is only $554.00 for the exact same configuration (two seats). I tried to transfer my Avios this morning and noted that the 'Combine my Avios' was not appearing. As I was on the phone with BA at the time I discovered this (while cancelling my booking!) I asked the smug representative on the other line and he stated that I needed to have a FLIGHT on Iberia to do it. Good thing I discovered this, as I immediately transferred 1000 Amex MR points to Iberia, and now just have to hope the availability stays intact for the flights we had booked.

$1910 vs $554 - SHAME on BA.

...also, Avios.com is not available to those outside the UK

It officially requires a UK address, yes. That is because it is a mass-market shopping scheme in the UK, with primarily UK only based partners.

Keep in mind you only need the Avios.com go-between if your BAEC account is in a BA Household account grouping. If just an individual BA Exec Club account on its own then IB+ account <> BAEC account direct transfers are fine.