Finnair Plus is running a limited-time promotion on purchased Avios, with bonuses of up to 50% depending on how many you buy. The offer runs from September 21 to October 5, 2026, and while it's not the most generous promo the program has ever run, there's a wrinkle that makes it more interesting than the headline suggests.

The bonus tiers work like this: 30% on purchases of 7,000-24,000 Avios, 35% at 25,000-54,000, 40% at 55,000-89,000, and the full 50% bonus once you buy 90,000-200,000 Avios. You'll need to already hold at least 100 Avios in your Finnair Plus account to participate, though you can transfer those in from another Avios program.

The real trick is currency selection. Finnair lets you pay for Avios in different currencies, and the price varies: paying in Japanese yen works out cheapest at roughly 2.11 US cents per Avios at standard rates, versus 2.17 cents in US dollars and 2.41 cents in euros. Stack the yen pricing with the maximum 50% bonus and you land at 1.41 cents per Avios — about $4,229 for 300,000 Avios (200,000 purchased plus 100,000 bonus).

Is that worth it? On its own, not a screaming deal — the author's verdict is that it only makes sense if you have a specific redemption in mind. But there are a couple of genuinely appealing angles. Finnair Plus has an award seat guarantee, so availability tends to be reliable when booking well ahead, and fuel surcharges on its awards are relatively mild. Business class from Frankfurt to Helsinki to New York, for example, would price at 82,500 Avios one-way, with the two segments priced separately (except within Finland and Northern Europe).

The bigger play for many people: Avios transfer 1:1 between programs, so points bought through Finnair can move to British Airways Club, Iberia Club, Aer Lingus AerClub, or Qatar Airways Privilege Club. That flexibility arguably matters more than Finnair's own award chart, especially since partner redemptions through Finnair Plus itself aren't priced especially well.

One practical note on payment: purchases run through points.com, so they don't code as airfare for credit card purposes. Use a card where you're working toward a signup bonus, or one that rewards everyday spend — and since the charge may post in a foreign currency, a card earning bonus points on foreign transactions (the article flags the Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite at 3x) is a smart pick.

For points enthusiasts with a planned premium-cabin redemption — especially one on a British Airways or Qatar partner route — buying at 1.41 cents each could undercut paying cash. For everyone else, it's a perfectly skippable promo.