© 2019 Elsevier Ltd We developed an environmentally friendly method for aerobic oxidation of alcohols using a commercially available, relatively benign bismuth salt as a catalyst. We found that the catalytic combination of BiBr3 with nitric acid is key for enhancing the reactivity. The reaction proceeds well under air, making the use of pure oxygen unnecessary. Each of the primary or secondary alcohols tested was oxidized to the corresponding aldehydes or ketones using this protocol.