In this guide

  • Our verdict
  • Details
    • Product Overview
    • Fees and charges
    • Application Requirements
  • Your reviews
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British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card review

  • Chris Lilly's headshot
British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card
4.0
★★★★★
Finder score
Representative example:
When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £300 per annum, your representative rate is 139.2% APR (variable).
Intro bonus
Up to 30,000 points
Interest-free each billing period
Up to 56 days
Minimum credit limit
£700

Our verdict

Find out how to apply, and earn Avios while you spend with this BA Amex premium credit card.
Gold Finder Awards Badge
Finder Awards 2024 highly commended
Customer Satisfaction Award

You can earn Avios points with a handful of UK credit cards, but this is the most generous of the bunch, with the biggest welcome bonus (don't forget that those bonuses tend to come with a minimum-spend string attached) and the best ongoing Avios earn-rate.

Which frequent flyer card is most suitable for you will depend on your circumstances and how you plan to use the card – with each card having its own specific features – like annual fees, interest rates, Avios earn rates, introductory bonuses etc. Try to calculate how much you'll spend on your card each month, to see whether it's worth opting for this card's little sister – thereby ditching the annual fee in return for a slightly reduced earn-rate.

Crucially, if you're likely to carry a balance from month to month, you'll almost certainly pay more in interest than you'll earn in rewards with this card.

If you're a master of persuasion, don't forget that there are tasty points rewards to be had when you sign-up a friend or family member too!

Pros

  • Earn up to 30,000 Avios points
  • Earn Avios points on day-to-day spending
  • Access to tickets with American Express Experiences
  • Applicants with low credit scores may be eligible
  • Customers report excellent customer service when dealing with American Express

Cons

  • £300 annual account fee

In this guide

  • Our verdict
  • Details
    • Product Overview
    • Fees and charges
    • Application Requirements
  • Your reviews

If you're a frequent flier with BA, then depending on how you use the card you could reap a wide range of benefits – which you'll need to weigh up against the high representative APR and an annual fee.

Details

Product Overview

Issuer American Express
Network Amex
Representative APR 139.2% APR (variable)
Annual/monthly fees £300 per annum
Loyalty scheme Avios
Incentive New Cardmembers collect 30,000 bonus Avios when you spend £6,000 in the first 3 months of your Cardmembership. T&Cs Apply, 18+, subject to status.
Incentive on opening New Cardmembers collect 30,000 bonus Avios when you spend £6,000 in the first 3 months of your Cardmembership. T&Cs Apply, 18+, subject to status.
Additional Rewards Info Spend £10,000* annually and get a travel companion voucher when redeeming Avios for a BA reward flight. T&Cs apply. *From 1 November you will need to spend £15,000 within each membership year to earn a Companion Voucher. For example, if your next anniversary date is 1 Feb 2025 you would need to either spend £10,000 by 31 October 2024 or spend £15,000 by 31 January 2025 to earn your Companion Voucher for this membership year.

Refund Protection (90 days to return, receive max £300 per item, £1K per year). Automatic enrolment to the British Airways Executive Club. Access to tickets for must-see music, theatre and film events, often before they go on sale to the general public with American Express Experiences. Global Assist - 24/7 help available when travelling outside the UK. Eligible for American Express Offers where cardmembers can choose offers from selected retailers to obtain discounts or cashback.
Purchases 30.7%
Purchases interest-free period (days) 56
Balance transfers 30.7%
Potential costs 3.1 ★★★★★
Doing its job 4.5 ★★★★★
Extras 4.5 ★★★★★
Overall Finder Score 4.0 ★★★★★

Fees and charges

Minimum monthly payment 2% or £25 (whichever is greater) or the total of any interest, default fees and charges, 1/12th of annual fee plus 2% of the outstanding balance.
Annual/monthly fees £300 per annum
Balance transfer fee 3%
Foreign usage charge (EU) 2.99%
Foreign usage charge (rest of world) 2.99%
Cash advance fee 3% (min. £3)
Late payment fee £12
Replacement card fee £0
Duplicate statement fee £2
Exceeding limit fee £0
Additional card fee £0
Dormancy fee £0

Application Requirements

Minimum Age 18
Residency UK resident and has a UK bank or building society account.
Availability Available to new customers
Louise Donohue's headshot
Case study: Louise used Avios to get business class flights to Chile

"I chose this card because of the excellent reward benefits, mostly Avios air miles. I received a welcome bonus of 50,000 Avios miles when I spent £3,000 on the card, and I received additional Avios for referring my wife, who also got the welcome reward!

We were able to pool our Avios miles to get business class flights to Chile – those lie-flat seats were a lifesaver on a 14 hour flight and we got all the perks like lounge access, etc. We had to pay tax and fees, but the cash cost of the flights was less than we would have paid in economy, so it was a great deal.

If there’s one thing you’d tell a friend who’s thinking of getting this, what would it be?

British Airways has a shopping portal where you can earn Avios points at loads of retailers just for clicking through from the shopping portal. So I check on the portal before buying anything online – combined with using my credit card to pay (which earns 1.5 Avios per £1), I can earn over 10 Avios for each pound spent."

Louise Donohue
Manchester

How does this card compare with other Avios-earning cards on the market?

Table: sorted by representative APR, promoted deals first
1 - 8 of 8
Name Product UKCCF Finder Score Finder score Max. intro bonus Earn-rate with brand Default earn-rate Annual/monthly fees Representative APR Link Incentive Representative example
British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card
4.0
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
30,000 points
3 points per £1 spent
1.5 points per £1 spent
£300 per annum
139.2% APR (variable)
Check eligibility
New Cardmembers collect 30,000 bonus Avios when you spend £6,000 in the first 3 months of your Cardmembership. T&Cs Apply, 18+, subject to status.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £300 per annum, your representative rate is 139.2% APR (variable).
British Airways American Express® Credit Card
4.0
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
5,000 points
1 point per £1 spent
1 point per £1 spent
£0
30.7% APR (variable)
Check eligibility
New Cardmembers collect 5,000 bonus Avios when you spend £2,000 in the first 3 months of your Cardmembership. T&Cs Apply, 18+, subject to status.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.7% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 30.7% APR (variable).
Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Plus Credit Card
4.0
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
15,000 points
3 points per £1 spent
1.5 points per £1 spent
£160 per annum
69.7% APR (variable)
Earn 18,000 bonus points with your first card purchase made within 90 days of account opening. Earn 1.5 Flying Club miles for every £1 spend and 3 miles for every £1 spend with Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays. Spend £10K a year on your card and choose an extra benefit - an upgrade to Premium, or a Companion ticket. Points value varies dependent on reward (min 3000pts)
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 26.9% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £160 per annum, your representative rate is 69.7% APR (variable).
Virgin Money Virgin Atlantic Reward Credit Card
3.9
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
N/A
1.5 points per £1 spent
1 point per £1.33 spent
£0
26.9% APR (variable)
Earn 3,000 bonus points with your first card purchase made within 90 days of account opening. Earn 0.75 Flying Club miles for every £1 spend and 1.5.miles for every £1 spend with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Holidays. Spend £20K a year on your card and choose an extra benefit - an upgrade to Premium, or a Companion ticket. Points value varies dependent on reward (min 3000pts)
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 26.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 26.9% APR (variable).
Barclaycard Avios Plus Card
4.0
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
25,000 points
1.5 points per £1 spent
1.5 points per £1 spent
£20 per month
80.1% APR (variable)
Earn 25,000 Avios when £3,000 spent on card over the first 3 months of opening. Earn 1.5 Avios for every £1 you spend. Spend £10,000 or more during the year and receive a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher to use on an Avios Reward Flight booking, or 7,000 bonus Avios. Avios value varies dependent on reward (min 1,000pts for flights)
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.9% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £20 per month, your representative rate is 80.1% APR (variable).
Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard
4.2
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
N/A
1% cashback
1% cashback
£15 per month
55% APR (variable)
0.5% on £1 to £15000 of yearly spend. 1% after £15001 of yearly spend. Cashback paid Anniversary into Card Account. Maximum spend for cashback purposes is limited to credit limit.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 22.94% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £15 per month, your representative rate is 55% APR (variable).
Halifax World Elite Mastercard
4.2
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
N/A
1% cashback
1% cashback
£15 per month
55% APR (variable)
0.5% on £1 to £15000 of yearly spend. 1% after £15001 of yearly spend. Cashback paid Anniversary into Card Account. Maximum spend for cashback purposes is limited to credit limit.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 22.94% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £15 per month, your representative rate is 55% APR (variable).
Barclaycard Avios Card
4.0
★★★★★
★★★★★
Expert analysis
5,000 points
1 point per £1 spent
1 point per £1 spent
£0
29.9% APR (variable)
Earn 5,000 Avios when £1,000 spent on card over the first 3 months of opening. Earn 1 Avios for every £1 you spend. Spend £20,000 or more during the year and receive a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher to use on an Avios Reward Flight booking, or 7,000 bonus Avios. Avios value varies dependent on reward (min 1,000pts for flights)
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 29.9% APR (variable).
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Repayment options

You can make manual repayments through American Express's app by logging in to your online banking or over the phone (0800 917 8020). Alternatively, you may wish to set up a direct debit.

A direct debit protects you from forgetting to make a repayment and either damaging your credit score, getting hit with a penalty fee (£12) or losing any promotional rates as a result.

You can arrange a direct debit for repayments when you apply for the credit card. The table below shows the options available.

Choose from the following direct debit options for your monthly repayments:

Minimum amount Fixed amount Fixed percentage Full amount

How to apply

First, you can use Finder's eligibility checker to find out if you'd be likely to get approved for the British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card. This won't impact your credit score. If it's good news, you can then proceed to American Express's online application, which takes 10–15 minutes to complete.

The big sister to the standard British Airways Amex card, the British Airways Premium Plus credit card boasts a bigger intro bonus and better earn rate. Of course, nothing comes for free, and you’ll need to stump up for a high annual fee in return for better rewards.

Ultimately, this is a premium card for high-spending frequent travellers, especially those who can make the most of the generous intro points bonus.

Frequently asked questions

What is a BA Amex companion voucher?

When you spend £12,000 on your BA Amex credit card or £10,000 on your BA Amex Premium Plus credit card, within a year, you could be eligible for a companion voucher.

A companion voucher allows you to receive a second seat for a companion on the same flight and cabin as you. British Airways American Express Credit Card Companion Vouchers can be redeemed in economy cabins, while British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card Companion Vouchers can be redeemed across all cabins.

From June 2022, American Express and British Airways are offering solo travellers a 50% discount on the Avios cost of the booking. Plus, more Avios and cash options when you're ready to redeem your companion voucher.

What credit limit will I get with the British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card?

If American Express is able to offer you this deal, the offer will specify a personalised credit limit based on American Express's assessment of your situation. The minimum limit offered on this card is 700 and American Express does not specify a maximum. Once you've had the card for a while and shown American Express that you're reliable, you may wish to apply for a credit limit increase.

Can I withdraw cash using the British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card?

Although it's possible, withdrawing cash from a credit card account is generally not a good idea, as "cash-like transactions" (such as withdrawing cash at an ATM, getting cashback at the till, spending at a casino or buying currency) often incur steep fees and/or higher rates of interest.

The cash advance fee on the British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card is 3% (min. £3). For example, if you withdraw £50, you'll incur a fee of £3.00. Withdraw £250, and you'll incur a fee of £7.50.

The interest rate on this part of your balance will be 30.700000000000000000000000000000 (chargeable from the day of the transaction – the card's usual "up to 56.000000000000000000000000000000 days interest-free" grace period won't apply).

How much does it cost to use the British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card abroad?

Non-sterling transactions are subject to a 2.990000000000000000000000000000 charge (which is very standard). For example, if you spend 200 euros (£173.36), it'll cost you around £5.18 in fees.

Finder credit card scores

★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor

Our experts score credit cards to determine their value against similar products on the market. We look at a number of important factors, like its suitability for its intended purpose, any perks/extras it brings to the table, plus the potential costs involved with running the card both in the short and longer term.

You can read more about our scoring criteria on our credit card methodology page.

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.

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