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.
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!
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.
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 ★★★★★ |
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 |
Minimum Age | 18 |
Residency | UK resident and has a UK bank or building society account. |
Availability | Available to new customers |
"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."
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.
Minimum amount | Fixed amount | Fixed percentage | Full amount |
---|---|---|---|
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.