Barclaycard Avios Plus Card review

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Barclaycard Avios Plus Card
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).
Intro bonus
Up to 25,000 points
Balance transfer fee
0%
Interest-free each billing period
Up to 56 days

Our verdict

Fly high and earn Avios while you spend with the Barclaycard Avios Plus Credit Card.

Now that travel seems a bit sunnier as the clouds of the pandemic clear, it’s a great time for the takeoff of the new Barclaycard Avios Card and its premium sister the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card. With the opportunity to earn Avios on your day-to-day spending, Barclaycard’s newest credit product is aimed at those who love to travel.

The Barclaycard Avios Plus credit card is a great rewards option for those who are willing to shell out a fee of .

As the premium version of this card’s little sister, you can earn Avios at a rate of spent and also enjoy the exclusive welcome bonus of Avios.

Compared to this card’s American Express competitor, the British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card, you could get double the Avios (per £1 spent) if you are in the position to commit to a sky-high annual fee.

However, if you’re not in the position for the high interest rates or annual fee of the Barclaycard Avios Plus Credit Card, this card’s little sister offers a reduced interest rate and no annual fee in exchange for a lesser Avios earn rate.

If you are looking for rewards cards that specifically dabble in Avios, there are plenty of providers that offer this or the option to exchange points for Avios. It is always wise to weigh up your options before taking flight.

Pros

  • Earn Avios on your day-to-day spending.
  • Generous introductory bonus.
  • Up to 56 days interest free.
  • Cabin upgrade voucher when you spend £10,000 within 12 months.
  • Customers report excellent customer service when dealing with Barclaycard.
  • You can use Mastercard almost everywhere, both in the UK and overseas.

Cons

  • £20 per month account fee.
  • Minimum annual income requirement of £20000.
  • You may be offered an opening credit limit as low as £50.
  • Introductory bonus limited to new Barclaycard members.
  • This card carries a 2.99% (min. £2.99) foreign usage charge.

In this guide

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

Barclaycard has introduced 2 new challenger cards to the rewards credit card market. Find out more.

Details

Product Overview

Issuer Barclaycard
Network Mastercard
Representative APR 80.1%
Annual/monthly fees £20 per month
Balance transfers 29.9%
Balance transfer fee 0%
Purchases 29.9%
Purchases interest-free period Up to 56 days
Cash advances 29.9%
Minimum credit limit £50
Maximum credit limit Subject to status
Additional cards available 4
Incentive
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)
Lounge access Access over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. £18.50 per lounge pass, per person.
Additional Rewards Info Buy tickets for up to 3500 selected live events through Barclaycard entertainment and get 5% off tickets per year and exclusive pre-sale tickets on selected festivals with 10% off ticket prices. Save 10% on food and drink at all UK 02 Academy venues.
Potential costs 5.6Standard
Extras 9Excellent
Overall Finder Score 9.1Excellent

Fees and charges

Annual/monthly fees £20 per month
Balance transfer fee 0%
Foreign usage charge (EU) 2.99%
Foreign usage charge (rest of world) 2.99%
Cash advance fee 2.99% (min. £2.99)
Late payment fee £12
Duplicate statement fee £0
Exceeding limit fee £0
Additional card fee £0
Replacement card fee £0
Dormancy fee £0

Application Requirements

Minimum Age 21
Availability Available to new customers

The Barclaycard Avios Plus Card is issued on the Mastercard network, so it's accepted at more than 50 million merchant locations across more than 210 countries and territories.

How does it compare with rival American Express?

1 - 5 of 196
Product Max. intro bonus Default earn-rate Additional cards available Annual/monthly fees Additional rewards
10,000 points
1 point per £1 spent
£299
Earn 10,000 bonus points when you spend £5,000 in your first 3 months. Terms apply.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 35.60% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 111.92% APR (variable).
Go to site
£2,000
1% cashback
£0
Earn 2% cashback up to £2000 for 6 months, 1% after that. T&Cs apply.
Representative Example: The standard interest rate on purchases is 34.9% pa. (variable), so if you borrow £1,200 the Representative APR will be 34.9% APR (variable)
Go to site
N/A
N/A
Subject to plan

Go to site
Barclaycard Avios Plus Card image
25,000 points
1.5 points per £1 spent
4
£20 per month
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).
British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card image
30,000 points
1.5 points per £1 spent
1
£300 per annum
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 30.0% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £300 per annum, your representative rate is 137.8% APR (variable).
Check eligibility
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1 - 5 of 196
Product Finder Score Purchases Balance transfers Annual/monthly fees Representative APR Key benefit Representative example
Finder score
35.6%
N/A
£299
111.92% APR (variable)
Earn 10,000 bonus points when you spend £5,000 in your first 3 months. Terms apply.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 35.60% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 111.92% APR (variable).
Go to siteCard details
Finder score
34.9%
N/A
£0
34.9% APR (variable)
Earn 2% cashback up to £2000 for 6 months, 1% after that. T&Cs apply.
Representative Example: The standard interest rate on purchases is 34.9% pa. (variable), so if you borrow £1,200 the Representative APR will be 34.9% APR (variable)
Go to siteCard details
Finder score
N/A (this product is a charge card).
N/A
Subject to plan
N/A (this product is a charge card).
Go to siteCard details
Barclaycard Avios Plus Card image
Finder score
29.9%
29.9%
(0% fee)
£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).
Card details
British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card image
Finder score
30.0%
30.0%
(3% fee)
£300 per annum
137.8% APR (variable)
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 30.0% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £300 per annum, your representative rate is 137.8% APR (variable).
Check eligibilityCard details
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Finder Score for credit cards

To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, perks and suitability across 120+ cards are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the card – simple.

Read the full methodology

Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.

Repayment options

You can make manual repayments through Barclaycard's app by logging in to your online banking or over the phone (0800 151 0900). 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 for this Barclaycard

If you've compared cards and settled on the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card, completing the secure online application form takes about 15 minutes. Before you apply, check that you meet the eligibility requirements and have the information and documents you'll need to make the process as straightforward as possible.

Bottom line

As the premium version of the Barclaycard Avios Card, you can expect some sky-high benefits when opting to apply for this rewards credit card and Barclaycard doesn’t disappoint. With the welcome bonus alone you could enjoy an economy return flight from London to Barcelona (granted you meet the spending criteria). But if the card’s high interest rate or annual fee is a cause for delay, you could always opt for its little sister. Remember, like all rewards cards, unless you pay your balance in full each month, you won’t be seeing much payback, especially with that high interest rate.

How does it compare?

Barclaycard's card

1 - 1 of 1
Product Finder Score Max. intro bonus Earn-rate with brand Default earn-rate Annual/monthly fees Representative APR Incentive Representative example
Barclaycard Avios Plus Card image
Finder score
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).
loading

Finder Score for credit cards

To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, perks and suitability across 120+ cards are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the card – simple.

Read the full methodology

Other popular reward cards

Table: sorted by representative APR, promoted deals first
1 - 4 of 40
Product Finder Score Max. intro bonus Earn-rate with brand Default earn-rate Annual/monthly fees Representative APR Incentive Representative example
Finder score
80,000 points
2 points per £1 spent
1 point per £1 spent
£650 per annum
694.9% APR (variable)
New Cardmembers earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points when you spend £10,000 in your first 6 months of Cardmembership. Terms Apply. Ends 27 May 2025. 18+, subject to status.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 30.0% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £650 per annum, your representative rate is 694.9% APR (variable).
Check eligibility
Finder score
10,000 points
25 points per £1 spent
5 points per £1 spent
1 month for £0, £15 per month thereafter
66.3% APR (variable)
First month free for new members, £15 p/m thereafter. Plus, 10,000 bonus points. Earn 5 points per £1 spent and up to 25 points per £1 at selected partners. Membership includes worldwide travel insurance, no FX fees and use your points towards any flight.
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.64% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £15 per month, your representative rate is 66.3% APR (variable).
Check eligibility
HSBC Premier World Elite Credit Card image
Finder score
40,000 points
2 points per £1 spent
2 points per £1 spent
£290 per annum
100.2% APR (variable)
2 points for every £1 spend in the UK. 4 points for every £1 spend outside the UK. 40,000 Anniversary Points Boost - qualifying spend £12K in 12 months from account opening. Points can be redeemed for airline frequent flyer miles, retail vouchers from selected stores and luxury wines and champagnes or can be used to make donations made to the charity of the customer's choice. 1 point = 1p (no min)
Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.9% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £290 per annum, your representative rate is 100.2% APR (variable).
British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card image
Finder score
30,000 points
3 points per £1 spent
1.5 points per £1 spent
£300 per annum
137.8% APR (variable)
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 30.0% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £300 per annum, your representative rate is 137.8% APR (variable).
Check eligibility
loading
...

Finder Score for credit cards

To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, perks and suitability across 120+ cards are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the card – simple.

Read the full methodology

Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.

Frequently asked questions

What credit limit will I get with the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card?

If Barclaycard offers you this deal, it will specify a personalised credit limit based on Barclaycard's assessment of your situation. The minimum limit offered on this card is £50, and Barclaycard does not specify a maximum. Once you've had the card for a while and shown Barclaycard you're reliable, you may wish to apply for a credit limit increase.

Can I withdraw cash using the Barclaycard Avios 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 Barclaycard Avios Plus Card is 2.99% (min. £2.99). For example, if you withdraw £50, you'll incur a fee of £2.99. Withdraw £250 and you'll incur a fee of £7.48.

The interest rate on this part of your balance will be 29.9% (chargeable from the day of the transaction – the card's usual "up to 56 days interest-free" grace period won't apply).

How much does it cost to use the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card abroad?

Non-sterling transactions are subject to a 2.99% charge (which is very standard). For example, if you spend 200 euros (£170.05), it'll cost you around £5.08 in fees.

What is the minimum payment on the Barclaycard Avios Plus Card?

Each month, you must pay at least 1% of your balance at that point or £5.00 – whichever of the 2 figures is greater. So if you had, say, £450.00 outstanding, you'd pay £5.00, and if you had £2,000.00 outstanding, you'd pay £20.00.

Paying only the minimum required amount each month is generally not advisable as it tends to be a very expensive way to borrow money, which can lead to persistent debt.

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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