Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

HfP ‘Credit Cards’ page updated for February 2017 – what are the best deals this month?

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UPDATE – APRIL 2024:  This article is now out of date, but don’t worry.  We produce a monthly directory of the top UK travel credit card offers – please click HERE or use the ‘Credit Cards’ menu above.  Thank you.

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It’s time for our monthly round up of what is coming and what is going in the world of UK airline and hotel credit card sign-up deals.

Our updated directory of all 23 UK travel credit cards can be found by clicking the ‘Credit Cards’ tab at the top of the site or – for email, Flipboard, Apple News or mobile readers – by clicking here.  This article is a summary of the recent changes, and will hopefully be a useful starting point for new readers.

What’s changed this month?

This week is ‘all change’ with the British Airways and Virgin Atlantic cards.

In theory, the special offers on the two British Airways cards are available until midnight tonight (8th February) but may well be pulled early.

The free British Airways card is offering 9,000 Avios instead of the usual 3,000 Avios (representative APR 22.9% variable)

The British Airways Premium Plus card is offering 25,000 Avios instead of the usual 18,000 Avios (representative APR 76.0% variable)

The two Virgin Atlantic cards have increased their bonuses.  This is an interesting tactical move, knowing that the BA offer was going to be reduced.  More details on those below.

The special offer of 1,000 Clubcard points (2,400 Avios) for getting the free Tesco Clubcard Mastercard was withdrawn during January.


Want to earn more points from credit cards? – April 2024 update

If you are looking to apply for a new credit card, here are our top recommendations based on the current sign-up bonuses.

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus card

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard

Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios card

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review

You can see our full directory of all UK cards which earn airline or hotel points here. Here are the best of the other deals currently available.

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard

18,000 bonus points and 1.5 points for every £1 you spend Read our full review

Earning miles and points from small business cards

If you are a sole trader or run a small company, you may also want to check out these offers:

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa

Huge 30,000 points bonus until 12th May 2024 Read our full review

For a non-American Express option, we also recommend the Barclaycard Select Cashback card for sole traders and small businesses. It is FREE and you receive 1% cashback on your spending.

Barclaycard Select Cashback Business Credit Card

1% cashback uncapped* on all your business spending (T&C apply) Read our full review

Comments (64)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • JCB says:

    As a heads up, Qatar are loading some companion fares this morning. Bookable until 14th Feb.

    • jamie says:

      some stonking deals out of helsinki as usual…cheers for the heads up jcb

      rob will u be doing your usual article?

      cheers

  • John says:

    OT:

    The 3,000 Avios for a £150 Heathrow Rewards spend … just been informed that ANY Travelex purchase does not qualify. Spoke with both HR Rewards (based in Lviv in Ukraine!) and an Escalations manager.

    Complaint lodged as the terms are VERY misleading.

    If anyone has been credited the 3,000 on a currency spend, please post the details.

    • the real harry1 says:

      yeah well the people who email them don’t exactly help the project….bit obvious

  • Gareth says:

    Do upgrades from gold to plantinum provide a set bonus? I can’t locate a specific anywhere or is it agent specific? Thanks

  • David says:

    Not trying to be a pedant, but might be worth clarifying for anyone very new, when you say: “What are the best travel credit card sign-up deals this month?” – we are talking about credit cards to earn travel rewards, not credit cards to use when travelling. That being a very different question!

  • Graeme says:

    Aren’t we due an SPG Amex bonus increase at some point soon?

    • Genghis says:

      I don’t see one coming

      • Gavin says:

        Me neither but I think I will take one out anyway later this year, as it’s the only way to top up my Aegean account now I’m no longer flying to Cyprus ever other week.

      • Rob says:

        Would be very surprised unless Amex has pre-bought a pile of SPG points! SPG dies at Christmas remember.

  • TripleB says:

    I threw caution into the wind and applied for my third new credit card in a little under 5 months (risky I know) – the Virgin Atlantic white card. I don’t collect VS miles (indeed I had to sign up to be a VS flying club member today) but an extra 15000 Hilton points will be very useful indeed. Was accepted immediately with a £2000 limit. My council tax is due next month – so hitting the £1000 spend to trigger the bonus won’t be an issue. Thankyou.

    • Genghis says:

      Bear in mind that most councils charge for paying CT online, it seems, but you can generally use Paypoint at a Co-Op who will process the payment on the Amex (for more points anyway)

      3 credit cards in five months is nae bother

      • TripleB says:

        My council charges a flat 3 quid for an online payment – admittedly visa/mastercard only – I’m fine with this – it’s a no mess/no fuss option (even if it results in a slightly lower point haul)

  • Roger says:

    Would post office take Amex for CT payment?
    My council would take Payzone not Paypoint.

  • Alex W says:

    Sorry OT. Can someone please remind me when Avios should hit my account with the Lloyds credit card. I had my first statement at the weekend. Cheers.

    • pauldb says:

      It should be very swift, a day or two. Do avios.com and lloyds have the same email address for you? Were you referred and if so has the bonus hit?

      • Liz says:

        There is a known issue with points transferring from Lloyds to Avios – some people have waited months – we are at 2.5 mths so far but have now been told they are working on the fix and backlog and we should get them by 12 weeks. Suggest you phone them to register the problem then keep ringing at each statement till you get them.

      • Alex W says:

        Hmm, yes the “wife” referred me and I purposely used a different email address since I previously held the Premier card. Maybe this was an error! No bonus or any Avios received from Lloyds yet.

        • TGLoyalty says:

          Sometimes when they don’t match your email they go to a new account. Worth contacting Avios.com live chat to see if they can locate the other account

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