Miles & More credit card sign-up bonus raised to 6,500 miles

As part of the 20th birthday celebrations for Lufthansa‘s Miles & More programme, the sign-up bonus on the UK Miles & More credit card has been increased (again) from 1,500 miles to 6,500 miles.

This is the second time this year that MBNA has run this promotion. This time it runs until 31st August.

The application link is here.

You receive 1,500 miles on acceptance and a further 5,000 when you spend £500 within 90 days.

This is not the best offer we have ever seen on this card. Last Autumn, for instance, they were offering 11,500 miles. However, if you had been thinking about getting the card then it is certainly an improvement.

It is issued by MBNA, who also issue the bmi, American Airlines, Etihad, Emirates and United Airlines cards in the UK. Historically, MBNA was happy to give out multiple cards – although sometimes you needed to offer to reduce your existing credit limits first. Recently they appear to have toughened up on this stance, though.

Assuming you earn Miles & More miles from elsewhere to top up your balance – since long-haul rewards are the only ones worth bothering with, given the huge taxes on short-haul – the card is not bad. The standard rate is 1.5 miles per £1 on the Amex and 0.75 miles per £1 on the MasterCard (the cards come as a pair). However, for the first 6 months you get a 33% bonus.

The other good news is that holding and using the card stops your Miles & More miles from expiring. There is also no annual fee.

MBNA has also been known to offer 15,000 Miles & More miles in targeted postal promotions – my wife applied via this route recently. If you have a Miles & More account, check that you have agreed to receive junk mail from Miles & More partners, as that will improve your chances of being targeted with similar offers in the future.

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Want to earn more points from credit cards? – April 2025 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 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 Mastercard

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

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

Get 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.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 30,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

30,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large 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:

American Express Business Platinum

50,000 points when you sign-up 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 Pro Visa

10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits Read our full review

Capital on Tap Visa

NO annual fee, NO FX fees and points worth 1 Avios per £1 Read our full review

British Airways American Express Accelerating Business

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