Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

New – higher – British Airways American Express bonuses now available

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My top article today outlines the special 20,000 Starwood points sign-up bonus that is now available again on the SPG Amex card.

At the same time, Amex will also today temporarily increase the sign-up bonus on the two British Airways cards:

The Premium Plus version, with the £150 annual fee, now offers 25,000 Avios instead of 18,000 Avios.  You must spend £3,000 within three months to receive the bonus.

British Airways Premium Plus American Express

The basic, free, card now offers 9,000 Avios instead of 3,000 Avios.  You must spend £1,000 within three months to receive the bonus.

Note that, if you are reading this first thing on Thursday morning, the higher rates may not yet be showing.  Give it a little time.

My full review of the benefits of the Premium Plus card is hereAmex’s own home page is here.

My full review of the free card is here.  This is actually the most improved deal jumping from 3,000 to 9,000 Avios.  Amex’s own home page is here.


How to earn Avios from UK credit cards

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2024)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous 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

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

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

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 Read our full review

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

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

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, along with a sign-up bonus worth 10,500 Avios.

Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa

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

You should also consider the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card. This is open to sole traders as well as limited companies and has a 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus.

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

There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

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

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.

Comments (60)

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

  • Ben says:

    What are the chances of convincing Amex to give me the new bonus. My BAPP card just arrived through the door!!

    • Rob says:

      Wait 6 weeks or so. These bonuses should be running for 2 months at least.

      • Ben says:

        Sorry, I meant that I have already got my card in hand and am just about to trigger the bonus (18,000). Is it worth me getting in touch with AMEX to ask them very nicely to give me 25,000 instead?

        • Rob says:

          Doesn’t do any harm, you won’t be the only person ringing up to complain / ask for more I’m sure.

  • Calchas says:

    This site (https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/britishair/britishairways_avios.shtml) claims the deal will expire on February 14 2014.

    Didn’t the PP card used to offer double Avios on flights booked directly with BA? No mention of that now in the marketing literature.

    • Rob says:

      It is still a benefit, at least, I am still getting it.

      • Calchas says:

        But you don’t have a new card! I would want to know whether this benefit is still offered to new card members before I signed up. It is of huge value if you can put work travel through the card—probably more than the sign up bonus is worth.

    • Rob says:

      Good spot

  • Teece says:

    Referal bonus is 26k for the applicant, 9k for the referrer.

  • Macbobscotland says:

    Hi, I know Raffles said that having a LloydsTSB duo card will not directly affect one’s chances of getting a card, basic one in my case, but, it states in the pre application page that “You will not be eligible for any Welcome Bonus award if you currently hold or have held any Avios enrolled American Express Card in the past six months”?

    • Rob says:

      That means Amex-issued Amex cards. They don’t mean the Lloyds card, trust me.

      • James67 says:

        On the application where it asks us to list other amex cards is this all amex cards or only amex issued cards? Thanks.

        • Rob says:

          Amex-issued. They don’t care about the others as it isn’t their credit at risk.

        • Luke says:

          Amex issued cards. Your Lloyds card has nothing to do with American Express other than the fact it uses their payment network..

  • AviosNewbie says:

    My wife doesn’t work at the moment, and hasn’t for the past 18 months. So can she apply as a primary cardholder to get the bonus? As Amex considers household income rather than personal income, we are easily beyond the threshold.

    I can’t cancel my card as I still have an unused 2-4-1 voucher, and even if I did now, I won’t meet the 6 months criteria.

  • Boi says:

    How did u do that?

  • Neil says:

    Bah! Doesn’t matter how many Amex cards I have/had, I never get an instant decision!

  • jude1234 says:

    I have a Gold card, will this prevent me from getting the Welcome bonus, is it considered ‘an Avios enrolled American Express Card’?

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

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