Is there a ‘secret’ 6000 Avios bonus for upgrading to BA Premium Plus?

Is Amex running a ‘secret’ upgrade bonus on the British Airways American Express cards? 

Two readers have contacted me in the last three weeks to say that they received 6,000 bonus Avios with their first purchase.  Both had rung Amex to upgrade from the free British Airways Amex to the Premium Plus version.

We know that Amex is running a 15,000 point bonus to upgrade from Gold to Platinum.  There is also a 5,000 point bonus to upgrade from Green to Gold.

However, so far, I have not heard of any ‘formal’ upgrade deal on the BA cards.  If you have received an email from American Express offering you an incentive to upgrade, please let me know.

If you want to switch from the free BA Amex to the paid card, one way is to cancel the free card, wait six months and then apply directly for the Premium Plus version.  This allows you to get the usual sign up bonus of 18,000 – 25,000 Avios.

The downside of this, though, is that you need to start again with your qualifying spend towards the 2-4-1 voucher which is issued at £10,000.  If you upgrade directly, your spend to date (and your existing Amex membership year dates) are carried forward.  If you have already spent over £10,000 on the free BA Amex, your 2-4-1 voucher will be issued instantly.

With no formal proof that this offer is running, you should not upgrade purely to get the 6,000 bonus Avios.  Neither HfP reader was told he would receive the bonus – they just turned up!  If you were thinking about it anyway, though, it is something else to weigh up in your mind.

If you want to compare the cards, my review of the free BA Amex is here and my review of the BA Premium Plus Amex is here.

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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:

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.

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:

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 12th May 2024, the Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa card is offering a bonus of 30,000 points, convertible into 30,000 Avios. You must have a Limited Company to apply. Click here to learn more and click here to apply.

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.