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‘Credit Cards’ page updated for May 2016 – 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UPDATE – APRIL 2024:  This article is now out of date, but don’t worry.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.

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.

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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 directory of all 25 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.

What’s new?

Still not much ….

MBNA, with one exception, continues to hold back on special offers, presumably until it can work out how it will operate under the new EU interchange fee rules.

The IHG Rewards Club credit cards and the Marriott Rewards credit cards both remain suspended for new applications.  I hope to have some IHG news for you soon but Marriott remains a mystery.

The big news of last month was American Express increasing the fee on the British Airways Premium Club card from £150 to £195.   This was blamed on the new EU regulations, although arguably a hike was overdue as the fee has remained unchanged for over 10 years.

There are only two special deals running at present:

Until 15th June, the bonus on the two British Airways credit cards is increased

Until 31st May, the bonus on the two Virgin Atlantic credit cards is increased

More on these deals below.

UK Rewards credit and charge cards

What are the best travel credit card deals at the moment?

If you are looking to apply for a new credit or charge card, here are my top recommendations based on the current sign-up bonus. The BA, Virgin and Tesco offers are special deals whilst the Amex and Hilton cards are consistently strong offers.

These deals are listed in no particular order and their position on the list is not a sign of how good or bad the offer is.

British Airways American Express

Until 15th June, the bonus on this free card increased from 3,000 Avios to 9,000 Avios.  My full review of the card is here.  Representative APR 22.9% variable.

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

Until 15th June, the bonus is increased from 18,000 Avios to 25,000 Avios.  Note that the annual fee recently increased from £150 to £195.  I wrote a full review of the card here.  Representative APR 76.0% variable including £195 fee based on a notional £1200 credit limit.

American Express Platinum

The sign-up bonus on this card is 30,000 American Express Membership Rewards points.

Your points can be transferred into various airline and hotel programmes.  You could get 30,000 Avios, 30,000 Virgin miles, 60,000 Hilton points, 90,000 Carlson points, 2,000 Eurostar Frequent Traveller points etc etc.

You receive a pro-rata refund on the £450 fee when you cancel the card and you will retain most of the benefits – Starwood Gold, Carlson Gold, Hilton Gold, Melia Gold and Shangri-La Jade – for the rest of the year even after you cancel. The Amex Platinum benefits package is extensive, though, and once you’ve got it you might find the numbers add up for you. I have had one for 15 years.

My full review of the Amex Platinum card is here – this also includes details of the additional refer a friend bonus. Amex’s own home page is here.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

This is currently an outstanding deal which is showing no signs of going away. You pay no fee for the first year and earn 20,000 Membership Rewards points (see here for what 20,000 MR points can get you – 20,000 Avios points for a start).

If you are new to this hobby, I would make this your first American Express card.  One benefit of earning American Express points is that you only need to transfer them to an airline or hotel scheme when you are ready to redeem – there is no risk of being caught out by devaluations!

My full review of Amex Gold is here. The Amex home page is here.

Virgin Atlantic White and Black American Express and Visa

Until 31st May, the sign-up bonus on the free Virgin White card is more than tripled to 10,000 miles.  The bonus on the £140 Black card is increased from 18,500 to 25,000 miles.  I reviewed the Virgin Black card here and the Virgin White card here.  Representative APR 22.9% variable (White), 57.4% variable including fee based on a £1200 credit limit (Black).

As I wrote yesterday, you can convert Virgin Flying Club miles into Hilton HHonors points or IHG Rewards Club points.  This may be a reason for getting a card even if you have no interest in Virgin miles.

Tesco Clubcard Mastercard

This card is less useful than it was following the halving of the earning rate last December.  However, it remains the most generous non-Amex card unless you meet the strict criteria for HSBC Premier.

Some comparison sites are currently offering a 1,000 point bonus with this card as I wrote here.  My full review of the Tesco Clubcard Mastercard credit card can be found here.  The representative APR is 18.9% variable.

Hilton HHonors Platinum Visa

You receive a free night in any Hilton Group property for spending £750 on this card. That could be worth £250 if spent wisely at a Conrad or Waldorf-Astoria branded property. My full review of the UK Hilton credit card is here. The home page is here.

This remains my favourite promotion for someone new to this hobby. The card is free, you only need to spend a modest amount to trigger the bonus, and you can enjoy a free night in a luxury hotel afterwards (if you pick a decent one!). It will whet your appetite for what miles and points can bring you. The representative APR is 18.9% variable.

Note that Barclays is now only allowing you to earn the free night once, even if you reapply for the card in the future.  Use your voucher wisely!  Remember too that it is only valid for six months.

Bonus on small business cards

Head for Points focusses primarily on personal cards. However, if you are a sole trader or run a very small business, you may also want to check out the American Express Platinum Business Card and the American Express Gold Business Card. There is currently a 20,000 points (= 20,000 Avios) bonus on the Gold Business card and a 40,000 points (40,000 Avios) bonus on the Platinum Business card.

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

15,000 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:

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.

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

Category

American Express Gold card, American Express Platinum card, British Airways American Express, Hilton Honors, Tesco Clubcard, Virgin Atlantic and Flying Club

Comments (55)

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

  • Sohan says:
    6 May6 May 07:07

    What impact would Brexit have?

    • Guesswho2000 says:
      6 May6 May 07:39

      On what? EU interchange caps? Presumably nothing, since they’ve already been implemented.

    • Dave says:
      6 May6 May 08:32

      What impact will brexit have on the fixed price BA redemption fees more to the point?

  • Imbruce says:
    6 May6 May 07:22

    Does anyone know how long after you ask Amex Platinum Services to join you up to the
    hotel programmes to do you get your new status cards? Also if you have existing membership
    do they upgrade you? It’s been over 3 weeks since I applied and have not heard anything.
    Thanks

    • Genghis says:
      6 May6 May 07:29

      The first usually arrives within a week or so. Perhaps worth chasing

      • Rob says:
        6 May6 May 09:08

        If you have an existing membership – and you should ALWAYS join yourself so you know the number and password, rather than letting Amex open an account – it is usually quick. I have heard reports about Shangri-La being slow but I haven’t claimed my status yet.

    • Adrian says:
      6 May6 May 11:23

      My wife had her new card last week and so far Hilton, SPG and Melia have all been set up (all from scratch by Amex as we always travel together so she has never had her own hotel schemes) still waiting for any others. Delighted to get Hilton gold until march 2018!

    • Nick M says:
      6 May6 May 13:35

      Where is the link to sign up for status? – I upgraded from Gold yesterday and want to start the ball rolling asap…! – It has been updated online but I can’t see any obvious links

  • Tom H says:
    6 May6 May 07:28

    Can you cancel the Hilton visa and retain the voucher?

    • Genghis says:
      6 May6 May 07:54

      Not sure. I’ve just got the voucher myself but not sure why you’d cancel the card straight away. Cannot churn for another voucher, IHG card currently closed for new applications and keeping the card increases overall credit thereby lowering credit utilisation.

    • Alan says:
      6 May6 May 08:05

      Yep, no issue with this – voucher is on your HHonors account.

  • Kipto says:
    6 May6 May 07:31

    Might be worth editing the Hilton Honors Visa card article to say that you can only use the voucher once as barclaycard have changed the rules so that although churning of the card is allowed, the free night voucher is only available for first time users.

    • Fenny says:
      6 May6 May 08:31

      I had the Hilton card when it was still issued by the previous supplier (can’t remember who). I got my free night voucher before they switched to Barclaycard. Any chance I could reapply and get a voucher via Barclaycard?

      • Rob says:
        6 May6 May 09:09

        Yes, you’ll be fine – unless you have another Barclays card.

        • Fenny says:
          6 May6 May 17:32

          Excellent. No other BCs at the moment. When I cancel assorted other cards later in the year, I’ll get the Hilton card again. Just got my HH Platinum renewal for another 12 months, so they’ll go together nicely.

    • Rob says:
      6 May6 May 09:09

      Kipto – done.

  • Scottydogg says:
    6 May6 May 09:35

    Just wondering , can the free Hilton Room voucher be redeemed for a family room ? ie 2 adults 2 kids ?

    • Rob says:
      6 May6 May 09:41

      You get a standard redemption room, which is usually the cheapest (and occasionally second-cheapest) cash room. Sometimes these can sleep 4, sometimes not. In big cities where rooms are smaller the answer is usually ‘not’. That said, it is possible.

      I did a test for 15 October in London. Of the 42 Hilton hotels, 2 offered a standard reward room for 4 ( Canary Wharf and Gatwick). 15 had a standard reward room for 3 people, including Park Lane.

  • Neil says:
    6 May6 May 09:52

    Mulling taking out the Virgin Options to start building some miles there… How likely do folk think it is that the 31k Black Bonus will return?

  • Jonathan says:
    6 May6 May 10:14

    Has anyone tried the Amex Gold to Platinum upgrade? https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/content/upgrade-to-platinum/ I’ve filled the form in numerous times over the past week but get an Error with nothing listed on the submission page every time?

    Also, if I cancel my BA premium card will I get a pro-rated refund or is it non-refundable like MBNA?

    • Genghis says:
      6 May6 May 10:50

      I used the form about 2 months ago and it worked OK then. Try a different browser? Yes – pro-rata refund with BAPP.

    • Adrian says:
      6 May6 May 11:31

      Yes, my wife upgraded last week, no issues, using internet explorer, instant response and cards arrived 2 days later, very impressive. This is a stupid thing to say but she really likes the luggage labels!
      Rob/guys after you hit the £1k spend does it really take up to 60 days for the 20k avios to post? The other cards in the past have been fairly instantaneous. I’m curious as like most people we’ll be looking to cancel straight after these post, for the pro rata refund, thank you Adrian

      • Jonny says:
        6 May6 May 11:51

        i found it was instantaneous (i.e. posting at the same time as the transaction that took me over £1k)

        • Genghis says:
          6 May6 May 12:37

          The transactions hit the rolling statement a day or two after purchase and then post to the MR statement a day or two later (thereby triggering the bonus)

      • Nick M says:
        6 May6 May 13:40

        Did it take a while for the MR balance to come across from the Gold account? – I upgraded yesterday and it is showing online, but my MR balance seems to have disappeared! – I assume it is in the background somewhere, but would prefer to be able to see it as I want to start making a few transfers out soon

        • Adrian says:
          6 May6 May 14:51

          She transferred out her MR points before upgrading as we weren’t sure what would happen to them!

          • Tom H says:
            6 May6 May 15:18

            Mine posted straight after hitting 1k spend, any one have any experience with downgrading then upgrading again after a few months? I remember someone saying they had managed to do it after a few months rather than cancelling altogether and loosing the MR account?

    • James67 says:
      6 May6 May 13:49

      Is there a closing date for this offer?

      • Rob says:
        6 May6 May 15:23

        It isn’t meant to be publicly shared so could go at any time, Amex just takes the page down.

        • James67 says:
          6 May6 May 16:19

          Thanks Rob, best time for me would be end of June. Probably long gone by then but I could always raise it as an issue when cancelling PRG.

  • Alexey says:
    6 May6 May 11:57

    Have been trying to register for SPG gold via Amex plat ( as new member , I used to have SPG account before but looks like it got closed for no activity) , have already tried twice in the last 4 months – every time application accepted , but nothing happens after … who should I contact ? Amex or SPG for that ?

    • Peter K says:
      6 May6 May 12:18

      I’d go for AMEX. I recently rang about Accor Plat (still waiting after 5 weeks) and they got in touch with their dedicated team that deals with this who told me all was working through as normal. If it needs chasing then I’m sure Amex will do it for you.

      ( I’ve got my SPG but Accor dragging their feet it seems).

    • Rob says:
      6 May6 May 15:24

      NEVER let them open an account. They will have opened an account for you but they don’t bother telling you the number. Always open an account first and get that one upgraded.

      • Genghis says:
        6 May6 May 15:43

        Slightly OT but Amex opened a Eurostar Frequent Traveller account for me and I was told the last few digits of the account number. I called up Amex to ask for the full number and was told that it was policy not to give out such numbers. I instead sent a secure message and got the number that way (I guess it must be OK to give out the numbers if you work at the offshore service centre).

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