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UPDATE – APRIL 2024:  This article is now out of date, but don’t worry.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

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.

Keep up to date with the latest UK credit card bonuses by signing up for our free daily or weekly newsletters.

It is 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 22 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.

UK Rewards credit and charge cards

What’s changed this month?

Not much!

I was expecting to see a run of new promotions for the ‘back to school’ season ….. but nothing.

A few offers ended during August:

The bonus on the American Airlines card dropped back to 5,000 miles from 15,000 miles

The extra 5,000 Avios or other miles bonus on the HSBC Premier cards ended

The £50 Tesco gift card offer with the Tesco Premium card ended

….. but nothing has taken their place.

The refer-a-friend bonus on the Lloyds Avios Rewards credit card has also been dropped.

British Airways is still running an improved sign-up bonus on its two British Airways American Express cards.  No closing date has been given for this deal.

There is a slight tweak this time.  The Premium Plus card is back to 25,000 Avios for signing up.  The free BA Amex, however, is only up to 5,000 Avios from the usual 3,000 Avios – this is usually increased to 9,000 Avios.

I would guess that Amex is trying to encourage more people to take the Premium Plus card by widening the gap in the sign-up bonus.  Frankly, you shouldn’t get the free BA Amex if you are planning to earn the 2-4-1 Avios flight voucher – this article explains why.

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, IHG One Rewards, Tesco Clubcard

Comments (46)

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

  • Cuchlainn says:
    9 Sep9 September 05:34

    Folks,
    Big thumbs up for BAPP Amex and excellent customer service. Self-referred OH Monday 28th August ( 2nd time round for her ) at 10pm – accepted pending my approval as her supplementary – both our cards arrived on Thursday 31st August (we’re across water from UK in NI) and my 9000 referral Avios were credited to my current BAPP card on Fri 1st Sept – 1st class !!

    • mark2 says:
      9 Sep9 September 07:03

      surely that’s across the water from GB?

    • John says:
      9 Sep9 September 07:04

      Oh so you left the UK without anyone noticing…?

      My mail between GB and NI does often arrive more quickly than something sent a few miles away in London.

  • cmeyer002 says:
    9 Sep9 September 06:26

    I had taken out the Amex Rewards Gold card and quickly spent over £2k, but the 22k bonus points have not been credited. Do these credit after the 90 day period?

    • John says:
      9 Sep9 September 07:06

      No, they credit with the transaction that goes over the 2k

    • The Original Nick. says:
      9 Sep9 September 07:07

      Call American Express and they’ll tell you when the MR points are due to credit.

  • Paul says:
    9 Sep9 September 06:45

    Can I sign up for the BAPP if I currently have the regular BA Amex and receive the sign up bonus?

    • Andrew* says:
      9 Sep9 September 07:05

      No.

      • Dan says:
        9 Sep9 September 14:09

        I downgraded from Platinum Amex to Gold after getting the Platinum bonus. I then got the 20,000 Gold bonus as well, so you may get lucky as well.

    • Steve says:
      9 Sep9 September 08:29

      When I upgraded my BA Amex to the BAPP, I got an upgrade bonus of 6,000 Avios if I recall. Obviously not as good as the sign up bonus but better than nothing…

      • Polly says:
        9 Sep9 September 09:08

        Steve
        Interested in your bapp upgrade…were you charged the full fee and if you downgraded again did you get pro rata refund?

        • David says:
          9 Sep9 September 11:27

          I got the 6k too, charged full fee at time of upgrade, but didn’t get charged again at membership year start – assuming will get charged on anniversary of upgrade.

          • Polly says:
            9 Sep9 September 14:29

            That’s the answer some of us were looking for last week. Tnx for the update David.

  • Andrew M says:
    9 Sep9 September 09:21

    Is it possible to self refer myself from Platinum to Platinum Business? I suspect it’s not but it would be nice to know one way or the other.

    • Rob says:
      9 Sep9 September 11:27

      You won’t get a bonus, because you already have a Membership Rewards account. (On Plat Business, the MR account is still in the name of an individual, not the company, and as you already have an MR account you don’t get the bonus.)

      • Cate says:
        9 Sep9 September 11:47

        Hi Rob, can you get an SPG card and the 10,000 bonus if you already have MR points from a Gold Amex or do I have to transfer them out first? Either way can you give your email for a referral. Many thanks.

        • Genghis says:
          9 Sep9 September 11:55

          Yes. The SPG Amex, BAPP/BA Blue and Amex Gold/Plat are discrete products. Having one does not impact getting another (bonus anyway).

        • Rob says:
          9 Sep9 September 11:57

          rob at headforpoints.co.uk, thanks

          And, yes, you can have the card as Genghis said.

      • Mzungu says:
        11 Sep11 September 15:08

        Might be too late for this to be spotted (I notice that threads seem to go stale after about 24 hours), but:

        I have a business Gold Amex (downgraded from Plat a couple of years ago), and the MR points are separate from my personal PRGC account. Do you think this is an error? I’m wondering if I could get my personal MRs transferred to the business account when I churn the PRGC…

        • Rob says:
          11 Sep11 September 16:26

          Yes, it’s an error. Not sure about moving them across … it is more likely they merge them (irrespective of what you ask the agent to do) and you are then flagged as still having an account when you try to reopen personal Gold.

          • Mzungu says:
            11 Sep11 September 17:38

            Thanks Rob,

            Yes, I wondered if it might prevent me getting the sign-up bonus again, but if it’s not my choice to have a company card, why should they not allow me to open a new personal card with the bonus… (I guess I know the answer – and actually it IS my choice to have the business card – it’s my business!)

  • Richard G says:
    9 Sep9 September 09:42

    Oops, I completely forgot about the referral aspect when applying for my BA Amex (got it last week).

    I’m new to all of this, and apparently not very good at it!

  • Keely says:
    9 Sep9 September 10:17

    Morning I’m a newbie getting to grips with it alll. Couple of questions please if anybody has the time 🙂 Have the Lloyds avios (before the sign up was pulled) and also just got to £2k on Amex preferred rewards & just referred my husband . I will now close my Amex gold (after getting my sign up bonus) and resign up in another 6 months . But should I apply for a different card yet , or just use my lloyds mastercard to mop up any spending where I can’t use Amex? Im presuming my next thing will be the BA Amex card with the 2-4-1 voucher but I don’t want to get this card until I will have a good enough stash of points that I will be able to use it for…..though I know the £10 k will take time to earn . In the meantime i don’t think I’m missing any other quick fixes ?

  • NuneatonMark says:
    9 Sep9 September 12:32

    My wife got the BAPP Amex to get the bonus so I downgraded my BAPP to the regular BA Amex, should I now cancel my regular BA Amex so I can re-apply in 6 months to get the sign up bonus again? I have done that with the Amex Preferred Gold

  • NuneatonMark says:
    9 Sep9 September 12:32

    My wife got the BAPP Amex to get the bonus so I downgraded my BAPP to the regular BA Amex, should I now cancel my regular BA Amex so I can re-apply in 6 months to get the sign up bonus again? I have done that with the Amex Preferred Gold. Many thanks for any help.

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