Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

Changes to the lesser-spotted TSB Avios and TSB Premier Avios credit cards

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New HfP readers may not know that TSB used to issue two Avios credit cards.

When TSB separated from Lloyds, part of the divorce proceedings involved custody of the Avios contract.  TSB ended up retaining the right to issue an Avios credit card, but it was weaker than the Lloyds Avios Rewards card.  Unsurprisingly, it was pulled from the market soon after.

Existing cardholders have retained their cards.  However, with American Express pulling all of its licensing deals, the American Express element of the TSB Avios package is ending on 27th September.

In addition, the TSB Premier Avios credit card – which offered a companion voucher – is being closed completely from the same date. 

Going forward:

TSB Avios credit card holders will only have a Mastercard product, not an Amex

Premier card holders will be moved to the standard card

The earning rate will be a poor 0.2 Avios per £1 on UK spend and the slightly better – albeit with a 3% FX fee – 0.4 Avios per £1 on overseas spend

TSB Avios credit card changes

What is the best alternative to the TSB Avios credit card?

If you still have the TSB Avios credit cards, I recommend you switch to the Tesco Clubcard Mastercard (representative APR 18.9% variable).

The earning rate on this card isn’t great either, but it is the best Avios Visa or Mastercard available unless you are wealthy enough to qualify for HSBC Premier.  You earn 1 Clubcard point (2.4 Avios) per £8 spent – calculated on a ‘per transaction’ basis, so small transactions are penalised.  You are still likely to come out ahead on UK spending.

There is currently a sign-up bonus of 1,000 Clubcard points (2,400 Avios) on one specific version of the Tesco Clubcard Mastercard – see here for details.  There is no annual fee.

If you are happy to walk away from Avios, you can’t beat the new Virgin Atlantic Mastercard.  The free card has a 5,000 mile bonus and offers a whopping 0.75 miles per £1 – almost 4x what the TSB Avios card earns.  The annual fee card has a 15,000 mile bonus and offers 1.5 miles per £1.

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

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:

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

British Airways and Avios

Comments (151)

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

  • Rob says:
    25 Jul25 July 12:10

    I’m having issues getting approved by Virgin Atlantic for a card.

    They sent me a letter yesterday 10 days after application asking for proof of ID and a bill.. That’s fine.

    They also asked for proof of income.

    I’m self employed and have been for a few months, earning decent money but they want a SA302, which I don’t have yet.

    Any suggestions?

    • Mr Dee says:
      25 Jul25 July 12:29

      send bank statements or anything that shows income and any other credit card bills perhaps with a letter.

  • Catalan says:
    25 Jul25 July 12:45

    O/T – AmeX Reward Points
    Do Amex ever do transfer bonuses to airlines in their reward schemes? (Similar to Heathrow Rewards). ie is there any point in waiting before transferring reward points to BA Exec Club or Virgin FC etc?

    • Rob says:
      25 Jul25 July 12:53

      They used to, but stopped 3-4 years ago. Airline miles cost Amex twice as much as gift card redemptions or statement credit so they decided to stop encouraging them! They still exist outside the UK.

      • Genghis says:
        25 Jul25 July 12:55

        Equally, I’d rather keep points in convertible currencies for as long as possible as I may change my mind.

      • BJ says:
        25 Jul25 July 13:01

        Wasn’t there one to FlyingBlue recently?

        • Rob says:
          25 Jul25 July 13:06

          The airlines can arrange their own – Amex can’t stop them adding a bonus onto inward transfers. Etihad does this. Amex won’t publicise it though.

        • BJ says:
          25 Jul25 July 13:35

          Cheers, makes sense, I think it was an AF email where I saw it,

      • Catalan says:
        25 Jul25 July 13:29

        Ok thanks Rob (and others). Good to know

  • TM says:
    25 Jul25 July 13:05

    OT – I applied for the upgrade from Gold to Plat as I have an upcoming trip it will be useful for. I forgot about the spend £15k 10k MR bonus – I was around £4K off this. Will I lose this bonus?

  • vlcnc says:
    25 Jul25 July 13:16

    OT: Posted this in the older bits by mistake but wondered – Does anyone have their MBNA Horizon Card yet? I was actually hoping to use it while we were visiting Granada, Cordóba and Seville from which we have come back now but has been still no sign of it so far…

    • Rob says:
      25 Jul25 July 13:29

      You don’t need it. Your existing card IS a Horizon from the switch date.

      • vlcnc says:
        25 Jul25 July 14:19

        Ah I see! This would have been helpful to know beforehand… oh well!

        • roberto says:
          25 Jul25 July 14:36

          I have my Horizon card..
          I did read ( but cant find it now ) that someone used their old black card overseas after the change over and was charged the 3% FX fee.

    • Catalan says:
      25 Jul25 July 14:12

      Received my physical card on Monday

    • David says:
      25 Jul25 July 16:53

      I spoke to MBNA on Friday and the Customer Services rep said cards had started to go out and the plan was for them all to be sent by 4 August.

      • Leo says:
        26 Jul26 July 00:39

        +1. spoke to MBNA about another matter and they told me the Horizon card had been “ordered” and gave me the new card number – told to expect it it in about a week.

    • the_real_a says:
      26 Jul26 July 20:05

      Yes I’ve had mine for a couple of weeks. Just busy reducing my credit limit with MBNA as my credit file needs a little tidy up.

  • S879 says:
    25 Jul25 July 14:11

    OT: Has anyone flown a Jet Blue flight (operated by Emirates due to code share). Somehow it doesn’t show as booksble on Jet Blue’s website. Dubai as a destination is not even picked up by the system although they do advertise Emirates as a code share partner and I can see flights are being operated. How do I go about booking it though?

  • AndyW says:
    25 Jul25 July 14:49

    OT but hopefully useful for some. Domes of Elounda 2019 reward availability has appeared on the Marriott website, I know a few people have been looking to book. I have got in for a 2019 booking before it gets significantly more expensive.

    • Jonny says:
      25 Jul25 July 15:21

      Just got my booking in. Its appearing in my Marriott app but haven’t received email confirmation yet – have you? Also managed to bag 4x BA reward flights for £120.

      • AndyW says:
        25 Jul25 July 15:54

        I got two actually, one form Autograph, one Marriott rewards. Was on the phone a long time though so that maybe gave them a chance to get through.

    • New Card says:
      25 Jul25 July 18:03

      Thanks!!!

  • Nate1309 says:
    25 Jul25 July 14:51

    OT how long from the £10k BAPP spend does the voucher appear in BAEC? TIA

  • Boi says:
    25 Jul25 July 15:08

    OT:
    Is there a way I can get Hilton Mauritius to price in £ rather than €?
    I am relying on platinum insurance and my understanding is the hotel needs to be booked with Amex too?
    So annoying coz otherwise I will have paid with Lloyd’s to avoid 3% fx fees.

    • Rob says:
      25 Jul25 July 16:38

      It doesn’t have to be all booked on Amex – all that happens is you invalidate the hotel related parts. If your flight is delayed and you booked that you still get the £200 (AFAIK).

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