Get 5% cashback on your BA spend with various non-Avios non-Amex credit cards!

Arguably the last place you would expect to see a cashback offer for British Airways and BA Holidays is on non-Avios Visa or Mastercard credit cards, but one has turned up!

It isn’t crazily generous but for most people it will be worth moving spend away from a British Airways American Express card.

You are looking for an offer like this (the MBNA version is pictured):

You will need to opt-in.

We have reports of it appearing on cards from MBNA, Lloyds, Halifax and Curve.

Here are the terms, which are the same for both offers:

• receive 5% cashback on direct spend with British Airways or BA Holidays

• spending must be made by 18th December

• cashback is capped at £30

• you only receive cashback on one transaction

Should you move spend from your British Airways American Express?

The free BA American Express card earns 1 Avios per £1 of BA or BA Holidays spend. Unless you are spending £3,000+ it is worth putting a booking on your Lloyds / MBNA card instead, assuming you value an Avios at 1p.

The paid-for BA American Express Premium Plus card earns 3 Avios per £1 of BA or BA Holidays spend, because you earn double Avios on BA transactions. This means that the break-even point is nearer to £1,000 because of the £30 cap on the cashback – spend more than £1,000 and you should stick with your Amex.

The sweet spot is a transaction of around £500-£600 which maximises the cashback (5% of £600 is £30 which is the most you can receive) whilst minimising the lost Avios from not using a British Airways American Express.

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (December 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 Mastercard

Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

Get 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

30,000 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.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 14th January 2025, the sign-up bonus on ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is increased to 30,000 Membership Rewards points. This converts into 30,000 Avios. Click here to apply.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 14th January 2025, the sign-up bonus on The Platinum Card from American Express is increased to 80,000 Membership Rewards points. This converts into 80,000 Avios! The spend requirement is changed to £10,000 in six months for this offer. Click here to apply.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 30,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

Huge 80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large 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

10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) and NO FX fees Read our full review

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits Read our full review

There is also a British Airways American Express card for small businesses:

British Airways American Express Accelerating Business

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

50,000 points when you sign-up 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.