Get 5% cashback on your BA spend with various non-Avios non-Amex credit cards!
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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.
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How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (January 2025)
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.
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
50,000 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, and the standard card is FREE. Capital on Tap cards also have no FX fees.
Capital on Tap Visa
NO annual fee, NO FX fees and points worth 1 Avios per £1 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.
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