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American Express changes the minimum income requirement for the free BA card

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In 2023, American Express brought back minimum income requirements for its UK personal and small business cards.

Between 2016 and 2023, the company took a more holistic view of your finances. After all, a single person living at home on a £25,000 salary has a totally different disposable income profile to someone who is married with two kids and a mortgage taking home £35,000. This approach ended in 2023.

The company has just tweaked the minimum income requirement for the free British Airways card, following changes made to the other free cards last year. No limits have increased.

American Express changes its minimum income requirements

The previous limits were not exactly tough for anyone in a full time job. Even someone on minimum wage doing 40 hours per week would qualify for every American Express card except The Platinum Card and the British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card.

The winners from these changes are probably the retired or part-time workers, who may now find they earn enough to apply for specific products.

These are the current PERSONAL income requirements:

For the small business cards, the minimum income figure relates to the personal income of the person applying and not the profits of the business itself.

Limits have been falling in real terms for many years

If we go back to 2016, these levels are often substantially lower than they were, adjusting for wage inflation.

The Platinum Card was £40,000 in 2016 but is currently £35,000. With wage inflation it should be nearer £55,000.

The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card required a £30,000 personal income in 2016 but is now £20,000, when wage inflation should have pushed it to nearer £40,000.

The only jump is the British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card, which was available on a £20,000 income in 2016 but now requires £35,000.

The other personal cards were £20,000 in 2016. Those which have now dropped to £15,000 over the past year would have been nearer £30,000 had the limit kept pace with wages.

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Category

American Express Gold card, American Express Platinum card, Amex Rewards Credit Card, British Airways American Express, Marriott Bonvoy

Comments (111)

  • Emiddio says:
    17 Jun17 June 06:24

    I cancelled my Amex Green faster than you can say “annual fee hike” £60 a year for a card that does almost nothing? No thanks, I prefer my money mildly useful.

    Reply
    • Harrier25 says:
      17 Jun17 June 09:09

      Not entirely true. The extended 1 year warranty cover on white and brown goods was worth the £5 a month fee, but now that’s gone it is a little harder to justify the £60 annual fee. They gave me double points for 3 months last October to offset the fee and I will be asking for that again this October. If they refuse then I will cancel and turn to the fee free ARCC card that is sat on my account.

      Reply
  • Talay says:
    17 Jun17 June 06:28

    Just binned my Amex Bonvoy card when offered 2000 Bonvoy points to keep it open if I spent £3000 in a month. Yeah, roll on the £10 value in that !

    I got it to bolster the Creation Marriott card, effectively getting 15 nights from the Amex card and 10 nights from the Creation card giving me 25 nights a year towards status but now that Creation has dropped the 10 nights credit it stood out alone as rather w waste and I could not find a reason to put anything onto it against getting 1.5 to 2.0 Avios on other Amex cards.

    Flights are real savings, per person. Hotels can the replicated by 10s or 100s of alternatives in the same location, often for less money and the value is only truly realised when a couple stay together.

    Now if only Amex Platinum did 1.5 points per £1 or converted at 1.5 Avios ……..

    Reply
    • TimM says:
      17 Jun17 June 06:42

      Talay >> “Hotels can the replicated by 10s or 100s of alternatives in the same location, often for less money”

      Yes, not only can you get a better hotel in a better location for less money but you also avoid that awful ‘chain hotel – I am not really travelling’ hangover feeling too.

      Reply
      • camille55 says:
        17 Jun17 June 07:18

        Interesting. Depends really on traveller profile and if with family/kids.

        With accompanying children, I find hotels to be the best use of points. Why spend any cash, when you can use points….and also often benefit from freebreakfast included, use of gym/spa, great pool, etc.

        Reply
  • The Original David says:
    17 Jun17 June 07:17

    Do any HfP readers have an income of less than £20k…?

    Reply
    • Sandgrounder says:
      17 Jun17 June 07:28

      Probably on paper, some are focussing on growth and keep their earnings in their Ltd, some are retired and drawing down ISAs. And some will be partners of higher earners who only do a few hours.

      Reply
      • AJA says:
        17 Jun17 June 08:13

        Taxable income? I suppose that’s possible but if you are working full time 7 hours a day 5 days a week even on the national minimum wage you would be earning £22,222. You would have to work part-time to be earning less.

        Reply
        • C says:
          17 Jun17 June 08:24

          Is minimum income requirements based off taxable income sources only or can it include non taxable such as withdrawing from interests off ISAs?

          Reply
          • Rob says:
            17 Jun17 June 08:26

            Investment income should be ok but withdrawals of capital are trickier unless it’s a pension.

    • Jonny says:
      17 Jun17 June 07:49

      Absolutely, I barely to get half that amount and I’m sure I’m not alone.

      Reply
    • Lee says:
      17 Jun17 June 08:04

      My wife retired on under £20k so this might open some doors to a few referral bonuses for us (?)

      Reply
    • Jody says:
      17 Jun17 June 08:07

      I do. Medically retired, so not on a full pension. The income limits are frustrating though given that I have full access to the household income, which it used to take into consideration.

      Reply
      • Liz says:
        17 Jun17 June 08:41

        I still hold the BAPP but if I cancelled I wouldn’t get it again. I draw down my work pension up to my tax personal allowance but our household income is high. Used to get it easily with joint income and homemaker as the occupation. Also savings etc not taken in to account.

        Reply
    • SammyJ says:
      17 Jun17 June 11:17

      Yes, I earn zero. Don’t work now, don’t have any income whatsoever, just full unrestricted access to my partner’s salary in our joint accounts. That would be more than enough to cover income requirements for both of us if that was allowed, but as it isn’t I just retain all the existing cards and accounts I have from the old days, knowing I wouldn’t get so much as a mobile phone contract these days based on my own income!

      I’m therefore the one reading HFP, booking the trips and keeping all our finances in order (as well as doing every other thing that goes on in the household) because he’s busy and I’m, allegedly, not.

      Reply
    • Susan says:
      17 Jun17 June 13:59

      Yes but my husband has a great deal more, both pensioners. Have high 6 figure savings, I am a secondary card holder on BAPP card but would like my own even if its basic Blue.

      Reply
  • Damian says:
    17 Jun17 June 07:31

    Why do we think the thresholds have been lowered and not even adjusted for inflation?

    Reply
    • TM says:
      17 Jun17 June 07:57

      So that more people are eligible for their cards so they can make more money

      Reply
    • jj says:
      17 Jun17 June 08:07

      Damian, it’s because it’s 2007 all over again. Capital markets are awash with cash, and there’s no place to put it. Asset managers are accepting greater risks than ever, and spreads are tightened to the bone. So, Amex thinks it can extend its borrower base using the cheaper funding that’s available to cover credit losses.

      Reply
      • Throwawayname says:
        17 Jun17 June 08:16

        Looks like history is repeating itself.

        I’ve just been offered a balance transfer with no interest for two years for a 2.9% fee. You could perhaps say that this sort of thing is a gimmick to attract new customers and get some of them to pay high interest after the two years, but I was offered it as an existing customer of a credit card which I have had for years without ever paying a penny in interest!

        Reply
    • JDB says:
      17 Jun17 June 08:14

      They do look quite desperate and it’s no wonder Amex UK has has such a high charge off rate in % and absolute terms.

      Quite telling and very stark to see the income limits the banks impose for their ‘premier’ products vs Amex only requiring median wage for its allegedly premium Platinum card.

      Reply
      • Throwawayname says:
        17 Jun17 June 08:40

        My experience with any kind of ‘mass affluent’ financial service, including private banking (the mainstream tier where you get a dedicated contact – I have no experience of the ‘family offices’ aimed at those with tens of millions to invest), is that banks are selective because they use them as loss leaders for leveraging cross-selling opportunities.

        In other words, the likes of HSBC don’t seem to be interested in and/or capable of making a profit from operating current accounts that turn over a lot of money, they merely subsidise an unprofitable higher-touch level of service for them in the hope of bagging million-pound mortgages and/or some juicy management fees for their overpriced investment products. If you make it clear that you’re not interested in that sort of thing, you may well notice the person(s) dealing with your account becoming less cheerful and/or keen to look after you.

        Reply
  • Retron says:
    17 Jun17 June 07:35

    All I can say is that having never earned as much as £35K, I’m glad the limits don’t apply retrospectively! I’ve had my BAPP for 9 years now and wouldn’t be without it – I’ve had several wonderful holidays thanks to it, the latest being a trip to Japan a few months ago. I wouldn’t be eligible to apply for it these days.

    Reply
    • Scottydogg says:
      17 Jun17 June 09:05

      I suppose it works for retention purposes as well , and churning cards between couples

      Reply
  • Aki says:
    17 Jun17 June 07:43

    How can Amex actually check your income? Especially if it’s made up from many different sources. Pension, some employment, savings ISA’s, NS&I & investment platforms. I’d be inclined to just put down what they want to hear plus a bit extra

    Reply
    • Rob says:
      17 Jun17 June 08:29

      If you believe this info isn’t all widely shared I’ve a bridge to sell you.

      Reply
      • Throwawayname says:
        17 Jun17 June 08:55

        I doubt they have sight of any income generated outside of the UK, even if it’s been duly declared to HMRC.

        Reply
        • QFFlyer says:
          18 Jun18 June 10:50

          Probably not everything, but I wouldn’t be so surprised if a fair bit of info is shared around.

          Reply
    • John says:
      17 Jun17 June 08:55

      Banks report to National Hunter

      Reply
    • SammyJ says:
      17 Jun17 June 11:19

      Must admit I’m a bit dubious about this too. With zero income, I’ve managed to survive a Barclays premier review by shoving the same 10k in and out half a dozen times in a month!

      Reply
      • Harrier25 says:
        17 Jun17 June 18:50

        Yes, but Barclays aren’t operating that account on soley income. As long as you put in a net annual amount of around £42,000 from separate bank accounts then their happy.

        Reply
    • jj says:
      17 Jun17 June 15:41

      If you put down what they want to hear plus a bit more, you’re committing fraud. Even if you have no moral compass, that’s a problem for you: any lenders routinely load CIFAS markers against borrowers who misdeclare income. They will have severe trouble engaging with any financial product for many years.

      Misdeclaration of income is the single biggest reason for us reporting would-be borrowers to CIFAS.

      Reply
      • Throwawayname says:
        17 Jun17 June 22:03

        Do you actually check that with them before reporting though? I am sure that in the past I have made inconsistent reports when filling in that sort thing by including/excluding foreign income (at some point I had maybe a 60/40 split between UK and the Euro area) depending on whether I thought it would be relevant (e.g. credit card application) or not (e.g. opening current account and being asked multiple questions around employment and ‘salary’ without much attention being paid to other income), so I am very much hoping that I haven’t triggered some too-clever-by-half algorithm.

        Reply
      • QFFlyer says:
        18 Jun18 June 10:52

        Surely though income will vary – mine changes every maybe twice a year due to performance increments and cost of living adjustments, if income changing was an automatic trigger for CIFAS then I wouldn’t have been able to obtain a credit card for most of my adult life.

        Reply
  • RM says:
    17 Jun17 June 08:23

    An OAP with only a state pension of just under £12,000 would need over £160,000 savings at 5% interest to reach £20,000 income.
    So a state pensioner with £100,000 savings not eligible, yet easily able to pay card bill.

    Reply
    • BBbetter says:
      17 Jun17 June 16:28

      ‘Easily able to pay card bill’ is misleading. Out of savings, sure.

      Reply
      • ChasP says:
        17 Jun17 June 20:52

        No not out of savings – but putting all my £12K through a card used to enable me to hit the annual target for a voucher

        The real problem isnt Income its disposable Income (as Rob has pointed out many times) I have more disposable Income than my kids (who are on £45k) mainly because I dont have a £250 k mortgage, pay a lot less Income tax no NI or pension contributions, commuting costs etc
        When you retire you will be surprised how much going to work costs you !

        Reply
      • QFFlyer says:
        18 Jun18 June 10:58

        Which, as an old age pensioner (whose age is not declared but could be anywhere between 55-100+), might be fine – at some point the capital drawdown phase becomes part of the realistic strategy to maintain income level.

        For e.g., £12k income needs to get 8k per year from the 100k to make 20k per year; 5% interest is 5k (to start with), so there will be some drawdown (the 5% return reducing and % drawdown increasing year on year). If the OP is 55, this is a problem. If the OP is 95, probably not a problem.

        All hypothetical, of course.

        Reply
  • Simon Freeman says:
    17 Jun17 June 08:28

    Probably due to new rules being bought in by the FCA called “Product Sales Data Recording (PSD)” which requires lenders to record (and submit regularly to the FCA) affordability data including income, outgoings, residential status and number of dependents. More red tape for lender and borrowers I’m afraid.

    Reply
    • Donna says:
      17 Jun17 June 17:44

      How do you bid on Malaysian seats? Do you need to have booked a ticket in economy first?

      Reply

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