BA’s [upcoming] prepaid Mastercard

[Rob]

I was told it was blocked for a lot of financial services stuff but, like Curve, there may be loopholes.

[can]

The card now has a tab in my BA exec club app.

[adeimantus]

Just got mine in the post.

The card seems to be entirely useless for its stated purpose (namely foreign spend). The “no FX fees” is a sham, as its not giving you the interbank rate/ Mastercard exchange rate when you exchange in your digital wallet.

The stated exchange rate on foreign spend drawing out of GBP wallet (and not the EUR/ USD one directly) is 1.5%, which is not great in itself and it might be more if its a ‘sham’ rate (if it’s MasterCard + 1.5%, then the total fee would be 2.18%). Someone on the ground in Europe would need to test that…

£1000.00 converts to 1136.83EUR on the app at the moment

Interbank is £1000.00 = 1172.20EUR
Wise is £10.00 = 1168.24EUR
Mastercard (0% fee) is £10 = 1165.45EUR
Amex (markup + standard 2.99% fee) is £10 = 1131.18EUR

In short, total markups given by:
Wise: 0.40%
Mastercard (Curve): 0.68%
BA Prepaid Card (1.5% + Mastercard, TBC): 2.18%
BA Prepaid Card (exchange in online wallet): 3.54%
American Express: 4.10%

EARN RATES:
Curve + Basic Barclays: 1 Avios/ £1
Curve + Barclays Plus: 1.5 Avios/ £1
American Express: Variable but usually 1 (BA Basic/ Platinum), 1.5 (BAPP), 2 (BA Gold).
BA Prepaid Card (assuming GBP spend): 1 Avios/ 2 GBP = 0.50 Avios / £
BA Prepaid Card (assuming EUR spend): 1 Avios/ 2EUR = 0.58 Avios/ £ (under current FX) (would be better if GBP goes back up…)
BA Prepaid Card (assuming USD spend): 1 Avios / 2USD = 0.62 Avios/ £ (under current FX) (would be better if GBP goes back up…)

Assuming 1p/ Avios valuations, the total fees breakdown like this:

Curve + Barclays Plus = 0.68% – 1.50% = -0.83%
Curve + Barclays = 0.68% – 1.00% = -0.33%
Wise = 0.68%
BA Prepaid Card (1.5% + Mastercard, TBC): 2.18% – 0.50% = 1.68%
Amex Gold = 4.10% – 2.00% = 2.10%
Amex BAPP = 4.10% – 1.50% = 2.60%
BA Prepaid (USD spend, exchanged in wallet) = 3.54% – 0.62% = 2.92%
BA Prepaid (EUR spend, exchanged in wallet) = 3.54% – 0.58% = 2.96%
Amex Platinum = 4.10% – 1.00% = 3.10%

One workaround would have been filling up your Wise account with EUR and then topping up the card in EUR, but that’s not permitted. You have to top up in GBP. Also you cant add the BA card to Curve to charge the BA card locally with the Curve FX rate.

In short, it only really seems viable as an option for FX spend if it’s 1.5% over Mastercard ER (which I haven’t confirmed)… and even then its blown out the water by Barclays + Curve combo.

[Youllnever]

@adeimantus people are saying that Barclays + Curve = account closure though (especially for circumventing fx fees), so probably best not to include those on the list.

[adeimantus]

@Youllnever interesting thanks, didn’t know about that!

I personally use HSBC Premier Mastercard and that has always been ok with it, perhaps that is then the best option (overall net fee = that of Curve + basic Barclays)

[stevenhp1987]

Sat in the LHR T3 BA First lounge…

Clearly are advertising it now!

[Rob]

Why not try using it in the UK as a Sterling debit card …..?

[The Urbanite]

I applied a week ago and it was referred for manual review. Nothing heard back and seemingly no way of getting in touch with them.

[List]

The Urbanite wrote:

I applied a week ago and it was referred for manual review. Nothing heard back and seemingly no way of getting in touch with them.

From the website.
‘The British Airways Prepaid Mastercard Customer
Service opening hours are from 8:00h to 18:00h
Monday to Friday; from 9:00h to 17:00h Saturdays
and Bank Holidays; and closed on Sundays,
Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day’
☎️+44 203 146 0748

[chrism20]

How long are they taking to send out the cards?

I applied last Wednesday but it’s not arrived yet.

[lambshank13]

I applied on 2nd May, received the card on 11th. It looks very smart.

And works very well indeed.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 9 months ago by .

[The Urbanite]

List wrote:

The Urbanite wrote:

I applied a week ago and it was referred for manual review. Nothing heard back and seemingly no way of getting in touch with them.

From the website.
‘The British Airways Prepaid Mastercard Customer
Service opening hours are from 8:00h to 18:00h
Monday to Friday; from 9:00h to 17:00h Saturdays
and Bank Holidays; and closed on Sundays,
Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day’
☎️+44 203 146 0748

That’s helpful, thank you.

[chrism20]

lambshank13 wrote:

I applied on 2nd May, received the card on 11th. It looks very smart.

And works very well indeed.

Thanks, Yeah from the images it looks quite smart

[Benilyn]

Any data points on how long it takes for points to post would be welcome.

[elguiri]

Any data points as to whether you get points for topping up tax free childcare account?

[chrism20]

My card arrived today and it is a rather nice design. It’s also the thinnest card I’ve seen yet though

[Benilyn]

Benilyn wrote:

Any data points on how long it takes for points to post would be welcome.

Posted into the BA account in less than 24 hours.

[pointyhead]

elguiri wrote:

Any data points as to whether you get points for topping up tax free childcare account?

The Avios Barclaycard works (if you bend it) if that helps you.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 9 months ago by .

[abrack]

You can’t use it for online transactions… sooooo more or less completely useless.

[lambshank13]

Overnight my funds have disappeared from the card – there was a small sum left on it yesterday but this morning app shows £0 balance and card is being declined. Nothing new in the transaction history to explain this. Has anyone had a similar experience?

[soloflyer1977]

Good to use for GBP for the introductory avios bonus but the exchange rate is horrendous
BA prepaid card: £10 – €11.45
Revolut: £10 – €11.79 (more or less the interbank rate)

[Benilyn]

When does the SUB points post?

[The Savage Squirrel]

abrack wrote:

You can’t use it for online transactions… sooooo more or less completely useless.

Seriously?

I mean … even my local independent coffee shop I pay through their app when sitting in the shop (free coffees that way).

Guess it’s a card aimed purely at 7-yr-olds then.

[DrPositiveOne]

What are you talking about I’ve use this card for online purchases/transactions with no problem at all.

[List]

The Savage Squirrel wrote:

abrack wrote:

You can’t use it for online transactions… sooooo more or less completely useless.

Seriously?

I mean … even my local independent coffee shop I pay through their app when sitting in the shop (free coffees that way).

Guess it’s a card aimed purely at 7-yr-olds then.

It works fine online for me. Card activated yesterday and already used Apple Pay for train tickets and online for Theatre tickets.