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P1 and P2 both ineligible for BA Amex sign-up bonus until May / Q4 respectively. Both used Amex Platinum. Both used Virgin Atlantic Premium.
Looks like the Barclaycard Avios Plus is the next best option? Plan to use this for some heavy expenses soon (will trigger bonus avios and upgrade voucher), transfer to 0% BT, close Barclaycard, sign up to BA Amex Plus once eligible in May.
Does this seem logical? How much value is really assigned to the Barclaycard Avios Upgrade Voucher (we currently have 2x BA 2-4-1 Premium vouchers, and 2x Virgin 2-4-1 vouchers, so arguably don’t need the Barclaycard Avios one). Any other things we should know about the voucher?
There is loads of information on here about the Barclays voucher, some people think it’s pretty much worthless, some get excellent value from it. It sounds as though you have plenty of vouchers to be going on with though! But you could earn the SUB and elect for 7k extra avios instead of the upgrade voucher if that was more use to you.
Have a read as stated above but IMO the upgrade vouchers do not have much use if your travelling short haul as your forced to use the highest Avios/cash option. Used it long haul and was very happy. They do have their own weight specially booking for anyone other than p1/p2. If you get the Barclays Plus you can get a voucher, then downgrade and get another voucher too on basic one, something to keep in mind. Also no use collecting if they end up expiring.
I’m quite sure you can still get the BA bonus if you have the Amex platinum?
There is loads of information on here about the Barclays voucher, some people think it’s pretty much worthless, some get excellent value from it. It sounds as though you have plenty of vouchers to be going on with though! But you could earn the SUB and elect for 7k extra avios instead of the upgrade voucher if that was more use to you.
That’s a very good point thanks. I forgot that it’s not just the voucher that can be selected, even though the voucher does seem like the best perk.
We’re in the fortunate position to have quite a few vouchers to use, which is good. However, the expiry of them is difficult as BA’s Asia network is currently poor but those vouchers expire before Virgin’s – whose non-US network is poor. Not that I’m complaining :D!
Have a read as stated above but IMO the upgrade vouchers do not have much use if your travelling short haul as your forced to use the highest Avios/cash option. Used it long haul and was very happy. They do have their own weight specially booking for anyone other than p1/p2. If you get the Barclays Plus you can get a voucher, then downgrade and get another voucher too on basic one, something to keep in mind. Also no use collecting if they end up expiring.
I think it’s unlikely we’d aim to use the voucher short-haul except for a select few European locations. We have other options for short haul with other airlines.
I didn’t realise there was an option to double-dip the vouchers by downgrading. That’s good to know, thanks! I was very much leaning towards the Barclays Plus because of the Avios welcome perk, even if we use the voucher or not. But as you say, it’d be a shame to see the voucher expire without usage.
I’m quite sure you can still get the BA bonus if you have the Amex platinum?
We’re still within our 24 months for the BA Premium Plus cards sign up bonus unfortunately. Otherwise I’d go back to them rather than the Barclaycard Avios.
I’ve had a read about hitting the £3K/£10K spending targets quickly on the £20pm Plus card (which unfortunately we will be hitting quickly!).
With respect to then downgrading (after waiting a month or so for everything to fully clear), does the £20K limit on the free card now start from £0 spend? Or the £10K spend that has already been put through the Plus card that is downgraded from.
I’m guessing it’s the former, but would be good to get confirmation if anybody knows. Thanks!
It resets to £0, but you can start earning another voucher straight away.
It resets to £0, but you can start earning another voucher straight away.
That’s really helpful thanks! Highly doubt we’d make it to another £20K spend after the initial £10K. So I’ll probably wait until one of us is eligible for the BAPP Amex or there’s a big Barclaycard Avios Plus sign-up bonus for P2.
Best feature of Barclaycard Avios Plus is the ability to trigger your voucher anytime from hitting £10k until your card year anniversary.
Jumping in as no one seems to have mentioned your balance transfer point. We know that Amex has tightened its criteria on who gets approved and a few people who historically have not had problems have been rejected. By the sound of it, you are planning to carry a balance, just to say it might not look good on your BAPP application when the time comes, worth trying to whittle that down before application.
You could get the Barclays paid card, do the spend, get the points paid out and downgrade a nd carry on spending. If you are planning to leave your voucher/points to be selected it is not clear what happens if you downgrade e.g. if they force the voucher on you. Also depends on when your BA tier point year ends.
They do actually force the voucher on you – a couple of people had this happen recently!
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