Barclaycard Avios Plus vs BAPP Amex

[VinZ]

I recently downgraded from BAPP Amex to the free version and keep my Barclaycard Avios + instead due to its wider acceptance and same warning rate.

But I’m now having second thoughts. After months I’m yet to receive any credit on my premier account fee, the link to activate Apple TV etc doesn’t work and they won’t send a new one. I fail to understand any benefits that come with the card.

Maybe I should downgrade the Barclaycard and upgrade the Amex. You get better offers, when booking flights with BA you get 3x avios and that would probably compensate for the low avios earning the few times my Amex is not accepted.

I’m not sure how the two vouchers compare though.

Any thoughts? What have you done if you hold both cards?

[2ilent8cho]

I’ve got The Amex BAPP, Barclaycard Avios Plus, and Barclays Premier. If I was to downgrade one to the free card it would be the Barclaycard.

A) Much better limits with Amex (For me, and generally Amex are know for decent limits)
B) Better App and offers with Amex
C) The 2 for 1 Voucher for me is better value than a cabin class upgrade
D) Amex voucher unlocks additional Business Class seats
E) Amex voucher can be used on First Class Avios reward seats
F) 3x Avios on BA bookings

I was potentially going to downgrade from the paid Barclaycard to the free one but for now the fee isn’t costing me too much as I get £5 a month rebate for having Premier , so its £15, I was paying Council Tax via BillHop on Amex which had a £3 fee, I now do that via Barclaycard direct on council website so that brings it down to £12. I was also paying Natwest £25 a year for their rewards Mastercard which has now gone so I am net paying just under £10 a month for the Barclaycard Avios Plus so I can justify that hit for an extra voucher and 1.5 instead of 1.0 Avios per £.

• This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .

[dougzz99]

My approach was to suck up Barclays appallingly service. Get the Avios+ card, so signup bonus, spend £10K for voucher and downgrade. £20/month suggests needing to spend £4K/month to make the extra 0.5 Avios worthwhile once you have the voucher, you could factor in the £5 rebate and make that £3K/month, but this assumes you can get Barclays to make the product work as they claim it does.
A formal complaint did make them fix the £5/month, but despite the phone claim they’d back date it they failed to do that. I can either complain about the complaint procedure or move on. Barclays will also time everything to their advantage, like downgrading you the day after they charge the £20.
You can make this product work for you, but Barclays are pitiful and next to useless with what will go wrong.

[VinZ]

2ilent8cho wrote:

I’ve got The Amex BAPP, Barclaycard Avios Plus, and Barclays Premier. If I was to downgrade one to the free card it would be the Barclaycard.

A) Much better limits with Amex (For me, and generally Amex are know for decent limits)
B) Better App and offers with Amex
C) The 2 for 1 Voucher for me is better value than a cabin class upgrade
D) Amex voucher unlocks additional Business Class seats
E) Amex voucher can be used on First Class Avios reward seats
F) 3x Avios on BA bookings

I was potentially going to downgrade from the paid Barclaycard to the free one but for now the fee isn’t costing me too much as I get £5 a month rebate for having Premier , so its £15, I was paying Council Tax via BillHop on Amex which had a £3 fee, I now do that via Barclaycard direct on council website so that brings it down to £12. I was also paying Natwest £25 a year for their rewards Mastercard which has now gone so I am net paying just under £10 a month for the Barclaycard Avios Plus so I can justify that hit for an extra voucher and 1.5 instead of 1.0 Avios per £.

I should probably do the same. Not sure what I’ll do with the cabin upgrade if I ever get it and I’m not getting the £5 rebate. I called so many times… I’m so over it now.
Will call Amex in the morning to see if they’ll give me some extra avios to upgrade.

[Aston100]

The Barclaycard is (IMHO) significantly inferior to Amex BAPP.
Most of the reasons already listed above, but it’s worth repeating about the awful customer service experience.
A thoroughly broken product when launched, but came with a decent sign-up bonus

Downgrade to the free version as soon as you’ve received the sign-up bonus. It’s useful at places that don’t take amex.

[Aston100]

Oh and the cabin upgrade voucher has many limitations. It is literally worthless to me.

[CarpalTravel]

I am using the Barc+ to facilitate the 2yr Amex reset. I think by keeping the BACC running you are missing out this key benefit.

I also agree with Aston100, the upgrade voucher is worthless to me too.

[VinZ]

BA amex was my first Amex and I never cancelled it. I can’t, sentimental value. Also I hate not paying by Amex, all other cards are inferior to me. I should’ve thought about it before downgrading etc. Silly!

[CarpalTravel]

Funnily, I do know what you mean! I hurt my credit rating by cancelling my BAPP as it was one of my longest running cards, but for me it is worth it. Every time I pay with the Barc+ I know I am earning the same 1.5 points which is comforting (as there is no compromise), it makes it nice just to carry the one card with me and not have to look/ask if Amex is accepted.

If I still experience any doubts I then just look at the 100k+ points I have earned in 4months, on legitimate spends. The only downside for me will be if I have to dispute a charge, that’ll 100% be a PITA with Barclaycard.

[Aston100]

CarpalTravel wrote:

Funnily, I do know what you mean! I hurt my credit rating by cancelling my BAPP as it was one of my longest running cards, but for me it is worth it. Every time I pay with the Barc+ I know I am earning the same 1.5 points which is comforting (as there is no compromise), it makes it nice just to carry the one card with me and not have to look/ask if Amex is accepted.

If I still experience any doubts I then just look at the 100k+ points I have earned in 4months, on legitimate spends. The only downside for me will be if I have to dispute a charge, that’ll 100% be a PITA with Barclaycard.

Did you do the maths and confirm that the premium Barclaycard (after signup bonus is banked) is still better for you than the free one when you take the £20pm card fee into account?

[ed_fly]

Aston100 wrote:

CarpalTravel wrote:

Funnily, I do know what you mean! I hurt my credit rating by cancelling my BAPP as it was one of my longest running cards, but for me it is worth it. Every time I pay with the Barc+ I know I am earning the same 1.5 points which is comforting (as there is no compromise), it makes it nice just to carry the one card with me and not have to look/ask if Amex is accepted.

If I still experience any doubts I then just look at the 100k+ points I have earned in 4months, on legitimate spends. The only downside for me will be if I have to dispute a charge, that’ll 100% be a PITA with Barclaycard.

Did you do the maths and confirm that the premium Barclaycard (after signup bonus is banked) is still better for you than the free one when you take the £20pm card fee into account?

putting the voucher to one side, it’s about 5k per month you need to spend to make the barclaycard plus work

[Aston100]

ed_fly wrote:

Aston100 wrote:

CarpalTravel wrote:

Funnily, I do know what you mean! I hurt my credit rating by cancelling my BAPP as it was one of my longest running cards, but for me it is worth it. Every time I pay with the Barc+ I know I am earning the same 1.5 points which is comforting (as there is no compromise), it makes it nice just to carry the one card with me and not have to look/ask if Amex is accepted.

If I still experience any doubts I then just look at the 100k+ points I have earned in 4months, on legitimate spends. The only downside for me will be if I have to dispute a charge, that’ll 100% be a PITA with Barclaycard.

Did you do the maths and confirm that the premium Barclaycard (after signup bonus is banked) is still better for you than the free one when you take the £20pm card fee into account?

putting the voucher to one side, it’s about 5k per month you need to spend to make the barclaycard plus work

Well in that case it definitely must be working for CarpalTravel then!

[CarpalTravel]

Aston100 wrote:

Did you do the maths and confirm that the premium Barclaycard (after signup bonus is banked) is still better for you than the free one when you take the £20pm card fee into account?

Out of interest I have done some rough sums basing Avios on their Nectar value, as my backstop. I am definitely well ahead at the moment with the extra but when the spending finally calms down, I will consider swapping. I like to get value but I don’t tend to try too hard to optimise my subscriptions, like the brief upgrade/downgrade some do with the BA Amex. That’s not for me.

Makes me think of a question though, when downgrading I believe it is essentially a fresh account? That being the case, might my credit limit suddenly change? That would be an irritation as it is decent right now.

Edit: Yes 5k is the breakeven point – earns £40/£60 (then minus £20) of nectar points.

[CarpalTravel]

Aston100 wrote:

Well in that case it definitely must be working for CarpalTravel then!

Thanks largely to an unexpected vets bill and replacing some stolen equipment I am up to 19k miles pending transfer this month already. Wouldn’t have been able to do that with Amex!