Best/most efficient way to approach getting the BAPP rewards

[Kyo]

I foolishly applied for a British Airways American Express, not realising the small print around being ineligible for welcome bonuses on the better American Express cards. Now, I have another planned big purchase coming up, this time exceeding £10,000.

For context, I have a British Airways American Express (already gained the welcome bonus within a month and just under halfway towards the companion voucher), an HSBC Premier credit card (not world elite) and just recently received the Barclays Avios Plus to meet some expected big purchases. However, it looks like the 2-4-1 voucher is better/more desirable than the voucher that Barclays offers.

It’s too late to plead ignorance to Amex customer services, so I’m wondering what is the best way to apply for the British Airways Premium Plus and somehow enjoy their generous welcome bonus and the 2-4-1 companion voucher.

For those that chase points and have a lot more experience in this area, what would you suggest? My idea would be to
– send the unique referral link to my wife that recommends the British Airways American Express
– the wife doesn’t choose the British Airways American Express but instead selects the British Airways Premium Plus American Express.
– at this stage I get 4000 Avios points
– I could set up a household account on British Airways Executive Club to combine our respective Avios, or she could simply gift them to me (she’s not interested in chasing points like me).
– We make the purchase on my wife’s new Amex and therefore meet the requirements for the welcome bonus and 2-4-1 voucher. The Avios points are added to the household account or gifted over to me. One thing that still is uncertain is where the 2-4-1 voucher ends up (either on my wife’s British Airways account or on the household account).

Does anyone see any problems with this approach, and if so, what approach would you recommend? Many thanks in advance – if I’m going to be spending big this year then I might as well get heavily rewarded for it!

[Jasdev]

Let me see, you hold the free BA Amex so you aren’t eligible for the SUB (Sign-Up Bonus in Head for Points-speak), your wife hasn’t got any American Express credit cards (so I infer, as you haven’t said outright whether she does or doesn’t), and you would like her to apply for the premium BA Amex so that she can make the £10,000+ spend and earn the premium Companion Voucher in one go?

Firstly, your plan is possible but might fail if American Express doesn’t provide her with a credit limit on application that is enough to buy whatever it is you want to buy.
Next, provided that she does get a credit limit that’s large enough, then yes your plan could work just fine.

But why would you, as an Avios collector, be satisfied with the 4,000 Avios for referring her?
Instead, apply for the premium BA Amex via the link on British Airways’ site and earn the 70,000 Avios on offer through that link.
https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/credit-cards/compare/british-airways-avios-credit-cards/?ieep=01MC2001

Then, when your wife has banked the Avios into her BA Executive Club account (American Express will transfer across the Avios either at the end of the month or when your wife’s first monthly statement is produced, I’m not sure), you could downgrade her to the free card in order to earn a pro-rata refund of the annual fee for the premium card.
OR alternatively you keep the premium card, she applies for a supplementary premium card for you, and you both earn 1.5 Avios per £1 you spend so you both continue to collect Avios at an enhanced rate, vs. spending on other cards.

[Kyo]

you hold the free BA Amex so you aren’t eligible for the SUB (Sign-Up Bonus in Head for Points-speak),

Correct.

your wife hasn’t got any American Express credit cards (so I infer, as you haven’t said outright whether she does or doesn’t)

That’s also correct, and apologies I didn’t make that clear.

but might fail if American Express doesn’t provide her with a credit limit on application that is enough to buy whatever it is you want to buy

Very true! I’m pretty sure we’ll get a credit card with that spending limit, but could make a request to Amex to do an increase for us (hope they sympathise).

But why would you, as an Avios collector, be satisfied with the 4,000 Avios for referring her?
Instead, apply for the premium BA Amex via the link on British Airways’ site and earn the 70,000 Avios on offer through that link.
https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/credit-cards/compare/british-airways-avios-credit-cards/?ieep=01MC2001

Hmmmmm, I’m confused now! How is that link you posted different from https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/credit-cards/ba-premium-plus-credit-card/ which appears to be the same card but only has half the welcome bonus? Clearly, I cannot use that link myself to apply as I wouldn’t be eligible for the welcome bonus, because I already hold a British Airways American Express card. Am I missing something totally obvious here?

[aq.1988]

You can’t use a referral for the 70k offer, you have to follow the link via BA directly. If you used a referral link, the best you could get is 36k.

If you earned the companion voucher on your wife’s card, then it would be in her account, and she would have to be one of the travellers when you redeem it. Wouldn’t be an issue if it’s just you two.

You are now ineligible for a SUB if you take the BAPP card, unless you cancel the BA card and wait 2 years. There’s no way around that, I’m afraid, no matter how much you plead with Amex. You can upgrade to the Premium Card, and the spend you have made towards the free card will count towards the £10k needed to trigger the better voucher.

[Kyo]

aq.1988 wrote:

You can’t use a referral for the 70k offer, you have to follow the link via BA directly. If you used a referral link, the best you could get is 36k.

If you earned the companion voucher on your wife’s card, then it would be in her account, and she would have to be one of the travellers when you redeem it. Wouldn’t be an issue if it’s just you two.

You are now ineligible for a SUB if you take the BAPP card, unless you cancel the BA card and wait 2 years. There’s no way around that, I’m afraid, no matter how much you plead with Amex. You can upgrade to the Premium Card, and the spend you have made towards the free card will count towards the £10k needed to trigger the better voucher.

Thanks, I guess I could upgrade myself, and the spend I have made (curently just under halfway) on the free card can still count towards the £10k needed to trigger the card. But the 70K is an offer I cannot refuse! I will get the wife to sign up that way. Still confused where that 70K offer came from as I thought it was just 35,000.

[Jasdev]

Kyo wrote:

aq.1988 wrote:

You can’t use a referral for the 70k offer, you have to follow the link via BA directly. If you used a referral link, the best you could get is 36k.

If you earned the companion voucher on your wife’s card, then it would be in her account, and she would have to be one of the travellers when you redeem it. Wouldn’t be an issue if it’s just you two.

You are now ineligible for a SUB if you take the BAPP card, unless you cancel the BA card and wait 2 years. There’s no way around that, I’m afraid, no matter how much you plead with Amex. You can upgrade to the Premium Card, and the spend you have made towards the free card will count towards the £10k needed to trigger the better voucher.

Thanks, I guess I could upgrade myself, and the spend I have made (curently just under halfway) on the free card can still count towards the £10k needed to trigger the card. But the 70K is an offer I cannot refuse! I will get the wife to sign up that way. Still confused where that 70K offer came from as I thought it was just 35,000.

See here, it took everyone by surprise, American Express included, quite possibly!
https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/01/12/70000-avios-sign-up-bonus-british-airways-premium-plus-american-express/

[Kyo]

Guess that pretty much explains it. I thought I was pretty good on researching deals but, combined with my oversight on applying for the free Amex, I feel pretty bummed! Also, if I waited a bit longer and applied for the free card, I would’ve received 20000 avios, instead of 5000!

you live, you learn.

[AJA]

Whatever you do, I recommend that you upgrade your own free BA Amex to the BAPP card

The companion voucher on the free card is only redeemable in economy and is only valid for 12 months, whereas the BAPP voucher earned when you spen over £10k is valid in premium cabins and is valid for 24 months.

[Kyo]

Thanks, I will upgrade later on but will try my utmost to grab that 70000 avios sign up bonus (via my wife)