Barclays Blue Rewards changing – will Avios Rewards devalue too?

[johnny_c-l]

I’ve been emailed by Blue Rewards to say they’re reducing the cash rewards each month, but more offers will come too.

Has anyone got any insight if this will bring Avios earning opportunities to the non-Premier accounts now?

• This topic was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[Rhys]

Yes, I got this too. Bit crap to be honest – increasing monthly fee to £5 and reducing potential cashback from direct debits to £5 (total) per month, so basically net even unless you have another Barclays product that gets you rewards like a mortgage.

[Youllnever]

Barclays mortgage bonus is going down from £5 per month to £3 as well.

[Dubious]

Changes effective from April 2022.

Glad I amortised my mortgage so that my monthly payments are less than £2…means I should still be up by £1 a month…although I do need to shift my direct debits around otherwise I’ll only be up by 50p…

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[rum]

Any idea if this will affect the Avios rewards account? Given that the title mentions ‘Avios’, thought it was worth posing the question.

[sloth]

rum wrote:

Any idea if this will affect the Avios rewards account? Given that the title mentions ‘Avios’, thought it was worth posing the question.

Not atm but would have thought either the earning rate will worsen or the monthly fee will increase next year. Either way I think I will take my upgrade voucher in March and then shut then account as I don’t see that much value anymore and will hope I can reopen 6/12 months later for a bonus (didn’t get one this time as already had the account)

[rum]

sloth wrote:

Not atm but would have thought either the earning rate will worsen or the monthly fee will increase next year. Either way I think I will take my upgrade voucher in March and then shut then account as I don’t see that much value anymore and will hope I can reopen 6/12 months later for a bonus (didn’t get one this time as already had the account)

That’s what I’ve been planning to do come March 2022. At £12/month it is a bit steep for what you get in return. Any change in fee or earning rate would kill the whole product. And it’s not like getting another current account is difficult these days. Monzo, Starling and now Chase are quite convenient to open and use as a separate account from your main one.

[dougzz99]

rum wrote:

sloth wrote:

Not atm but would have thought either the earning rate will worsen or the monthly fee will increase next year. Either way I think I will take my upgrade voucher in March and then shut then account as I don’t see that much value anymore and will hope I can reopen 6/12 months later for a bonus (didn’t get one this time as already had the account)

That’s what I’ve been planning to do come March 2022. At £12/month it is a bit steep for what you get in return. Any change in fee or earning rate would kill the whole product. And it’s not like getting another current account is difficult these days. Monzo, Starling and now Chase are quite convenient to open and use as a separate account from your main one.

Not sure this is fair. £144 for 18K Avios and an upgrade voucher feels like a lot of value to me.

[Rob]

I think you’ll end up holding 🙂

[rum]

I suppose only time will tell 🙂

[buchanan101]

rum wrote:

sloth wrote:

Not atm but would have thought either the earning rate will worsen or the monthly fee will increase next year. Either way I think I will take my upgrade voucher in March and then shut then account as I don’t see that much value anymore and will hope I can reopen 6/12 months later for a bonus (didn’t get one this time as already had the account)

That’s what I’ve been planning to do come March 2022. At £12/month it is a bit steep for what you get in return. Any change in fee or earning rate would kill the whole product. And it’s not like getting another current account is difficult these days. Monzo, Starling and now Chase are quite convenient to open and use as a separate account from your main one.

£12/month is effectively zero cost – 1500 Avios are worth £12 of Nectar points. And paying 0.8p for each on is cheaper than buying them with cash

[Flyer123]

Is Switching from Barclays Blue Rewards to Avios Rewards possible online or on the app ? Understand no sign-up bonus but monthly 1500 avios plus voucher still seems good value.

[sloth]

Flyer123 wrote:

Is Switching from Barclays Blue Rewards to Avios Rewards possible online or on the app ? Understand no sign-up bonus but monthly 1500 avios plus voucher still seems good value.

can do in the app, yes

[SimonX]

Not sure how to reply to a specific comment but.

1) You have to cancel Blue rewardsbefore activating (jining Avios)
2) The Barlcays account offers one of the best annual multi-trip travel policies there is:
All aspects of covid covered
Changes in FCDO advise so cover if FCO changes advise to “all but essential travel” (very very fespolicies do this.
Flat rate cost – even with my diabetes absolutely NO fee increase at all – my last policy charged me an additional £200 a year.

They also paid out no questions asked when I had to curtail my recent trip to SA when the country went “red” and met my quarantinehotel costs

[George K]

I would think that increasing the fee and/or reducing the reward would be a bit too soon to do after the product launched barely a year ago.