Cancelling British Airways Premium Plus Amex – timing?

[Robbie]

Hi all,

Looking to cancel my BAPP as I’ve received the cabin upgrade voucher and can now see it’s credit to my account. Am I correct in saying that I’m okay to cancel the card, and the only requirement me to keeping/using it is that I use a (different) Amex card when booking with it?

Also separately, I’m cancelling it as I also have a Barclaycard Avios+ which I’d like to keep as my daily Avios collecting card, and by cancelling the BAPP I’ll be resetting the 2 year cycle on the welcome offer. Does that sound like a decent idea?

Thanks!

[ed_fly]

Please see this article – https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/01/16/how-do-british-airways-american-express-2-4-1-vouchers-work/

[JDB]

@Robbie – if you downgrade to the free BA Amex you will be fine, whereas if you cancel the card you may be in breach of the condition that requires you to remain eligible for the promotion at the time of travel. There have been a small number of reports of lost vouchers.

Also, while your plan is to reset the 24 month clock it seems relatively optimistic both that the gap required will still be the same in December 2025 and/or they will welcome you back. In general, Amex has been tightening up on various aspects of gaming and the current high cost of SUBs every two years doesn’t feel sustainable. It’s up to you to weigh up the risk/reward.

[Robbie]

@ed_fly @JDB thank you both! Regarding cancellation, the article ed_fly linked seems to imply otherwise?

“If I cancel my BA Amex card after earning the voucher, is it lost?
No. Absolutely not. Do not believe anyone who tells you otherwise.”

Understandable regarding the 2 year bonus, that’s less of an issue – would rather just not be paying for both the BAPP and Barclaycard.

[ed_fly]

There is a lot of discussion of this issue in various forum posts, as per @jdb has said, who know what changes may occur in the future? Very few (unsubstantiated) posts that vouchers haven’t been honoured for some who’ve totally cancelled their BA(PP) Amex. There is potentially some risk, which is up to you to weigh up. You could go for the BAPP and the free Barclaycard?

[Robbie]

Yeah fair enough, I’ll probably keep BAPP and either downgrade to the free Barclaycard or cancel entirely. That voucher is less useful so happy to take the risk of it being voided, assuming similar terms as Amex apply to the Barclaycard.