Downgrading from BAPP, but to which card?

[TravelTim]

I’ve just received BAPP my companion voucher, but I have no plans to use it yet. The recent rule change to a £15k spend means that I would probably not hit the threshold for a CV next year (unless I game the system).
I’ll likely go to back to the Barclaycard plus which I had before, but I need to think about AMEX too. I don’t want to risk losing the existing CV, although it seems that is unlikely, but I also don’t want to pay £300 for a card whose main benefit I’ll not use. I’m happy to keep an AMEX and use it occasionally when there are offers that appeal, but it would not be my main card.
Presumably I’d get part of my BAPP annual fee back, and presumably I’d lose out on whatever Avios are pending but not transferred. Right?
The obvious option is the free BA card which has the advantage of remaining a BA card so less likely to annoy them. The other option is the basic AMEX rewards card which might mean that I could pick up another sign on bonus in the future if my spending matches the targets at the time. Since I would likely convert AMEX points to Avios anyway, and would not get the CV on the free card, they seem effectively the same to me.
Does anyone have any thoughts?
Tim

[Reney]

You are mixing up lots of issues. The only card BAPP could be downgrade into is the free BA card. If you are concern about losing your CV then this is your only choice – I am not saying I agree with your concern. As far as I know when you close your card you are warned to keep a ba amex card not any amex will do.

If you are going to keep the free BA card there is no point in opening any other Amex cards. I certainly don’t like the idea of opening the free MR earning card which prevents future Plat bonuses.

If you are willing to close the BA card but want to keep an amex I like to nectar which can be converted to avios and do not impact BA or Plat bonus. I think you earn more avios per GBP.

Barclays is a separate issue, the return of the plus card is not that great unless a big spender which does not sound like u are. But the free card is either worth having to accompany the amex or instead of if you want to do the full 2 year amex free (but be careful how you use a CV without an amex card).

You should get a BAPP pro rata refund until they announce changes, you could time your cancellation to after your monthly transfer to not loose pending points. If you downgrade then you should not loose pending points.

That should untangle quite a few issue.

[TravelTim]

Hi Reney – thanks for the quick response.
You’ve raised some good points and you’re right that I was not clear in my terminology. I shouldn’t have used the word “downgrade” in the title, since I’m open to alternatives other than the free BA card. I’m unsure to what extent AMEX or BA might try to enforce small print regarding holding a BA AMEX at the time of redemption / travel. It seems that they don’t at the moment, but who knows in the future.
I’ll look into the Nectar card – could be a good option.
As for Barclaycard, the Avios Plus Mastercard gives the voucher at £10k spend which is easily within my card spend (even though the £15K on AMEX is probably not). The Barclaycard voucher is not quite as good as the AMEX BAPP since I cannot use it on Iberia (which I’d like to), but since I mostly travel alone, it’s not too far behind the AMEX on in terms of value to me. 50% discount on Avios (BAPP) is generally similar to the difference between the avios for club vs Prem.Econ (Barclaycard).
Good to know that the pro-rata refunds are still going for now.
Thanks