Should I continue to pay for AmEx Premium Plus?

[fatboy686]

Hi, I’m after a sense check on whether it make sense for me to continue with subscribing to the AmEx BA Premium Plus card, or look to move my spending elsewhere. Here’s my scenario:

I recently retired from full time employment, and therefore no longer travel for work. I also just used one on my Companion vouchers along with the bulk of my remaining Avios (only have ~14,000 left) on a booking to the US for my wife and I later in the year.

I currently have the Premium Plus AmEx card and the free version of the Avios Barclaycard along with one remaining Companion Voucher (Exp. Nov 2025) and an Upgrade voucher.

So, as I see it going forward I will only really be earning Avios from my spending on those two cards. I could probably spend the £15k on my AmEx card each year to trigger another Companion voucher – but would only earn around 22,000 Avios from that, plus a few more thousand from the Barclaycard. That means that I wouldn’t have enough Avios to make use of the voucher. In which case, I question why I would £300 each year for the AmEx card? My thinking is that I should ditch it and focus my spending elsewhere.

Does that make sense, or am I missing a trick?

If that does make sense, what would be the best card to move my spending to?

BTW, prior to the job that I just retired from, I was a BA employee for over 20 years, and still have my staff travel concessions (with Club entitlement) for a while yet, so most of my travelling going forward will be using that (albeit on waitlist or standby, but as we’re retired we can be very flexible, which hasn’t always been the case up to now).

Let me know your thoughts on this please!!!

Thx, Nigel.

[Whatsthepoint]

We’re in a similar situation. I don’t know what benefits you get re staff travel concessions but we find that we get max benefit from 2 x 241 companion vouchers plus, at least 1 Barclays voucher each each by using them on 2 or 3 long haul J class redemptions. We ‘paid’ an average of .89p per Avios (combo of CC ‘free’ Avios, subscription, bonuses and some Avios boost) but got 1.69p value, based on lowest J fare for that route. The combination of credit card spend, buying Avios through subscription and shopping, particularly VRBO, Airbnb and Booking.com gives us enough Avios to enjoy the vouchers. I suggest you look at the places you want to go, how you want go e.g. all J and see whether it’s better to use our type of strategy or cash or a mix or whatever strategy works for you. If you ultimately save money by buying Avios then it works well. There’s little point having the vouchers if you can’t use them but as you’re retired, like us you can be flexible, makes a big difference. I hope that’s helpful.

[PJJ]

Would the ‘Boost’ feature on BAEC help.
If you are getting more than 1p of value when booking it would help you to get a larger pot of Avios

[Reney]

The only thing I would add is that if you cancel and want the card again later would you be able to get one? Specifically does your pension lead to a £35k plus per year income? I think one person on here said they did and even then Amex wasn’t all that happy with granting them a card when they state they are ‘retired’.

I agree that if you don’t earn enough avios then you will basically not be able to use the 241, but given the new income limit just be ok with never qualify again then go ahead with whatever your decision is.

[runnerbean]

From the numbers you’ve given it appears to be finely balanced ie 22k avios per annum for £15k x 1.5 for BAPP and doubling the value with a 241 vs a non-fee card at 15k Avios plus £300 (30k Avios from Avios boost.

But Reney has a good point. If you give up by the BAPP now, depending on your income you may not get back in.

A suggestion: 1. see if you can make it work for you for another full year. 2. Go through your current account and non BAPP credit cards and move everything you can through the BAPP. Start with bigger standing orders and direct debits. This includes council tax (where your council will accept pay point/ pay zone), check energy bill options, annual subscriptions etc. 3. Order through BA shopping to get Avios multiplied 4. Use Avios boost each month

If after a full year it doesn’t work for you then time to decide what you can better use the £300 subscription for.

[JDB]

Further to @Reney point about income being a potential block to getting the card again, even meeting the threshold isn’t enough to be so confident about any future application. Amex is obviously still keen/desperate to sell cards but is nevertheless more discriminating than might have been the case a couple of years ago.

[LD27]

@fatboy686. Before you give up your BAPP card, if you haven’t used staff travel recently I suggest you try it and see how it goes. Just because you have the time and flexibility, it doesn’t mean that when you get to the airport you’re going to get on the plane and that it’s not going to be stressful. Also agree with @Reney and @JDB, it might be difficult to get another card in the future.