NEW: Get 10,000 Avios with the free British Airways American Express card

UPDATE – APRIL 2025:  This article is now out of date, but don’t worry.  We produce a monthly directory of the top UK travel credit card offers – please click HERE or use the ‘Credit Cards’ menu above.  Thank you.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

Keep up to date with the latest UK credit card bonuses by signing up for our free daily or weekly newsletters.

American Express and British Airways have launched a limited-time increased sign up bonus on the two British Airways American Express credit cards.

In this article, I am looking at the free British Airways American Express card.

Until 28th February, the sign up bonus is increased from 5,000 Avios to 10,000 Avios.

For comparison, the bonus on the £250 BA Amex Premium Plus card is increased from 25,000 Avios to 40,000 Avios. You can read about that offer here and apply here.

The representative APR is 30.0% variable.

You can apply here.

There were substantial changes made to both British Airways American Express cards in September 2021. I have run through the details again below. If you have had the card before and are tempted to reapply, please read this article carefully as the product is not the same as it was.

The British Airways American Express has a fresh new look

As you can see above, the card got a new look last year, inspired by the British Airways speedmarque.

Your card number and expiry date have moved to the back. The Premium Plus card has a similar design but in shades of grey.

Get a limited time 10,000 Avios sign-up bonus!

If you apply now, you can earn a bonus of 10,000 Avios when you spend £1,000 in the first three months. This is the most generous ‘open to all’ bonus we ever see on this version of the British Airways American Express card.

To be eligible for the increased bonus you must apply and be approved by 28th February.

Do you qualify for the sign-up bonus?

Remember that you are only eligible for the sign-up bonus on the free BA Amex if you have NOT held a personal American Express card in the past 24 months.

For clarity:

• You ARE eligible if you currently or have held American Express Business Platinum, Business Gold or British Airways Accelerating Business as these are not classed as ‘personal’ cards

• You ARE eligible if you are currently a supplementary cardholder on a personal American Express card held by someone else, but have not held a card in your own name in the past 24 months

Even if you do not qualify for the bonus, you are still able to apply and enjoy the other benefits, including the 2-4-1 companion coucher.

What changed with the British Airways American Express card in 2021?

The changes to the fee-free British Airways American Express card in September 2021 were not just cosmetic.

There are two key changes which you need to understand and which may impact whether you decide to get the free card or the £250 Premium Plus version.

The spend required to trigger the 2-4-1 companion voucher was cut to £12,000

This is the good news.

Before September 2021, you had to spend £20,000 on the free British Airways American Express card to trigger a companion voucher.

By cutting the spend required to £12,000 per card year, it is now far easier for an average spender to trigger a 2-4-1 voucher.

The companion voucher is now only valid on Economy flights

This was a huge change to the free BA Amex credit card.

Any 2-4-1 companion voucher that you earn on the free BA Amex will only be valid on Economy flights on British Airways.

You can no longer redeem your voucher in World Traveller Plus, Club World / Club Europe or First.

If you like to redeem your companion voucher for a flight in a premium cabin, you will need to apply for the British Airways Premium Plus card instead.

Whilst this change means that the card isn’t really suitable for the ‘heavy’ Avios collectors which make up the bulk of the HfP readership, the change does make sense in terms of the broader Avios market. After all, having a voucher which is only valid on Economy flights is far better than not having a voucher at all if you weren’t able to reach the previous £20,000 spending threshold.

Your companion voucher flights no longer need to depart from the UK

Historically, your 2-4-1 flight had to depart from the UK. Since this was a benefit for UK American Express cardmembers, it was not a major restriction.

The rule has now gone. A flight booked with a 2-4-1 voucher generated on the free BA Amex card can now start outside the UK.

There are some scenarios where this may prove useful. If you wanted to reduce the taxes and charges you pay, you could book a reward flight from, say, Dublin or Amsterdam via London to somewhere. This would mean you had no Air Passenger Duty to pay, although you would need to get to Dublin or Amsterdam to start your trip.

Note that this change only applies to vouchers issued after 1st September 2021. Existing 2-4-1 vouchers retain the old rules.

Other key features of the card

What do you earn on day to day spending?

The free BA Amex card earns 1 Avios per £1 on all qualifying spending. This compares with 1.5 Avios per £1 on the Premium Plus card.

Do I receive a bonus for spending with British Airways?

No. The Premium Plus version of the card earns double Avios (3 per £1) when you spend with British Airways or BA Holidays. There is no extra bonus on the free BA Amex however.

Can I have free supplementary cards for my family?

Yes. There is often a bonus offered for adding your first supplementary card, so don’t ask for one during the initial application process.

How long does the companion voucher last?

You need to take the outbound flight within one year of the date of issue of your companion voucher.

You will receive your voucher within a few days of hitting the £12,000 spending target.

Conclusion

Last year, British Airways and American Express made a conscious decision to put some clear blue water between the two BA Amex cards.

The free British Airways American Express is the best choice for the casual Avios collector. This person is unlikely to redeem in premium cabins but can hopefully spend £12,000 per year to earn a 2-4-1 companion voucher for an Economy trip. The ability to earn a companion voucher via a more realistic spending target should make the card more attractive to this market.

We know that this card is no longer suitable for many HfP readers, but if you have friends or family who are ‘casual’ Avios collectors then send them a link to this article. 10,000 Avios for taking out a free credit card is not to be sniffed at.

For the more serious Avios collector the Premium Plus card is now clearly the best option. Click here for our article on the British Airways Premium Plus American Express card and the huge 40,000 Avios bonus available today.

You can apply for the free British Airways American Express card – with the 10,000 Avios bonus – here.

PS. If you are not a regular Head for Points visitor, why not sign up for our FREE weekly or daily newsletters? They are full of the latest Avios, airline, hotel and credit card points news and will help you travel better. To join our 65,000 free subscribers, click the button below or visit this page of the site to find out more. Thank you.

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How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2025)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, and the standard card is FREE. Capital on Tap cards also have no FX fees.

There is also a British Airways American Express card for small businesses:

There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.