LAST CALL: Win 1 million Avios when you apply for a Barclaycard Avios credit card via HfP!

UPDATE – APRIL 2025:  This article is now out of date, but don’t worry.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.

We are currently running a fantastic competition – exclusive to Head for Points readers – in conjunction with Barclaycard.

We have FOUR MILLION AVIOS to give away!

There are four prizes of 1 million Avios each, with a new winner drawn every two weeks.

Monday 20th March was the first day of Round 4, the final round. If you apply today you will be in the new draw. The competition closes on 2nd April.

How can you win 1 million Avios?

You are entered into the competition when you apply, and are accepted for, one of the two Barclaycard Avios credit cards.

You must apply for your card via the special Head for Points competition entry links below. Applications made via the main Barclaycard website or by any other method will not qualify for entry into the competition.

There are four entry periods:

• 7th February to 19th February (now closed)
• 20th February to 5th March (now closed)
• 6th March to 19th March (now closed)
• 20th March to 2nd April

There will be one winner drawn at the end of each entry period who will receive 1 million Avios.

The draw you are entered into will depend on the date on which your card application is accepted. This is usually the same day that you apply but could be later if further checks are required on your application.

You are only entered into one draw – entries are not carried forward into subsequent draws.

The winner will be drawn and notified within five days of the end of each entry period.

Full terms and conditions can be found on the application website. Legally, the promoter of the competition is Barclaycard, 1 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HP.

Which links do I need to use to enter?

To apply for the free Barclaycard Avios credit card (5,000 Avios sign-up bonus) and be entered into the competition, you must use this link here.

To apply for the Barclaycard Avios Plus credit card (25,000 Avios sign-up bonus) and be entered into the competition, you must use this link here.

Which is the best Barclaycard Avios credit card for you?

The Avios Plus Mastercard offers a sign-up bonus of 25,000 Avios if you spend £3,000 within three months.

The free Avios Mastercard offers a sign-up bonus of 5,000 Avios if you spend £1,000 within three months.

These are very good products with everything you could ask for, and are easily (in my view) the most attractive Visa or Mastercard credit cards in the UK. You get:

• a big sign-up bonus which the majority of HfP readers will qualify for
• a very high Avios earning rate
• an annual British Airways cabin upgrade voucher for an Avios redemption for hitting a spending target

Every HfP reader in the UK should seriously consider applying for one of these cards. If you already have one, see if your partner is keen.

Let’s summarise the two Barclaycard Avios credit cards:

The free card: Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

The representative APR is 29.9% variable.

The benefits are:

• No annual fee
• A sign-up bonus for new Barclaycard customers of 5,000 Avios if you spend £1,000 in three months
• You earn 1 Avios per £1 spent
• You earn a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher if you spend £20,000 in a card year

You can apply here. This link will also enter you into the competition to win 1 million Avios. Our full review of the free Barclaycard Avios credit card is here.

The paid card: Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard

The representative APR is 80.1% APR variable, including the annual fee.  The representative APR on purchases is 29.9% variable.

The benefits are:

• A £20 per month fee (reduced to £15 for customers who hold Barclays Avios Rewards via their current account)
• An exceptional sign-up bonus for new Barclaycard customers of 25,000 Avios if you spend £3,000 in three months
• You earn 1.5 Avios per £1 spent
• You earn a British Airways cabin upgrade voucher if you spend £10,000 in a card year
• The ability to buy passes for DragonPass airport lounges for just £18.50 per person per visit

You can apply here. This link will also enter you into the competition to win 1 million Avios. Our full review of the Barclaycard Avios Plus credit card is here.

If you’re a UK-based HfP reader then you should be seriously thinking about getting one of these cards.

In the short term, I strongly recommend the £20 per month Barclaycard Avios Plus card. This has three advantages

• a far higher welcome bonus of 25,000 Avios
• a higher earn rate of 1.5 Avios per £1 spent
• the triggering of the cabin upgrade voucher with just £10,000 of spend

If, after a few months, you decide that it isn’t for you, you can swap to the free card.

On the other hand, if you start with the free card, you will NOT be able to get the 25,000 Avios if you upgrade to the paid Barclaycard Avios Plus card. I think it’s better to start with the paid card and then rethink later on.

Long term, you can decide whether the free or paid card sits best alongside your other credit cards. We have a separate article comparing the two cards in detail which you can find here.

Conclusion

Four million Avios is the richest competition prize we have ever offered on Head for Points.

If you had been planning to apply for one of the two Barclaycard Avios credit cards but haven’t yet done so, now is your chance.

The closing date for the fourth and final draw is Sunday 2nd April. You will be notified within five days if you are the first lucky winner of 1 million Avios!

You MUST apply via our special application links to enter

As a reminder, you will only be entered into the competition if you apply via one of the two links below, or advertised elsewhere on HfP:

Free card:

To apply for the free Barclaycard Avios credit card (5,000 Avios sign-up bonus) and be entered into the competition, you must use this link here.

Paid card:

To apply for the Barclaycard Avios Plus credit card (25,000 Avios sign-up bonus) and be entered into the competition, you must use this link here.

Good luck!

Disclaimer: Head for Points is a journalistic website. Nothing here should be construed as financial advice, and it is your own responsibility to ensure that any product is right for your circumstances. Recommendations are based primarily on the ability to earn miles and points. The site discusses products offered by lenders but is not a lender itself. Robert Burgess, trading as Head for Points, is regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as an independent credit broker.

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.