British Airways Premium Plus Card Earn Rate Cut
The British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card will see its Avios earning rate drop from 1.5 to 1.25 per £1 from October 7, 2026.
The British Airways Premium Plus Card will see its Avios earning rate drop from 1.5 to 1.25 Avios per £1 spent on eligible purchases from October 7, 2026. This change also removes the previous double Avios offer for spending directly with British Airways and British Airways Holidays, bringing that rate down from 3 Avios to 1.25 Avios per £1.
From the same date, the card's annual fee will rise to £300. The card originally launched with a £150 fee. One industry observer noted that past fee increases have not significantly reduced the card's appeal due to added benefits. These benefits have included allowing solo use of the Companion Voucher, extending voucher eligibility to Iberia and Aer Lingus flights, permitting voucher use on flights not originating in the UK, and increasing Club World seat availability.
Fee increase coincides with rate cut
The annual fee for the Premium Plus card is now set at £300. The standard British Airways American Express Credit Card remains free. The simultaneous reduction in earning power and increase in cost signals a strategic shift for the card's value proposition.
The card will continue to offer a Companion Voucher when a cardmember reaches £15,000 of eligible spending in a membership year. A separate business card, the British Airways American Express Accelerating Business Card, also has a temporary increased welcome offer of 40,000 bonus Avios for new applicants who spend £5,000 within three months, provided they apply by October 6, 2026.
Welcome bonus remains available
A temporary 60,000-Avios welcome bonus is being offered to new Premium Plus card applicants. This bonus is double the card's usual offer. To qualify, applicants must apply by October 6, 2026, and spend £6,000 within the first three months of card membership.
Tier point structure changes in 2027
Further changes to the Premium Plus card's benefits will take effect on April 1, 2027. The method for earning British Airways tier points will shift from being credited at spending thresholds to an 'as you go' model. Cardholders will earn one tier point for every £10 of eligible spending.
The annual cap on tier points earned via the card will also increase from 2,500 to 3,000 points per British Airways Club collection year.
How competing Avios cards compare
The changes place the Premium Plus card in a new context against other credit cards that earn Avios or transferable points. The table below compares key cards based on current information.
| Card | Annual Fee | Avios Earn Rate | Key Spending Bonus / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard | £20/month (£15 with Avios Rewards account) | 1.5 | Spend £10,000 for upgrade voucher or 7,000 Avios |
| Amex Preferred Rewards Gold | £0 first year, then £195 | 1 (2 on direct airline & foreign spend) | 5,000 bonus points at £10k & £20k spend |
| HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard | £290 | 1.5 (UK), 2 (abroad) | 70,000 HSBC point sign-up bonus until Dec 1, 2026 |
| Nectar Credit Card (Amex) | £0 first year, then £30 | 1.25 (can be 1.5 with transfer bonus) | Periodic 20% conversion bonuses to Avios |
| Free Barclaycard Avios Mastercard | £0 | 1 | 7,000 Avios or upgrade voucher after £20,000 spend |
| Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard | £160 | 1.5 Virgin Points | Voucher worth 75,000 Virgin Points at £10,000 spend |
The Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard earns Virgin Points, not Avios, but operates on a similar rewards principle for airline travel. A huge £35 billion is spent annually across various American Express and Barclaycard Avios credit cards. The temporary 60,000-Avios welcome bonus for the Premium Plus Card is available to eligible new cardmembers who apply by October 6, 2026.
