Reminder: British Airways Visa One of Best Current Credit Card Offers

Feb. 21, 2013

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5 min read

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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – British Airways Visa Signature Card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, American Express® Gold Card

In the past couple of days, I've been talking about some great credit card bonuses including 50,000 Membership Rewards points for the American Express® Gold Card and 25,000 points for the Business Platinum Card from American Express OPEN Savings, but the current British Airways Visa offer is one of the most lucrative credit cards on the market at the moment if you know how to leverage it to it's full potential. This particular offer has lasted longer than previous similar offers, and based on professional opinion and past experience, I have a hunch that it may be going away very soon. Based on historical patterns, when the current bonus ends, the bonus offer is likely to drop to 50,000 Avios total (vs. the current potential of up up to 100,000 Avios after $20,000 in spend) after about $2,000 spending in three months - or somewhere in that neighborhood.

By contrast, the offer details were (again, note this offer is no longer available, the current offer is 50,000 Avios for spending $2,000 within 3 months):

-You will get 50,000 bonus Avios after spending $1,000 within the first 3 months
-25,000 bonus Avios after you make $10,000 in purchases within the first year of account opening
-Plus an additional 25,000 bonus Avios after you make a total of $20,000 in purchases within the first year of account opening
- 1.25 miles for every dollar spent on the card
- 2.5 miles per dollar spent on British Airways travel
- No foreign transaction fees
-New: Smart Chip Technology allows you to use your card for chip-based purchases in Europe & beyond, while still giving you the ability to use your card as you do today at home.
- Companion certificate after $30,000 in spend. This companion ticket allows a second miles redemption for free. So if you use 100,000 miles for a business class ticket from Los Angeles to London, the second business class ticket costs 0 miles (you only pay taxes). A huge value if used properly.
- $95 annual fee
Application link

Although the spending requirements are pretty high – $20,000 within a year in order to secure the whole 100,000 Avios bonus – if you can hit that spend, let alone the $30,000 necessary for the potentially ultra-lucrative Travel Together companion ticket, this card can be a great deal. I carry it myself and find elements of it like the fact that I get a 10% rebate on BA tickets purchased with the card to be real, tangible benefits.

Last time this offer came around, I created a whole series on Maximizing the British Airways Visa and the various features of the card as well as British Airways’ Avios frequent flyer program. Here are the posts:

-Master FAQ Post on British Airways 100,000 Mile Offer
-Spotlight on Taxes and Fees
-Distance-Based Awards
-Travel Together Companion Ticket
-Household Accounts
-Using Avios to Upgrade Paid Tickets
-The Avios and Cash Option
-Save Money on Fuel Surcharges by Transferring British Airways Avios to Iberia
-Using Avios For Non-Flight Redemptions
-Using Avios to Book Domestic First Class Flights Direct Flights, London Stopovers and UK Destinations How to Redeem British Airways Avios Without Huge Fees

We seem to have reached a really great moment in the credit card market and I hope many of you are able to take advantage of it. If I were doing a churn today, the British Airways Visa would be part of my strategy, while I'd also apply for the following cards:

-Premier Rewards Gold card from American Express for 50,000 Membership Rewards points for spending $1,000 in the first 3 months.

-The Business Platinum card from American Express OPEN Savings for 25,000 Membership Rewards points for spending $5,000 in 3 months

-The Ink Bold from Chase for 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points for spending $5,000 in the first 3 months

Applying for multiple cards from the same issuer on the same day is completely possible - and potentially a great strategy with offers such as those on these Amex cards - though with American Express at least, they'll each count as separate credit pulls, so just be sure your credit score is in good shape before attempting it. And if you've been thinking about the British Airways Visa but have been too shy to commit, I'd say now is the time while this offer is still out there.
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